Investigating sun-soaked skullduggery

DEATH IN PARADISE BBC One, Thursday, 9pm

BRIGHTENING up the winter months this January, BBC One returns to the Caribbean shores of Saint Marie for the sixth series of viewers’ favourite Death In Paradise.

DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall, pictured) and the team are left stumped when volcanologist Stephen Langham is found dead half way up a live volcano, after failing to return from a night shift.

With all evidence and the pathologist’s report pointing towards a heart attack, death by natural causes is suspected by all. Humphrey, however, is convinced that one of the observatory team had a part to play in Langham’s untimely demise. With the security swipe-card system providing each of the three other scientists with an alibi for the time of the murder, how could any of them have committed the crime?

Unable to find any physical evidence of murder, the team have a tough task ahead of them. Puzzled by some seemingly missing equipment at the scene of the crime and the timely presence of Saint Marie’s mayor, Humphrey soon discovers that Stephen and his colleagues, including his brother, didn’t always see eye to eye. With everyone hiding secrets, will the team be able to find out who killed Stephen and why?

Meanwhile Humphrey is excited by Martha’s (Sally Bretton) return to the island for a summer holiday. Is romance finally blooming for Humphrey? Elsewhere, JP (Tobi Bakare) is settling into married life while Dwayne (Danny John-Jules) risks angering the Commissioner (Don Warrington) when he lets his guard down with a local journalist.