There is one particular harrowing scene in the book which is brilliantly written. There was no need for graphic descriptions of the horrific event, all it took was a telephone conversation and my own imagination. Total perfection. This story begins as a snowball and by the time it ends it makes one hell of an avalanche. Some of the scene is already set for book 14 with Roy Grace’s home life, I feel very uneasy. I think it could even top this one! One of the reasons that I love these novels is the stories of DC Grace’s life and loves and how they entwine with the murder cases. Each book presents new challenges for DS Roy Grace. Watching his relationship with Bruno develop as he learns more about his son takes the book to another level.

Need You Dead – Peter James

Also, I was impressed by the introduction of the Super Recognizer Unit. It is composed of a team of police officers who all share a special gift. They are able to recognize the true identity of a partially disguised criminal simply by looking at their eyes, nose, jaw, or other facial feature. I did some research of my own and learned that this unit actually exists at Scotland Yard. The Super Recognizers sound like a group of superheroes. Police Officer Tim Weatherley is one such member of the unit. His life is endangered when he visits Roy Grace. Someone needs Tim dead. Need You Dead doesn’t have a high body count. It isn’t fodder for gore hounds such as me. However, there are some gruesome killings–the type you might find in a horror movie. The central case in Need You Dead is the murder of the complicated and crossed-in-love Lorna Belling. A hairdresser by trade—and physically abused by her husband—Lorna was hoping love with another man would help her escape her situation. But a chance meeting destroys her dream, and now Lorna’s dead. Many might think that the obvious suspect is her abusive husband. But what looks obvious to the police, doesn’t look so obvious to us, the reader. So who killed Lorna? The subplot that snagged me like a fish on a hook is the one involving the sullen, blatantly disobedient Bruno. There is an aura of doom about him. I think Roy has invited an evil, devilish child into his home. I feel that Roy’s wife, Cleo, and their baby son, Noah, are in danger. Why did Bruno keep insisting that his friend Erik’s female schnauzer, Adini, would never be found? Did Bruno kill it because it bit him on the hand? While reading Need You Dead, look for other clues to Bruno’s true nature. ALL CRITICS TOP CRITICS VERIFIED AUDIENCE ALL AUDIENCE Where to watch I Need You Dead! Rent/buy Rent/buy Rent/buy

About this book

Firstly, his ex-wife, who had been missing for years, has not only resurfaced but also committed suicide. If that weren’t enough, she’s left behind a ten-year-old son that Roy didn’t know he had. Now he must travel to Germany, where they were living, to bring the boy home to England. Karin Slaughter James just gets better and better and deserves the success he has achieved with this first-class series

Need you dead - Peter James Paperback / softback Need you dead - Peter James Paperback / softback

When the body of a woman is found, Grace is called to the scene. At first it looks an open-and-shut case with a clear prime suspect. That is, until Grace realizes there is a darker, far more terrifying alternative . . Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. DS Roy Grace is a very likable character. He is extremely dedicated to his job. Some may say he is too dedicated. Roy fears it is his dedication that drove Sandy away. He blames himself for her death. Does Bruno also blame Roy for Sandy’s death? The entire Roy Grace series reads like a prime-time soap opera. It is very melodramatic and intriguing. It is also fast-paced. Guy Batchelor continued his assessment of the crime scene, reminded all the time of Roy Grace’s words. Roy Grace, creation of the CWA Diamond Dagger award winning author Peter James, faces his most mysterious case yet in Need You Dead.Meticulous research gives his prose great authenticity . . . James manages to add enough surprises and drama that by the end you're rooting for the police and really don't know if they will finally get their men Peter James has penetrated the inner workings of police procedures, and the inner thoughts and attitudes of real detectives, as no English crime writer before him. His hero, Roy Grace, may not be the most lively cop, nor the most damaged by drink, weight or misery, but he's one of the most believable