Death in Paradise (novel)
First edition
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| Author | Robert B. Parker |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Jesse Stone |
| Genre | Crime novel |
| Publisher | Putnam |
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Publication date
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2001 |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | |
| Preceded by | Trouble in Paradise |
| Followed by | Stone Cold |
Death in Paradise is a crime novel by Robert B. Parker, the third in his Jesse Stone series. It was made into a film in 2006.
The third Jesse Stone novel finds Chief Stone investigating the death of a teenage girl after her body washes up on shore. While searching for clues at the crime scene, Stone finds a class ring that ends up belonging to a senior at the high school. Jesse questions him and discovers that he gave his class ring to a fifteen-year-old girl called Eleanor “Billie” Bishop. Chief Stone then questions the school principal, Dr. Lilly Summers, who informs Jesse that Billie was the “town pump.”
The case becomes odd when Jesse questions Billie’s parents and they deny that she is even their daughter. He confirms that she is indeed their daughter through her two sisters. They also inform Jesse that Billie ran away because her parents did not approve of her behavior, particularly her . Jesse later finds that Billie had been staying at a shelter run by a Sister Mary John. Although he finds that Billie is no longer there, the nun gives Jesse the contact number that Billie left. It turns out to be the number of Gino Fish’s cover business. Later Sister Mary gives Jesse another number that two separate girls had given her. The number turns out to belong to Gino Fish’s associate and probable lover, Alan Garner. Jesse begins following Garner and catches him setting up men with underage prostitutes.
Jesse questions Garner about it, and he agrees to talk under Stone’s promise not to make him testify. Garner then admits that he has been pimping underage prostitutes since long before knowing Gino.
Jesse interviews Norman Shaw, a wealthy local citizen and famous author, who drinks heavily throughout. He passes out at the table. Later, Jesse questions one of Shaw’s many ex-wives who tells him that she had a private detective follow him while they were married. She had suspected him of infidelities, and the detective confirms this, informing her that he is seeing underage prostitutes almost nightly. Although, she never sees that photos, she uses the information to get a large divorce settlement. Next, Jesse sees her detective who gives him the incriminating photos which depict graphic sexual acts between Shaw and underage girls. Jesse takes the photos to Shaw’s current wife who is disgusted and hands over Shaw’s gun which Jesse easily confirms as the murder weapon.
With this evidence in hand, Jesse forces Alan Garner to make a statement and then leaves him to be dealt with by Gino. Stone has Suit stake out the hotel that Shaw meets girls at, and when Shaw arrives Stone and Suit break in and catch Shaw in the act with a fifteen-year-old girl. During questioning, Shaw admits to killing Billie after she began threatening to turn him in to the police. When Jesse informs Billie’s parents that he has solved the case, that he knows Billie is their daughter, and that it is indeed her body that was found their responses couldn’t be more different. The father seems to be overcome and leaves the room, while Billie’s domineering mother seems not to care at all.
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