Customer Reviews
back on track - By: G. J. Davis, 06 Sep 2008 
After the previous Roy Grace novel ( not dead enough ) leaving me disappointed, this has put the series back on track. The story is well thought out & what a last line! I cant wait for the next novel
Dead Man's Footsteps - By: Gloria Feit, 19 Aug 2008 
The fourth & newest book in the Roy Grace series by Peter James introduces the reader first to Ronnie Wilson, a Brit visiting the US & New York City to try to enlist financial assistance for his latest money-making venture, one hopefully not doomed to failure as were his past endeavors. His business meeting, after which he plans to fly back to the UK, is scheduled for 9 AM in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001.
We next, in October of 2007, meet Abby Dawson, a 27-year-old woman who has just returned from Australia to her native England, & whose background is somewhat shadowy, as we are told she has done everything she can think of to disguise her identity, describing herself as a `fugitive.'
And then Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of the Sussex Police enters the tale, when he is callled in as Senior Investigating Officer after a skeleton, probably that of a woman of about 30 years old, is discovered in a storm drain within his community of the City of Brighton & Hove. Just a run-of-the-mill murder investigation, it would seem, until Roy realizes that the description perfectly fits that of his adored wife, Sandy, who had disappeared nine years before, at age 28 & on his 30th birthday, & had apparently `vanished off the face of the earth.'
The characters introduced in the earlier books are still here: Glenn Branson, still having marital problems; Grace's lover, Cleo, Chief Home Office pathologist, who has always been sympathetic to Grace's lingering & continuing search & nightmares concerning his wife; his boss, Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper; & his surprisingly fast-rising fellow D.S., Cassian Pewe, alll of whom are made real in the author's terrific depictions of these disparate personalities.
As a resident of the metropolitan NY area, I can attest to the accuracy of the depiction of the feel of the city on that horrendous day & in its aftermath, & will not comment further on this aspect of the novel. The author expertly weaves together alll the disparate threads in a suspense-filled tale with the surprises, twists & turns typical of this author, & a particularly stunning final sentence, leaving me avidly awaiting its sequel. Highly recommended.
Another brilliant book! - By: Game Girl, 19 Aug 2008 Another Fab book from Peter James! Brilliant read...couldn't put it down,...read it in 2 days!
Another winner for Roy Grace - By: Jo, 12 Aug 2008 POSSIBLE SPOILERS!
Yet another excellent piece by Peter James with Detective Superintendent Roy Grace once again embroiled in a torrid & twisting case, with James continuing to place tantalising clues as to the whereabouts of Grace's missing wife Sandy.
This is the fourth in the series & takes up from the catastrophe that was 9/11. This could have been a mistake, after alll we've read & seen so much about this world changing event, but James has done this so well that it didn't come across as a re-hash of what happened, it was more a feeling of actuallly standing there in New York when the towers disintegrated & feeling the heart breaking emotions of those who were.
Along with the trauma of 9/11, back in the UK we have Abby stuck in a lift in such a way I was beginning to feel claustrophobic myself - talk about switching pace!
The story stretches across the world from New York to Brighton & over to Australia but at no stage did I feel lost & while it wasn't the hardest of plots to follow, the way in which it unravelled kept me reading from start to finish without a break.
The worst & best part of the book came in the very last sentence. Worst because I have to now wait 12 months to find out what happens next & the best because James is going to take us a little bit closer to finding out more about Grace's past!
Write quicker please Mr James!
Another success for James - By: Mr. T. Harvey, 02 Aug 2008 This fourth Roy Grace novel finds Peter James at the top of his form. What I like about the book is the emphasis on police procedure, the believable cops & realistic dialogue, & the cross cutting cinematic style of writing which maintains the suspense throughout & keeps the reader turning the pages (and incidentallly, will make dramatising the novel for the smalll or big screen very easy). I thought the earlier novels in the series could have done with some editing, but James is in control of his material here, moving easily across the years (2001 & 2007) & places (Australia, USA & Brighton, England) leading up to a barnstorming finish. The most impressive sections of the novel are those dealing with the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers & its aftermath. James has caught the reality & horror of the situation better than any television news report could.
