“What happens when you find out the person you love isn’t who you thought they were?”
From the award-winning and international best-selling author Peter James, comes the thrilling new instalment in the Roy Grace series – Dead at First Sight.
In this nail-biting story that explores the rising crime of online dating fraud, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace will cross paths with a character based on Global Investigation’s very own lead investigator, Jack Roberts.
It was during his research when Peter reached out to Jack to find out more about his storied past in the private detective field. So impressed by the formidable detective skills displayed by Jack, Peter couldn’t help but feature him as a dating fraud expert in the story, along with Global Investigations!
In a lot of fiction, there is a common misconception that private eyes tend to get in the way of police investigations and solve crimes on their own by breaking laws.
However, within Dead at First Sight, Peter James employs a more realistic approach by having Roy Grace seek out a private detective to assist him with solving his case.
What is Dead at First Sight About?
Dead at First Sight is the latest crime fiction novel set in Brighton starring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace.
It all begins when two men, across the world from each other, wait in vain for their soulmates to arrive. They have no idea that they have been robbed blind by an internet scam – and that neither women exist.
In Munich, a wealthy divorcee plunges from an apartment block under suspicious circumstances. In the same week, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to investigate the suicide of a woman in Brighton that is shrouded in mystery.
A motivational speaker then discovers his identity has been stolen when he receives a phone call out of the blue from a woman saying, “You don’t know me, but I thought I knew you…” That woman is now dead.
What at first felt like unconnected and isolated incidents, transpires to be a ruthless global empire built on vicious internet scams and the murder of anyone who threatens to get in their way.
The Rise of Romance Fraud
One of the main reasons Peter James wrote Dead at First Sight was to highlight the rising threat of romance fraud, otherwise known as online dating fraud.
“It’s one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, and in Sussex it is huge,” said Peter who lives near Henfield.
One of the main instigators behind why this type of fraud has become so prevalent is due to the highly personal nature of these crimes. “People don’t want to believe they are being scammed and they don’t want to admit to their family and friends that they’ve been conned.”
The resulting shame and embarrassment that victims face stop them from alerting authorities, allowing the criminals behind these schemes to move on to their next mark without any legal repercussions.
Bernadette Lawrie, who is Sussex Police’s financial abuse safeguarding officer said, “We hope that Dead at First Sight can help destigmatise being a victim of this type of crime and educate people on the ‘red flags’ to watch out for when talking to people you meet online.”
Here at Global Investigations, we have dealt with a considerable amount of online dating horror stories, including partner investigation. Through high-tech psychological profiling, background investigations and undercover presence on the ground of the specific country, we can identify these online fraudsters, as well as confirm genuine individuals.
If you or someone you know is experiencing online dating fraud, or just looking for peace of mind in the age of online dating, then don’t hesitate to contact the Global Investigations team today.