Review – Want You Dead by Peter James

Single girl, 29, smouldering redhead, love life that’s crashed and burned. Seeks new flame to rekindle her fire. Fun, friendship and – who knows – maybe more?

When Red Westwood meets handsome, charming and rich Bryce Laurent through an online dating agency, there is an instant attraction. But as their love blossoms, the truth about his past, and his dark side, begins to emerge. Everything he has told Red about himself turns out to be a tissue of lies, and her infatuation with him gradually turns to terror.

Within a year, and under police protection, she evicts him from her flat and her life. But Red’s nightmare is only just beginning. For Bryce is obsessed with her, and he intends to destroy everything and everyone she has ever known and loved – and then her too . . .

It’s so blooming difficult to write a review of any of the books in this wonderful Roy Grace series by Peter James.  What you really want to say is “I loved the bit when…” but you know you can’t – no, you really can’t, or you might just start getting death threats yourself (although I do notice that some Amazon reviewers have largely disregarded that danger).  But I’m not going to stray beyond the publisher’s blurb, other than to say that in addition to the terrifying plot we now also see Roy preparing for his wedding to the lovely Chloe. Peter James really cranks up the tension in this one – I loved it, and after being just slightly less enthusiastic about the last in the series (Dead Man’s Time), must say that I think this is the best yet by some considerable margin.  And as for Sandy… (no, I wouldn’t dare!).

For anyone who hasn’t discovered this series, I must say again “don’t start here”.  Start with the first in the series, Dead Simple, or you’ll miss out on so many references.  And one of the joys of this series is in the character development – the whole team, not just Roy himself – while immersing yourself in each gripping stand-alone story.  Wonderful stuff.

Want You Dead was published by Macmillan on 2 June in hardback and for kindle: the paperback will be out in October.  My thanks to netgalley for my advance reading e-copy.

Peter James was educated at Charterhouse, then at film school. He lived in North America for a number of years, working as a screenwriter and film producer before returning to England. His novels, including the Sunday Times number-one bestselling Roy Grace series, have been translated into thirty-six languages, with worldwide sales of fourteen million copies. Three novels have been filmed. All his books reflect his deep interest in the world of the police, with whom he does in-depth research, as well as his fascination with science, medicine and the paranormal. He has also produced numerous films, including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. He divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill, London, and near Brighton in Sussex.