WHEN I saw Peter James’ play “Dead Simple” a couple of years ago in the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, I truly thought it was the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced in any theatre. Would “Not Dead Enough” his latest offering live up to my expectations? writes our Theatre critic Kerry Black.

Well, if a play can make an entire audience gasp aloud en masse it must be doing something right!

This is the first play I have ever watched which is set in a mortuary! In the opening scenes, we witness a murder and an autopsy.

The whole play is built around death, deceit and DNA. A whodunnit par excellence, combining James’ regular DS Roy Grace (convincingly played by Bill Ward), with the excellent Michael Quartey as his wisecracking assistant Glenn Branson and Edinburgh born Gemma Stroyan as a police computer expert. This play covers the convoluted relationships between friends, family and colleagues which can lead to murder. The lovely Laura Whitmore (of Strictly fame), played Grace’s love interest Cleo, who works in the mortuary, alongside her friend Sophie (Gemma Atkins).

I always imagined Brighton to be a sunny, seaside town radiant with bars and boutiques, here James portrays it as home to a serial killer, hell bent on throwing unfortunate women into the sea!

Stephen Bilington plays Brian Bishop the charming, rich, handsome, chief suspect, who swears he is innocent. What an actor! What a role! With more twists than anyone could ever expect, you may never look at a medical man in a gown and mask the same way again!

It is a long time since I have seen an audience look so shocked as the house lights went up at interval! There were theories galore being discussed about who the killer was and why.

If you like a good fright, head to the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh this week and see if you can work out who the murderer is. Just remember as DS Grace says, “some secrets stay secret”! Even better, Peter James himself will be there on Tuesday night for a question and answer session after the show.