Return to Paradise season 2: What secrets lurk in Mackenzie’s past after mysterious series premiere?

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The Australian version of Death in Paradise, called Return to Paradise, is back for a second season. This time, Detective Inspector Mackenzie Clarke has decided to stay in her hometown of Dolphin Cove instead of returning to the UK. The first episode of the new season has raised a lot of intriguing questions.

Even though Mack was found innocent of evidence tampering in London, she was surprised to hear from her former fiancé, pathologist Glenn Strong, that his feelings for her hadn’t disappeared – even though he had recently become engaged to someone else, Daisy.

Mack, still shaken by what Glenn had told her, called DI Jack Mooney to say she hadn’t taken her flight home. She hinted it was time to stop avoiding her problems. Jack, sensing her intention to flee again, playfully ended the call, giving her space to make a decision without talking her into another escape.

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Everyone else was puzzled by why Mack hadn’t left town yet, but she was completely absorbed in a new murder investigation: a scientist found dead on a boat, adrift in the ocean.

Okay, so the whole mystery played out at this shark research lab, and let me tell you, it wasn’t just the sharks that were dangerous. Turns out, a bunch of the people working there were shady, and someone was trying to cover up some blackmail. Sadly, the person being blackmailed ended up dead, and it all went downhill from there. It was a really messed up situation, honestly.

When Mack said she was ready to return to the UK, Jack, after finishing his beer, bluntly told her she wasn’t going anywhere, insisting she needed to resolve something in town first.

This made us curious about Mack’s background and what happened to her in Dolphin Cove, so we’ve explored some possibilities below.

What is buried in Mack’s past?

Although it’s often claimed Mackenzie ended things with Glenn six years ago because she was focused on her career and wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, there’s a possibility there was a more significant, underlying reason for her decision.

The other people she lives with seem critical of her, likely because they’re still upset about how she treated Glenn and want to protect him. However, remembering how upset Mack was about potentially leaving at the end of the first season, it makes you wonder if Glenn is the only reason for their disapproval.

While it’s understandable that Mack feels like an outsider, it doesn’t seem to be the sole cause of her distress. Could she have also made another error in judgment, besides leaving Glenn?

I’m still trying to figure out what exactly went wrong with Mack. Was he covering up a mistake he made on the job? It’s possible he wasn’t involved in the London thing, but ran off because he messed up somewhere else and didn’t want to face the consequences. It’s all just speculation at this point, though!

Perhaps we’re misinterpreting the situation. Could Mack be dealing with a past trauma that led her to leave her wedding and run away from her problems?

Mack is currently living in the house her mother left behind, and we haven’t learned much about her story yet. Was her childhood troubled, perhaps involving a hidden family secret or something the townspeople are keeping quiet? It seems like there’s more to her past than we know.

Or is she so prickly because, quite simply, that’s just the way she is?

I’m really hooked on Return to Paradise and I have a feeling we’re finally going to learn what’s been bothering Mack. The actress who plays her, Anna Samson, said we’ll see a more sensitive side to the character, which I’m excited about. She also mentioned the show is great because it shows it’s okay to be different, just like Mack – you don’t need to fit in!

Return to Paradise is on BBC on Friday nights at 8pm and in BBC iPlayer.

I’m so excited – the latest issue of Living Legends is out! You can grab a copy of ‘Ariana & Witches’ at all good newsagents or order it online for only £8.99. I can’t wait to read it!

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2025-11-01 00:19