Brilliant to hear Sandy’s side of the story. As ever, a great read. Another book in the series I couldn’t put down.

3.5 ⭐

Possible spoilers

Do you know how long I've been waiting for this story?
No, me neither, but it's been YEARS.
The frustration of just not knowing what happened to Sandy, and now we do.
To some extent I wish I didn't. What a thoroughly dislike able character. Selfish, impulsive, seems to think she has a connection with any bloke who looks her in the eye.
Honestly I've nothing positive to say about her, and this story has made me doubt Grace a little.
How could he be such a bad judge of character???
BUT, and it's a big but, never underestimate the satisfaction in having questions answered after so long, about Sandy and Bruno.
A nice addition to the series.

To say I was excited to receive this ARC is an understatement. It jumped to the top of my TBR pile and I finished it in one day.
If like me, you are a fan of the Roy Grace series you're going to love this, the story of Sandy, the brilliant subplot of the wife that disappeared. This book works perfectly well as a stand-alone read too, but if you've read the series while you've no idea of the how, you smugly know what is going to happen and that makes the getting there all the more exquisite.
A truly brilliant read which is an excellent accompaniment to the epic main series.

I just love Peter James and the Roy Grace series so was looking forward to reading this back story of Sandy. I really enjoyed reading about what happened to make her disappear and the hard time she had. I think the moral of the story is the grass isn't always greener on the other side and wish you could turn the clock back. I noticed some lower reviews for this book but if you have read the Roy Grace series it's really good to tie this story in.

4+

“I cant get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try and I try and I try …. etc’

“I certainly do try, but perhaps equally the proverb the grass is always greener applies to me. I’m Sandy Grace, my husband is Detective Roy Grace of the Sussex police force. This is my story, the story of why I disappear from his life, and I’m sure he’ll find the truth of what happens to me hard to equate to the woman he thinks he knows. I find that my life has got somewhat difficult, getting entangled with people I most definitely shouldn’t.” It’s true, Sandy learns she has supped with devils, no wonder she runs and there’s the other odd sordid detail or two that it’s best Roy doesn’t know about. However, escaping the tricky present, for what??? Is she escaping the bad for the infinitely worse?

As a big fan of the Roy Grace series, the story of Sandy has been a recurring theme, and I think this is a book that we hadn’t necessarily realised we needed. However, we so do, with lines drawn and all that and what’s more, it’s a cracking read and engaging from start to finish.

It’s fair to say that Sandy is lively company, she has a dark sense of humour, there’s never a dull moment, but it’s not an easy story although much of it she does bring upon herself. The wheels of her life come off on more than one occasion, but she’s resourceful if nothing else. The true Sandy sure wears a mask when she’s married to Roy. She’s full of envy, dissatisfaction, is a seeker of excitement, well, she gets more than she bargains for. Is she likeable? No, she has many issues which leads her down a very dark path, she’s reckless, and gets herself into mess after mess but she also has a share of luck when she lands on her feet. However, it seems in this reflective novel that she is being honest and comes to many a realisation.

The novel is fast paced, it’s full of twists, it’s very intriguing and colourful to say the least.
It’s gritty and dark principally because there are numerous villains to contend with and some violence. It definitely enters weird territory on occasions. It’s never dull that’s for sure. As well as filling in gaps in Sandy’s subsequent life when she leaves Roy, along with the story of Bruno, her son, takes many an interesting direction.

I thoroughly enjoy this and I love the way it’s written. You don’t have to have read the Roy Grace books as it can easily be read as a standalone.

There are 19 Roy Grace books, there’s a 20th due to be published later this year.

With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Pan Macmillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

For fans of the Roy Grace series, this is a great insight into what happened to his wife Sandy. It can be read as a stand alone thriller too. It could have been a bit shorter, in my opinion, and I really disliked the character of Sandy. I saw her in a completely different light, which just confirmed what a troubled and selfish person she is. It is nothing like the Roy Grace series but definitely worth reading. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I've followed the Roy Grace series right back from the beginning so I knew the story (from Roy's side) of his wife Sandy. I didn't think I would like hearing Sandy's story from her side though, and thought I would miss having Roy and an investigation in the book. How wrong was I?! I really enjoyed this book. Having known of Sandy for so long, it was really interesting to hear her side of the story and see what really happened between her and Roy and why she left. I have to say though, you probably do need to have read the other books in the series to fully understand Sandy's story.

I never liked Sandy - I mean, she left Roy!! But, this book made me look at her in a different light. Her storyline confirms some things which we probably knew, made sense of other things that we didn't know and told us what she was doing for those missing 10 years. The thrills of the casino, the fear of the debt and the sadness of a questionable relationship kept me hooked to her story throughout and I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it.

It was different to the other books in the series, but definitely still one which should be read if you are a Roy Grace fan. Would recommend.

A good tale by a good storyteller. Unfortunately the realistic characters were selfish and unlikeable

I really love Peter James and I am a huge fan of the Grace series since the very beginning. I was so happy when Mr James finally decided to write a novel about Sandy's story, but I am afraid to say I am very disappointed in this book. All in all, it could have been much shorter. I skipped several pages which to me, seemed very bland. You could just resume this book by saying that Sandy just wasn't a happy camper with low self-esteem and made all the poorest decisions there can be, she is clearly despicable in my opinion. I am not sure that this book is an added value to the collection. I will stick to the Grace series... but I just wish I hadn't read this one.

You don't have to have read all 18 Roy Grace novels by this author before you read this as this story could be read as a standalone or as a companion novel to the series.
In the first book in the series, the main character is tormented by his wife who has been missing for 7 years and wound through each subsequent book are bits and pieces of Sandy's story as Roy gradually learns what happens to her. This new book is written totally from Sandy's perspective and is a mystery on its own.

For those of you who have read the series it adds a new dimension to what has been happening to Roy, but while it does explain her disappearance I don't believe it will spoil the series for a reader who hasn't read it as it would be just like reading two different people's point of view.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Pan McMillan and Peter James for my ARC of 'They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy's Story' in return for my honest review.

I have read all of Peter James' novels and was delighted to receive the advance copy of this and was not disappointed. The author takes us back to the beginning where Roy Grace's wife disappeared and tells the story of what happened to her. Her character plays a part in the background of many of the novels in the series.

Thoroughly enjoyable read with a complex tale with numerous twists and turns throughout.

Highly recommended

As an avid fan of the Roy Grace series, the mystery of Sandy is always lingering. So very pleased that her story has now been told and what a story! She had quite the adventure. Excellent writing as always and a read that was over all too quickly.

I love the Roy Grace series of books so to finally get Sandys story of why she ran out on Roy and then finally reappeared ten years later has been an absolute joy. I loved this story and it has made me warm a bit more to Sandy rather than just think she is the nasty woman who robbed Ray of ten years of his child’s life. A great read for all fans.

Peter James takes us back to the beginning, to when Sandy first decides to do what she does,and what a story it is.She starts off doing what she does from boredom but that leads to other vices.After a brief affair she decides to leave it all behind and that's when her problems really get a lot worse as there are plenty of undesirable characters waiting to prey on her vulnerable state.Sandy is a very complicated person not really knowing what she wants until its to late to go back.
This was a read that I raced through and can't recommend it highly enough
This is another brilliant read from the master storyteller who is Peter James. Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillian for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is 9th May. I loved the ‘Roy Grace’ series on ITV and I was delighted to finally know what happened to Sandy the burning question on everyone’s lips!

I felt sorry for Sandy after all she had been through fans of the ‘Roy Grace’ series will devour this book! I’d highly recommend this book if you have watched the series on ITV.

Sandy Grace, policeman's wife. Sandy Grace, woman with a secret.

Finally, the answer to the question on everyone's lips (not least the husband she left behind), what happened to Sandy Grace when she disappeared from Brighton on her husband's thirtieth birthday

Fans of Peter James' long-running Roy Grace series will be familiar with the saga of Grace's ex-wife Sandy. Only legally "ex" after being declared dead 10 years after she'd disappeared ,leaving Grace with no clue as to where or why she'd gone and even briefly under suspicion of murdering her.
Sandy's whereabouts was an ongoing backstory in several books, Grace's efforts to find her and some very odd behaviour that he didn't know was her handiwork. An end did come that I won't reveal for those who don't already know and readers were no wiser than Grace as to her full story.................until now.

Finally Peter James has decided to reveal all,and the story of Roy Grace's deeply-flawed ex is an enthralling one.
Bored and feeling neglected ,as her husband's career continually takes priority over their marriage and social life, Sandy looks for thrills and makes a series of bad decisions that escalate until one becomes potentially life-changing......or ending. Straight from the frying pan into the fire she constantly has to move on,finding herself in strange situations,often with equally strange people.

Roy Grace fans will love this,finally some "closure" on the story of his errant wife. They'll also recognise many other characters and events from the series that are skilfully knitted into the tale, Sandy is a complicated person to put it mildly and I doubt I'll be the only reader to be left thinking that the best thing that happened in Roy Grace's life was her leaving.

An excellent read,and an overdue "reveal" of the events behind Sandy's disappearance.