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The Hawk Is Dead
- Author
- Peter James
- Narrator
- Daniel Weyman
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 21 October 2025
- Run Time
- 12 hours 48 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Read by Daniel Weyman (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and featuring an author's note read by Peter James
'What a fool I've been not to have read Peter James until The Hawk Is Dead! A great story' – James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross series
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 the gripping new instalment from number one bestselling author Peter James.
You can listen to Peter James discussing the Roy Grace series with Her Majesty Queen Camilla on The Queen's Reading Room podcast.
*****
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 great story’ – James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross series
'Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down!' – Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of the Confessions of a Forty-Something series
'Classic Peter James' – Rachel Abbott, bestselling author of the DCI Tom Douglas series
'A right royal page-turner' – Angela Rippon, award-winning broadcaster
'Peter James is one of the best British crime writers and therefore one of the best in the world' – Lee Child, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series
'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business' – Karin Slaughter, bestselling author of the Will Trent series
'One of the world’s most popular detective series' – The Guardian
Critics Review
-
What a fool I’ve been not to have read Peter James until The Hawk is Dead. A great story
James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross series
-
I’ve never read a detective novel before but what better place to start than this thumping new thriller from Peter James . . . Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down!
Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something
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The Hawk Is Dead is classic Peter James, combining the trademark intricate plotting of his acclaimed Roy Grace series with a fascinating, behind-the-scenes exploration of life within the royal household
Rachel Abbott, bestselling author of the Tom Douglas series
-
Roy Grace swaps Brighton for Buck House to unravel a conspiracy of murder, revenge and betrayal. It all makes for a right royal page-turner
Angela Rippon, award-winning broadcaster
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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Endlessly fascinating, riveting and wildly entertaining! For the Anglophiles among us, a must-read
Tess Gerritsen, bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series
-
The Hawk Is Dead is classic Peter James, combining the trademark intricate plotting of his acclaimed Roy Grace series with a fascinating, behind-the-scenes exploration of life within the royal household.
Rachel Abbott, author of Whatever It Takes
-
A majestic treat!
The Times
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An utterly compelling thriller, this is James at his masterful best - one of the best writers around
The Sun
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Packed with detail about the workings of the modern monarchy, the plot thunders along, underlining just how consummate a crime novelist James is
Daily Mail
-
One of the world's most popular detective series
The Guardian
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Peter James
- Narrator
- Daniel Weyman
- Duration
- 12 hours 48 minutes
- Release Date
- 21 October 2025
- ISBN
- 9781529090109
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Crime and mystery: police procedural, Thriller / suspense fiction
Synopsis
Read by Daniel Weyman (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and featuring an author's note read by Peter James'What a fool I've been not to have read Peter James until The Hawk Is Dead! A great story' – James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross seriesRoy 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 the gripping new instalment from number one bestselling author Peter James.You can listen to Peter James discussing the Roy Grace series with Her Majesty Queen Camilla on The Queen's Reading Room podcast.*****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 great story’ – James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross series'Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down!' – Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of the Confessions of a Forty-Something series'Classic Peter James' – Rachel Abbott, bestselling author of the DCI Tom Douglas series'A right royal page-turner' – Angela Rippon, award-winning broadcaster 'Peter James is one of the best British crime writers and therefore one of the best in the world' – Lee Child, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business' – Karin Slaughter, bestselling author of the Will Trent series'One of the world’s most popular detective series' – The Guardian
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