The Hawk Is Dead by Peter James

 

When a sniper narrowly misses Queen Camilla during a royal visit to Sussex, the whole nation is shocked. It's up to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace to investigate, revealing sinister goings-on within Buckingham Palace.

The Hawk Is Dead by Peter James is book 22 in the Roy Grace series, and I suspect it is the one the author had the most fun writing. Not only is Camilla the target, but both the King and Queen feature heavily within the investigation.

There is plenty of action from the very beginning, with the events surrounding the sniper attack all taking place in the first few chapters. As usual, the author's meticulous research is evident as you become completely engrossed in the planning and execution of a royal visit using the royal train. Unfortunately, the sniper attack does claim a victim, and we see the disparate way in which our law enforcement services operate as they all want to take control of the investigation.

DS Roy Grace and his team win out since the attempted assassination took place in Sussex. Grace is convinced that the attempt on the Queen's life is beyond the aims and ability of the anti-monarchy protest groups and has him wondering if Camilla was really the target. As a result, his investigation moves to Buckingham Palace.

Within the walls of Buckingham Palace is where the fun starts. Roy Grace faces a steep learning curve concerning how the royal household operates. We're given a guided tour of many of the rooms and the valuable items on display. There are even meetings with the King and Queen, interactions which come across as completely genuine. I could hear the King's voice as his character in the book spoke.

As the true reason behind the sniper attack becomes evident, the body count begins to climb, leading to a frantic chase through Buckingham Palace and Grace risking his life, followed by a race against time to apprehend the true mastermind behind the crime. I'm sure that Roy Grace will be rewarded with an honour pretty soon.

The Hawk Is Dead by Peter James will be published on 21st October 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.

Author Details

Peter James is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author best known for his crime thrillers featuring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, who Queen Camilla recently named as her favourite fictional detective. Praised by critics and 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 more than 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger.

His books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, achieved 21 Sunday Times No 1s, and have been translated into 38 languages. His Roy Grace novels are currently filming their 6th season for the hit ITV drama, Grace, starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper and available to view on ITVX and on Britbox.

Seven of his novels have been adapted into hit stage plays, with his most recent, Picture You Dead, now on national tour in the UK. His plays have have been named as “The most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie.