History Characters / DeathInParadise

* PutOnABus: After the [[spoiler:death of her fiancé Patrice]], Florence decides to take a break from being a detective and stay with family in Guadalupe to recuperate from her loss.
** TheBusCameBack: Returns in Series 10, but ultimately [[spoiler:leaves mid-way through Season 11 as she feels that she has faced her issues with Patrice's memory but cannot truly move on staying where there are so many reminders of him]].

[[folder:Officer Darlene Curtis]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_129737.jpeg]]
->'''Played by:''' Ginny Holder (ep. 7.3-7.5, 7.7, 11.5 to present)

Introduced initally as one of Dwayne's old flames he tries to rekindle the fire with, Darlene was hired by Commissioner Patterson to help the police force in a civilian capacity, due to the lack of other staff. However, when she realised that her job doesn't hold much legal weight, she decided to enroll as an actual officer. By the start of series 13, she's graduated to a fully fledged officer.

* BerserkButton:
** Darlene does not appreciate people shirking their duties, no matter the reason.
** She also detests people who don't see her for her actual value, even noting to Marlon that she decided to become an actual officer to stop people viewing her as, in her own words, 'a spare part'.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: As nice and respectful Darlene may be, if someone does something to annoy her, she ''will'' make them regret it, such as making Dwayne go back to help his team in solving a case, birthday dinner be damned.
* ContrastingReplacementCharacter: When she was introduced and brought on to the force, she was not a police officer, and she is the first member of the team to have joined in a civilian capacity. She helped out with administrative duties, answering the phone, taking witness statements at the station, etc, before deciding it was time she became a trainee officer.
* HiddenDepths: The finale of series 12 reveals she is a big calypso fan, much to Marlon's chagrin.
* NiceGirl: This is Darlene's character to a fault. As Commissioner Patterson noted, she has a deep desire to help others, which is what led him to recruiting her. This gets brought up again in series 13, where, after Darlene believes she made a mistake due to empathising with a suspect and overlooking certain facts, Neville sincerely tells her that her empathy is nothing to be ashamed of, and is what makes her a brilliant police officer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Officer Dwayne Myers]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flrfq.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Danny John-Jules (ep. 1.1 to 7.8, 2021 Christmas special, 13.6 to present)

The longest-standing officer of the Saint Marie police force, his utter lack of ambition resulting in him never being promoted to sergeant. He has complete faith in his seniors and perhaps too good an understanding of the criminal underworld on the island. Dwayne often uses unlawful means to get the job done and is the go-to man for any investigations into the shadier aspects of Saint Marie. He has an eye for the ladies, sometimes getting distracted on the job.
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[[folder:Catherine Bordey]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flr1n.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Élizabeth Bourgine (ep. 1.1 to present)

DS Camille Bordey's mother and the owner of "Catherine's Bar", a local hangout popular with locals and tourists alike. She is a solid source of emotional support for her daughter's fellow police officers.

In Series 6, she wins an election to become Honoré's mayor.

* BerserkButton: A quite bit of casual English-on-French racism is one thing, but ''don't you dare insult her cooking for petty reasons''.
* GlamorousSingleMother: She raised Camille on her own after her deadbeat husband abandoned the family. Although she struggled, she's managed to build a successful business and eventually made a serious run for mayor.
* LethalChef[=/=]SupremeChef: Depending on who is eating her cooking. Richard finds it unpalatable, Humphrey gobbles it up, while JP finds it to be too spicy to swallow. Neville is an odd example, as he adores Catherine's cooking when it's something English, such as chicken and chips, but has trouble when she cooks traditional Caribbean food.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: She's never been needed for serious emotional support, but she offered some helpful insight for Jack, Neville and Florence on certain issues.
* LocalHangout: Her bar is where the Honoré police go to relax after a long day investigating murders.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Post Series Six, on account of being the mayor.
* ShipTease: She mentions in the second episode of Series 9 that she thought she and DI Mooney might have been good together, but in the available context she may have just been teasing.
* ShipperOnDeck: For Florence and Parker.

[[folder:Commissioner Selwyn Patterson]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flrgw.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Don Warrington (ep. 1.1 to present)

Head of the Saint Marie police force, although he seems to spend a disproportionate amount of time focusing on the Honoré Police Department.

*** Returns to service proper in episode 6 of series 13 to fill in vacancy left by Marlon, [[spoiler: though reveals the main reason being his dad is dying and wishes to return home for his last days.]]

[[folder:Catherine Bordey]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flr1n.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Élizabeth Bourgine (ep. 1.1 to present)

DS Camille Bordey's mother and the owner of "Catherine's Bar", a local hangout popular with locals and tourists alike. She is a solid source of emotional support for her daughter's fellow police officers.

In Series 6, she wins an election to become Honoré's mayor.

* BerserkButton: A quite bit of casual English-on-French racism is one thing, but ''don't you dare insult her cooking for petty reasons''.
* GlamorousSingleMother: She raised Camille on her own after her deadbeat husband abandoned the family. Although she struggled, she's managed to build a successful business and eventually made a serious run for mayor.
* LethalChef[=/=]SupremeChef: Depending on who is eating her cooking. Richard finds it unpalatable, Humphrey gobbles it up, while JP finds it to be too spicy to swallow. Neville is an odd example, as he adores Catherine's cooking when it's something English, such as chicken and chips, but has trouble when she cooks traditional Caribbean food.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: She's never been needed for serious emotional support, but she offered some helpful insight for Jack, Neville and Florence on certain issues.
* LocalHangout: Her bar is where the Honoré police go to relax after a long day investigating murders.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Post Series Six, on account of being the mayor.
* ShipTease: She mentions in the second episode of Series 9 that she thought she and DI Mooney might have been good together, but in the available context she may have just been teasing.
* ShipperOnDeck: For Florence and Parker.

[[folder:Commissioner Selwyn Patterson]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flrgw.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Don Warrington (ep. 1.1 to present)

Head of the Saint Marie police force, although he seems to spend a disproportionate amount of time focusing on the Honoré Police Department.

[[folder: Officer Dwayne Myers]]
[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p02flrfq.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Danny John-Jules (ep. 1.1 to 7.8, 2021 Christmas special)

The longest-standing officer of the Saint Marie police force, his utter lack of ambition resulting in him never being promoted to sergeant. He has complete faith in his seniors and perhaps too good an understanding of the criminal underworld on the island. Dwayne often uses unlawful means to get the job done and is the go-to man for any investigations into the shadier aspects of Saint Marie. He has an eye for the ladies, sometimes getting distracted on the job.

* BigBrotherInstinct: He throws himself between JP and a pipe wielding criminal and is badly hurt in the process. He explains to JP that he has a lax style of policing but that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the job or his colleagues any less.
* BrilliantButLazy: He's a highly experienced and competent crime-solver but has no ambition to be anything other than a beat cop, which makes him a contrast to his younger colleagues; Fidel and J.P. each make sergeant before they move on to other jobs.
* TheCasanova: The series is littered with appearances and references to his numerous old flames. His reactions to them vary between friendly, flirty, and finished. One girl keeps trying to get back together with him, and he insists that "they were never an item."
* DisappearedDad: His father walked out on the family when he was a child and they didn't have contact for at least 50 years before meeting by accident in London (Dwayne was actually planning to look up his aunt and was surprised to find that his father was staying with her).
* ItsPersonal: When his mentor Cedrik dies under mysterious circumstances, he gets very heavily involved in the investigation of a possible murder after a DyingClue sent via cell phone during the burning tips him off.
* OddCouple: With J.P. This is particularly emphasised in the final episode of series 4, when Dwayne insists his more relaxed methods are just as effective as J.P.'s more uptight, rule-abiding methods.
* OldFashionedCopper: His style of policing involves being chummy with Saint Marie's lower-level criminals and letting them go about their business in exchange for information on bigger targets. Unlike other examples, he isn't prone to violence although he likes to talk a big game.
* PutOnABus: At the start of series 8, Dwayne is said to be travelling with his elderly father.
** TheBusCameBack: He briefly returned in the 2021 Christmas special, where the Commissioner requests his help in solving a case as Florence was on holiday and J.P. had already left for his new job, meaning the police force was in need of all the help they could get. [[spoiler: He leaves at the end of the special to spend time with his now ill father in London.]]
* ShipperOnDeck: He is a vocal supporter of his colleagues' various attempts at finding romance on the island.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Fidel and later J.P.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Dwayne has a fear of the dark and confined spaces.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Sergeant Fidel Best]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fidel.png]]
->'''Played by:''' Gary Carr (ep. 1.1 to 3.8)

A young and hard-working officer, Fidel is married to a woman called Juliette, and his daughter - Rosie - is born in the Series 1 finale. He is put forward for his sergeant's exams by DI Richard Poole in recognition of his hard work, which he passes and earns the promotion. Fidel often gets stressed and sticks to protocol, whereas Dwayne is the complete opposite. Nevertheless, the two were great friends.
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[[folder:Officer Marlon Pryce]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/marlonpryce.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Tahj Miles (ep. 10.2 to present)

A teenage criminal who's managed to tread a fine line to avoid actual jail time, to J.P.'s annoyance. He claims to want to turn over a new leaf and enters a training[=/=]rehabilitation program and becomes the newest member of the Honoré Police Station. By the time of series 11, he's graduated from a trainee to a fully fledged officer.
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* CharacterDevelopment: When Marlon is first introduced, he's cynical and clearly using the police training program as a way to stay out of jail, even stating outright that after a year, he's quitting as he'd be free. But as time goes on, Marlon starts to love his new job, mostly thanks to J.P. acting as both his tutor and role-model. By the time J.P. sacrifices his job to let Marlon keep his, Marlon is fully committed to staying on the police force. When [[spoiler:he makes plans to move to Jamaica to look after his sister when she gets a scholarship, he affirms that he will miss being a police officer as there is initially no job openings available, with his colleagues all affirming that he's come a long way since he started]].
* ContrastingReplacementCharacter: Ruby, J.P., and Fidel were all introduced as bright-eyed rookies all earnestly trying to enforce justice. By contrast, Marlon is much more cynical and introduced as a local petty criminal who started training to be a police officer to avoid going to jail.
* ForgottenFirstMeeting: Downplayed in the Christmas special, when Marlon meets Dwayne for the first time as a police officer. Dwayne remarks that he's arrested Marlon before in the past, but it's clear that neither of them can remember too clearly what happened.
* InnocentlyInsensitive: Crosses over with GreenEyedMonster. After Darlene completes her first set of training to becoming an officer, Marlon finds himself having to act as a senior officer to her, something that he is not used to, which, combined with his jealousy that Darlene got better scores than him during training, causes him to initially start to try and keep Darlene on the sidelines in order to show off, something that Darlene calls him out on.
* JackOfAllTrades: Due to his background as a petty criminal, he's picked up a lot of skills that can come in handy as a police officer, such as knowing how to pick a lock and what to look for to see if has been tampered with.
* PromotionToParent: Marlon's [[spoiler:move to Jamaica is basically a minor version of this; his younger sister has received a scholarship to a school in Jamaica, and since Marlon's mother has to stay in Saint Marie to care for his grandmother, Marlon will have to go to Jamaica to care for his sister]].
* TradingBarsForStripes: His petty crimes were starting to catch up to him and he was facing actual prison time when he was given the choice to enter a rehabilitation program to become a cop. He decided to take the offer and comes under J.P.'s tutelage.
[[/folder]]

* CharacterDevelopment: When Marlon is first introduced, he's cynical and clearly using the police training program as a way to stay out of jail, even stating outright that after a year, he's quitting as he'd be free. But as time goes on, Marlon starts to love his new job, mostly thanks to J.P. acting as both his tutor and role-model. By the time J.P. sacrifices his job to let Marlon keep his, Marlon is fully committed to staying on the police force.

** TheBusCameBack: Reappears in Episode 3 of Season 13 to help Selwyn procure a job for Marlon in Jamaica. He even joins the team back on Saint Marie for celebratory drinks and to deliver the good news of a job waiting for him to Marlon.

[[folder:Trainee Officer Darlene Curtis]]

Introduced initally as one of Dwayne's old flames he tries to rekindle the fire with, Darlene was hired by Commissioner Patterson to help the police force in a civilian capacity, due to the lack of other staff. However, when she realised that her job doesn't hold much legal weight, she decided to enroll as an actual officer.

* NiceGirl: This is Darlene's character to a fault. As Commissioner Patterson noted, she has a deep desire to help others, which is what led him to recruiting her.

* AmbiguouslyBi: Jack seems to have no issue being physically close to other men, such as hugging J.P. when excited, or walking in on Dwayne in the shower. He’s also accidentally implied that he’d like to see the commissioner without his uniform, stated he “could kiss” a male suspect after the latter gave him some new information, and told Florence her fiancé is handsome (among other things) and that if she doesn’t want him, he’ll have him.

->'''Played by:''' Ardal O'Hanlon (ep. 6.5 to 9.4)

For tropes related to DI Goodman, [[Characters/BeyondParadise see here]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kris_marshall_as_humphrey_death_in_paradise.jpg]]
->'''Played by:''' Kris Marshall (ep. 3.1 to 6.6)

A clumsy and absent-minded British inspector who is assigned to Saint Marie after the murder of D.I. Richard Poole at the start of Series 3. Shortly after his arrival, Goodman's wife, Sally, announced she would not be joining him and had filed for divorce. He embraced Caribbean life more than Poole did, dressing casually when off-duty and regularly enjoying alcohol at Catherine's bar.

Spin-off series ''Series/{{Beyond Paradise|2023}}'' follows Humphrey's career after his return to the UK.

* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Humphrey slowly develops a crush on Camille during Season 3, admitting to Fidel in the finale that he thinks he's in love with her. Several times in season 4 he clearly is thinking in regards to it, mentioning in the second episode that there's few things as painful as standing by while the person you love is happy with someone else.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Part of why he falls for Camille stems from her willingness to help him work through his more socially awkward moments.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He stumbles with his words and is constantly getting himself in trouble but he's also able to solve murders that perplex everybody else on the island.
* BigEater: Humph's slender figure belies an epic love of food. He snacks on biscuits through case deliberations, wards off hangovers with an extra-large full English breakfast, and serves his favourite recipes to the rest of the team. When served Catherine's special chicken stew, he can't hold himself back long enough to get a bowl and just starts eating it from the pot.
* ContrastingReplacementCharacter: Unlike Poole, Humphrey ''wants'' to be on Saint Marie. Humphrey is also much more relaxed in personality and dress sense in contrast to the astoundingly stuffy Poole. He's also far more social, going out drinking with the crew and trying to organise movie nights in Season 4 when he learns Camille hasn't seen most of the classic horror films, even considering joining several local societies. Nothing sets Humphrey apart from Poole more sharply, however, than Catherine asking Goodman during their first meeting if he'd like tea. Humphrey laughs off the suggestion given the temperature as ridiculous.
* CouldntFindAPen: Inverted. He usually has a pen, but never actually brings a notebook with him. He just writes on any scrap of paper he can find lying around or in his pockets, such as receipts, menus, sweet wrappers, his own hand, etc. In one episode, he even buys postcards at a gift shop just so he has something to take notes.
** Played straight in one episode when he actually thinks to bring a proper notepad to a crime scene... only to realize that he's forgotten his pen.
** Comes up in the spin-off ''[[Series/BeyondParadise2023 Beyond Paradise]]''; Humphrey receives a notebook from his new sergeant, but despite initially appreciating the gift he soon realises that he finds it easier to process his notes when they're spread out at random and he can shuffle them around like with his usual methods.
* DefectiveDetective: Downplayed. He's clumsy and awkward and says police work is the only thing he's good at, but he's just a little odd rather than outright defective.
* EmbarrassingNickname: Humphrey has "Humpty Dumpty" because when he was a chubby child, he once fell off a wall and injured his head.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: He arrives at the police station, struggling with his luggage and dropping his newspaper into a puddle, makes nervous small talk with the team... and then, sensing that it would be upsetting for him to immediately claim Richard's vacant desk, sits himself down at an unused one. This establishes him as awkward and clumsy, but also thoughtful and empathetic.
* EurekaMoment: Following in Poole's footsteps.
* FishOutOfWater: Of a different sort to Poole: He's also in a totally different land to the one he's used to, but he at least ''tries'' to adjust, and gradually improves.
* HappilyMarried: Both he and the audience ''think'' this until the end of his debut episode...
* TheKlutz: Although perfectly competent at solving crimes, Goodman is constantly knocking over potted plants, trying to lean on wheeled tables, and losing his poise in the middle of a [[TheSummation summation]] due to his own clumsiness. In his very first episode, he ''fell out of a window.'' He always seems to bounce back from the damage to his dignity, however, and simply continues on with whatever he was doing.
* LargeHam: Gradually becomes one. In his first appearance, "Death of a Detective", he is initially hesitant about giving TheSummation to a room full of the assembled suspects, but Camille persuades him that that is how Poole did it. After solving his second case, in "The Wrong Man", he asks Camille to repeat the scene, since ''"I rather enjoyed that."'' In the Season Four finale, "Unlike Father, Unlike Son", he plays it up to the maximum, since his DisapprovingDad is in the audience and TheSummation is being delivered in, well, a courtroom.
* NamesToTrustImmediately: Humphrey Goodman is, indeed, a good man - principled, kind, and attentive to others' needs.
* NiceGuy: Humphrey is a kind-hearted soul who looks out for his colleagues and tries to remain optimistic in the most dire situations.
* NoSocialSkills: While far kinder than Poole, he can occasionally blunder into an issue verbally.
* PutOnABus: He decides to return to England to build a new life with Martha, his second love.
* SadClown: Humphrey hides a lot of his misery over his wife leaving him and his feelings regarding his father with big smiles and jokes.
* ShipTease: Has a fair amount with DS Camille Bordey and they share a kiss before she leaves for Paris. A few seasons later he reconnects with old flame Martha Lloyd and eventually departs the show entirely to be with her in London when they get a RelationshipUpgrade.
* SupremeChef: He is a talented cook and his coworkers love what he makes. When he remembers to turn on his oven, that is.
* TheUnfavourite: Goodman at one point describes his childhood as being the youngest and the one the joke was always on, though he never really understood what the joke was in the first place. It's strongly hinted that his parents and siblings didn't have much time for him.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Due to his father not thinking much of his police career. In fact, his father actively tries to sabotage his career during a visit in Saint Marie at the end of the fourth season. Humphrey relates with a suspect during a Season 3 case due to them both being this, with Humphrey recalling how when he passed the exams to become an officer and made a copy of his certificate for his father to hang up in the living room (alongside his two brothers' certificates for graduating Oxford), his father put it in the bathroom. When Camille asks if he was lying, Humphrey admits to a small exaggeration... in that his father put it in the ''guest'' bathroom.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: During Camille's last episode, Humphrey is told by Commissioner Patterson that Humphrey ultimately has final say on whether or not Camille can take the position in France, presenting him with the permission sheet. Patterson notes that if Humphrey rejects, all Camille will be told is that the offer was rescinded. Humphrey, despite his crush on Camille, immediately refuses to consider the possibility, which Patterson [[SecretTestOfCharacter approves of, handing him the sheet]].
* WildMan: At least, compared to Poole. He is more unkempt, does much more sniffing of clues, etc.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Detective Inspector Jack Mooney]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1515104729_ardal1jpg.png]]
->'''Played by:''' Ardal O'Hanlon (ep. 6.5 to 9.4)

An Irish London inspector and recent widower who acted as liason the Honoré team when they came to England to investigate a murder. After the case, he goes to Saint Marie for a holiday with his daughter, Siobhan, but ends up taking up DI Goodman's position on the island when Humphrey decides to stay in London. Jack tries to use this as an opportunity to move on from his wife's death.

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* TheBusCameBack:: Siobhan goes off to university at the start of series 7; she returns at the end of series 8 and again in series 9 for [[spoiler:her father's final episode]].

* EmbarrassingNickname: Season 2 reveals that as part of his tactics to bully Poole, Richard Anderson gave him the nickname "Dick." Even after Anderson's departure, the name stuck.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/richard_poole_infobox.jpg]]

->'''Played by:''' Ben Miller (ep. 1.1 to 3.1)

* PutOnABus: Between series 3 and 4 he has transferred to the neghbouring island of St. Lucia.

* PutOnABus: He is explained to be working on another island at the start of series 4.

[[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p04tmkdt.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/death_in_paradise_series_9_ralf_little_1581024242.jpg]]

* MyGreatestFailure: Blames herself [[spoiler:and Neville]] for the death of her sister; [[spoiler:she was a drugs courier for a time, but one night she was ill and her sister took her place. This resulted in her sister killing her drug dealer in self-defence and then being arrested when Neville found out what she'd done, as lack of evidence caused Neville to conclude the sister was the 'real' drug courier]].