James’ novels are notable for the great detail around the investigation. In particular, there’s a level of detail around the roles of particular police specialists, and the command structure, which I’ve rarely seen elsewhere. It adds both credibility and an interesting intellectual and practical level to the narrative. Grace never loses sight of the fact he’s investigating a murder, which underlines how ruthless the criminals he’s seeking are. They’re only interested in profit, and don’t care who gets hurt along the way. A trade which pits him against some ruthless people who will kill anyone who gets in their way, because where there is greed, there is murder.” There is no tension. Nothing is nail biting. Too much is included that does not move the murder story and does no more than explain the plight of puppies farmed without care who do not appear to get their happy ending.

The only ‘bad’ part I could really say about this book, & some others, is it felt very cut short & I was a little disappointed that the Bluebell side was not completed a little more, perhaps by a trip to the airport… So Peter James clearly loves dogs. There's no other reason for the overrarching nonsensical plot line centred around illegal dog farming. There is simply no way that Sussez's best detective, its ACC and CC would prioritise a manslaughter during a dog theft with the same level of seriousness as we have previously seen reserved for serial killers.The book is the latest in the Roy Grace series after the previous release of Picture You Dead which launched in October. At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is well used to the rhythm of major crimes, and swings into action when a local farmer is murdered in the middle of the night. However, the circumstances surprise him. The farmer was murdered while trying to stop the theft of his dogs. This leads Grace into a new world: the highly lucrative world of stealing or illegally smuggling dogs.

I am not a dog person, but I was absolutely fascinated to learn about this emerging crime wave. It’s rooted in events around the pandemic, and James depicts it in a way that is utterly credible. If this isn’t based in fact, it sure sounds like it is. PDF / EPUB File Name: Stop_Them_Dead_Detective_Roy_Grace_Series_19_-_Peter_James.pdf, Stop_Them_Dead_Detective_Roy_Grace_Series_19_-_Peter_James.epub Although the novel features ongoing characters, and their lives, there’s enough detail here for new readers to know what’s going on with them. You could step into the series here and start reading with no problems; you just might take a bit longer to engage with some characters. I will honour the author’s desire for surprise and not mention what this new market actually is, even if it’s difficult to write a review without identifying it. Suffice to say that I was incredibly impressed by the author’s research and the easy way he makes all the pitfalls and the most extreme consequences realistic. This novel is not a wake up call, it’s a howling klaxon. The story is told in the typical Grace style, racing through the revelations and trying to stop anything else happening before its too late. The usual crew of Branson, E-J and Potting are there, along with some new faces who hopefully will feature in future stories.A farmer is murdered by intruders on his property. In the middle of the night, 4 men come and steal his dogs and the litter of puppies they have had. This leads Roy and the team into the murky depths of the world of puppy farms, illegal trade, dogs being stolen from their owners and so much more. The people involved will do anything to protect themselves, anything. Careful investigation and planning lead to a nail-biting conclusion and I was on the edge of my seat, seriously worried about more than one of the police team. I know that Peter James does meticulous research for all of his novels but he has excelled himself this time. I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Stop Them Dead, the nineteenth novel to feature Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of Sussex Police. Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major ITV series.