Harry & Freya Kipling buy a painting from a car boot sale - not realising its true value. The painting reveals itself as a long-lost masterpiece - one that many people would kill for.

Roy Grace is still reeling from the sudden death of his son Bruno, but when he revives a cold case - the killing of an art dealer - his investigation intertwines with the Kiplings' discovery, as it becomes apparent that some people will do whatever they can to get their hands on a painting...

This is another fantastic book in the Roy Grace series. It can be read as a standalone, but some elements of the plot are definitely helped by reading the previous books. An easy 5*.

This is book #18 in the Roy Grace series. Whilst it can be read as a standalone book, I would recommend reading the others in the series as well. Grace is back and finds himself investigating the cold case of a deceased art dealer. I loved this storyline and found this to be the best ‘Grace’ book I’ve read in a long time! Roy is still grieving over what happened in the previous book, but he manages to keep himself busy by delving into the world of arts and antiquities! The author has done a fantastic job of bringing the storyline down to characters who could have been me or you. Freya and Harry Kipling are ordinary folk who like a wander around a car boot sale on a Sunday morning. Imagine though buying a painting for £20 and finding out its worth millions! We’d all probably be like the Kipling’s though and plan the future with a bit of money in our pockets. We’d probably never think about the crooks and criminals who’d also like to get their hands on the money!

This story twists and turns itself through the cold case investigation that Grace and his team are looking into and the Kipling’s story of their unexpected treasure! It had me hooked from the first page and I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished it. The storyline was easy to read and there were no complicated plot twists, meaning all my attention went on the murders and violence throughout! It was great to see all of Grace’s team back, particularly my favourite of Norman Potting, and the author leaves us in suspense throughout as to where the storyline may be heading in future books for several of the characters.

Picture You Dead is the latest in Peter James' long-running and massively successful Roy Grace series.
While Grace and the team are investigating a cold case murder of an art dealer Harry and Freya Kipling pick up an awful painting at a car boot sale because it has a very nice frame. Fate shows that the couple's bargain purchase might well be the buy of the century as it seems the rather grim portrait has been done to disguise a valuable "old master" beneath.
The KIpling's appearance on The Antiques Road Show tips off a villainous,and vicious, art collector and his thuggish acolytes, putting Harry and Freya in danger. Meanwhile Grace's investigation delves into the dirty underside of the art dealing world ,the thefts,forgeries and shady characters involved.......not least those with the Kiplings on their radar.

This has all the usual Grace series hallmarks, his motley crew of colleagues, Potting's awful jokes, a twisty,and often funny,plot and just when you thought you'd heard the end of Bruno........there's a thread to further mysteries.
You can read this as a standalone novel but if you know the main characters and their backgrounds you'll get much more out of it.

Wow! This is classic Peter James at his best. A riveting storyline involving the murder of an art dealer and forged paintings. Its all so down to earth and believable. I love how it portrays a reflection of how society behaves today - Antiques roadshow, car boot sales, vegan food options. Its completely addictive. The short chapters just flow on nicely and I couldn't stop reading - just one more chapter! You won't be disappointed.

At first I thought there were too many characters in this novel, Grace, Freya and Harry Kipling, the burglar, evil Piper and his equally rotten employees, but the story was compelling, and, in the end I admired the author for weaving the plot and connecting it so skilfully. I had to finish it, and it got more gripping as the story progressed, although the murder at the beginning of the book, of a respected art dealer, certainly drew me in. I enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to all who want a good read.

* spoiler alert ** Always good to be back I the company of Grace and Branson, and dare I say Norman, who I've become quite the fan of.

I'm not the fan of Bruno though, and I have a suspicion he hasn't finished messing with us in some way or another.

At times this story felt a bit of a farce, despite the threat to life , and accompanying violence.

I very much enjoyed it, and the banter of Branson brought the odd smile to my face.
Another fab addition to the series

Always a pleasure;
The 18th case for Roy Grace is a successful mix of a cold case review and present investigations. It revolves around art theft, art dealers, eccentric collectors and gives a deep insight into the arts scene. The plot is developed well and believably and skillfully brought together. What I always like about Peter James is how the respective case and the superordinate private events of the investigators complement each other without the private taking up too much space. He is a master of his craft and the quality of the thrillers does not diminish even with the 18th case. You often learn about the characters' (family) history and other background information, which is why their thoughts and actions come across so believably. The police activities were well and thoroughly researched. Another very successful case for Roy Grace and his team, which you can easily read if you don't know the previous books.

Harry and Freya love nothing more than spending Sunday morning scouring car boot sales in the hope that they might find the elusive bargain. Little do they know that buying a scruffy painting for £20 would lead to them appearing on the Antiques Road Show where they are told the painting if authenticated could be worth millions. DI Grace would never have thought that the art world could be such a dangerous place where certain people will stop at nothing to own a rare masterpiece., including murder, torture and intimidation. With little to go on, he knows that the investigation isn't going to be easy. I never tier of these fantastic gripping books.

I’ve read all the Roy Grace series and at one point was going to give up because the plots were becoming so outlandish but this latest is much better. It is good to follow Grace’s career and family life and this thriller has him looking back at a cold case murder of an art dealer.
Peter James takes the premise of buying a painting at a car boot which may turn out to be a lost master and then weaves a plot involving an innocent family, dodgy forger and a fine art collector.
The novel proceeds at pace and has gripping moments to keep the reader glued to the page.
Highly recommended reading for Peter James fans.

Sometimes long running detective series can become tired and predictable but not so with Peter James and his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. This is the 18th in this series and it just gets better. Not only does Peter still manage to come up with an enigmatic story line but the new twists with the dark background story of Roy’s first wife Sandy and son Bruno is intriguing.
This story delves into the world of art theft, forgery, and the lost masters.
Excellent!

Picture you Dead by Peter James

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace finds himself plunged into an unfamiliar and rarefied world of fine art. Outwardly it appears respectable, gentlemanly, above reproach. But beneath the veneer, he rapidly finds that greed, deception and violence walk hand-in-hand. And Harry and Freya Kipling are about to discover that their dream is turning into their worst nightmare. . .
Absolutely love the Roy Grace series of books by the author , and this one is no exception .
Love the way he always managed to come up with a great plot that proves that DI Grace is up there as the best police detective in the book / tv series out there.
Long may he continue.

An Artful Endeavour…
Grace and his team face an artful endeavour in the eighteenth outing of the series. They say a picture paints a thousand words but in this case it causes no end of consternation. From a gruesome cold case to present day associations, the art world is forever the team’s bugbear. As the team enter and gen up on the seemingly glamorous world of art and artefacts it becomes clear just how much of a facade exists, hiding another world of huge greed, subterfuge and violence. A hugely enjoyable instalment with the usually deftly crafted cast, well painted personal threads and an entertaining, compelling and engaging storyline.

Fine art brings out the worst in people. And the worst of people. Like burglars. And forgers. And art collectors.

So when builder Harry Kipling picks up some old tat at a car boot sale for £20 which proves to be concealing something infinitely more...interesting, he gets far more than he bargained for in more ways than one.

Another predictably brilliant and unpleasant outing for Roy Grace and the boys and girls from Brighton