Following successful nationwide tours of the stage plays of THE PERFECT MURDER, THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL, DEAD SIMPLE, NOT DEAD ENOUGH, LOOKING GOOD DEAD and WISH YOU WERE DEAD, the stage adaptation of PICTURE YOU DEAD continues its 2025 tour – complete with an all-star cast.

National Television Award winning actor Peter Ash (Coronation Street, Footballers’ Wives, War Horse) and Ore Oduba (Pretty Woman, The Rocky Horror Show) return to the stage, joined by Fiona Wade (Emmerdale, 2:22 A Ghost Story, Going Dutch) and West End favourite Jodie Steele (Bonnie & Clyde, Wicked, Heathers, Six). George Rainsford (Casualty, Call the Midwife and All’s Well That Ends Well) returns to reprise the role of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace who he played in the 2023 stage adaptation of WISH YOU WERE DEAD. The play is written by Shaun McKenna and directed by Jonathan O’Boyle. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.peterjames.com/plays/picture-you-dead-tour-dates/

The PICTURE YOU DEAD play has received rave reviews since its opening in February:

‘There is something thrilling about seeing a story set in Brighton on the stage in Brighton. Peter James’ detective mysteries featuring Roy Grace have become part of the fabric of how fans of the books and television series see Brighton, and it’s great to hear the references on stage to places we all know… The set is a glorious multi construction showing four different locations, all being so very distinct and different it is crystal clear at all times where the action is taking place. The attention to detail in each one is beautiful, leaving the Police offices where the discussions happen right at the front of the stage with no set: the effect is that of beckoning the audience in, giving us a private insight into the investigation and the current thinking of the Police, which is a lovely touch… If you are a fan of Peter James and Roy Grace, then this is absolutely for you.’ – Brighton Source

‘If you’ve seen any of the other Peter James pieces you’ll not be disappointed by this one. If you’ve never given them a try, go and see it – it’s a great introduction to the series. Suspenseful, energetic and surprisingly funny. The tension mounts to sweltering levels with superb direction from Jonathan O’Boyle. Did I figure out how it all unravels? Not a chance! But that is half the fun – you’ll be guessing until the end.’ – East Midlands Theatre

‘For those who love a murder mystery that keeps you guessing right to the last second this will be definitely right up your street!’ – Love London Love Culture

Hot off the heels of a hardback Number One, the paperback edition of THEY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD by Peter James flew straight to Number Three in the UK paperback bestsellers list after only 3 days on sale in November. This comes shortly after the twentieth instalment of the Roy Grace series, ONE OF US IS DEAD, hit Number Three in the hardback charts in October. It will be released in paperback on 10th April 2025. The 21st novel in the Roy Grace series will be published in October 2025.

Crime fans can also tune in to series four of GRACE on ITVX, starring John Simm and Richie Campbell. Recently announced, the much-loved tv series will return for series five in 2025, comprised of four feature-length episodes and will begin airing on ITV on 6th April.

Praise for Peter James’ plays

‘One of the best crime thrillers I’ve seen on stage… kill for a ticket!’ – Chichester Observer on DEAD SIMPLE

‘Gripping storytelling. Full of twists and turns.’ – The Reviews Hub on NOT DEAD ENOUGH

‘Will leave you breathless with suspense.’ – Whatsgoodtodo on THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL

‘A theatrical masterpiece.’ – Encore Reviews on LOOKING GOOD DEAD

‘This thrilling thriller had the audience on the edge of their seats.’ – Latest 7 on NOT DEAD ENOUGH

‘A great night in the theatre.’ – BritishTheatre.com on THE PERFECT MURDER

Praise for Peter James
‘If you have never read Peter James’ crime thriller series about the Sussex detective Roy Grace, I would highly recommend you give it a try.’ – Queen Camilla, Press and Journal

‘Peter James is one of the most fiendishly clever crime fiction plotters.’ – The Daily Mail

‘Roy Grace ... is fast becoming one of the more memorable coppers in modern crime fiction ... A first class police procedural.’ – The Times

‘James just gets better and better and deserves the success he has achieved with this first-class series.’ – Independent on Sunday

‘Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business’ – Karin Slaughter

‘Probably the closest we’ll get to a British Stephen King’ – The Financial Times

‘Peter James is one of the most fiendishly clever crime fiction plotters’ – The Daily Mail

‘In uncertain times, I always tend to fall back on old, familiar favourites, so I’ll be reading Peter James’ Roy Grace series. They are thrillers with enough drama to keep you guessing. Reading a well-crafted mystery gives me a sense of accomplishment – almost as if I’ve solved everything myself!’ – Emma Shacklock, Books Editor, Women & Home Magazine

‘Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business’ – Lee Child

‘A master plotter.’ – The Bookseller

‘James has been compared with Stephen King, but in many ways he's better’ – Daily Express

‘This compulsive horror story is a tale of the search for immortality . . . I cannot remember when I last read a novel I enjoyed so much’ – Sunday Telegraph

‘A thought-provoking menacer that’s completely technological and genuinely frightening about the power of future communications’ – Time Out

About Peter James
Peter James is the international bestselling author of many award-winning novels. Peter writes both thriller standalones and the hugely popular Brighton-set Roy Grace series. The opening episode of GRACE, based on the first Roy Grace novel, DEAD SIMPLE, was broadcast in March 2021 with John Simm starring in the lead role as the tenacious detective. It was a TV Pick of the Day across all the major UK newspapers, appeared on ITV 1’s prime Sunday night slot and viewing figures quickly reached more than 8.8 million, with glowing reviews.

Peter’s books have been translated into thirty-eight languages, with worldwide sales of over twenty-three million copies and his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, set in Brighton, has given him 20 Sunday Times Number Ones. In 2015 WH Smith customers voted him the Greatest Crime Author of All Time and in 2016 he was awarded the coveted CWA Diamond Dagger, a lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. In 2018 he received a Specsavers Honorary Platinum Bestseller Award and in 2024 he won four Silver Nielsen Bestseller Awards. Peter James has also written two books based on true crime stories, with former senior detective Graham Bartlett.

Peter took part in the launch podcast of the Queen’s Reading Room in January 2024, having had the Grace series featured on the Royal Reading Room previously. He appeared on the podcast again in June 2024, where he was named one of Her Majesty’s favourite crime writers and Roy Grace her favourite fictional detective!

Visit Peter’s website.

Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

ONE OF US IS DEAD, the 20th instalment of Peter James’ internationally bestselling Roy Grace series, has jumped straight to Number 3 in the UK bestsellers list after only five days on sale. ONE OF US IS DEAD was the second-highest new entry in the bestsellers list with a volume sales increase of 13% against the same period last year. ONE OF US IS DEAD is published by Pan Macmillan in the UK and the US.

In ONE OF US IS DEAD, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace finds out just how dangerous a dead man can be… When James Taylor arrives late for a funeral, he has to stand at the back of the small church. But, as the service progresses, Taylor notices a man six rows in front of him. At first he thinks he must be mistaken, but the more he looks at the man, the more convinced Taylor becomes that this is his old schoolfriend Rufus Rorke. Except it couldn’t be him, could it? Because two years ago Taylor attended Rufus Rorke’s funeral. He even delivered Rufus’s eulogy. On the other side of Brighton, at Police HQ, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has been alerted to a number of suspicious deaths that he can’t get out of his mind. But how are they linked? And could they possibly be connected to Rufus Rorke?

The ONE OF US IS DEAD publication tour saw Peter carry out book signings, Q&As and radio interviews across the UK, along with a spectacular book launch on Brighton Pier. Peter was also a Special Guest at Harrogate Festival in July, co-headlined Bloody Scotland in September with Elly Griffiths, and will be appearing at Chiltern Kills Festival, Murder One Festival and Fatal Shore in October.

ONE OF US IS DEAD joins Peter’s many other chart successes this year: the paperback edition of STOP THEM DEAD flew straight to Number 2 in the bestseller list on publication in April, and THEY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, the much-anticipated standalone revealing the mystery of Sandy Grace’s disappearance, was an instant Number 1 bestseller on publication in May. The paperback edition of THEY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD is out on 7th November 2024.

Fans of the Roy Grace book series – and all crime fans alike – can also tune in to series four of GRACE on ITVX, starring John Simm and Richie Campbell. Recently announced, the much-loved tv series will return for series five in 2025, featuring four feature-length episodes.

Successful nationwide tours of the stage plays of THE PERFECT MURDER (2014), DEAD SIMPLE (2015,) NOT DEAD ENOUGH (2017), THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL (2019), LOOKING GOOD DEAD (2021) and WISH YOU WERE DEAD (2023) have packed theatres in dozens of British cities, and garnered magnificent reviews. His stage shows to date have grossed over £17 million at the box office. PICTURE YOU DEAD begins touring in 2025 and tickets can be purchased here. Several of his works are optioned for film.

Praise for ONE OF US IS DEAD
‘Another just-one-more-page-thriller.’ – Anna Bonet, i newspaper, ‘The best new books to read in September 2024’

‘All hail the Queen’s favourite detective as the indefatigable Peter James returns with the 20th Roy Grace mystery… Grace’s instincts are as sharp as ever, but can he outsmart Anthony and complete the rest of the murderous jigsaw? His adage that it’s the mistakes that criminals make that bring about their downfall will be tested to the limit in a climax aboard a light aircraft high over the Channel. That royal warrant should be on its way any day now.’ - The Times, ‘New Thrillers for September’

‘DS Roy Grace returns in the twentieth gripping instalment in Peter James’ bestselling series, as links to a man supposedly dead and buried start cropping up in an ongoing investigation into a series of suspicious deaths.’ – Waterstones, ‘September’s Best Books’