Looking Good Dead [Hardcover]

Peter James (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: MacMillan, London, UK; First edition (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405054972
• ISBN-13: 978-1405054973
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,684,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second in the Detective Superintendent Grace Novels, August 16, 2007

By 

J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Looking Good Dead: A Detective Superintendent Grace Mystery (Paperback)

Peter James is the author of several very successful thrillers, two of which have been made into successful TV films. More are in production now. He was born in 1948 and educated at Charterhouse. He lives in Sussex near Lewes.

I had forgotten how refreshing it was to read a crime thriller by a British author with British people and British places. I am a little tired of reading about New York `cops' or small American towns that have no meaning to the average British reader.

Tom Brice was doing what he assumed any other law abiding citizen would do, trying to return someone's lost property to them. The CD had been left on the train seat next to his own and in attempting to return it to its rightful owner he becomes the sole witness to a vicious murder. Worse it yet to come his young family are threatened with violence of the worst kind if he goes to the police. But supported by his wife, Kellie, he bravely makes a statement to the murder inquiry team that is headed by Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. The police make all the right noises, but could this be the worst mistake Tom has ever made . . .

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Falls a bit flat., March 23, 2009

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Looking Good Dead: A Detective Superintendent Grace Mystery (Paperback)

I think that this may be the last Peter James detective novel that I attempt to read. Although his work gets quite good reviews from fans, I don't find them to be my cup of tea. This is my second attempt at a Roy Grace book, and the second time that I've wound up disappointed.

It *was* reasonably entertaining. I often found the prose awkward, but that's not so unusual in detective novels. Unfortunately, I found the plot sadly predictable, and that's much more difficult for me to forgive. James is a reasonable hand at character, which is the only reason that I'm wavering on giving up on his books. Can anyone recommend a Roy Grace book by him that they really like?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!!, November 7, 2008

By 

Helen Simpson (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Looking Good Dead: A Detective Superintendent Grace Mystery (Paperback)

A great 'do-as-they-say-and-protect-my-family-OR-do-what-is-right-and-inform-the-police' storyline.

I wondered if it was going to be a bit 'waffly' with it being over 500 pages but it wasn't and I absolutely flew through it.

The murders were shocking enough to satisfy the gruesome but realistic enough to be scary and believable. How anonymous the Internet can be...and how your computer can both access information yet also have it's hard drive destroyed in seconds.

There is also a subplot where Detective Tom Bryce is contemplating a new relationship..ten years after his wife Sandy disappeared. This was nicely done and I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops in his next novel.