When is the next episode of ITV crime drama Grace?

ITV's crime drama Grace, based on the international best-selling book Dead Simple by Sussex author Peter James, was met with rave reviews after airing on Sunday and left many people wanting more from the show's eponymous protagonist.

And, for those desperate to see the Byronic officer back on their screens sooner rather than later, Grace's creator has shared an exciting update on the show's future.

ITV has already concluded the filming of another instalment, based on Peter James's second Roy Grace novel Looking Good Dead, which is set to air later this year, although the exact date it will be broadcast is currently unconfirmed.

John Simm in ITV's Grace

And there is plenty more on the horizon for Grace and his cohorts.

Peter told The Argus: "We’ve got the next one lined up, Looking Good Dead. One of my most popular characters, who didn’t appear in Grace because he wasn’t in the original book, first appears in the second book so he will be making an appearance. That’s Norman Potting."

Potting will be played by Craig Parkinson, known by many as Detective Inspector Matthew "Dot" Cottan in the hit BBC series Line of Duty.

"And, hopefully, in terms of ITV, we will be seeing another three or four in 2021 and then annually after that," Peter said.

Author Peter James (Image: Peter James)

And there is plenty of material for producers to work with.

"I think we’d all love it if it has the longevity of Morse because I’m now writing the eighteenth book and ITV’s plan is to do three or four a year for the foreseeable future," Peter said.

"I have got a new Roy Grace novel coming out on May 13 which is called Left You Dead, and I have also got a new Roy Grace stage play based on Looking Good Dead. That starts on tour in June and will be at the Theatre Royal on the week of October 11.

READ MORE: Peter James reveals how Roy Grace novels almost deterred a Dutch couple from visiting Brighton

"On June 27 I have also got a Roy Grace novella which is a quick read, part of a government programme to encourage people into reading, and that’s Roy Grace and his family going on the holiday from hell. It’s called Wish You Were Dead."

The first instalment of Grace opens with the detective at rock bottom. He’s haunted by the loss of his beloved wife, Sandy, who disappeared six years ago, and is pouring all his energy into investigating long-forgotten cold cases as a distraction.

As his superiors question his unorthodox methods, including a visit to a medium to help solve a case, he risks losing the job he loves the most.

With so much at stake, his colleague and friend Detective Sergeant Glenn Branson, played by Richie Campbell, asks him for help with a case.

A wealthy property developer has vanished while on a stag do, just days before his wedding, with most other members of the party dying in a van crash that same night.

It is down to Grace to unravel the events leading up to the groom's mysterious disappearance.

The winding tale takes viewers deep into Brighton's criminal underbelly, and now it is confirmed they will not have too wait too long until they can delve into the darker side of the city once again.