The Killing of Polly Carter

Death in Paradise #2

by Robert Thorogood

‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ - Peter James

An original story from the creator and writer of the hit BBC One TV series, Death in Paradise, featuring on-screen favourite detective, DI Richard Poole.

Supermodel Polly Carter was famed for her looks and party-girl lifestyle. Now she's dead, apparently having thrown herself from the clifftop near her home on the island of Saint-Marie. Those who knew her say Polly would never have killed herself…and when he is called in to investigate, DI Richard Poole is inclined to agree there is more to Polly’s death than meets the eye.

Already fighting a losing battle against the intense summer heat of the Caribbean, Richard now faces fresh a stream of alibis; a host of conflicting motives; and, worst of all, a visit from his mother. A frenzy which would surely allow a murderer to slip away unnoticed…yet Richard is certain that the guilty party is still on the island.

As his team closes in on Polly’s household, Richard becomes convinced that the model’s death was an inside job. And he's determined to prove who planned the killing of Polly Carter, and why…
Praise for Robert

‘Very funny and dark with great pace. I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’
Peter James

‘This second DEATH IN PARADISE NOVEL is a gem’
DAILY EXPRESS

‘Deftly entertaining … satisfyingly pushes all the requisite Agatha Christie-style buttons’
Barry Forshaw, THE INDEPENDENT

‘For fans of Agatha Christie’
MAIL ON SUNDAY

‘A treat.’
RADIO TIMES

‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’
HEAT

‘Plenty of red herrings and twists to keep readers guessing’ DAILY EXPRESS

'Fans will enjoy returning to DI Richard Poole… just switch off and relax'
LOVE READING

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Murder Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Cozy

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Robert Thorogood is an English screenwriter. He is best known as the creator of the BBC 1 Murder Mystery Series, Death in Paradise.

Robert was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland and read History at Downing College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he toured with the university's student comedy troupe Footlights in 1993 and was elected President in 1994. Soon after leaving Cambridge, Robert set up a theatre company that toured small theatres and schools, the highlight of which was a production of Molière's The Miser that he directed and acted in alongside Robert Webb, David Mitchell and Olivia Colman.

Robert wrote for many years - selling scripts to the BBC, ITV and independent film companies - but before 2011 the only script of his that was actually broadcast was a Radio 4 afternoon play called From Abstraction about the life of Paul Wolfskehl.

In 2008, Robert entered the inaugural Red Planet Prize and was a chosen finalist, where he was able to pitch his 'Copper in the Caribbean' idea to Tony Jordan. By 2011, when the show was finally broadcast - making it Robert's first TV broadcast credit at the age of 39 - Robert had become something of a poster boy for 'never giving up on the dream'.

In January 2014, it was announced that Robert had signed a deal with MIRA Harlequin to write three Richard Poole Murder Mystery novels, with the first being published in hardback in January 2015.

Reviews

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if this book was better than the first, or if I really needed to read something like it at this particular time, or whether I've been unconsciously missing the original Death in Paradise crew - or maybe it was simply that this is the closest I'll get to a Caribbean beach holiday this winter (or the rest of the year, for that matter). But while I had reservations about its predecessor, A Meditation on Murder, this outing for DI Richard Poole and friends was simply fantastic fun, and I loved every minute of it. The formula offers no surprises: there's a murder that initially looks like a suicide, a plethora of suspects, red herrings all over the place, and of course a comic subplot; in this case it involves Richard's mother coming to Saint-Marie and apparently developing a crush on Dwayne. Once again, each character's speech is captured perfectly - I could practically hear their voices in my head as I was reading - and although there are a few flaws, for example a certain amount of repetition as clues are heavily emphasised, they've been ironed out since the first book. The pleasure of reading this wasn't in figuring out who murdered the eponymous character, it was in spending more time with the original cast and being taken back to the comforting world of the series' early episodes. I can't wait for more.

I received an advance review copy of The Killing of Polly Carter from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. It's a fun read. Amusing. An original story but a spin-off of the hit BBC series, 'Death in Paradise,' with the French overseas department of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean posing as the fictitious Saint Marie, a nearby Commonwealth country. Richard Poole, the lead detective with the SMPD, was played brilliantly by Ben Miller on TV. Richard is a mess. He's uptight with family and social issues, and longings for home in the temperate UK. But one great detective! I was adamant on the guilty party. Wrong. Thorogood hid the clues well. Polly Carter is found dead on the beach below a cliff, having fallen from the top. Accident, suicide or murder? Her lovely home by the sea on Saint Marie had been a smuggler's lair years ago. She is, although about to retire, an international model. Poole is certain that the culprit is among those around her: Claire, her wheel-chair bound twin, or nurse Sophie, or her agent, or her property keepers, or even her local drug dealer. Yes Polly had the addictions of the rich and famous. Poole's mother Jennifer, who arrives unannounced to Richard's consternation, is not one of the suspects! But she's part of the fun. (Se2023/Ap2024)

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super enjoyable!

[Deity World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this novel was just as good as the first loads of twists like the tv series can’t wait for next book

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

So once again we return to the Caribbean Island of Saint Marie were Richard Poole leads the local police team as the quintessential Englishman instead of an islander.
This time Poole has got two cases. The first one about a former Model living on the island who falls to her death but Richard Poole as always sees more than the average cop and quickly finds it not a suicide but a murder. suspects galore.
The second case would be his mother who arrives in Saint Marie and everything points to the fact that his parents marriage seems to get shipwrecked soon. So it is up to Richard to find out what has happened and if something can be done.

Another enjoyable stay with the original team that started this wonderful tv show, this books is not a book taken from one of the episodes but a whole original new story. This show has captured my interest from the first episode. The original creator of this series has also written this book and he still is able to shine a light of love upon it.

As always lovely and fun book to read if you like me enjoyed the tv series as much. It really adds something to my entertainment.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cleverly executed mystery featuring everyone's favourite high-strung detective. It continues the trend of gripping twists and turns sprinkled with well-timed humour and character moments. Unlike a few of the other Death in Paridise entries, it's near impossible to figure out who the killer is and how they pulled it off, but it's the drip-feed of well implemented clues before the ultimate unravelling which keeps it engaging throughout.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the death in paradise TV series and I love these books just as much! Back with D.I Richard Poole on another one of their cases; a beautiful model murdered or seemingly ‘committed suicide’ with the team on the case to prove otherwise and find the one who killed her.

Great story telling as ever, following the same arc as the show with all the charm and warmth of Saint Marie within the pages. Couldn’t ask for more as a die hard fan of the show.

I was amazed at the clever ending (as I am always with the show and with my experiences with the books so far) and found myself reading from page to page with greedy hunger to find out what happened and the moment the penny would drop for Richard to figure out whodunnit. Fantastic book and will continue to make my way through all of these brilliant books!

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS | Such a fun mystery series written by Robert Thorogood, the creator of the BBC TV series, Death in Paradise. Very much like the Golden Age of Detection mysteries where the howdunnit is as puzzling as the whodunnit. Seven suspects, none of whom could have seemingly committed the murder of Polly Carter, a former fashion model. Was she happy, was she not happy? Had she kicked her heroin habit, or had she not? Who had the best motive? Her sister, whom she put in a wheelchair for the rest of her life, due to a silly prank? Her lover, or a jealous lover's wife? Her agent or her friend and movie director? I thought I had figured some of it out, but a few pages from the end, the author pulls the rug out. Great fun! I would have given it 5 stars, but for a minor subplot that felt a little contrived—and slowed the story—for me.

[Elite Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gem from the creator of TV’s “Death in Paradise” series

When DI Richard Poole – he of the ‘dark woollen suit, polished shoes, a white shirt and a tie’ on the Caribbean island of Saint-Marie – is faced with the suspected suicide of top global supermodel Polly Carter, little does he suspect the tangled web of intrigue that he will face in the coming days. Add to this the prospect of his always-immaculately-turned-out mother arriving on the island within the next couple of hours, and the reader can see that Richard is facing a daunting task.

Polly Carter’s entourage – twin sister Claire with nurse-in-tow Sophie Wessel, agent Max Brandon, film director Phil Adams and Juliette and Alain Moreau who look after the house and grounds – all initially seem to be mortified about Polly’s death(!). DI Poole, however, suspects that one member of the party is a murderer, and he sets out to find out who.

This is a fine, easy-reader and a book that makes one chuckle at times. And yet, it also has a compelling plot and large convincing characters. Poole is seen to be your typical Englishman abroad, maintaining all of the ‘upper lip’ qualities expected of us. His small force of detectives are amused by his Englishness and yet respect him for his meticulous standards.

If you like the ‘Death in Paradise’ TV series, then you will undoubtedly like this book. If you have not seen the series, then start with this and it will hook you on to the TV parallel.

This is a book I am more than happy to recommend.
Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough, but the further we get in the TV show from the original cast, the harder it is to go back. It was particularly hard in this one as Richard's mother was around, knowing how he finally leaves the series. So I'm thinking its probably best to think of this as a general cozy novel, than a Death in Paradise one.

[Filip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent 95% of this book disappointed that the solution was painfully obvious. Yes, in the end it turned out I was wrong. Maybe it was a bit too far-fetched, but this kind of whodunnits often are and it didn't detract from the enjoyment. The cast of characters was memorable and interesting and the "Death in Paradise" feel was there, especially with the lector doing the various characters' voices really well. We got our favourite DI Poole once again with a nice side-story of his and all the amusing interactions he had with everyone around him. Dwayne rocked, as always. I think it was my favourite of the "Death in Paradise" books I've read.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Just like watching the characters in the BBC show but even better.

[Il Filo di Arianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un’altra indagine piena di colpi di scena e divertente con Richard Poole, il detective inglese ai Caraibi.
Un’altra serie che vi consiglio di recuperare quest’estate.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing that annoyed me to no end though is the language and the way the disabled person is treated in this book 🙃

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polly Carter, former supermodel, is found dead at the bottom of the steps of her Saint-Marie mansion. Her wheelchair bound sister claims Polly said she was killing herself before she jumped, but as DI Richard Poole investigates the case, it doesn't seem like Polly died by suicide. All the clues point to murder.

This story was enjoyable and really sucked me in due to the messiness. Polly was a former drug-addict who had tenuous relationships with her family, her household staff, and her friends/partners in the industry. Uncovering everyone's secrets was like reading a Hollywood gossip column and I ate it up without guilt because this book is a work of fiction and not based on any true story/person. Sadly, as things were uncovered, I just got sad. Polly was such a depressing character at the end of the day. Although I don't condone her murder, I totally understand why the murderer went to the lengths that they did to enact revenge.

Polly was not a good person. You do sympathize with her because it's very apparent that her sister Claire was the golden child who would inherit everything, and they constantly made Polly feel inferior. Things got worse when Polly pulled a prank on Claire when she was riding a horse, and the horse got so spooked that it kicked Claire off. Claire was permanently disabled afterward and their parents died resenting Polly for disabling their favourite child. As Polly was discovered by a model agency, she shot to fame and tried to receive love and validation through others. Being that vulnerable in the industry made it easier for her to fall victim to drug abuse. However, what Polly chose to do afterward is not excusable.

Which leads to the question: why was Polly Carter murdered? Polly got so addicted and self-destructive that she tried giving marijuana joints to people without telling them the joints were laced with heroin. Her sister Claire didn't fall for the trick, but Claire's handler at the time, Sophie, did and got addicted. When Sophie returned home, the addiction got so bad that she was fired from her nursing job.

Fast-forward a year and Sophie is working for Claire again because no one else will hire her. Claire is visiting her sister Polly because Polly has apparently turned her life around and beat her addiction. Sophie is pissed because Polly ruined her life, and yet Polly is drug-free and trying to start over by running off with her (married) handyman. The infidelity is another point against her btw. Sophie convinces Polly that her sister isn't wheelchair bound and that she has psychological issues stopping her from walking. They stage a plan where Polly would pretend to jump off the staircase over the cliff in the hopes that Claire would stand up and stop her. When Polly "jumped" and Claire was still firmly in her seat, Sophie pretended to check on Polly and left to alert the authorities (to set up Sophie's alibi while Claire was stuck on the ledge) and then returned to actually kill Polly.

It's a compelling motive and I can't fault the murderer for doing what they did. What I can complain about is that everything Richard Poole speculated was pure conjecture and I can't see it holding up in court. Sophie convincing Polly that her sister was able-bodied all along and coming up with some convoluted plan to get her to stand up is too farfetched for me. He's just super lucky that the murderer was so riddled by guilt and stress by the end that they confessed and corroborated all of Richard's theories.

The subplot with Richard Poole's mother visiting him could've been more fun if it wasn't for her marital problems and Richard taking it upon himself to fix his parents' relationship. It was a little distracting, but it was fun seeing the people who raised Richard Poole to be as stiff and awkward as he is.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Falaise Fatale ?
"J'adore la série et j'ai adoré le premier tome, je n'ai donc eu vraiment aucune hésitation à acheter celui-ci."

Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Une célèbre mannequin est retrouvée, morte, au pied d'une falaise. Sa soeur a tout vu, elle l'affirme, c'est un suicide. Pourtant, très vite, les indices vont indiqués le contraire..."

Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Une nouvelle fois, ce fut un régal. Ces livres ne sont peut-être pas de la grande littérature, c'est une lecture légère et facile, mais ils n'en restent pas moins de petits bijoux de divertissement. Vraiment, tous les ingrédients sont là. Le personnage principal, grognon au possible, est savoureux, l'humour est très justement dosé et, contrairement a beaucoup d'autres romans policiers dans ce style, l'enquête est vraiment interessante. Comme la première fois, j'ai eu l'impression d'avoir deviné certaines choses et je me suis bien fait balader. Et puis, qui ne rêve pas de partir quelques jours aux Caraïbes."

Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"J'ai déjà hâte de lire les deux suivants et j'espère vraiment que l'auteur a l'intention de continuer cette série qui est une vraie réussite selon moi."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Great Read

I have to admit I try to determine which episodes are combined to make the books a pleasure to read. And while I thought I had it all figured out, I missed the one clue that would have given me the solution to the killing. The story has a lot of twists that aren't all that straight forward and the character of Polly Carter, the victim, is both complex and at the same time almost childlike in her thinking. Of course the added characters of her manager, twin sister, the sister's nurse and movie writer mixed in with a few locals give a good mix to the book.
The fun part of the book was the arrival of Jennifer Poole, Richard’s mother, on the island for a 2 week vacation, sans husband.

[Sangitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly enjoyable mystery set in the beautiful Caribbean reminiscent of the style of Agatha Christie. The characters are all lovable, quirky, and fun. The plot has interesting twists and turns and keeps the reader engaged. I am going to read this entire series

[Trelawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoy the TV series and the books are equally good. The characters just jump of the page. The mystery usually keep me guessing to the end. Proper holiday reading.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books from Thorogood. Great mystery and a few characters with great stories behind them!

[ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was easy and fun. perfect palette cleanser in a nice setting!!!

[Anne-Kathrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! It was like you were right back on St. Marie.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Death in Paradise story!

[Abbie Tidman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these cozy mysteries.

[Sue Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you like the TV series Death in Paradise your enjoy this book written by the author who created the series.

[Päs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kurzweilig, unterhaltsam, spannend mit einer gewissen Portion Humor. Lässt sich auf jeden Fall gut lesen.

[Racheal Surridge · Rating 2 out of 5]

predictable

If you watched the first episode of death in paradise (which is by the same guy)you’ll be able to work out the killer as soon as the murder happens

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find me a bad Robert Thorogood book. Try.

[Jan Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh so enjoyable

My favorite tv series in writing what could be better. Its,quirky and a bit camp,but oh so much fun. Love the characters and the setting never mind the twisted mystery. I do think the author, or is it the characters are a little long winded, but that s part of the charm.

[Alexa ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads just like the TV show 😍