The Killing of Polly Carter – A Death in Paradise Novel from Robert Thorogood

Last Updated on April 22, 2026

As creators go, Robert Thorogood is one of my favourites. Not only do I love his TV shows, but I also love The Marlow Murder Club series of books.

As a writer, he has created absolutely brilliant ‘whodunit’ books. Using the same plot device as the TV series, The Killing of Polly Carter is right up there as one of his best.

This is the second book in the Death in Paradise Mystery series, featuring Detective Inspector Richard Poole, our fish-out-of-water British detective.

Like the TV show, the story is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie, where DI Poole, a British detective, finds himself investigating the suspicious death of supermodel Polly Carter.

The plot centres around Polly, a famous model known for her beauty and party lifestyle, who is found dead at the bottom of a cliff near her home.

Initially, her death appears to be a suicide, but DI Poole suspects there’s more to the case than meets the eye.

Polly Carter

The titular character, Polly Carter, is a supermodel known for her stunning looks and party-girl lifestyle.

As a central figure in this cozy mystery, Polly’s death sets the stage for a compelling whodunit that keeps you guessing until the end.

Polly is portrayed as a complex and somewhat controversial character. Her fame and success in the modelling world have clearly made her some enemies.

She is a recovering drug addict who has given up modelling, much to the dismay of her agent.

Her ex-fiance is staying in her home along with her wheelchair-bound twin sister Claire. And with them is Claire’s nurse, the housekeeper and the handyman.

Polly’s house leads to the cliffs that, in turn, lead down to a somewhat private beach and when Polly falls/jumps, everybody believes it was an accident.

After all, she was with her sister, who says she jumped after telling her that she wanted to kill herself.

But if it wasn’t an accident, who would want to kill her and why?

The Suspects

Polly’s complicated relationships come into play as DI Poole digs into her death.

Her twin sister Claire, who was present at the time of her death, has her own mysterious motives, and various other islanders and friends of the supermodel provide false alibis or seem to be hiding something.

She is her agent’s only client and has now decided to retire from modelling, leaving him with no income.

Nobody knows why the nurse was hired or if she is even who she says she is.

Her ex is still hanging around and Polly may have scuppered his chances at making another movie and to top it all off, it looks like Polly may have been in a secret relationship.

What initially appears to be an open-and-shut case turns into a complex web of secrets, lies, and deceit.

Robert Thorogood skilfully weaves these potential motives throughout the story, creating solid red herrings that keep you on your toes, with multiple characters seeming like plausible suspects at different points in the narrative.

Bonus Points

The Caribbean setting of Saint-Marie provides a vivid backdrop for the unfolding mystery, with characters we all know and love.

Assisting Ricard Poole (Ben Miller in the show) are the always wonderful Camille, Dwayne and JP, though in the book, JP is called Fidel.

The fact that we already know them and can put faces to the names adds another level to the book – like meeting up with old friends.

Then we have the added bonus of Richard’s mother unexpectedly turning up to really throw a spanner in the works.

So not only does he have to battle the Caribbean heat, which he struggles to cope with, he also has the stress of his mother to contend with.

Throughout it all though, The Killing of Polly Carter maintains a light-hearted tone while still providing an intricate puzzle to solve.

Thorogood’s characteristic humour shines through, especially in Poole’s grumbling about island life, which is both relatable and entertaining for readers familiar with the TV series or new to the books.

Classic Mystery

The novel combines elements of classic detective fiction with humour and character-driven moments.

It captures the essence of the worldwide hit TV series Death in Paradise, and Thorogood’s writing style is as witty as ever, creating a breezy and enjoyable mystery.

I had a good go at guessing the culprit and got close enough that it was mentioned as a possibility when Poole summarised the events.

However, I was wrong and cursed myself for not being clever enough to work it out. The resolution, when it is revealed, makes total sense and nicely wraps up the whole story.

Given that it is the second of four books, it can still be enjoyed independently and it won’t make a difference if you haven’t read A Meditation on Murder (the first book).

Overall, The Killing of Polly Carter is a classic whodunit perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and the Death in Paradise series.