BESTSELLING author Peter James is right at home behind the wheel of a classic car.

The crime thriller novelist, who has sold over 14 million books and is published in 36 languages, is seeing his novel The Perfect Murder transformed into a stage play, which visits The Mayflower Theatre next month.

Ahead of the visit, he was revving up a 1950s BRM at Beaulieu National Motor Museum – indulging his hobby for racing cars.

He told the Daily Echo: “I race a 2CV Citroen in a national series every year, which is brilliant fun. We do several of the major circuits, including Silverstone and Brands Hatch, and a 24-hour circuit race once at year at Snetterton.

“My agent and my publisher both say they hold their breath every time! For me it is the best possible contrast to the sedentary business of writing – and I can let all my aggression out.

“Also, it is incredibly relaxing as you have to switch off from the outside world. There is no way you can think about anything but the next bend, as you hurtle towards it at 100mph!”

Victor Smiley and his wife Joan have been married for a long time in The Perfect Murder. But their marriage has reached crisis point and Victor has decided there is only one way to get Joan out of his life forever... but he’s about to get a nasty surprise.

As a young Detective Roy Grace starts to investigate his very first homicide case, dark forces intervene and Grace begins to fear that nothing is quite as it seems.

It runs from February 4 to 8.