Stop Them Dead: New crimes, new villains, Roy Grace returns...: 19 (Roy Grace, 19)

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The main villain is seen infrequently until the final pig slurry fight. The second killer is seen once waking up in bed.

Sitting in the jury is Meg Magellan, whose daughter's life is being threatened by a stranger who tells her that if she ever wants to see her alive again, it is very simple. At the end of the trial, all she has to do is make sure the jury says just two words . . . Not guilty.I do wish the author had expanded more on his other main characters, we get a little, but it’s just enough to gloss over the surface, the books, to myself anyways, would only be made better by us knowing more about the rest of the cast. I will honour the author’s desire for surprise and not mention what this new market actually is, even if it’s difficult to write a review without identifying it. Suffice to say that I was incredibly impressed by the author’s research and the easy way he makes all the pitfalls and the most extreme consequences realistic. This novel is not a wake up call, it’s a howling klaxon. As will Sandy, I don’t know if there’s a forgiveness for what she did, but it appears we are going to be given a chance to find out, as at the end of this book, it’s said ‘Sandy’s story’ will be the next book to come out. In this latest instalment we meet some nefarious, unpleasant and ruthless characters and I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read for dog lovers. The case goes from bad to worse, danger levels rise and we follow one emotional storyline which drives home the reality of the horrific trade/ importation of dogs. It’s always solidly reliable storytelling, the plot is well thought out and the ending is a good one. There is plenty of tension and some suspenseful moments with some good twists. There is no tension. Nothing is nail biting. Too much is included that does not move the murder story and does no more than explain the plight of puppies farmed without care who do not appear to get their happy ending.

Grace never loses sight of the fact he’s investigating a murder, which underlines how ruthless the criminals he’s seeking are. They’re only interested in profit, and don’t care who gets hurt along the way. At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs.It happens in many countries and sadly our local paper is also full of reports about this too, because there are a lot of big farmhouses in the area, perfect for hiding stolen dogs and illegal breeding. The story in this book could have been set here, not far from my home.