Sun, sea, sand... and a murder mystery in every episode

From baffling whodunnits to action-packed thrillers, nothing beats a great detective show. In his tailored pinstripe suits, buttoned-up shirts and silk ties, Detective Inspector Richard Poole was one of the smartest detectives in the Metropolitan Police.

Unfortunately, his choice of wardrobe is completely unsuitable for his latest posting to the sun-kissed Caribbean island of Saint Marie. And even more unfortunately for DI Poole, played by Ben Miller (right), he hates the sun, sea and sand, and would rather be back home in rainy old London.

But it’s not just his clothes that are smart – he has a razor-sharp detective’s brain, and a keen eye for clues, which means that as the bodies pile up in paradise, he is soon putting the killers behind bars, starting with the man who murdered his predecessor on the island.

Although there is a murder in every episode, the show is a light-hearted affair. Actor Ben Miller revealed: “To begin with I thought I was in The Wire. It was only after I’d been there a couple of weeks and saw some stuff cut together that I thought, ‘Right, it’s basically Inspector Clouseau’.”

Despite his stuffy manner, Poole makes firm friendships with his new colleagues – Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers and Gary Carr as Officer Fidel Best – and even manages some awkward flirting with DS Camille Bordey, played by Sara Martins.

And as he spends more time on the island he learns to relax a bit, even if he never quite embraces the laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. DEATH IN PARADISE TUESDAYS, 8PM