Glamorous love-to-hate-them characters, beautiful scenery, money, sex and murderous intent: it’s not hard to see why The White Lotus has been such a success on both sides of the Atlantic. Each series of the darkly comic satire (available on Sky Atlantic and Now TV) charts a week in the lives of the wealthy guests and employees at a sumptuous five-star resort – first in Hawaii, then in Sicily. This week’s season two finale drew record viewing figures in the US, and a third series has already been commissioned.
But while The White Lotus may be full of unexpected twists, its choice of setting is less surprising. From Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun and Murder on the Orient Express to recent books-turned-TV hits such as Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers and T.M. Logan’s The Holiday, writers and filmmakers seem to find sunny backdrops an irresistible location for dark tales. So why are luxurious holiday destinations such a popular – and effective – setting for murder mysteries?
As the author of several thrillers set in high-end holiday resorts, I know from experience why these settings work so well.
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