Whether you first met Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on screen or have been following along since the publication of the first book in 2005, there is no denying Grace’s allure. Intelligent, crafty, and refreshingly real, he has enamored fans for nearly two decades. If you’ve never read the Roy Grace books in order before, you’re in for a plot-twisting, page-turning treat.
Jump to:
- Where to Start With the Roy Grace Books
- Roy Grace Books in Publication Order
- Is there a Roy Grace TV Show?
- Roy Grace Books FAQ
Where to Start With the Roy Grace Books
New readers should start with Dead Simple. It’s the first Roy Grace novel, and it introduces Grace’s world, his role within Sussex Police, and the personal storyline that carries through the series. Starting there also gives the major character beats room to build naturally instead of revealing them out of order.
Readers who already know they want the full experience should simply follow the books in publication order from the beginning. While each novel has its own case, the series works best when you watch Grace’s career, relationships, and ongoing personal struggles develop one book at a time.
Roy Grace Books in Publication Order
Peter James is well known for unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and an accurate portrayal of modern-day policing.
Each novel follows a new case for Detective Superintendent Grace to solve, but reading in publication order still has clear benefits. It lets you follow Grace’s backstory and character development the way Peter James intended, without running into spoilers from earlier books.
- Dead Simple (2005)
- Looking Good Dead (2006)
- Not Dead Enough (2007)
- Dead Man’s Footsteps (2008)
- Dead Tomorrow (2009)
- Dead Like You (2010)
- Dead Man’s Grip (2011)
- Not Dead Yet (2012)
- Dead Man’s Time (2013)
- Want You Dead (2014)
In the Nick of Time (2014) (Short Story with Ian Rankin) - You Are Dead (2015)
- Love You Dead (2016)
- Need You Dead (2017)
- Dead If You Don’t (2018)
- Dead at First Sight (2019)
Footloose (2019) (Short Story with Val McDermid) - Find Them Dead (2020)
- Left You Dead (2021)
Wish You Were Dead (2021) (Short Story) - Picture You Dead (2022)
- Stop Them Dead (2023)
- They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story (2024)
- One of Us Is Dead (2024)
- The Hawk Is Dead (2025)
- Untitled Roy Grace #23 (2026)
Is there a Roy Grace TV Show?
Yes. The Roy Grace novels have been adapted into a British crime drama called Grace, starring John Simm as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. The series airs on ITV in the UK, streams there on ITVX, and is available on BritBox in North America.
The show presents the stories as feature-length crime dramas rather than a standard hour-long weekly procedural. It began with adaptations of Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead, and ITV has continued expanding it well beyond that first run, with a sixth series confirmed in March 2026 and a seventh announced on April 21, 2026.
For viewers, that means Grace plays more like a continuing line of detective films than a typical binge-style crime series. John Simm leads the show as Roy Grace, with Richie Campbell returning as Glenn Branson and Zoë Tapper as Cleo Morey, so there’s a stable core cast carrying the series forward as new cases are adapted.
Roy Grace Books FAQ
Are the Roy Grace books standalone?
Each Roy Grace novel has its own central case, so you can follow the main investigation in a single book. That said, Grace’s personal life, career, and relationships develop across the series, so publication order gives you the strongest overall reading experience.
Where are the Roy Grace books set?
The Roy Grace books are set in Brighton and the surrounding Sussex area. That setting is a big part of the series’ identity, and Peter James has repeatedly tied the books to real Brighton locations.
Is Roy Grace based on a real detective?
Yes. Peter James has said Roy Grace was based on real police officer Dave Gaylor, who also advised him on police procedure and helped shape the character’s investigative approach. That real-world influence is a big reason the series feels grounded in modern policing.
Are there Roy Grace short stories or novellas?
Yes. Alongside the main novels, Peter James has also published shorter Roy Grace entries, including Wish You Were Dead and They Thought I Was Dead. They’re part of the wider Roy Grace reading experience, but the main novels are still the core of the series.
Looking for more books like Roy Grace?
If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.