Roy Grace is one of the few fictional detectives who truly understands Brighton’s darker side. Across more than 20 novels, he investigates obsession, trafficking, organised crime, and murder. Peter James goes beyond Brighton’s postcard image, exploring the city’s nightlife, wealth, and hidden criminal world.
Peter James created Roy Grace as a thoughtful, persistent detective still haunted by the unexplained disappearance of his first wife, Sandy. This mystery adds an emotional layer to the books right from the start.
Roy is a careful and experienced officer, but he often clashes with his superiors because he is open to trying unusual methods. His friendship with Detective Glenn Branson adds warmth to the story, especially when cases get difficult.
Table of Contents
Do you need to read the Roy Grace books in order?
Each book features a main case that gets solved, so you can read them on their own. Still, because the series also follows Roy’s relationships, career, and his feelings about Sandy, it’s best to read them in publication order, especially if you’re new to the series.
Roy Grace books in order of publication
Dead Simple (2005)
A stag-night prank goes wrong when Michael Harrison is shut inside a coffin and the friends who know where he is are killed in a road accident. With Michael running out of air, Grace must uncover what happened before the buried groom is gone for good.
Looking Good Dead (2006)
Tom Bryce picks up a CD left on a train, hoping to return it to its owner, but witnesses a murder online. Reporting what he has seen places Bryce’s whole family in danger, and Grace’s investigation takes him into a disturbing digital world where the killers appear to know their victim’s every move.
Not Dead Enough (2007)
Socialite Katie Bishop has been murdered, and the most obvious suspect is her husband. There is one substantial problem: Brian Bishop appears to have been asleep in another city when she died. Grace faces contradictory evidence, questions of identity and a suspect who may be innocent, deceptive, or both.
Dead Man’s Footsteps (2008)
On September 11, 2001, struggling Brighton businessman Ronnie Wilson sees the chaos in New York as an opportunity to leave his old life behind. Years later, a body found in a Brighton storm drain draws Grace into an international investigation involving fraud, disappearance and a woman being ruthlessly hunted.
Dead Tomorrow (2009)
When a teenager’s body is recovered from the sea with vital organs missing, further discoveries expose a cruel trafficking operation. The case brings Grace into the path of people who profit from distress, while a mother facing an impossible situation considers how far she will go to save her seriously ill daughter.
Dead Like You (2010)
Two attacks in Brighton are eerily similar to crimes from over a decade ago by someone called the Shoe Man. Grace must figure out if the original attacker is back or if someone is copying him. The case also makes Grace confront a difficult time in his own past.
Dead Man’s Grip (2011)
Carly Chase is involved in a road accident that kills an American student with dangerous family connections. When the other drivers are murdered, Grace warns Carly that she is likely to be next. What follows is a tense hunt for an organised killer who seems to be able to stay ahead of the police.
Not Dead Yet (2012)
Rock star Gaia comes back to Brighton to film a Hollywood movie, which brings both publicity and a big security challenge for Grace. A stalker has already tried to kill Gaia and could be close by, so Grace must protect her while dealing with people whose motives are unclear.
Dead Man’s Time (2013)
A violent robbery at a Brighton mansion leaves an older woman dying and a family determined to recover a stolen heirloom. Their history reaches back to New York’s criminal underworld, and they are willing to pursue their own justice, leaving Grace caught between a ruthless killer and a powerful man motivated by revenge.
Want You Dead (2014)
Red Westwood believes she has found love through online dating, but Bryce Laurent turns out to be charming, controlling, dishonest, and dangerously obsessed. Breaking up with him does not stop the trouble. Bryce goes after the people and places Red cares about, and Grace must act quickly to stop him before Red becomes his final victim.
You Are Dead (2015)
Logan Somerville vanishes while talking to her fiancé on the phone. Her disappearance is soon connected to the remains of a woman missing for decades and to other victims with similar stories. Grace is searching for a careful, experienced killer who has stayed hidden for years.
Love You Dead (2016)
Jodie Bentley has always wanted beauty and wealth. After changing her appearance, she goes after rich men, but her husbands rarely live long. Grace suspects a black widow is behind these deaths and soon finds out she is even more dangerous than he thought.
Need You Dead (2017)
Lorna Belling feels stuck in an abusive marriage and hopes a new relationship will help her escape. Instead, she is found murdered in a Brighton flat. Grace faces lies, hidden relationships, and several possible suspects as he tries to find out who killed her and why.
Dead If You Don’t (2018)
Businessman and compulsive gambler Kipp Brown takes his teenage son to a football match, only for the boy to disappear in the crowd. The kidnappers demand money and warn him against contacting the authorities. Kipp calls the police anyway, and Grace is left to manage a case where one wrong decision could be fatal.
Dead at First Sight (2019)
A romance scam aimed at lonely people turns into a bigger investigation when a murder occurs. Grace uncovers an international criminal network that uses fake online identities to take advantage of victims.
Find Them Dead (2020)
Meg Magellan thinks jury duty will just be a brief interruption to her life, but she is threatened: unless she helps a major drug dealer go free, her daughter in South America will be killed. While Grace investigates a murder and a county lines case, Meg faces an impossible decision.
Left You Dead (2021)
Niall Paternoster waits outside a supermarket while his wife, Eden, goes in, but she never returns. No evidence shows she ever entered the shop. Suspicion soon falls on Niall, and what looks like a simple missing-person case becomes much more complicated for Grace.
Picture You Dead (2022)
Harry and Freya Kipling discover what could be a valuable lost painting at a car boot sale. Their find quickly draws the attention of collectors willing to do anything to get it. Grace steps into the secretive art world, where money, history, and murder are closely linked.
Stop Them Dead (2023)
A farmer is killed while facing intruders, which at first looks like a burglary gone wrong. Grace soon finds out it is part of a bigger problem: ruthless gangs making huge profits from illegal trade. The case reveals a new kind of trafficking and the human cost of greed and crime.
One of Us Is Dead (2024)
At a funeral, James Taylor spots a former schoolfriend who was thought to have died two years ago. At the same time, Grace is dealing with a series of suspicious deaths. The two mysteries start to come together, raising questions about trust and whether someone has really come back from the dead.
The Hawk Is Dead (2025)
When the Royal Train is derailed and a trusted royal aide is killed, it looks like Queen Camilla was the target. Grace is not convinced and follows the case to Buckingham Palace, where pressure from the institution, public attention, and another murder make things even more serious.
Dead in Three Two One (2026)
The latest Roy Grace novel, coming out in October 2026, takes place as Brighton gets ready for Pride. Grace is in charge of security amid fears of an attack, but an old enemy is planning revenge. A killer in Room 321 is watching, and Roy and Cleo are heading into a trap.
Roy Grace companion books and short stories
These titles are not part of the main novels. Some people think They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story should be included in the main series, but for simplicity, we have listed it here.
In the Nick of Time (2014)
Co-written with Ian Rankin, this story brings Roy Grace together with Edinburgh detective John Rebus. You can find it in Peter James’s collection A Twist of the Knife.
Wish You Were Dead (2021)
In this Quick Reads thriller, Grace and his family stay at a French holiday rental that is not what it seems. An enemy from Roy’s past knows exactly where to find them.
They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story (2024)
This companion novel tells Sandy’s story in her own words. It solves a long-running mystery, so new readers should wait to read it until after the earlier books.
The Roy Grace television series
Fans of the Roy Grace books might enjoy watching ITV’s Grace, which is based on the novels. John Simm plays Roy, and Richie Campbell plays Glenn Branson. The show adapts entire books into feature-length episodes. While there are some changes, Brighton remains the main setting, and the big cases and Sandy’s mystery are still central.
Frequently asked questions
How many Roy Grace books are there?
There are 23 main Roy Grace novels, with another coming in October 2026. There are also two companion books and some short stories. Some readers count the novella They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story as a main novel, while others see it as a companion or short story.
What is the best Roy Grace book?
Many people consider the first novel, Dead Simple, to be the best in the series. Dead Man’s Footsteps (book 4), Dead Like You (book 6), and Left You Dead (book 17) are also very popular.
Is the Roy Grace series finished?
The Roy Grace series is still going strong. A new book is coming out in October 2026, and Peter James keeps adding to the series. The ITV crime drama adaptation is also ongoing.
Is Roy Grace based on a real person?
Peter James based Roy Grace on a real police officer who visited his home after a burglary, just after his first novel came out. The officer noticed James’s book and invited him to spend time with the police for research. James also draws on real police stories and his own experiences for inspiration.