Investigating Death in Paradise: Finding New Meaning in the BBC Mystery Series

by Robin Andersen

Overview

First televised in 2011, Death in Paradise remains one of the most popular shows in the U.K. The detective series is frequently ignored, panned or belittled by television critics, but viewers disagree. Bringing in more than eight million viewers a season, it is accessible in more than 235 global territories. This first book-length assessment of Death in Paradise offers a fresh take on the popular BBC drama.

The book positions the show within broader contexts that illustrate its origins and timeless appeal, from the first conceptualizations of "paradise" in ancient cultures to the creation of the classic detective story in the 1920s. The detective inspectors on Death in Paradise come from a long line of fictional eccentrics who excel at finding quirky clues, seeing surprising connections and employing help from other officials and agencies. Through exploration of these narrative elements and more, the author reveals deeper themes of justice, inclusion and environmentalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476649436
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	03/28/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	246
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robin Andersen is a media writer, commentator, award winning author, and professor emerita of communication and media studies at Fordham University. Her media analysis can be found at Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, FAIR.org.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction: The Long Dream of Paradise
 1. Finding and Losing Paradise in the Caribbean
 2. Women on the Island and on the Screen
 3. Exploring Guadeloupe and Finding Death in Paradise
 4. Paradise, Harry, the Shack on the Beach, and the British Detective Inspectors
 5. A Different Kind of Police Officer
 6. Eccentrics, Quirky Clues, Surprising Prompts, and the Detective Dénouement
 7. Swimming Pools on Death in Paradise and Visual Storytelling
 8. The Hard Work of Producing TV in the Tropics
 9. Meeting Don Warrington at the Fort Royal
10. Filming the Geography of Paradise and the Interior Landscapes of Character
11. Season 10: A Decade of Death in Paradise
12. The 2021 Christmas Special: A Close Reading
Conclusion: Casting Shade on a Sunny Island
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

If the late celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian, Anthony Bourdain, had written a book about the TV series, no doubt it would have read a lot like Investigating Death in Paradise.”—Arthur Hayes, Fordham University

From the Publisher