Book cover for Stop Them Dead: A Ruthless Crime, A Race Against Time by Peter James

Stop Them Dead

A Ruthless Crime, A Race Against Time

2023 Released
560 Pages
8-9 Hours
Audiobook Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
Macmillan UKISBN 9781529089998

'Ruthlessly efficient, entertainment. Pedigree fun' - The Times

Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major ITV series.

A ruthless crime. A race against time.

In the dead of night, a farmer hears a suspicious noise. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: a break-in. When he confronts the intruders, he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left lying in a pool of blood. But the chilling truth lies not in the act itself, but what the perpetrators were willing to kill for.

At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace senses something amiss. This is no mere botched robbery; it’s the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime epidemic. Ruthless gangs, operating with military precision, have discovered a new black market flourishing in the shadows – an unthinkable source of wealth even more profitable than drugs.

Grace’s investigation into this deadly trade pits him against some of the most ruthless people he has ever encountered; people who will kill anyone who gets in their way, because where there is greed, there is murder.

The clock is ticking, and the stakes have never been higher. Out of his element, and out of time, can Roy Grace put a stop to these criminal masterminds before more innocent lives are lost?

‘Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world.’ - LEE CHILD, author of The Jack Reacher series

‘The master of the craft’ - DAILY EXPRESS

Peter James

PETER JAMES is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favourite fictional detective.

To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 21 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 24 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. ITV's primetime adaptation of the Grace novels, starring John Simm, continues to delight audiences with significant ratings growth, and series seven is currently in production. On stage seven of Peter's Grace novels have been adapted as plays, earning his work the reputation of being the most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie.

In 2026, Peter was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty The King's Birthday Honours List, in recognition of his services to literature and to charity. Peter is a supporter of many of charities reflecting his concerns and interests, including as Co-Patron of the Sussex Police Charitable Trust; as a Patron of the RSPCA and the Samaritans; and as an ambassador for The Reading Agency and for the National Year of Reading 2026, among many others.

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