Book Review: Left You Dead by Peter James

Left You Dead

by

Peter James

 

No Body, No Trace, No Crime?

 

Publisher: Pan Macmillan 

 

Publication date: 27th April 2021

 

Series: Roy Grace #17

 

Genre: Crime / Mystery

 

Pages: 496

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

About the book

 

Is this Roy Grace’s most challenging case yet? A mystery that is leaving him totally confounded for the first time in his career.

Most Sundays, Niall and Eden Paternoster like to go for a drive and visit country houses. She likes to look at them, he likes to dream that one day . . .

However, most weeks they also end up bickering about something or other. This particular Sunday he wants to get back to catch the start of the French Grand Prix but she insists they stop somewhere to buy cat litter. Reluctantly, he pulls into the car park of a large supermarket and waits while she dashes in.

He waits. And waits. But Eden doesn't come back out, she’s gone. When he gets home she’s not there either, and none of their friends or family have heard from her.

A few days later Niall is arrested on suspicion of her murder despite vigorously protesting his innocence. But as Roy Grace is called in to investigate the disappearance of Eden Paternoster, it soon transpires that nothing is as it seems . . .

 

My review

 

Left You Dead is my second read in the DS Roy Grace series. I came into this series very late with Find You Dead (book 16). As with my previous read Left You Dead reads well as a stand-alone. A new case is opened and wrapped up by the end of the book. Snippets of backstory keep you updated , or reminded, of previous events.

 

Eden Paternoster goes missing without a trace. When her husband reports her disappearance to the police, Roy Grace is called in to head the investigation. What follows is an, as expected, police procedural as the team question Niall Paternoster and gather information from various sources. However, Peter James has introduced dramatic irony and the reader is savvy to information that the police don't have. This gives quite an interesting twist to the story and makes the mystery even more compelling.

 

As the main plot is the police procedural Grace's colleagues feature heavily and I enjoyed the natural banter and friendly ribbing between the workmates and getting to know more of their personal life.

There is a second plot that explores the deep and emotional theme of organ donation and how vital it is.

 

Left You Dead is another edge of your seat crime mystery with James' signature short, sharp chapters it's an easy, quick read. Many of the chapters ending on a cliff-hanger make the book hard to put down.

 

If you are after a compelling police procedural with a likeable main character you can't go past Left You Dead.  

 

My rating 5 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo credit: Goodreads

Known for his fast-paced and gripping stories that thrust regular people into extraordinary situations, Peter James has proven himself to be one of the world’s most successful writers, delivering number one bestsellers time and time again. His Superintendent Roy Grace books have been translated into 37 languages with worldwide sales of over 21 million copies and 17 number one Sunday Times Bestsellers. His latest Roy Grace novel, Find Them Dead spent 7 weeks at number one in 2020. The first two novels in the Roy Grace series, Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead, have been adapted for television by Endeavour’s Russell Lewis and the first episode aired on 14th March 2021 in the UK.

 

 

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