Ah, summertime when thoughts turn towards sandy beaches, gentle waves, tropical drinks, warm breezes and untimely death. Wait… what was that last one? Nope, that’s not a typo. This week’s South Branch post features all of these unlikely qualities coming together in the British television hit Death in Paradise.
If the idea of sitting on a beach leaves you worrying that you’ll be vacuuming sand out of crevices in your car, house and just about anywhere else that ubiquitous little grain can end up, try a beach “staycation” this summer with Death in Paradise. This little gem of a show (Season 4 premieres on Wed, June 24th on PBS) infuses a wry, British wit with a traditional murder-mystery detective series and incorporates a cast of quirky, colorful characters that just may have you thinking that your couch is as good a place as any to soak up some island warmth.
Set on the idyllic, fictional island of Saint-Marie (a neighbor of Guadeloupe where the show is actually filmed), a London investigator is stationed in the capital, Honoré. Equipped with sharp wits but no air conditioning, the detective is expected to navigate island life while solving the murders of the people who seem to drop dead on this little island at a disproportionately high rate. The series has seen two detective inspectors: D.I. Richard Poole, who is plagued by the island’s perpetual cheeriness and laissez-faire attitude, hates the sand and sun, believes in “properly” dressing daily in a wool suit and longs for an English cuppa tea. After his exit (and no, I won’t tell you how or why; no spoilers here!), we meet D.I. Humphrey Goodman, far better suited to island life, but equally as quirky and brilliant as D.I. Poole. Locked-room murders, fun side shenanigans, and a lizard named Harry (that’s him in the top picture) are just a sampling of what you can expect from this light, entertaining series.
If you prefer to begin a series at the beginning, the South Branch owns all of the first three seasons of Death in Paradise. Check them out to be in the know when the fourth season starts or just to enjoy a little escapism from the unpredictable (and not always summer-like) New England weather!
If you’re looking for more murder without the mayhem, try checking out these selections:
Sugar and Iced by Jenn McKinlay
In keeping with the murder-in-unlikely-places theme, Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery Mysteries indulge readers as two artisan cupcake bakers in sunny Arizona end up getting tangled in murder mysteries. In this adventure, Melanie and Angie are baking an elaborate cupcake display for the local beauty pageant, when one of the judges is found dead– underneath their display. In order to keep murder out of their business profile, they’ll have to work with the police to find the culprit. Light, breezy and a great summer read, McKinlay is always kind enough to include a few recipes of the cupcake creations she mentions in the book, so you can read your cupcakes and eat them, too!
Clammed Up by Barbara Ross:
If jaunting up the coastline is more your summer speed, try this slice of Maine life, the first of Barbara Ross’s Main Clambake Mysteries. The Snowden Family Clambake company does pretty well in Busmans Harbor, Maine, but when a murder taints one of their catered weddings, the family must find out who the killer is before the business suffers. This charming series with local New England flair is sure to appeal to those looking for a quick break.
Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen:
If you still prefer your murder mystery set in a more tropical clime, Carl Hiaasen will take you to Florida and the Bahamas, as long as you don’t mind exploring the grittier side of those warm vacation spots. Follow Andrew Yancy of the Key West Police as he investigates a murder while encountering all sorts of unusual characters including an idiotic real-estate agent, a voodoo witch and a very strange medical examiner. If you like warm weather vacations, but are adventurous enough to go off-the-beaten-path, give this mystery a try.
Yup, this movie is an unabashed reference to the classic board game. Someone murders Mr. Boddy at a surprise dinner engagement and Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum and Miss Scarlett are all suspects. Crazy hi-jinx and slapstick humor may not create a traditional murder mystery tone, but with an all-star cast that includes Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn and Christopher Lloyd, it definitely works. With three possible endings included, this movie will keep you guessing and laughing all at the same time.
Like Death In Paradise, Psych also injects humor into the business of murder detection, but with far less British influence and far more snacks. If you devoured Jim Gaffigan’s Food: A Love Story from last week’s post, you’ll have a sense of the type of humor you’ll encounter in this show. Set in vacation-worthy Santa Barbara, CA (but actually filmed in Canada) the show boasts an impressive array of guest stars (including a reunion of most of the cast members from Clue) and a sharp, albeit very American wit. It’s irreverent, entertaining and one of the most underrated TV shows that not nearly enough people watched during its surprising 8-season run.
That’s it from the South this week. Till we meet again next week, remember that paradise, complete with the possibility of a good murder, is only a click away…