Fittingly, the raid on Peter James’s home in Brighton has made the author of some disappointing spy novels one of Britain’s best-selling mystery writers.
“When the investigating officer came to take my fingerprints, he saw the books I wrote and offered to advise me if I decided to write a novel about the police,” recalls Peter, who has published more than 200,000 of Roy Grace’s 18 books. 18 units have been sold. millions of copies.
Peter befriended Sussex police officers, so when his editors suggested putting a detective at the center of his next novel, he based the character on Dave Gaylor, a veteran police officer.
“Instead of your stereotypical angry cop, Dave is a smart guy and a great homicide detective,” says Peter.
Roy Grace (John Simm) and DS Branson (Richie Campbell) at Brighton Pier. The raid on Peter James’s Brighton home has made the author of some disappointing spy novels one of Britain’s best-selling mystery writers.
Thus was born DS Roy Grace, an agent who does not shy away from using unconventional methods. Peter’s first Grace novel, Dead Simple, was adapted for TV last year with John Simm of Life On Mars and attracted 8.8 million viewers.
ITV will now make four more adaptations, starting with his second novel, Looking Good Dead. “Grace is a nice guy who doesn’t check all the cop boxes on the TV,” says John.
‘He’s okay with alcohol and doesn’t get angry easily, which adds to his authenticity. Like many real police officers, he’s doing his job: he wants the crime solved”.
Looking Good begins with the discovery of the body of a former teacher in her Brighton home, and when human remains are found in an area, Grace and her partner DS Glenn Branson (Richie Campbell) suspect the two are related.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, businessman Zack Bryce is implicated when a train passenger leaves behind a memory stick that Zack connects to his laptop. The cane carries images of sexual assaults, and Zack soon finds himself in grave danger.
Grace struggles to solve the case and consults psychic Harry Frame, just as she did on Dead Simple. “It’s unusual for him to drive a tool, but Grace is desperate and believes Harry can help,” says John.
This seems unlikely, but Peter insists that it does. “I sat next to the Chief Constable of Sussex at dinner one time.
He told me that police officers are seeing more psychics than you think.” “When an officer’s options are limited and what the oracles say seems credible, it would be a breach of duty not to act accordingly.”
Grace Cleo (Zoe Tapper) with your love interest. Grace enjoys romance as she tries to track down her wife, Sandy, who disappeared six years ago.
Grace also has a fledgling romance with a morgue technician, Cleo Morey (Zoe Tapper), while trying to track down her wife, Sandy, who disappeared six years ago.
“Roy is obsessed with his wife’s disappearance, but it’s great to see him fall in love with Cleo,” explains John, admitting he was unaware of the success of the novels when he was offered the role.
“When my agent called for the offer, I passed WH Smith and said, ‘I’ve never heard of Roy Grace’s books,’ and I saw them all in the exhibit. I’m a big fan now.
John recalled their popularity while shooting at a home in Brighton. “When Richie opened the door and I was wondering why someone would let a TV production company into their home when there were so many of Grace’s novels on the shelf, which explains why this family was happy to let the cameras in.”
After Look Good Dead comes Not Dead Enough, where Grace and Branson try to figure out how a man who was 60 miles away from her when his wife died could be guilty of her murder.
This isn’t the first time a TV company has tried to adapt the books. They wanted to take the action to Scotland, which is a big no for Peter, who sees Brighton as the key character.
But Peter knows he’s the winner of ITV. He says John Simm thought about this when he started writing in the early 2000s, and he thinks that Endeavour’s creator, Russell Lewis, who wrote these adaptations, understood the books in a way that previous writers didn’t.
“With this release,” says Peter, “every important decision was made by me.”
After Look Good Dead comes Not Dead Enough, where Grace and Branson try to figure out how a man who was 60 miles away from her when his wife died could be guilty of her murder.
Dead Man’s Footsteps is about a failed businessman who fakes his own death during the atrocities of 9/11, and the latest drama Dead Tomorrow sees Grace get involved in the gruesome world of human trafficking.
Peter and his wife, Lara, appear in some episodes, including the recipients of Not Dead Enough.
“We were mistaken for real officers by an audience,” Peter smiles, smiling. “They asked us to help them, but obviously we couldn’t.”
- Grace, Sunday, 20:00, ITV
Source: Daily Mail
