The Price of Paradise
4.8/5
Critic Rating
When ex-Bunny girl Jayne Gaskin spots the desert island of her dreams for sale online, she decides to risk it all. Trading in their English village home, Jayne and her family relocate to their own private paradise, just off the coast of Nicaragua. And a reality TV crew follows them to film a new show, No Going Back. But soon they all discover that paradise has its secrets. The locals claim the island belongs to them, and it’s been sold illegally. Jayne’s not leaving without a fight. A fight that will soon turn deadly.Hosted by Alice Levine.Binge...
Critic Reviews
Score: 4
Edward Wickham • Church Times • May 17, 2024
"As the tale recounted in The Price of Paradise (Wondery podcasts) approaches its climax, the presenter, Alice Levine, reaches for a similar formulation; but here it sounds like an act of desperation, as the multiple strands that she has attempted to twirl on to her narrative fork threaten to slip away...It is, indeed, an extraordinary story, one that Levine manages just about to control; and yet one cannot help feeling that much real life happened behind the scenes."
Score: 5
Patricia Nicol • The Times UK • May 12, 2024
"..with a doozy of a story to tell, is already a deserved hit. What makes this story such a bingeable listen is not only Gaskin’s determinedly selfish naivety, but Alice Levine’s arch narration. A more sombre note is injected by Gaskin’s tale of misadventure being told in parallel with the sad story of Maria Acosta, a Nicaraguan human rights lawyer who wanted to reclaim the island for the local people."
Score: 5
Miranda Sawyer • The Guardian • Apr 27, 2024
"...blimey, it’s a hot one. Levine is one of the best hosts out there, and her humorous delivery and script tweaks are a highlight...it’s simply a madly freaky rollercoaster tale, made even more fun by Levine’s genuinely “they did whaaaat?” commentary. A binge-er."
Score: 5
Anya G Spence • Podcast Rex • Apr 25, 2024
"...a thrilling mix of adventure and true crime. The podcast repurposes some of the footage to truly take you inside this story, and the effect is pretty horrifying as amongst many of the questionable decisions made..."
Score: 5
Clair Woodward • The Times UK • Apr 21, 2024
"...jaw-dropping true story...Involving and explosive."
Score: 5
Hannah Verdier • The Guardian • Apr 18, 2024
"...irresistible...Levine brings the saga to a new audience in all its disastrous glory."
