Yet another fantastic addition to the series. I loved this book just as much as the previous ones.

My favourite thing about this series has got to be the character development that continues throughout every single book. In this book, it focuses on Roy dealing with the loss of his son from the previous book as well as Cleo’s pregnancy with their second child on top of solving a 20 year old cold case.

Centred around art and paintings, I found it to be quite detailed which I liked as I have no idea about anything related to this topic. I did find the forgery side to be really interesting as well.

I’m really looking forward to watching this as part of the TV series!

Peter James has smashed it with this great instalment to the series. Absolutely love this series and I his book is no exception. Love the character development in a series like this over the years.

Fascinating look at the world of art and forgery. Also a cracking mystery for Grace to solve. A twenty year old murder blends with present day antiques roadshow.

Over the years I've read several books in this series and every time I think: some day I'm going to read all of them, in order! Thanks to NetGalley I've read book 18 now, and I found book 17 for a very low price so I will read that later this year. Reading a book in this series is a bit like coming home; all characters feel like you really know them, that you could meet them in your own city every day. On the other hand, there is so much going on in Roy Graces' life that I'm sometimes a bit overwhelmed in trying to keep track.
Book 18 is no exception. I was suprised and sad to read Roy's son Bruno died but happy to see he's still very happy with Cleo and his growing family.
In Picture You Dead we meet a couple of men who will do everything to get their hands on some priceless art, and the great thing about the story was for me Peter James makes it clear that you don't get to be a better person when you have an insane amount of money - let alone a happier person. The story of finding a priceless item at a car boot sale is not uncommon; I've watched several times the happy and suprised faces of people on television when being told this 'old painting they found in the attic' was in fact very rare and special. It always pleases me to see when people then decide to keep it, because it belonged to a loved family member.
Although sometimes the flow of the story is interrupted by a lot of background information that is not necessarily needed to understand what's happening - including small stories about people who don't play a role in the book - it was a pleasant read. I was thinking of giving it three stars but I ended up with giving four stars because there is a great twist at the end that shows how an accomplished storyteller Peter James is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for this review copy.

Even though this is book 18 in the series, Peter James smashes it out of the park once again with Roy Grace's latest case. Each of the books can be read as a standalone however why would you want to when the series is so fantastic? The first one, Dead Simple, still stands out as my favourite but the combination of new cases and Grace's personal back story make this one of the strongest crime series ever written.
We return to Brighton's Major Crime Unit with Grace struggling to cope with the sudden loss of his son. As ever when he's got personal issues going on he immerses himself in his work, this time considering cold cases which need resolution. One of those left on his radar by his former colleague is the murder of Charlie Porteous, a local art dealer who was bludgeoned to death in his car outside his home in 2015.
Local builder Harry Kipling and his wife Freya are keen car boot sale opportunists. Harry spots an ugly painting in an exceptional frame and gives £20 for it purely on the off chance that the frame might make him some money. Therein lies the start of their problems, which escalate when they take the picture to an expert on The Antiques Roadshow which happens to be filming locally.
We are led into the murky underworld of dodgy art dealers and small-time criminals in the Sussex area. All out to make a quick buck, often at other people's expense. But this time it looks like someone has overstepped the boundaries of acceptable behaviour - even in the criminal world.
As always Peter James leads us through the detectives thought processes - with the usual comedy/cringeworthy comments from the legendary Norman Potting - as they untangle the seedy world of the south coast criminal fraternity and all its connections. The human side of the detective team is represented equally as well with a professional dilemma being faced by one of the team being explored as it potentially threatens the relationship with his partner. It would seem that not all professions can work well alongside one another.
Another 5 star novel from Peter James which will be sure to top the bestseller list once more.

There's not much new to be said about as enduring and endearing a series as the Roy Grace novels of Peter James. The writing is excellent, as ever, the principal characters are familiar and Brighton appears as a vivid and dynamic backdrop. However, I felt that the plot was slightly less engrossing than normal, perhaps because the transition from cold case to current crime feels a little laboured; furthermore, because the crimes centre around the art world, the amount of explanation needed, and repeated excessively, slows down the progress somewhat. Nevertheless an enjoyable and satisfying read.

Have read all the Roy Grace series and have loved them all but this one took me just a bit longer to get into. As always great characterisation and plenty suspense along the way.. Definitely look forward to his next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I enjoyed this more than the previous novel, but it still feels like it lacks emotion when dealing with Bruno.

I like that this time Grace reopened a cold case from 2015 when an art dealer was murdered outside his home, which then links to a couple who discover an old painting at a car boot sale. They get it appraised on the antiques roadshow, turns out it could be a missing painting from the 1700s. A big art collector wants to buy iy, makes an offer that the couple turn down. After that it gets nasty as this guy will stop at nothing to get his hands on the painting!

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

Excellent as ever. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series so far so was thrilled at the opportunity to read another and was confident I’d love this too. I was right. If I’d considered the premise of the story I maybe would have been dubious, who knew the world of art forgery coupled with the Antiques Roadshow could be so exhilarating and fast paced?!
The eye watering price tag of rare and old paintings and the surrounding underworld completely drew me in, as did the idea of an ordinary couple happening upon an old masterpiece. The art equivalent of winning the lottery entirely by chance.
The baddies are terrifyingly believable and some of the tense moments were incredibly so, I held my breath whilst balancing on the edge of my seat a few times. I also love how the main characters develop throughout the series and how we’re fed crumbs of information about them and left wanting more and cliffhangers. Can’t wait for the next book, absolutely loved this one.

This is the eighteenth book in the Roy Grace series by author Peter James. I have followed this series from the start reading them in order and although the books could be read as standalones they do read better read sequential. There are back stories etc that may not make too much sense to the casual reader. This was another good read, maybe not quite as strong as others I have read but nevertheless enjoyable.

This latest offering from Peter James begins at a car boot sale when an ordinary couple, Harry and Freya Kipling buy an unattractive painting mainly due to the quality frame it had. Harry’s plan was to remove the painting and use the frame elsewhere, but on further investigation discovers that there is another picture beneath the dull painting. The hidden painting is a beautiful landscape that could be the lost masterpiece from 1770. If genuine, it would be worth a fortune and well sought after.

Unfortunately for Harry and Freya one interested collector is certain it is genuine and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Another fascinating case for Detective Superintendent Roy Grace as he tackles the investigation in the unfamiliar world of fine art.

Another enjoyable with all the usual Peter James ingredients. This series shows no signs of tiredness and remains an exciting read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Peter James is an author I constantly recommend as a procedural crime series. This is book 18 and each book is as good as the last. In this one we delve into Fine Art theft, forgery and fraud which Roy Grace knows nothing about, but he learns as do we. A cold case up for reinvestigation becomes connected to a current case, including murder, resulting in a great story meticulously plotted and hard to put down. Enjoyable , entertaining and recommended.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Another great instalment in the Roy Grace series. I have read every single one in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them all. A good insight into the murky world of art fraud with a murder or 2 thrown in. I highly recommend this book and author, I can’t wait for the next book.

I've read every Roy Grace novel and I'm yet to find one I don't thoroughly enjoy!
This time Roy is wrestling with personal loss while taking a look at a cold case which seeps into the present. We also get a look at the VERY shadowy side of the world of fine art collecting.
Hugely enjoyable!

Number 18 in the series as always an engrossing read. Harry and Freya are happy in their world, he a builder, she a deputy head at a school and together with their son Tom their lives are just fine. On a weekend they like to go car booting and the purchase of a pretty ugly painting in a nice frame for £20 unwittingly starts the beginning of a nightmare. A brilliantly paced thriller, I read this over one weekend and genuinely didn’t want to put it down. As usual a great main plot and the subplot was like catching up with old friends though sombre as it starts as the last books finished with some tragic issues
Another belter of a read in this excellent series

Book 18 by this brilliant author.
Harry and Freda enjoy nothing more than a walk around a car boot sale looking for that one priceless piece,always a dream until one day it comes true.
A portrait catches Harry's eye not for the actual painting but the frame so he purchases it for a small amount of money.After studying it at home there seems to be another picture underneath. Could this be the big one worth millions.Word soon gets around the art world and now someone will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is plunged into the unfamiliar world of fine art where he soon finds out its a cut throat world of greed,deception and violence.
Harry and Freya soon realise that you should be careful what you wish for.
I highly recommended this book the authors attention to detail is second to none.Looking forward to book 19.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

I never repeat the blurb. Aother good read with an interesting insight into the world of art forgery. Having read the Grace books from the start, I find referencing back to previous characters/events a little tedious but I do appreciate the reasoning for readers new to the series. Enjoyed it overall.

I have read several of the Peter James Roy Grace novels, and have always really enjoyed them, but I did struggle with this, the 18th in the series. It seemed very long-winded to me, and not terribly credible. I guess by book 18, there is so much back-story to reference that the plot loses focus. I was very keen to read this, but unfortunately I don't think I'll bother with any more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Another absolute belter of a book from Peter James. I love his characters, they are so believable and make you really root for them. The plot is fabulous too, where I have learned much more about fine art than I previously knew. The eulogy was brilliantly written, I couldn’t help shedding a tear; not something you usually get in a police procedural. Loved the hint of what is to be revealed next from the last page. Please keep them coming Mr James.

An entertaining read, with a good mixture of police work, art world insights, popular culture, and doses of human relationships (marriage, children, loss, hope...). There is a detection and a thriller element, but it is more thriller than a classic whodunnit.
I was perhaps expecting more of the actual artwork story (revolving around a missing (etc!!) Fragonard Four Seasons quartet of paintings, but although some of the situations were highly unlikely (and some, unnecessary) the overall development of the storyline was quite satisfying. As per usual with many of this type of novel, the ending felt a bit rushed and a bit of a letdown to me. A book to read on holiday or on a wet weekend which will definitely not change your life but will provide a fun break and some insights into the art world, from the Antiques Road Show to Mayfair galleries.

I have never read anything by Peter James before but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is book 18 in the series so some of the things mentioned in this book I didn't fully understand the background although enough was given that you got the gist of it. I very much enjoyed the story but it really did seem to drag on with various mini stories for a long time before finally coming together and then when it did, there was less than 20% of the book left so it felt very rushed. I do question if some of the stuff in those mini stories needed to actually be in there as they weren't at all relevant to this book and the pages used on that could have instead been used to give longer/more to the ending part of the book.