The Hawk Is Dead

'What a fool I've been not to have read Peter James until The Hawk Is Dead! A great story' - JAMES PATTERSON 'A majestic treat!' - THE TIMES Roy Grace never dreamed a murder investigation would take him deep into Buckingham Palace . . . Her Majesty, Queen Camilla, is aboard the Royal Train heading to a charity event in Sussex when disaster strikes - the train is derailed. A tragic accident or a planned attack? When, minutes later, a trusted aide is shot dead by a sniper, the police have their answer. Despite all the evidence, Roy Grace is not convinced The Queen was the intended target. But he finds himself alone in his suspicions. Fighting against the scepticism of his colleagues and the Palace itself, Grace pursues his own investigation. But when there is a second murder, the stakes rise even higher, and Grace is at risk of being embroiled in a very public catastrophe - and in mortal danger. Failure at this level is not an option. But time is running out before a killer in the Palace will strike again . . . Roy Grace is back with his most difficult case yet in this gripping instalment from number one bestselling author Peter James. 'It's going to be difficult to top this one' - READER REVIEW 'One of most exciting Roy Grace stories to date' - READER REVIEW 'The best he has ever written. The inclusion of real people lifts this up a few notches' - READER REVIEW THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 23 million books sold. Now a major ITV/BritBox show starring John Simm as Roy Grace. Creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favourite fictional detective. 'A right royal page-turner' - ANGELA RIPPON 'Wildly entertaining! - TESS GERRITSEN 'I couldn't put it down!' - ALEXANDRA POTTER 'Classic Peter James' - RACHEL ABBOTT 'One of the best crime writers in the world' - LEE CHILD 'One of the best in the business' - KARIN SLAUGHTER 'James at his masterful best' - THE SUN 'Underlines just how consummate a crime novelist James is' - DAILY MAIL 'One of the world's most popular detective series' - THE GUARDIAN

PETER JAMES is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series. 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 over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favourite fictional detective. To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 21 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 24 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. ITV's primetime adaptation of the Grace novels, starring John Simm, continues to delight audiences with significant ratings growth, and series seven is currently in production. On stage seven of Peter's Grace novels have been adapted as plays, earning his work the reputation of being the most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie. In 2026, Peter was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty The King's Birthday Honours List, in recognition of his services to literature and to charity. Peter is a supporter of many of charities reflecting his concerns and interests, including as Co-Patron of the Sussex Police Charitable Trust; as a Patron of the RSPCA and the Samaritans; and as an ambassador for The Reading Agency and for the National Year of Reading 2026, among many others.