This side murder by John Bonett.
Gilbert Tarsier, successful newspaper columnist, is sent by his paper to Spain on a double mission: to ferret out gossip about the guests at the new luxury hotel in Cala Cristina… 
He’s there to exploit any gossip he can sniff out, and will spare no one in his sensational newspaper column.
This quickly arouses the hostility of several distinguished hotel guests, so when the self-assured Tarsier shows up dead, the lack of sympathy is unsurprising….
Unfortunately for the gentle Inspector Borges, Tarsier’s unpopularity means the range of suspects is extensive. If indeed it was murder that caused his untimely death…
First there’s his neglected wife Lily, plain but holding untapped potential, who is soon taken under the wing of Irene Stollman, wife of the economist Franz, one of the victims of Tarsier’s libellous pen. 
Then there’s Lady Poppy Dauntwood, currently on her fifth husband, her vivaciousness belying a sad past and another guest suffering the slurs of Tarsier. 
When it is revealed that Tarsier had penned a defamatory biography of the Victorian novelist Matthew Egremont, grandfather of the artist Arbelle and her brother Ralph Egremont, the pool of suspects grows even larger. 
Does this incriminate their nephew and architect of the Cala Cristina, Philip Egremont too? 
Surely his relations with the lovely ballerina Judy Shafto, on holiday with her Uncle Quintin, means his thoughts are occupied by romance not murder?
The Inspector must sort through numerous and often conflicting statements and alibis to discover the truth behind Tarsier’s demise… 
A very good read. Good story and some good characters. 4*.

enjoyable read will definately recommend and look out for more from this author.

A very obnoxious (English) journalist is found dead in his room in a luxury hotel in sunny Spain. And there are plenty of suspects about....
The wonderfull charm of this series is A)a nostalgic atmosphere where tourism, hotelservice, social habits (for example: people dress up for dinner...) were an entirely different thing. B)a kind and intelligent (Spanish) Inspector Borges.
A Spanish holiday(granted,with an early sixties feel) has never been so enticing, even with a murderer about

Gilbert Tarsier, successful newspaper columnist, is sent by his paper to Spain on a double mission: to ferret out gossip about the guests at the new luxury hotel in Cala Cristina…

He’s there to exploit any gossip he can sniff out, and will spare no one in his sensational newspaper column.

This quickly arouses the hostility of several distinguished hotel guests, so when the self-assured Tarsier shows up dead, the lack of sympathy is unsurprising….

Unfortunately for the gentle Inspector Borges, Tarsier’s unpopularity means the range of suspects is extensive. If indeed it was murder that caused his untimely death…

First there’s his neglected wife Lily, plain but holding untapped potential, who is soon taken under the wing of Irene Stollman, wife of the economist Franz, one of the victims of Tarsier’s libellous pen.

Then there’s Lady Poppy Dauntwood, currently on her fifth husband, her vivaciousness belying a sad past and another guest suffering the slurs of Tarsier.

When it is revealed that Tarsier had penned a defamatory biography of the Victorian novelist Matthew Egremont, grandfather of the artist Arbelle and her brother Ralph Egremont, the pool of suspects grows even larger.

Does this incriminate their nephew and architect of the Cala Cristina, Philip Egremont too?

Surely his relations with the lovely ballerina Judy Shafto, on holiday with her Uncle Quintin, means his thoughts are occupied by romance not murder?

The Inspector must sort through numerous and often conflicting statements and alibis to discover the truth behind Tarsier’s demise…

Well worth a look - An enjoyable mystery.