★★★★

Shane Richie received great recognition for his excellent portrayal of Peter James' iconic Detective Superintendent Roy Grace when the acclaimed author embraced him after the final curtain on Not Dead Enough at the Theatre Royal Brighton, on Monday.

Brighton's own talented multi-million selling writer went on stage to hail the cast as “incredible” and obviously loved the way his super sleuth was skilfully brought to life. The engaging Richie is a good match with Laura Whitmore, as his self assured pathologist girl friend Cleo, and also dovetails well with Michael Quartey, playing his cheeky side-kick Glenn Branson.

But, despite the usual blend of tension and dark humour in the third James novel to be adapted by Shaun McKenna and directed by Ian Talbot, Not Dead Enough does not lend itself to the stage as well as previous hits The Perfect Murder and Dead Simple. Although the action switches swiftly between three locations in designer Michael Holt's split set, the pace slips at times.

On the night his wife is murdered, chief suspect Brian Bishop, convincingly played by Stephen Billington, claims to be 60 miles away. Grace, haunted by the nine-year disappearance of his own wife, is reluctant to charge Bishop, although evidence suggests he has also slayed two other women.

Charlotte Sutherland, dramatically killed off before the curtain 'officially' goes up, Gemma Atkins, Gemma Stroyan and Michael Luxton provide fine support in a suspenseful and entertaining evening.