DI Richard Poole is sent to the paradise island of Saint-Marie in the Caribbean to solve an impossible murder. He hates sun, sea and sand, but no matter - once he's solved the murder he'll be heading back to wonderful, cold, drizzly London. He does so, with brilliance and tenacity - only to discover his boss back home has conspired to keep him there. He's trapped on an island he hates and people just keep getting murdered.