BOOK CLUB: They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story

Click to rate this book!
[Total: 3 Average: 3.3]

They Thought I Was Dead Sandy’s Story by British author Peter James is a work of fiction in the mystery, suspense, and interpersonal drama subgenre.

It has been eleven years since Sandy Grace disappeared on her husband’s thirtieth birthday. 

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of the Sussex police force was besotted with his beautiful young wife, to have her vanish, and never to be heard from again nearly destroyed him and his career. 

With a nationwide search and no clues, there were fears for her life. Over the years possible sightings were rumoured but nothing concrete. But why did Sandy go missing or did she run? Was it the thrill of the casino meeting the risk of uncertainty and financial debt?

We find Sandy reflecting on Roy’s response to her disappearance as a “smart detective” and her thoughts on what he will do. Then she utters the chilling lines: “He is going to find it hard to track me down for one simple reason. I no longer exist.”

The book starts with a bang and quickly expands from there with a gripping element of suspense. The narrative is dynamic, and the plot is rich with captivating scenes and incredible twists and turns and winds down into a hugely satisfying conclusion.

The author has developed a strong cast of characters to include those who are smart, brave, and believable. Sandy’s development is exemplary, and I readily sympathised with her, even when her actions and choices were questionable. I also enjoyed the brief look into the persona of Sandy and Roy’s son, Bruno which I was not expecting. I hugely appreciate James giving readers the answers they had longed for. 

Peter James is an expert at his craft and this is why he is an international bestselling author. He offers a masterclass in immersion as I found this novel authentic, fascinating, and sublime. There is violence, but it is never gratuitous; there is action, but it is not over the top, and there is humour and compassion when I least expected it. It is a beautifully balanced tale where every ingredient is in the perfect quantity and sequence. 

I have not read all of the Roy Grace series. His life story is in the order of the books, but you do not need to read the entire series to understand his journey. Sandys’s story is easily a standalone read. 

They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story is a vivid and realistic thriller that will appeal to fans of many genres, including action, crime, and drama.

A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story by Peter James. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.

8 thoughts on “BOOK CLUB: They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story

  1. Thank you, Beauty & Lace, for allowing me to read and review ‘They thought I was Dead by Peter James’.
    Sandy, a bored housewife married to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace disappears without a trace, with no clues left behind after a nationwide search. This is the story about Sandy reflecting on her secret life before her disappearance and the alternative life she created afterwards. I really enjoyed this book, but it was a bit like waiting for a train wreck to happen. There were times I felt empathy for Sandy, at times a little bit of disgust at her life choices and then ultimately a bit of sympathy for someone who totally lost their way and fate eventually had its turn.
    This is a great paced thriller book. The fully developed characters kept me thinking, about how one poor decision can lead onto so many others. Thank you ‘Beauty & Lace Bookclub’ for the opportunity to read ‘They thought I was Dead by Peter James’.

  2. Many thanks to Beautyandlace and panmacmillan fo the opportunity to review ‘They thought I was dead’ by Peter James.
    Also a tv series this book is one in the series of Roy Grace novels.
    This is another great read by an excellent author.
    The chapters are delightfully short so you can sneak a quick read between chores, you really want to know what is going to happen!
    The date the book begins is 2007 and we meet Sandy Grace, unhappy with her life married to crime detective Roy who she acknowledges as being a good guy.
    She sees no alternative to leaving him which only leads to wrong decisions.
    Seeking adventure, Sandy becomes addicted to the wrong kind of life.
    It’s difficult to say more for fear of divulging the plot!
    Unfortunately Sandy’s choices lead her to a life of turmoil and with a sense of regret of leaving Roy.

    Such a great read and a book you will read quickly!

  3. Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Pan McMillan for the opportunity to read ‘They Thought I was Dead’ by Peter James.

    Like a lot of fans of Peter James, Roy Grace series I wondered what had happened to his wife Sandy who had disappeared without a trace. This book answers the questions!!

    Well Sandy didnt die, she disappeared and this is her story.

    So Sandy starts gambling and after some big losses gets involved with money lenders of a very unsavoury nature. All the while Roy is oblivious to her problems, busy building his police career, investigating him for several murders.

    Seeing no way out, Sandy goes on the run with the help of a criminal but things end up getting worse when drugs drugs become an issue.

    I have to say as much as I looked forward to this book I was disappointed. Sandys story is so outrageous, so over the top it was hard to imagine. What else could go wrong? Lots apparently. Her choices also leave a lot to be desired….

    Overall this is a stand alone story. It complements the Roy Grace series but reading those books is not a prerequisite. It is an intriguing read and although I was exasperated by Sandy at times (OK a lot of times), I was hooked enough to complete the book.

    Thanks again for the opportunity to read this book!

  4. They Thought I was Dead (Sandy’s Story) is another fabulous Peter James book which didn’t disappoint.

    Engaging from the first page, once I started, I couldn’t put this book down. The main character of the story, Sandy Grace, has a loving and devoted husband, Roy who is an Officer on the Major Crimes Team. Other than trying for a baby unsuccessfully for a long time, they have a good life and all is going well for them. They have their dream home and Roy is very committed to his job. Sandy, however, is feeling dissatisfied and makes a series of poor choices that see her being sought after by some serious criminals. Instead of telling her husband, who was probably in the position to help her given his job, Sandy felt she had no option but to disappear.

    The book takes us on Sandy’s journey over around 10 years from when she left Roy, when he finally has her announced as “presumed dead” so that he can sell the home he shared with Sandy and re-marry. Sandy’s responses at this stage were disappointing to be honest. I hoped she would have more compassion for Roy given what she had put him through, and because she had finally had his baby without him even being aware, but her thoughts and actions definitely weren’t with Roy’s best interests in mind.

    Thank you, Beauty and Lace and Macmillan Publishers, for giving me the opportunity to read and review They Thought I Was Dead. Lots of twists and turns throughout the novel with an ending I really wasn’t expecting. A great read, highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good crime story.

  5. They thought I Was Dead by Peter James was an easy read that finally answered the question “What happened to Sandy?”.
    Sandy is Roy Grace’s wife that bizarrely went missing years ago and with no clues or sign as to where or how she disappeared, everyone presumed, as the title says, that she was dead.
    How wrong we all are and what a story she tells us!
    Hearing Sandy’s side of her marriage to Roy is fascinating and I loved how real that was to me. Everyone has their own version of events or the truth.
    You discover that Sandy is bored, lonely and unhappy with her marriage and life and so starts a series of bad choices that just continue to evolve until it all comes to a head where she needs to disappear to ensure her and Roy’s safety.
    What unfolds in her new life is at times almost surreal but sadly always with her common theme of making the wrong choices.
    I found Sandy an interesting character. I liked her and thought it sad that she took the route she did but, in a way, understood why as well. I also found it quite moving and I guess relatable when she would reminisce about her former life and about Roy, it’s so easy to remember the ‘good times’ and forget all the rest of it.
    All in all, I liked the book, am glad I found out what happened to Sandy and although it is said this can be a stand-alone book, I feel it would get lost on someone who is not familiar with the Roy Grace books.
    Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book.

  6. What a rollercoaster this book is! I haven’t read any of Peter James’ other books where Roy Grace, the detective, is the protagonist. It would have helped put this one in context, although it can be read as a stand-alone.
    Roy’s wife, Sandy, leaves him because her life is in danger from unsavoury loan sharks, and she begins a new life under an assumed name. This is where the rollercoaster begins. Everything you can possibly imagine happens to her over a period of ten years – in fact, it was necessary to suspend disbelief many times!
    The pace of the book is fast although some aspects become repetitive and I wondered why Sandy didn’t make other choices at times. There is nothing predictable about this book and I was surprised over and over. The ending is totally unexpected.
    I’d recommend it to those familiar with the Roy Grace series. Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Macmillan Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

  7. Thank you Beauty and Lace for the offer to review They Thought I Was Dead by Peter James.

    The story revolves around Sandy Grace a housewife who is married to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. Sandy meets a well off woman in her Pilates class and realises she wants a lot more from life. She starts making some high risk choices. Those choices put her on the wrong side of Roel Albazi an Albanian career criminal. He is the catalyst for Sandy running away. Sandy also tries to justify her decisions and blame others for the situation she is in. Roy has always been busy in his career but he is not to blame for her having one night stands. I found Sandy had great growth in the book.

    I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to everyone.

  8. I loved the writing style of this book right from the start. It’s mostly told from Sandy’s perspective as she navigates through making some particularly bad life choices and the consequences.

    I haven’t read any other Roy grace books and found this good as a standalone though may be more depth having read them. I have added them to my reading wish list now though!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *