PETER JAMES embraced Shane Ritchie on stage after the actor’s performance as Detective Super intendent Roy Grace in the latest adaptation of the author’s work.

Not Dead Enough, the third novel in the Roy Grace internationally bestselling crime series, began its run at Theatre Royal Brighton on Monday night.

After the production, Mr James described the cast as “incredible” in a show of appreciation over how his book was brought to life.

The Perfect Murder and Dead Simple, two other novels in the Grace series, have already been staged in Brighton, and adapter Shaun McKenna and director Ian Talbot united once more to present Not Dead Enough.

Mr Ritchie was joined in the cast by Strictly Come Dancing star Laura Whitmore and Hollyoaks and Coronation Street’s Stephen Billington.

Mr Billington plays Brian Bishop, who is suspected of murdering his wife. But Grace, who is sent to cover the case, is battling some demons – namely the unexplained continued disappearance of his own wife.

Speaking to The Argus last autumn, after the announcement that Not Dead Enough would be staged, Mr James said that Mr Ritchie was “very mindful about how importance Roy Grace is to me”.

He added: “Shane said he really wanted to play Grace. I think Grace has a lot of warmth to him, which Shane does too.

“He’s a much more talented actor than people give him credit for.”

On Laura Whitmore’s role in the play, the author said: “She did her research – she’d only been offered the part with two days’ notice but had read a lot of the books.

She’s a nice person, too – there’s nothing worse than working with egos.”

Not Dead Enough runs until Saturday.