British Mystery · ITV · 2021–present
Grace
6 Series
20 Films
Stars John Simm
Brighton
Peter James Adaptation
John Simm stars as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, a tenacious Brighton detective still haunted by the unexplained disappearance of his first wife years earlier. Adapted from Peter James's bestselling Roy Grace novels, each feature-length film follows Grace and his team through a single case, with the show following the same "Dead"-titled novels James has built his career on. Grace streams on BritBox in the US — see British TV Hub's guide to where to watch British TV in the US.
Best For
Fans of Grounded, Novel-Faithful Procedurals
Viewers who want their crime drama close to its source material — Grace follows the plots and character details of Peter James's novels closely, case by case.
Literary AdaptationBrighton
At a Glance
ToneGrounded, atmospheric
PaceModerate
Similar ToDalgliesh, Lynley
Time Commitment
One Case, One Feature-Length Film
Each film runs around 90-120 minutes and tells a complete case, so a full series can generally be finished in a single weekend.
Feature-Length
At a Glance
Runtime~90–120 min per film
Episodes per SeriesVaries, 1–4
Content Note & Verdict
Standard Procedural Violence
Grace includes the violence and dark subject matter typical of a murder-investigation drama, but is not especially graphic by genre standards. British TV Hub's verdict: a dependable, well-cast procedural for fans who like their mysteries rooted in real, bestselling source novels.
Moderate ContentRecommended
At a Glance
ContentViolence, dark themes
VerdictRecommended
Where to watch in the US
BritBox
6 series available · Series 7 renewed for 2027 · Subscription required
Watch on BritBox →
Free option: Not currently available free in the US
Streaming availability in the US can change. Check the linked service for the current season and episode selection. Checked September 2026.
Find the books
Peter James's Roy Grace novels
The source novels behind the series · Check current editions and formats
Find the Books →
Where to Start
Dead Simple (Series 1, 2021)
The series premiere, based on the first Roy Grace novel, introduces Grace as he's brought in to investigate the disappearance of a Brighton property developer who vanished during his own stag night.
Series Premiere2021
At a Glance
Watch OrderRecommended in order
Based OnNovel 1 of 19+
1 · Series 1 · 2021
Dead Simple
The series premiere sets the tone for the whole show: a missing groom, a stag-night prank gone wrong, and a race against time that only gets more complicated as Grace digs deeper.
Series Premiere
2 · Series 2
Looking Good Dead
Grace and Branson are pushed to their limit when two seemingly unconnected deaths point toward a far more disturbing pattern than either detective initially suspects.
Series 2
3 · Series 2
Dead Man's Footsteps
A sinister inquiry into skeletal remains found in a forgotten Brighton storm drain sends Grace down a labyrinthine trail connecting past and present.
Cold Case
4 · Series 3
Dead Man's Grip
One of British TV Hub's picks from Series 3, showing the team pulled into a case with consequences that reach well beyond Brighton.
Series 3
5 · Series 5
Find Them Dead
A Series 5 highlight balancing Grace's personal life — his engagement to Cleo, his teenage son Bruno — against a case that tests the whole team.
Series 5
At a Glance
PositionSeries 5
Best ForFans invested in Grace's personal arc
Watch on BritBox →
Lead
John Simm
DS/DSI Roy Grace — a tenacious, unorthodox Brighton detective still haunted by his first wife Sandy's unexplained disappearance years before the series begins.
Lead Detective
At a Glance
RoleDS Roy Grace
AppearsAll series
Lead
Richie Campbell
DS Glenn Branson — Grace's close friend and most trusted colleague on the team, a steady presence across every series.
Detective Sergeant
At a Glance
RoleDS Glenn Branson
AppearsAll series
Recurring
Zoë Tapper
Cleo Morey — Brighton's chief mortician and Grace's partner, whose own storyline runs alongside the weekly cases.
Mortician
At a Glance
RoleCleo Morey
Recurring
Laura Elphinstone
DS Bella Moy — sharp and instinctive, a vital member of Grace's team with a quietly demanding home life of her own.
Detective Sergeant
At a Glance
RoleDS Bella Moy
Recurring
Brad Morrison
DC Nick Nicholl — a dependable junior member of the investigative team throughout the series.
Detective Constable
At a Glance
RoleDC Nick Nicholl
Source Fidelity
Close to Peter James's Novels
James himself has been closely involved as an executive producer, and the show has stayed unusually faithful to the plots, character details, and Brighton settings of his bestselling novels.
Literary Adaptation
At a Glance
SourcePeter James novels
Performance
John Simm's Grounded Lead
Simm brings the same understated intensity that defined his earlier roles in Life on Mars and State of Play to a detective quietly carrying an old, unresolved grief.
John Simm
At a Glance
LeadJohn Simm
Setting as Character
Brighton and Hove
The seaside city's mix of Regency grandeur and rundown backstreets gives Grace a distinct visual identity apart from Britain's many other detective dramas.
Brighton
At a Glance
SettingBrighton and Hove
Setting & Filming
Brighton, Hove, and West Sussex
Grace is set and filmed largely in and around Brighton and Hove on England's south coast, with some production also based in the nearby West Sussex town of Burgess Hill. The real Sussex Police force has consulted on the series, reflecting Peter James's own background researching real policing methods for his novels.
Brighton, England
At a Glance
CityBrighton and Hove
Also Filmed InBurgess Hill, West Sussex
Source Novels
Peter James's Roy Grace Series
Grace adapts Peter James's long-running Roy Grace novels in order, starting with Dead Simple and continuing through Looking Good Dead, Not Dead Enough, Dead Man's Footsteps, Dead Tomorrow, Dead Like You, Dead Man's Grip, and Not Dead Yet. James has sold more than 21 million copies of the series worldwide.
19+ Novels
Source Material
Is Grace based on real novels?
Yes. Grace adapts Peter James's bestselling Roy Grace novels, which follow the "Dead"-titled naming pattern James has used throughout the series.
Quick Answer
Based OnPeter James novels
Status
Is Grace coming back for another series?
Yes. Series 7 has already been renewed and is expected in 2027, continuing the show's steady series-by-series run since 2021.
Quick Answer
StatusRenewed
NextSeries 7, expected 2027
Episode Count
How many episodes of Grace are there?
Grace has aired across six series to date, told as a series of feature-length films rather than traditional shorter episodes, with each series typically running one to four films.
Quick Answer
Series6
FormatFeature-length films
Viewing Order
Do I need to watch Grace in order?
Watching in order is recommended, since Grace's personal life — his relationship with Cleo, his son Bruno, and the long shadow of his first wife's disappearance — develops steadily across series.
Quick Answer
Required?Recommended
Streaming
Where can I watch Grace in the US?
BritBox is Grace's home in the US, with all six series available to stream.
Quick Answer
PrimaryBritBox
Filming Location
Where is Grace filmed?
Grace is filmed in and around Brighton and Hove, with additional filming in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
Quick Answer
CityBrighton and Hove
Fact-checked and streaming availability checked September 2026. Spot an error or an outdated streaming link? Let us know via the contact page.