User Reviews

Humphrey has joined The Shipton Players, and takes part in a play set on a train, unfortunately life imitates art, and Humphrey has to investigate the death of one of the cast. Anne starts online dating.

I really enjoyed it, great to have the show back on our screens. It's a very well written, clever story, one with a bit of sadness running through it. Of course there's a lighter tone, and a few touches of humour, Anne's dating story was great.

I thought the ending was great, and provided the best moment, the revelation scene was terrific, very moving.

Talk about a busman's holiday for poor Humphrey, even when he's busy playing a Detective, he's having to solve a murder.

So it's not exactly Murder on the Orient Express, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery nonetheless.

8/10.

'Beyond Paradise' proved to be a big hit in its first year, so it was no surprise then to find ourselves back in Shipton Abbot for a second series.

Taking 'Murder on the Orient Express' as its starting point, this proved to be a good start to the series.

It manages to reintroduce all the major characters and flesh them out in ways that its parent series 'Death in Paradise' never seems to be able to.

It's warm, it's funny yes, but this show also does well in touching on some actually quite deep and meaningful themes in a way that doesn't seem preachy. How unusual for a BBC show currently!

I'm happy this show has returned.

Season Two starts with the show's usual mix of extreme tragedy and comedy, although the crime is more serious, akin to the mother series' premise than Season 1. It's great that the show covers several generations because no phase of life is settled and straightforward, especially these days. However, I dislike Esther's disrespect of her teenage daughter - she knows what it is to be one, so shouldn't mock her for having a big appetite whilst growing, studying and starting work. In contrast, Martha as helicopter daughter to her widowed mum is a brilliant and funny role reversal - the pace and timing of the door scene gave us just enough seconds to wonder will-she/won't-she and give us some light-hearted suspense to ease the sadness of the main mystery. Humphrey is bumbling-but-brilliant as always. They've done such a good job of bringing something different to Death In Paradise whilst still having broadly the same appeal and I'm looking forward to the female-lead Return To Paradise as the writer's Marlow Mystery Club starring Samantha Bond was equally excellent.

A new series of Beyond Paradise and it looks like a tribute to Murder on the Orient Express.

DI Humphrey Goodman and DS Esther Williams have been roped in at the last minute to take part in a murder mystery night. The Shipton Abbott Players were short of several actors so Margo called on them.

Only Paul Yellen who was meant to be the murder victim ends up dead in real life. He was knifed in the back.

Humphrey is sure that someone on the train killed Yellen. He is stumped as to the motive. Yellen was a recent new arrival to the area.

How could he had made an enemy so quickly?

I found the first episode slow to get going. Too much time spent on Martha's mother's dating activities.

It did pack an emotional punch once Humphrey and Esther did find a motive for the murder.