2649

I had already read one title (SEA FEVER - see mini-review below) in Ann Cleeves' Palmer-Jones series and had mentally marked it as a series I would enjoy reading more from. MURDER IN PARADISE is #3 in the series, and George has recently retired from the public service, and not at all sure he will have enough to occupy him. He comes to the northerly island of Kinness to do some twitching (bird watching), but normally he would have his wife Molly with him.

Investigating Mary's death almost comes as a relief for George, as it gives him something to do. The island is small, only 3 miles long, and 2 miles wide; just a few families, divided into a couple of clans that don't get on terribly well, and so we have the equivalent of a locked room mystery. The murderer can't easily get off the island, so it is very likely one of the inhabitants.

You can see the makings of the Shetland series in this novel as Cleeves explores the ingrained suspicion of the islanders of both incomers and even those who were born on the island but are of the opposing clan. George is a very methodical sleuth (he reminded me a bit of Simon Brett's Carole Seddon who is also a retired public servant), and he is also an outsider which means he doesn't always get told the truth.

A very enjoyable cosy read. ( )