Countdown with Peter James

Interviewed 28 October 2017

Peter James

Peter James was educated at Charterhouse, then Ravensbourne Film School. His mother Cornelia James was Glovemaker to the Queen and the firm is today run by his sister Genevieve and her husband, and still supplies the Royal Family.

He made publishing history in 1994 when Penguin published his novel, Host, on two floppy discs – as well as print formats. It caused huge controversy and it is now in the Science Museum as the world’s first electronic novel.

Peter once lived for ten years in a haunted manor house in Sussex, built over Roman ruins and formerly a monastery. It had four ghosts – a Centurion, a monk, a baby and a nasty, man-hating grey lady! His Sussex home is now a Victorian rectory and so far ghost-free, as is his apartment in Notting Hill, London, on the site of a former cinema.

He has a huge love of animals. Current headcount includes: three dogs; 11 hens who generally lay an egg each every day; five gorgeous alpacas called Keith, Al Pacino, Boris, Fortescue and Jean-Luc; three emus who are super friendly and like to wear hats; Indian Runner ducks; some wild ducks; geese, moorhens, coots and numerous carp in the lake, and a tropical fish tank – the inhabitants of which include a baby shark and a plec.

Website: https://www.peterjames.com

Follow on:

Books by Peter James

Left You Dead

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his team encounter a deeply bizarre case where all the evidence points to a murder, but there’s no body to be found.

Reviewed on 24 July 2021 by Sharon Wheeler

Find Them Dead

A seemingly pillar of the community solicitor is up in court on a drug-dealing charge, but he will stop at nothing to ensure he’s found not guilty

Reviewed on 31 July 2020 by Sharon Wheeler

The Secret of Cold Hill

Artist Jason Danes and his wife Emily think they’ve found their forever home. But then they start to feel they’re not alone – and discover that no one has ever lived beyond 40 in Cold Hill House.

Reviewed on 21 December 2019 by Sharon Wheeler

Dead at First Sight

A woman’s apparent suicide leads Detective Superintendent Roy Grace into the world of internet romance scams – and a gang willing to kill anyone who threatens to expose them.

Reviewed on 27 July 2019 by John Cleal

Dead If You Don't

A missing teenager sets Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his team of Brighton cops in a race against the clock.

Reviewed on 26 May 2018 by Sharon Wheeler

Love You Dead

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has to contend with two old adversaries, as well as a beautiful gold-digger with a very scary hobby.

Reviewed on 11 June 2016 by Sharon Wheeler

The House on Cold Hill

Ollie and Caro Harcourt buy a dilapidated mansion in the Sussex countryside. But it soon becomes apparent that the house has a sinister history and somebody or something doesn’t want them there.

Reviewed on 21 November 2015 by Sharon Wheeler

You Are Dead

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his team are battling against the clock to find out who is abducting young, blonde women.

Reviewed on 15 August 2015 by Sharon Wheeler

A Twist of the Knife

A collection of short stories bringing together vengeful spouses, ghosts and police procedurals, including the first-ever case for Roy Grace.

Reviewed on 21 February 2015 by Linda Wilson

Want You Dead

Superintendent Roy Grace is about to get married – but there's a maniac with a score to settle and a love of lighting fires on the loose in Brighton.

Reviewed on 28 June 2014 by Sharon Wheeler

Dead Man's Time

New York gangs of the 1920s meet 2012 Brighton as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace investigates an attack on an elderly woman

Reviewed on 01 November 2013 by Sharon Wheeler