This is the first of the ‘Death in Paradise’ series by Robert Thorogood that I have read. It is the second in the series, and I picked it up unaware of the TV series of the same, the sixth series will be aired on the BBC this year. So, I am playing catch-up.

My first reaction was that it seemed lightweight, but the story and the characters pulled me in. This definitely fits into the comfort crime category so effectively occupied by MC Beaton. Detective Inspector Richard Poole is a man out of place, an English policeman on a tiny Caribbean island, he is a proper chap who persists in wearing leather shoes and woollen suits even at the height of the summer heat. His team is small and their resources are limited, which makes this more of an old-fashioned tale as they put together clue after clue. The setting is luscious.

Supermodel Polly Carter is dead, is it suicide or murder? In the true Agatha Christie fashion, of whom Thorogood is a childhood fan, this is a ‘closed room’ mystery where few people have the opportunity and motive. One by one, each of Polly’s family and friends are suspected, cleared then suspected again. In true Christie fashion, when the culprit is unveiled I thought ‘oh of course’ without actually guessing the identity correctly.

Only two books so far, so one to watch. And the covers are beautiful.

If you like ‘The Killing of Polly Carter’, try these:-
‘An Uncertain Place’ by Fred Vargas
‘No Other Darkness’ by Sarah Hilary
‘Business as Usual’ by EL Lindley

‘The Killing of Polly Carter’ by Robert Thorogood, Death in Paradise #2 [UK: Harlequin MIRA] Buy now

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
THE KILLING OF POLLY CARTER by @robthor #bookreview via @SandraDanby http://wp.me/p5gEM4-1Tj