Emotions are put through the wringer when a child contracts rabies through contact with a puppy that has been imported illegally. We have a couple of storylines running parallel to each other, with the investigation into the murder of a farmer who was trying to prevent his puppies being stolen, the subsequent trail into who was illegally importing puppies from abroad and the sad hospitalisation of a young girl. The COVID lock-down saw a boom in people getting dogs and the author has used this as the basis for his current novel. The plot involves the horrible illegal puppy farming trade and associated pet thefts - upsetting to read if you are an animal lover. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War, The Summer of ‘39 (all published by Sacristy Press) and Ordinary Heroes (to be published on November 16 2023 by I M Books.

Stop Them Dead by Peter James | Waterstones Stop Them Dead by Peter James | Waterstones

It tackles the despicable crime of puppy farming and dog theft and as an animal lover I found it a hard read at times. The author's skillful portrayal of characters and their motivations adds depth to the narrative, while the chilling backdrop of greed and murder adds layers of intrigue. A few books back, I was convinced that Roy's German son Bruno was going to kill Humphrey, the Graces' black lab. The fact that this is happening, due to animals being so sought after during Covid, just makes me sick.Synonymous with plot-twisting page-turners, Peter has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career – which also included stints writing for TV and producing films. A farmer is killed when confronting intruders who complete the successful robbery of some unusual items. Meanwhile, young dog lover, Bluebell is promised a puppy by her parents and when viewing the puppies, she is nipped on the nose by one.

Stop Them Dead review: Roy Grace at the centre of canine capers Stop Them Dead review: Roy Grace at the centre of canine capers

This time, Grace is confronted with one of the most horrible crimes: making money of innocent animals. What’s wonderful about a new Roy Grace novel is from page one it’s like you’re catching up with old friends, and that you are seated at the table as each of the now familiar detectives gather for their daily briefings. When a young farmer get brutally killed on his own farm by intruders and a bitch and seven puppies worth 3 thousand pound each are stolen. Sadly due to Covid, lockdowns and working from home an increase in unscrupulous puppy napping became a worldwide by-product.Detective Superintendent Roy Grace uncovers a sinister underbelly of crime beyond the initial robbery, revealing a nationwide wave of illegal dog trade controlled by ruthless organized gangs. What is more, the writing is excellent, the pace nonstop, the descriptions of Brighton accurate and the minutiae of police procedure is second to none. Since this crime alone wouldn't be sufficient to carry a novel, the author has fleshed the story out with other animal-related crimes and tied them all together seamlessly.

Stop Them Dead by Peter James - Pan Macmillan Stop Them Dead by Peter James - Pan Macmillan

In this latest instalment we meet some nefarious, unpleasant and ruthless characters and I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read for dog lovers. It's a tough case with heartless and ruthless bad guys behind it all, and innocent victims in the midst of it all that have the capacity to break your heart, or perhaps even make a very life changing decision but hopefully a little better informed than the people in this book. When a young farmer confronts intruders in the middle of the night he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left dying in a pool of blood. Peter James does have a talent for creating grotesque characters and in this book, it is Gecko who likes to place live spiders in his mouth to shock and scare people.

A key character throughout the novel is Gecko, who is one of the most repulsive characters I've come across. Yes, he's a bit old school, probably nowhere near PC enough (again - no pun intended) for modern day policing, but there is just something about him. It's one of those kinds of books where it is very easy to put yourself in the position of the victim and understand the extent of loss they feel.