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A Killer in Paradise
The trip of their dreams is about to end in murder.
When five old friends are invited to join Abigail Blythe at the launch of her luxury hotel in the Costa Rican rainforest, they jump at the chance to spend a week in paradise.
None of them have heard from Abigail since the summer they went backpacking in Central America as students – a trip that ended in disaster for one member of the group…
Ten years may have passed, but old rivalries are never far from the surface. So when a body is discovered during the hotel’s launch event, it soon becomes clear that one among them must be responsible.
Someone is desperate to keep an old secret hidden – whatever the cost…
When five old friends are invited to join Abigail Blythe at the launch of her luxury hotel in the Costa Rican rainforest, they jump at the chance to spend a week in paradise.
None of them have heard from Abigail since the summer they went backpacking in Central America as students – a trip that ended in disaster for one member of the group…
Ten years may have passed, but old rivalries are never far from the surface. So when a body is discovered during the hotel’s launch event, it soon becomes clear that one among them must be responsible.
Someone is desperate to keep an old secret hidden – whatever the cost…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
January 3, 2026
The characters fall flat and are mostly unlikeable, the story is predictable from the first page and lacked any twists or unpredictable revelations. The only saving grace was the beautiful setting in the Costa Rican Jungle.
February 12, 2026
This is both my first and last Tom Hindle book — a true full-circle moment.
I really wanted to enjoy it. I packed snacks. I settled in. I was ready. Unfortunately, the characters had the personality of unbuttered toast, the plot arrived exactly where I expected it to (often waving from a mile away), and the writing felt like it was permanently set to “basic mode.”
If I had to sum it up in one phrase: it’s an eye roll from start to finish — the kind where your eyeballs consider filing for overtime.
I kept hoping for a twist, a spark, a single moment of “oh!” Instead, it was more “oh… okay.” And not in a good way.
On the bright side, it was a very efficient read — largely because I was so desperate to finish it.
Not for me, but I wish it well on its journey to someone who enjoys their mysteries served mild.
I really wanted to enjoy it. I packed snacks. I settled in. I was ready. Unfortunately, the characters had the personality of unbuttered toast, the plot arrived exactly where I expected it to (often waving from a mile away), and the writing felt like it was permanently set to “basic mode.”
If I had to sum it up in one phrase: it’s an eye roll from start to finish — the kind where your eyeballs consider filing for overtime.
I kept hoping for a twist, a spark, a single moment of “oh!” Instead, it was more “oh… okay.” And not in a good way.
On the bright side, it was a very efficient read — largely because I was so desperate to finish it.
Not for me, but I wish it well on its journey to someone who enjoys their mysteries served mild.
April 12, 2026
For me, this was quite a disappointing cosy crime. Despite having a fairly strong premise - six formerly close friends with secrets reuniting in a tropical paradise setting - I thought it was a very tame story.
The secrets that were being kept by four of the friends and which were fundamental to the plot were very easy to rumble and it was also fairly simple to understand very quickly why some of them seemed to be acting so suspiciously. The characters were very underdeveloped and it was difficult to engage with them or even care about their plight, even when they were in danger.
In addition, although the ending was a surprise, it came so far out of left field that it didn't really work for me. I felt there were earlier opportunities to bring the story to a more satisfying conclusion with, probably, a more appropriate killer.
I'm particularly disappointed because I enjoyed an earlier novel by the same author (Murder on Lake Garda) so I was expecting something livelier in the same vein. It may be me though, so please read other reviews for more positive viewpoints.
The secrets that were being kept by four of the friends and which were fundamental to the plot were very easy to rumble and it was also fairly simple to understand very quickly why some of them seemed to be acting so suspiciously. The characters were very underdeveloped and it was difficult to engage with them or even care about their plight, even when they were in danger.
In addition, although the ending was a surprise, it came so far out of left field that it didn't really work for me. I felt there were earlier opportunities to bring the story to a more satisfying conclusion with, probably, a more appropriate killer.
I'm particularly disappointed because I enjoyed an earlier novel by the same author (Murder on Lake Garda) so I was expecting something livelier in the same vein. It may be me though, so please read other reviews for more positive viewpoints.
May 27, 2026
Un misterio francamente incompetente, aunque quizá no tan incompetente como lo pintan muchos reseñadores aquí. Personajes de cartón, prosa bien básica. Hecho para leer cuando no tienes nada mejor que hacer. Y con una resolución que se ve venir a leguas.
Me llamó la atención porque está ambientado en un país en el que viví siete años. Y la verdad se nota que el autor sí ha ido a Costa Rica por lo menos una vez de vacaciones. Esperaba muchas inexactitudes y solo hallé una obvia (el hotel del libro tiene su propia playa privada de arena blanca. En la península de Osa la arena no es blanca: es gris o marrón).
Me llamó la atención porque está ambientado en un país en el que viví siete años. Y la verdad se nota que el autor sí ha ido a Costa Rica por lo menos una vez de vacaciones. Esperaba muchas inexactitudes y solo hallé una obvia (el hotel del libro tiene su propia playa privada de arena blanca. En la península de Osa la arena no es blanca: es gris o marrón).
April 9, 2026
A Killer in Paradise is another absorbing mystery featuring an exotic setting, as readers have come to expect from author Tom Hindle (previous books have been set on a plush transatlantic liner, on an island in Italy's Lake Garda and on an airship above the Arctic).
Hotel heiress Abi Blythe invites five friends from her university days in York, England to the opening party of her new eco-resort, isolated in the jungle of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. In itself, this wouldn't be so strange, but Abi has barely been in contact with any of them since they finished University ten years ago. Why is she bringing them together for a reunion after all this time, and why did she so abruptly withdraw from them all those years ago? Olive, who regarded Abi as her best friend through University was particularly hurt by Abi's failure to even respond to an email asking her to be Olive's bridesmaid, but is the member of the group who seems most enthusiastic about reconnecting with their old friend.
Hotel heiress Abi Blythe invites five friends from her university days in York, England to the opening party of her new eco-resort, isolated in the jungle of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. In itself, this wouldn't be so strange, but Abi has barely been in contact with any of them since they finished University ten years ago. Why is she bringing them together for a reunion after all this time, and why did she so abruptly withdraw from them all those years ago? Olive, who regarded Abi as her best friend through University was particularly hurt by Abi's failure to even respond to an email asking her to be Olive's bridesmaid, but is the member of the group who seems most enthusiastic about reconnecting with their old friend.
March 4, 2026
i might upset some people with this one.
this book was boring, sloppy, predictable, about 100 pages too long, and with a tacky title to top it all off. the characters aren't likeable or complex; the ending is too perfect; the writing is unengaging and unimpressive. truly what possessed janice hallett to call this a "perfect" crime novel???
this book has (steals?) a classic christie-esque premise and it showed a lot of potential. it takes some kind of skill to fuck it up this badly.
also, the sheer laziness of not using an actual hereditary disease and nebulously referring to it as a "horrible disease" the whole time???? but then taking the time to research a manchineel tree, which is so irrelevant to the plot????? i actually cannot. NEXT!
this book was boring, sloppy, predictable, about 100 pages too long, and with a tacky title to top it all off. the characters aren't likeable or complex; the ending is too perfect; the writing is unengaging and unimpressive. truly what possessed janice hallett to call this a "perfect" crime novel???
this book has (steals?) a classic christie-esque premise and it showed a lot of potential. it takes some kind of skill to fuck it up this badly.
also, the sheer laziness of not using an actual hereditary disease and nebulously referring to it as a "horrible disease" the whole time???? but then taking the time to research a manchineel tree, which is so irrelevant to the plot????? i actually cannot. NEXT!
March 23, 2026
I cannot believe there are so many books by this author if they are all this vapid?? The “twist” was astoundingly obvious from the start and was this even written by an adult human?
March 12, 2026
Zero likeable characters and a writing style that seemed very amateurish. I am genuinely shocked people buy books that read like a primary school child wrote them
One star purely for basing it in Costa Rica
One star purely for basing it in Costa Rica
July 7, 2026
Sadly, this one wasn’t for me. I didn’t really connect with the characters, and the story was quite predictable from the beginning. I kept waiting for a big twist or surprise, but it never came. The beautiful Costa Rican jungle setting was definitely the best part!
April 9, 2026
Predictable and an unnecessary number of 2/3 page long chapters
January 28, 2026
honestly one of the worst books i’ve ever read. more than 3/4 of the book is useless nonsense i swear i learned more about the landscape of the hotel they were staying in than i did about any of the actual characters. it was a very predictable ending. the story dragged on. none of the characters were likeable and we barely knew anything abt their stories or anything like that. it was very poorly structured and i definitely do not recommend it. my first time reading tom hindle’s books and i can tell you now i will not be reading one ever again.
February 19, 2026
Meh! I don't know why I keep reading these. I suppose they're like a quick burger between more satisfying meals...
Several points were repeated early on, for no reason, and just about every 'twist' was telegraphed from page 1 almost.
Several points were repeated early on, for no reason, and just about every 'twist' was telegraphed from page 1 almost.
January 31, 2026
This is the second book I've read from Tom Hindle, and I definitely preferred this to Death in the Arctic; I thought this was really easy to get into and I flew through the last half of the story in particular. I think there's a great atmosphere created here of dread and an impending sense of the world closing in, especially with the isolated setting of the jungle. The characters did all feel a bit similar, especially the three guys in the friendship group, but Stevie was a really strong main character. I found the plot to be a bit predictable, it was pretty obvious from the second the killer is introduced who it is going to be, but I enjoyed seeing how the mystery unfolded.
April 6, 2026
Another perfect crime novel from Tom. Just when you think you have it all sussed and wrapped up, more twists and turns. Such an easy and enjoyable read
March 19, 2026
This novel was easy to read with short, busy chapters and descriptions of the Costa Rican jungle. However, the characters were a bit one dimensional and some of the twists were apparent early on. I didn’t feel the suspense built up particularly, so that when all was revealed I didn’t find it shocking or surprising.
November 23, 2025
I love Tom Hindle’s writing, he draws you in from the opening scene and keeps you hooked until the final chapter. I’ve read all his previous books, and he excels at exploring the shifting dynamics within a group of friends… if they can even be called that. Watching those relationships strain and unravel is fascinating, and you quickly start to question what ever held them together.
This time we’re in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica, at a brand-new luxury resort about to open. A group of old university friends have been invited by Abigail Blythe, daughter of the late hotel magnates Frank and Jane Blythe. Although the resort is Abi’s project, it was once meant to be shared with her brother Humphrey — until the board ousted him.
Olive Ross was Abi’s best friend at York University. She’d taken Abi under her wing when she first arrived in the UK, bringing her into her tight-knit group. They stayed inseparable through three years of study and the group travelled together afterwards. The site of the new resort is the last place they were all together ten years ago, and where Olive got engaged to Zach.
But after that trip, Abi went back to the States, and never replied to Olive again. So why the sudden reunion? Why did she ignore Olive’s messages for a decade, including the one asking her to be a bridesmaid? Olive is thrilled to see her again; her husband Zach, far less so. Olive’s cousin Jazz comes along out of caution, having never trusted Abi. Meanwhile, the other two friends, Mike and Seth, barely tolerate one another.
The novel unfolds in seven parts. From the first chapter we know someone is dead, but not who. Gradually the truth emerges — secrets, betrayals, and long-buried tensions. Why were they invited? And what was the big announcement Abi planned to make?
I suspected one twist early on, but it didn’t spoil anything; I still couldn’t guess the culprit or the motive. Most of the characters are intentionally unlikeable (with a couple of exceptions), which only heightens the tension. As we revisit the origins of the friendships, we learn the truths Abi never shared — revelations that hit Olive hardest. What really happened the last time they were all in Costa Rica?
If you enjoy Agatha Christie-style mysteries or the intensity of a locked-room setup — even though this one takes place deep in the rainforest — this is absolutely for you. The author once again brings a group together and skillfully sets them against each other. The resort and rainforest descriptions are vivid enough to transport you there.
Another gripping read from a master of mystery. Thank you to the @centurybooksuk @penguinrandom for an ARC of this book, all thoughts are my own, and have not been influenced in any way.
This time we’re in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica, at a brand-new luxury resort about to open. A group of old university friends have been invited by Abigail Blythe, daughter of the late hotel magnates Frank and Jane Blythe. Although the resort is Abi’s project, it was once meant to be shared with her brother Humphrey — until the board ousted him.
Olive Ross was Abi’s best friend at York University. She’d taken Abi under her wing when she first arrived in the UK, bringing her into her tight-knit group. They stayed inseparable through three years of study and the group travelled together afterwards. The site of the new resort is the last place they were all together ten years ago, and where Olive got engaged to Zach.
But after that trip, Abi went back to the States, and never replied to Olive again. So why the sudden reunion? Why did she ignore Olive’s messages for a decade, including the one asking her to be a bridesmaid? Olive is thrilled to see her again; her husband Zach, far less so. Olive’s cousin Jazz comes along out of caution, having never trusted Abi. Meanwhile, the other two friends, Mike and Seth, barely tolerate one another.
The novel unfolds in seven parts. From the first chapter we know someone is dead, but not who. Gradually the truth emerges — secrets, betrayals, and long-buried tensions. Why were they invited? And what was the big announcement Abi planned to make?
I suspected one twist early on, but it didn’t spoil anything; I still couldn’t guess the culprit or the motive. Most of the characters are intentionally unlikeable (with a couple of exceptions), which only heightens the tension. As we revisit the origins of the friendships, we learn the truths Abi never shared — revelations that hit Olive hardest. What really happened the last time they were all in Costa Rica?
If you enjoy Agatha Christie-style mysteries or the intensity of a locked-room setup — even though this one takes place deep in the rainforest — this is absolutely for you. The author once again brings a group together and skillfully sets them against each other. The resort and rainforest descriptions are vivid enough to transport you there.
Another gripping read from a master of mystery. Thank you to the @centurybooksuk @penguinrandom for an ARC of this book, all thoughts are my own, and have not been influenced in any way.
May 4, 2026
Maybe it‘s because I read the book on the balcony in the sunshine, or maybe because I’m already in vacation spirit. Whatever the reason, I liked it!
The setting in the Costa Rican jungle and Agatha Christie’s narrative style—both kept me thoroughly entertained. Did I hold my breath in suspense? No. Because the big mystery was actually predictable relatively early on. Not so the twist at the end.
I had fun reading the book and am now going all in: I’ve ordered two more Tom Hindle books!
The setting in the Costa Rican jungle and Agatha Christie’s narrative style—both kept me thoroughly entertained. Did I hold my breath in suspense? No. Because the big mystery was actually predictable relatively early on. Not so the twist at the end.
I had fun reading the book and am now going all in: I’ve ordered two more Tom Hindle books!
October 21, 2025
A 10 year reunion with Uni friends. Invited back to the rainforest resort where they were last altogether.
Old arguments rise to the surface and when a body is found they have to look at those last few weeks together with fresh eyes.
Twisty and suspenseful and a luxurious and tropical location.
A good mystery read!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy to review.
Old arguments rise to the surface and when a body is found they have to look at those last few weeks together with fresh eyes.
Twisty and suspenseful and a luxurious and tropical location.
A good mystery read!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy to review.
March 15, 2026
Really enjoyed this whodunnit!
Fell for the trap as to who the guilty party was. Thought all the way through I was being clever and picking up hidden themes, only to find I had fallen into the author’s cunning trap. Well played, Mr Hindle!
Fell for the trap as to who the guilty party was. Thought all the way through I was being clever and picking up hidden themes, only to find I had fallen into the author’s cunning trap. Well played, Mr Hindle!
May 19, 2026
One of those books leftover to share at the hotel. Luckily it was a quick read because the plot seemed to be written by a 3rd grader and the writing was equally as bad. I only finished it because I couldn’t believe the ending would be as obvious as it seemed, but alas it was.
February 9, 2026
Devoured in under 24 hours. My fav book of his so far and this took me back to my trip to Costa Rica!
May 4, 2026
Really enjoyed, easy to read, great story line.
A few twists.
A few twists.
July 23, 2026
A straight forward and fast paced holiday read!
July 26, 2026
2.75 very predictable but the vibes were great
March 26, 2026
Pretty average and much like his other books.
I call this kind of book “beige paint “ as it’s not offensive but not exciting.
I call this kind of book “beige paint “ as it’s not offensive but not exciting.
July 25, 2026
This was definitely his best book yet. I was hooked from page one and the setting was beautifully described. It moved at a good pace twists and turns at every page. The characters really drew you in. I particularly liked the way the was a proper ending for the main characters and didn’t leave you thinking “ what happened next”. Thoroughly recommend book and can’t wait for his next one.
June 15, 2026
Around 60%. I felt like I knew where the story was going, the characters felt wooden and just annoying tbh. I just didn't care to carry on.
April 2, 2026
Another dud.
Every 'twist' in this one was so predictable! Like the writer had no idea of a mystery but under contractual obligation to produce one, just haphazardly threw random elements together in an exotic location and hey presto, a book!
Also, there is a subtle distinction between foreshadowing and treating your readers like prize idiots who need every single detail signposted MULTIPLE times.
Hey look at this knife. Isn't it all shiny and sharp? My goodness, a man could be killed just by looking at this one. It sure is a sharp knife.
We get it. It's the murder weapon. You don't need to hit us over the head with it!
Every single plot point in this book was like that.
The proposal. The thing Abi did. The flowers. The brother.
It was absolutely agonising to read a book as stupid as this.
Every 'twist' in this one was so predictable! Like the writer had no idea of a mystery but under contractual obligation to produce one, just haphazardly threw random elements together in an exotic location and hey presto, a book!
Also, there is a subtle distinction between foreshadowing and treating your readers like prize idiots who need every single detail signposted MULTIPLE times.
Hey look at this knife. Isn't it all shiny and sharp? My goodness, a man could be killed just by looking at this one. It sure is a sharp knife.
We get it. It's the murder weapon. You don't need to hit us over the head with it!
Every single plot point in this book was like that.
The proposal. The thing Abi did. The flowers. The brother.
It was absolutely agonising to read a book as stupid as this.
January 9, 2026
When five friends, who met at the University of York, are invited to join Abigail Blythe at the launch of her luxury hotel, they jump at the chance — each with different reasons and some more eager than others. Although they were once closely knit, they have not heard from Abigail since they backpacked in Central America as students. A decade has passed, but old rivalries resurface, and confusion mounts regarding the motives behind the sudden reunion after years of unexplained estrangement. When a body is found during the hotel launch and secrets flare, it is clear that the murderer is among them and is going to stop at nothing to ensure their secrets remain hidden.
With tension, betrayals, and a claustrophobic atmosphere that escalates the element of impending dread, A Killer in Paradise is another compelling mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie; Hindle has skillfully created a complicated friend dynamic, consisting of conflicting personalities, an abundance of secrets, and palpable apprehension, rendering it an ideal whodunnit novel.
June 18, 2026
A little predictable but a good classic whodunnit
Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews