Loads of news this weekend, so we’ll dive right in…
Death in Paradise 2025 Christmas Special on BritBox
Death in Paradise fans have something to look forward to…
BritBox - Four co-workers wake up after the office Christmas party of a lifetime to find a stranger dead in the pool of their Caribbean villa, and DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) and the Saint Marie team must solve a case that bizarrely links back to a locked-drawer murder weapon thousands of miles away in Swindon.
Joined by guest stars Josie Lawrence, Kate Ashfield, Pearl Mackie, James Baxter, Billy Harris, Oriana Charles and Alix Serman, they call on a familiar face to help crack the impossible puzzle. As the investigation unfolds, Mervin anxiously waits to hear from his newly discovered brother, struggling to embrace the island’s festive spirit. No date yet, but we assume it will be close to Christmas.
What we’re…
Watching: Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas - If you’re working on getting in the holiday mood, this hour-long show celebrates Berry’s mother’s Scottish background with great food and fun celebrity guests. Though I’ve linked to the PBS Living channel on Amazon, those who have PBS Passport memberships via their local stations may be able to watch it there for free.
Reading: The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge by Martin Edwards - If you like Golden Age-style mysteries by modern authors, Martin Edwards is an author worth knowing. In this one, journalist Nell Fagan seeks to revive her career by investigating two disappearances - both from the same locked gatehouse, centuries apart. Set in 1930s Yorkshire.
If you’re a big reader, two more really fantastic British books also on sale at time of writing -
Richard Osman’s ‘We Solve Murders’ - The Thursday Murder Club author tries a new series with this entry, which follows security agent Amy Wheeler as her retired investigator father helps her solve a murder on a remote island.
Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney - This debut crime novel is remarkably atmospheric, set in 1980s Birmingham, England. The sleuth is a 14-year-old girl with an obsessive interest in forensics and decomposition - and one night, she stumbles upon the body of a classmate.
Where to Invest $100,000 According to Experts
Investors face a dilemma. Headlines everywhere say tariffs and AI hype are distorting public markets.
Now, the S&P is trading at over 30x earnings—a level historically linked to crashes.
And the Fed is lowering rates, potentially adding fuel to the fire.
Bloomberg asked where experts would personally invest $100,000 for their September edition. One surprising answer? Art.
It’s what billionaires like Bezos, Gates, and the Rockefellers have used to diversify for decades.
Why?
Contemporary art prices have appreciated 11.2% annually on average
…And with one of the lowest correlations to stocks of any major asset class (Masterworks data, 1995-2024).
Ultra-high net worth collectors (>$50M) allocated 25% of their portfolios to art on average. (UBS, 2024)
Thanks to the world’s premiere art investing platform, now anyone can access works by legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso—without needing millions. Want in? Shares in new offerings can sell quickly but…
*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.
Beyond Paradise 2025 Christmas Special on BritBox
Beyond Paradise returns to BritBox for a Christmas special
BritBox - When Esther finds a man on the steps of Shipton Abbott police station with no memory and only a photo of Humphrey, the team scrambles to uncover his identity while juggling a flurry of festive cases in the Devon seaside town. As Martha, with help from Anne, Zoe and a special guest, races to pull off a secret plan and Kelby tries to assist a mystery man trapped in a snowman costume, an influx of unexpected visitors and holiday crimes threatens to derail a heartwarming reunion and a life-changing reveal.
Guest stars Adrian Edmondson, James Lance and Jonny Weldon join series regulars Kris Marshall, Sally Bretton, Zahra Ahmadi, Dylan Llewellyn, Barbara Flynn, Felicity Montagu, Jamie Bamber and Melina Sinadinou. No date yet, but we expect it sometime around Christmas.
FIVE TO TRY
Just for fun, a few shows you might have missed…
The Repair Shop - If you’re the sort of person who enjoys sentimentality and a good cry now and then, you’ve probably heard of this series - but if you haven’t, you should definitely check it out. In each episode, skilled craftspeople help restore items of great personal importance.
Catastrophe - Since this one’s been exclusive to Amazon Prime in the US, it’s flown below the radar for many who normally stick to Acorn TV and BritBox. Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan star as a couple whose one-night stand has consequences. Rob moves to the UK, and the two realize they don’t actually know that much about each other.
The Diplomat - No, not the one on Netflix with Rufus Sewell (though that one’s also great) - I’m talking about the Australian series also marketed as ‘False Witness’. Dougray Scott stars as Ian Porter, a British diplomat who attracts Scotland Yard’s attention whilst trying to prevent the sale of a nuclear bomb. Richard Roxburg (Rake) and Clare Forlani (Meet Joe Black). Fun fact: Forlani and Scott have been married since 2007.
The Cleanse - Anna Friel (Marcella) stars alongside Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) and Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family) in this darkly hilarious film about people who get a bit more than they bargained for on a wellness retreat.
The Street - If you’re looking for something that’s not a period drama, crime drama, or sitcom, this award-winning early-2000s series might be just the thing. Written by Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, Broken, Time), it follows the lives of people who live on a street in Northern England.
That's the sort of place this is, Jen. A lot of sexy people not doing much work and having affairs.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
.