On my never-ending quest for mysteries with exotic locations, I came across this first Fiji Islands mystery, Death on Paradise Island. It was an enjoyable read; however, I'm undecided about continuing with the series.

I learned quite a bit about the Fiji Islands, the importance of rugby to its inhabitants, and the customs of its people. (I would imagine that Fijian traditional naming practices could drive genealogists to distraction.) I also liked reading about how a new marine preserve could affect both the wildlife and the human inhabitants of the islands.

Joe Horseman is an interesting character. He works very well with subordinates such as his new detective sergeant, Susie Singh, and his idea to form a rugby team for many of the feral children on the main island is definitely a good one. I also liked how his standing as a rugby champion opened a lot of doors for him during the investigation.

Another thing I enjoyed while reading was the musical Fijian language with a glossary provided in the back. Yes, there is a lot to like about Death on Paradise Island, but the pace of the story did bog down several times, and although Horseman and Singh are interesting characters, they didn't "shine" enough for me to want to grab the next book in the series. Decisions, decisions... ( )

I was intrigued as I browsed available titles on Kindle Unlimited as the cover seemed inviting to a beautiful beach and yet ominous at the same time just as it's rare to think of death, paradise, and the Fiji Islands together as I read the title and series name.

This is the 1st novel in the series and introduces Inspector Josefa Horseman and Detective Sergeant Susila Singh of the Fiji Police Force. This is a new team as Josefa returns to the islands after a significant amount of time away playing rugby representing the police and his country admirably but then needing recovery from a serious injury. Susila knows of Horseman as a celebrated athlete but is unsure of what it will be like to have him as her boss. As the two pursue the lines of inquiry necessary for the investigation it is interesting to watch how they negotiate their way to a bond of shared principles and trust and gain mutual admiration for each other's investigative styles.

I found the novel to be well-written as I was drawn into not only a compelling investigation but became engaged in learning of the marine life and other cultural attributes unique to the Fiji Islands. I also liked that the relationship between the detectives stayed professional and didn't immediately become an island romance rather than a credible detective story. There are twists and turns as one would suspect of a crime investigation and made for gripping reading to become on the edge of a suspenseful thriller.

The author lived in Fiji for several years which brings authenticity to every aspect of her novel from setting to characters to cultural to environmental aspects of island life. With my recommendation to enjoy reading a novel with a dedicated detective team in a fascinating location I would also encourage everyone to visit the author's website and enjoy the beautiful photographs shared from Fiji. https://www.bmallsopp.com/fiji-gallery

I'm interested to follow future investigations in this mystery series. ( )

First in a series of novels based in Fiji, DEATH ON PARADISE ISLAND introduces Inspector Josefa Horseman and Sergeant Susila Singh of the Fiji Police Force, alongside a cast of supporting police characters, set elegantly within the local society and culture.

Readers are introduced to Horseman as a local hero - not because of his policing credentials, he's more admired for his rugby playing, despite his career having been curtailed by a shattered knee. He's from a big family, who live with the traditions and rituals of their culture, ruled by his strong, independent, and forthright mother, part of a wider society for which rugby is all consuming. But the traditional celebrations planned by the family on his return from the US are interrupted by the discovery of a young local girl's body, a worker at the resort located beside the coral reef where her body is found snagged. Horseman finds himself leading the investigation into her death, and meeting his new offsider, Sergeant Susila Singh, before he's even had a chance to unpack, so his family will have to wait until he's able to solve what quickly becomes a complicated, knotty case.

On the gentler side of crime fiction, this debut novel, has excellent balance between plot, character and setting. The plot is nicely twisty, with doubt over everything about this young girl's death. Not exactly closed room, despite her death on a small island, there are more than enough feasible suspects with no particularly obvious reasons to be involved in her suspicious death. The main characters are strongly executed with just enough of the personal and professional to give you an opportunity to get to know Horseman, and hopefully more to come on Singh in upcoming books. There's a tremendous sense of place and culture about the book as well, with a tropical climate, a laid-back approach to life, and enough local problems to make it believable.

The author of this series, B.M. Allsopp lived for sometime firstly in PNG and then in Fiji and she obviously has great affection for this place, without over-egging the perfection. It's cleverly done, most observation is through the eyes of the local hero, recently returned, with no rose-coloured glasses in sight. Horseman is a central character with considerable series potential, nothing like some (okay so this reader) might have expected of a rugby playing, police inspector.

Definitely a series to keep an eye on, the second book DEATH BY TRADITION is available now as well.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/death-paradise-island-bm-allsopp ( )

An enjoyable read, in a beautiful setting and with lovely characters, this book is also an interesting peek into Fijian culture. I really look forward to read more stories about these characters. ( )

murder-investigation, Fiji, law enforcement

What an excellent read! I've loved murder mysteries since reading Perry Mason in the 5th grade, but not in favor of the gory ones since working ER and jails. I find it fascinating to read about law enforcement in other countries, and loved this one. The characters are interesting and engaging, and the plot is well crafted. No spoilers here, just go ahead and enjoy! ( )