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Dead Simple: Meet Roy Grace in This Pulse-Pounding Crime Thriller from the Multimillion-Copy Bestselling Author Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 20,509 ratings

‘Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world’ - LEE CHILD, author of the Jack Reacher series

Meet Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on his unforgettable first major case, in this TV tie-in edition of
Dead Simple, the first instalment in the award-winning series by Peter James. Now a major ITV show starring John Simm.

*****

It was meant to be a harmless stag-night prank. But a few hours later, the groom has disappeared and his friends are dead.

With only three days to the wedding, Roy Grace is contacted by the man’s distraught fiancée to unearth what happened on that fateful night.

The one man who ought to know of the groom’s whereabouts is saying nothing. But then he has a lot more to gain than anyone realizes, for one man’s disaster is another man’s fortune . . .

Although the Roy Grace novels can be read in any order, Dead Simple is the first thrilling title in the bestselling series. Enjoy more of the Brighton detective’s investigations with Looking Good Dead and Not Dead Enough.

*****

23 million copies sold.

Creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s favourite fictional detective.

'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business' – Karin Slaughter, author of the Will Trent series

'One of the world’s most popular detective series' –
The Guardian

‘The master of the craft’ - Daily Express

'Ruthlessly efficient entertainment. Pedigree fun' -
The Times

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There are 21 books in this series.

In this series (21 books)

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Product description

Review

Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business -- Karin Slaughter, author of False Witness and After That Night

A terrific tale of greed, seduction and betrayal ―
Daily Telegraph

One of the world’s most popular detective series ―
The Guardian

A typically clever and convoluted central mystery --
Daily Mirror on Left You Dead

Sinister and riveting . . . Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world -- Lee Child, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher novels

Ingenious plotting, high suspense and tight writing ―
Daily Mail

Review

A terrific tale of greed, seduction and betrayal ― Daily Telegraph

Ingenious plotting, high suspense and tight writing ―
Daily Mail

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003GK21VW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pan
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 Sept. 2008
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ New Edit/Cover
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 481 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780330434195
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0330462716
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 21 ‏ : ‎ Roy Grace
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 20,509 ratings

About the author

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Peter James
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Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger.

To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 19 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage – the most recent being Looking Good Dead.

Visit Peter James www.peterjames.com

Follow Peter on Instagram > @peterjamesuk

Follow Peter on Twitter > @peterjamesuk

Follow Peter on Facebook > www.facebook.com/peterjames.roygrace

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
20,509 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this crime thriller engaging with a not-too-complicated plot and believable twists and turns. The writing is carefully detailed, with characters that are easy to visualize, and the book maintains a fast pace throughout. Customers consider it a great beginning to the Roy Grace series, with one customer noting it's a complete page-turner from start to finish. While some customers describe it as an exciting rollercoaster ride, others find it disappointing.

1,409 customers mention ‘Readability’1,398 positive11 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a real page turner and fantastic novel, with one customer noting it's a brilliant book series to get into.

"The books are better than the TV series. Love Grace and his sidekick. The parallel story of Grace's wife adds to the read and keeps it real...." Read more

"I agree with a previous reviewer, a good page turner but why the Americanisms? ‘Parking lot’ ‘‘garbage truck’, etc. I found this off putting...." Read more

"...An extremely good read & easily worth 5 stars," Read more

"...Fast paced, enjoyable and demanding little engagement or consideration by readers there is a real mass market thriller appeal to Dead Simple, the..." Read more

1,110 customers mention ‘Plot variety’977 positive133 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, which features believable twists and turns and is not too complicated.

"...The parallel story of Grace's wife adds to the read and keeps it real. Nicely penned and planned" Read more

"...A thrill packed car chase and some seedy sex scenes make this a book not to be missed. Peter James is my new go to author." Read more

"...The premise of Dead Simple remains highly original, even years later, largely because it plays on the one fear that such a large sector of society..." Read more

"...the equivalent of being on a rollercoaster ride in that there are plenty of twists, turns and stomach churning moments...." Read more

334 customers mention ‘Writing style’285 positive49 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well described and easy to read with a twist.

"...Nicely penned and planned" Read more

"...Despite my criticism, Dead Simple is a solid read, albeit seeming oddly lacking in any detail of the police procedure of Grace and his colleagues...." Read more

"...progressed and returned to the victim in the coffin, it became easier to read so I'm glad I persisted...." Read more

"...I really enjoyed this novel and I admire the author's writing talent. I will definitely be reading more in the series...." Read more

187 customers mention ‘Character development’159 positive28 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them very believable and easy to visualize, with one customer noting how the protagonists are well-established.

"...I loved how all the characters were well conceived & portrayed. There were a mixture of different personalities and I took to some more than others...." Read more

"...The characters in this book are strong, interesting and while they have pasts that are going to be worth exploring through later books in this..." Read more

"...feel like you're being taken along on the journey, the characters are well written and you feel that you can really sympathies with them...." Read more

"...The plot was twisty and Grace is a very interesting character that I am looking forward to reading more about in this series!" Read more

133 customers mention ‘Pace’104 positive29 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pace, describing it as fast and action-packed, with one customer noting that the short sharp chapters made the pages fly by.

"...Fast paced, enjoyable and demanding little engagement or consideration by readers there is a real mass market thriller appeal to Dead Simple, the..." Read more

"...as they are making introductions etcetera but this book hit the ground at speed and kept up the pace throughout...." Read more

"...Dead Simple is a non stop, fast paced read which by the end I could not get through the pages quick enough to see how things were going to end...." Read more

"...Overall, this was a fast-moving novel, with some great lines, which will have you turning the pages. 9/10" Read more

103 customers mention ‘Page turner’91 positive12 negative

Customers describe this book as a real page-turner, with one review noting it's a complete page turner from start to finish.

"...author a second chance, because it was an easy book to read and the pages turned, in the hope of a more solid plot." Read more

"...This is a page-turner with clever ideas and a couple of twists I didn’t see coming...." Read more

"...What a fab new discovery. It really is a page turner as others say...." Read more

"Brilliant story. Keeps you wanting to turn the page. Good cliff hanger with enough twists to keep you interested...." Read more

79 customers mention ‘Start’79 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book as a great beginning to the Roy Grace series, effectively hooking readers in.

"The books are better than the TV series. Love Grace and his sidekick. The parallel story of Grace's wife adds to the read and keeps it real...." Read more

"...Dead Simple starts off brilliantly and just does not stop...." Read more

"...I thought the book started reasonably promisingly, but after about a third of the way through wondered where it was heading...." Read more

"Wow, what a book. The start was cool with lots of information and getting to know part of Roy Grace's life...." Read more

121 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’71 positive50 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's entertainment value, with some finding it exciting and enjoyable with twists and turns, while others describe it as unbearably awful and disappointing.

"...A thrill packed car chase and some seedy sex scenes make this a book not to be missed. Peter James is my new go to author." Read more

"...Roy Grace, and on the basis of this first outing, he appears disappointing bland, undoubtedly providing Peter James with ample opportunity to add..." Read more

"...I honestly feel like I have just got off one of the best roller coaster rides of my life...." Read more

"...The final chapter in particular annoyed me as it seemed such a cop-out and really out of place in this sort of novel...." Read more

Interesting start to the series!
5 out of 5 stars
Interesting start to the series!
Dead Simple - Peter James So the lovely @readrosieread lent me this book. She loves this series so I wanted to give it a go. I was not disappointed! This crime thriller has you hooked from the beginning, taking unexpected twists and turns throughout! I love a book that can keep me guessing and this does just that! We follow multiple character perspectives in this book but the main viewpoint is Roy Grace a detective pulled on to a missing person case by a colleague. Five men have gone on a stag do, 4 of them die in a horrific car crash, but where is the groom? The bride contacts Grace as the groom is no where to be found, has he done a runner or has something happened to him? There are only three days until the wedding to discover his whereabouts. One man seems to know something about his disappearance but isn’t saying anything, but he does seem to have a lot to gain by his friends death. There is an element of the supernatural with this book, Grace believing that a psychic can help him find the groom, I enjoyed this part of the story and I am intrigued to see if this continues with the further books in the series. I am also very interested to find out about Grace’s wife’s disappearance. Will we find out what happened to her when she vanished in to thin air 9 years earlier? I will definitely be continuing the story with the next book! 5/5 ⭐️ Recommend ✅ #peterjames #deadsimple #thereisalwaystimeforbooks #bookworm #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #booknerd #books #reading #mummyreads #book review #crime #thriller #goodread
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 May 2025
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    The books are better than the TV series. Love Grace and his sidekick. The parallel story of Grace's wife adds to the read and keeps it real. Nicely penned and planned
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2025
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I agree with a previous reviewer, a good page turner but why the Americanisms? ‘Parking lot’ ‘‘garbage truck’, etc. I found this off putting. The book is set in the UK, I’m sure any American readers would wish the language to be authentic.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2024
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This was my first Roy Grace crime thriller and it won't be my last. If you have ever been afraid of being buried alive this story will make you cringe. A thrill packed car chase and some seedy sex scenes make this a book not to be missed. Peter James is my new go to author.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is the first of a series of Crime Novels all including ‘DEAD’ in their titles, (just in case anybody thought they were reading a Historical Romance. But this time the meaning, as used ONCE in the book, is ‘VERY EASY’ – and that may be true of criminal activities: but certainly NOT for their detection.

    Elsewhere critics have challenged a swathe of miniscule content – some even suggesting it’s used to string out the size of the book (as if readers selected by size or weight). Some readers, like myself become so hooked by what may happen on the next page as to dabble in ‘skim-reading`; I did and missed the fate of a key character. Certainly the author sometimes exaggerates DS Roy Grace’s ability to keep up the chase or the subtlety of his methods as remembered by his team. I found the driving skills drastically overdone towards the final pages, as I knew that stretch of road well from Traffic Monitoring. Towards the end of the book I thought the reader’s attention might wither, but that was an essential MAJOR ADUSTMENT of orientation for the characters – far more than the various swerves an observant reader must display to handle the sensitive plotline. I regret the failure to maintain page references to those junctions in this myriad example of whodunit.

    Peter James won’t get away so easily next time - but who am I kidding?

    An extremely good read & easily worth 5 stars,
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2016
    Approaching my first Peter James novel over ten years after it was first published in 2005 it is easy to be critical given the array of talented authors who proliferate the crime fiction genre. Readers have been well served by an increase in the diversity of material and the sheer number of sub-genres which cater for their demands and mean authors that offer a little of everything have become more mainstream. Despite being dated, I can also see from Dead Simple why Peter James has gone on to become a consistent bestseller. Firstly, the short, punchy chapters race by and although not incredibly exciting, there is something very easy in sitting back and opting for one last chapter as his prose demands. When some chapters are less than two pages it feels effortlessly easy to turn the page and devour more of the story. Fast paced, enjoyable and demanding little engagement or consideration by readers there is a real mass market thriller appeal to Dead Simple, the kind of novel that you can read and take in despite whatever commotion is going on around you.

    The premise of Dead Simple remains highly original, even years later, largely because it plays on the one fear that such a large sector of society share, specifically bring buried alive. This is the fate of twenty-nine year old groom to be, Michael Harrison, as a sickening stag night prank delivered at the hands of his best mates goes awry. Leaving him with a walking talkie and a breathing tube and continuing on their pub crawl, the plan is to come back in an hour or two to release him, only for them to be involved in a stomach churning road traffic accident and leaving all of those who buried Michael unable to return and release him. The one friend who escapes this tragedy is best man to be, Mark, who denies knowing of the planned hijinks of the rest of the lads. Contacted by Michael's fiancée in the days remaining until the scheduled wedding, Ashley Harper's plight provokes real concern on the part of DS Glenn Branson and advances into a full-blown investigation.

    Dead Simple introduces Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, and on the basis of this first outing, he appears disappointing bland, undoubtedly providing Peter James with ample opportunity to add more depth. Aged thirty-nine, he certainly seemed very dated, ready for pipe and slippers with colleagues ribbing him about approaching forty. Can anyone be this lacking in personality? Sadly so, unless the future novels of the series furnish him with any traits, hobbies or opinions aside from his sole goldfish named Marlon. It wasn't just Grace's lack of definition, but how stereotypical some of the others characters were, from the flashy one-dimensional friends of the victims, to the token black officer, DS Glenn Branson, and his hideously over the top exclamations of "yo", "man" and "dude" and mentions of rap music. His character brought back memories of the1980's stereotypes who were neither representative or distinctive personalities. The dialogue was also disappointing in that the banter between police colleagues was trite, mainly revolving around females, and seemed archaic; both lazy and unsatisfying.

    It is clear that Grace's personal demon is the disappearance of his wife, Sandy, over eight years ago and something that haunts him even years later and has undoubtedly contributed to his broadminded thinking that psychics and mediums could offer an answer. The early pages make mention of his use of a spiritual advisor in an ongoing court case, and from that moment on it is clear that Grace will replicate his unorthodox method in this case and I spent the first half dreading bringing this to fruition. Hopefully this is not setting a precedent for the rest of the series.

    Despite my criticism, Dead Simple is a solid read, albeit seeming oddly lacking in any detail of the police procedure of Grace and his colleagues. It seems to take quite a time for anyone to demand the mobile calls logs of the boys on the stag night and no one even thinks about seizing the computers of those involved, never even considering looking at a digital footprint. Given that Roy Grace seems to suspect from early on that Michael Harrison has been interred and the plot next to the scene of the car crash is the location, surely it would have been simpler to use a thermal imaging camera on the area where Harrison's mobile signal disappeared and the other boys met their fate. I also felt that the whole investigation had a rather bizarre feel, seeming to lack any top level strategic approach; for example Detective Superintendent Roy Grace seems to become embroiled in this case due to his friendship with DS Branson, helping out a friend, rather than any prioritising by Grace's boss, Assistant Chief Constable, Alison Vosper.

    Despite the Brighton location conjuring up quite a vibrant and bustling community, Dead Simple is oddly devoid of atmosphere and I never really felt the same thriving population mix that in reality it is home to. Likewise James attempts to add colour and an impression of his office surroundings are tremendously dry, dull fact and physical details. Dead Simple is perhaps a good hundred pages too long and the farcical obligatory car chase finale largely unwarranted, leaving a sense of disappointment. I am sure I will read more of this series to see how the characters progress and whether James adapts his style over time. Despite being simplistic, this is a rapid read and passes the time easily enough. I will certainly be looking for an improvement in the specifics of the investigation that more recent police procedural novels have rendered indispensable and certainly in the leadership of Grace.

    Review written by Rachel Hall (@hallrachel)
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Andrew
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Canada on 29 September 2021
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Very well written, such a cool story. I thought the characters were interesting and easy to imagine. Certainly hope he is still writing new books in this series, just started the second one and it’s also great so far.
  • JohnnyApril
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intense Thriller From Start To Finish
    Reviewed in the United States on 3 July 2015
    What starts out as a revenge prank suddenly turns into a thriller. That is the basis of Peter James’ first book in the series of Roy Grace, Dead Simple. The prank in this case is four friends of Michael Harrison locking him in a coffin during a drunken spree, which leads to the four friends being killed while Michael is in a coffin, days away from an uncertain death.
    Roy Grace is the detective who has to find Michael but what he doesn’t know is that the prank has led to more questions from Michael’s friends, leaving the reader to wonder if any of Michael’s friends are trustworthy. All this seems to make it even harder for Grace to figure out what happened to Michael.
    There are several things that make this book even more dynamic. Peter James writes from different points of view in the book, that being the criminals, the victim, and the police. By doing this, James fills the book with even more suspense since the characters drive the story, making me wonder what was going to happen next.
    Another great point of creating multiple points of view made the characters even more memorable because the characters are more developed. People might argue that the point of view switches too much but in this book, it’s still easy to follow since Dead Simple is more of a thriller than along with being a mystery. I have read books in multiple viewpoints. Some were done well. Others weren’t. In Dead Simple, it was a great part of the story.
    Some people on Kindle may feel differently about this, as well as Grace’s involvement with a Medium. That made the book better for me since I’m a big fan of the TV series, Medium, and other TV shows of that nature.
    I have to say that this was one of the best books I have read this year based on the unique type of plot and the multiple viewpoints, which in this case gave the story a tremendous amount of suspense. I wish I can give this book more than five stars.
  • 洋書の友
    5.0 out of 5 stars 警察物としては第一級のエンターテイメント作品
    Reviewed in Japan on 30 October 2015
     サセックス署のグレイス警視のシリーズ第一作。結婚する友人をお祝いと称して悪ふざけをする習慣stag party(普通はストリップ・ショーなんかに連れてゆく)が暗転し、花婿予定者が行方不明になってしまうところから事件が始まる。事件を担当するグレイス警視は恋人が謎の失踪をするというトラウマを抱えていることがやがてわかってくる。そのことがきっかけで妙なオカルトに走る。と一風変わった設定になっている。
     はじめは少し展開がゆっくりでちょっと我慢だが、中盤以降おもわぬ展開が続くと俄然面白くなる計算されたエンターテインメント構成で、ここいらは見事で最後まで一気に読まされた。作者は映画やテレビドラマ化を念頭に置いているのだろう。シーンが細かく分かれていたり、ハラハラさせるところなど、脚本のような作品である。一方、人間心理や、殺人の動機といった文学的側面は少し不足なので星1減も考えたが、十分楽しめたので、5星。
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very original story
    Reviewed in Australia on 8 October 2024
    Really enjoyed the book. Recommend it to anyone who loves twists and turns in their mysteries.can't wait to start the next one.
  • Billi Baloo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unglaublich!
    Reviewed in Germany on 24 September 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Als ich zu lesen anfing, habe ich erst mal geschluckt. Will ich wirklich lesen, wie einer lebendig begraben wird? Ich konnte mich an die Inhaltsangabe des Films erinnern und wusste, die Freunde, die Mike begraben, kommen kurze Zeit später um. Eigentlich wollte ich das nicht lesen, schon gar nicht Mikes Version davon - aber ich konnte nicht aufhören.

    Nach einem Drittel steht Mike das Wasser bis zum Hals und man denkt: Was soll da noch kommen? Entweder finden und retten sie ihn oder er stirbt. Und dafür brauchts dann zwei Drittel des Buchs? Und dann geht's eigentlich erst richtig los! Unglaublich!

    Was Peter James da konstruiert hat, ist so ziemlich das Spannendste, was mir seit langem untergekommen ist. Jede Spur, sei sie auch noch so klein oder kurz, wird verfolgt und zu Ende geführt. Roy Grace ist eine sehr sympathische Figur, er gehört schon jetzt zu meinen Favoriten.

    Mich hat aus ausnahmsweise mal nicht gestört, dass ich als Leser sehr viel mehr wusste als die Polizei. Im Gegenteil: Zeigt es doch die Realität, ohne langweilig zu werden. Einzig die vielen Details, Beschreibungen, wer was anhat, etc. fand ich übertrieben. Aber das Buch war so spannend, dass ich einfach drüber hinweg gelesen habe. Ich freue mich schon auf Band 2!

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