I’m not sure how I feel about that, I do know I felt the author should of given more time & ‘fleshed out’ her character as well as Bruno’s, it felt to me like the author had just gotten bored of them & just killed them off, so to speak. A trade which pits him against some ruthless people who will kill anyone who gets in their way, because where there is greed, there is murder.”

At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs. Never happy when a real life person supposedly interacts with the fictional. Not likely to be responsible for the outcome of treatment because the patient lives in the imagination of the author. So filler. Careful investigation and planning lead to a nail-biting conclusion and I was on the edge of my seat, seriously worried about more than one of the police team. I know that Peter James does meticulous research for all of his novels but he has excelled himself this time. A farmer is killed when confronting intruders who complete the successful robbery of some unusual items. Organised criminal gangs have identified a new market and are willing to do what it takes to make money. Roy Grace is determined to stop it.I love the Roy Grace books and have read every single one. This latest instalment was a great read and had me hooked from the very beginning. We have a couple of storylines running parallel to each other, with the investigation into the murder of a farmer who was trying to prevent his puppies being stolen, the subsequent trail into who was illegally importing puppies from abroad and the sad hospitalisation of a young girl. The storylines were gripping and, whilst it wasn’t really a “whodunnit”, I was kept on edge wondering how it was all going to end. A new Peter James will always jump straight to the top of my reading list, I love the Grace series and have enjoyed them all; I am always engrossed by the imaginative storylines and the criminal acts that he can dream up. In the dead of night, a gang of thieves steal a litter of puppies. The owner is killed as they drive off. Roy Grace and his team investigate the murder and discover that criminals have realised that there is a lucrative trade in dogs. As the team dig deeper into the illegal trade, things hit close to home for Grace. Grace never loses sight of the fact he’s investigating a murder, which underlines how ruthless the criminals he’s seeking are. They’re only interested in profit, and don’t care who gets hurt along the way. Cassian Pewe, or as I have renamed him, Cats Spewe, is the baddie you love to hate, he will never be a redeemable character, as many bad ones can be, his callousness & disregard for anyone else have proven that.

The range of different crimes covered are nothing new, but the way in which they are all brought together is done well and is a timely reminder to people about some of the dubious practises criminals are involved in. We see the myriad of ways in which the unsuspecting and trusting public can be conned. The only ‘bad’ part I could really say about this book, & some others, is it felt very cut short & I was a little disappointed that the Bluebell side was not completed a little more, perhaps by a trip to the airport… I am not a dog person, but I was absolutely fascinated to learn about this emerging crime wave. It’s rooted in events around the pandemic, and James depicts it in a way that is utterly credible. If this isn’t based in fact, it sure sounds like it is. As soon as the story begins, you can feel some horrible things are about to happen. It's very wise Peter James choose to tell us this story without very graphic descriptions of the conditions these poor animals are kept. There are ruthless criminals in this story, but also loving parents, happy children and of course Grace and his team. There is murder and violence, but also love, even in some people you wouldn't expect. There are grim parts and very moving parts in this book, and it all together makes for a great story.

Featured Reviews

The minor, but centrally placed, comical thief is switched off long before end. He has nothing to do with the murders. His shop thieving is totally irrelevant and his appearance at the Amex just stretches the word count. Why do we need to hear about Norman's social life? Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major ITV series. Grace isn’t focused just on finding the murderers. He’s also focused on finding enough evidence, of the right kind, to ensure an effective and lengthy conviction. This again leads to highlighting details some writers skim over. It sounds dry, but in fact it’s an absorbing insight into how real police officers think.