Dead Simple

Meet Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on his unforgettable first major case in Dead Simple, by award winning crime author Peter James.

It was meant to be a harmless stag-night prank. But a few hours later, the groom has disappeared and his friends are dead.

With only three days to the wedding, Roy Grace is contacted by the man’s distraught fiancée to unearth what happened on that fateful night.

The one man who ought to know of the groom’s whereabouts is saying nothing. But then he has a lot more to gain than anyone realizes, for one man’s disaster is another man’s fortune . . .

Although the Roy Grace novels can be read in any order, Dead Simple is the first thrilling title in the bestselling series. Enjoy more of the Brighton detective’s investigations with Looking Good Dead and Not Dead Enough.

Now a major ITV series, Grace, starring John Simm.

PETER JAMES is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s favourite fictional detective.

To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 21 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 24 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. ITV’s primetime adaptation of the Grace novels, starring John Simm, continues to delight audiences with significant ratings growth, and series seven is currently in production. On stage seven of Peter’s Grace novels have been adapted as plays, earning his work the reputation of being the most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie.

In 2026, Peter was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List, in recognition of his services to literature and to charity. Peter is a supporter of many of charities reflecting his concerns and interests, including as Co-Patron of the Sussex Police Charitable Trust; as a Patron of the RSPCA and the Samaritans; and as an ambassador for The Reading Agency and for the National Year of Reading 2026, among many others.