A beach is a threshold: land on one side, an unknown depth on the other. It is a place people go to leave things behind. That makes it a compelling place for a mystery to begin.
In The Beach, a young woman disappears after a night at the Rocky Mouth hotel. The discovery of her body in a sand dune transforms a familiar stretch of coast into the centre of an investigation.
The contrast gives the story its starting tension. The landscape remains open and ordinary, while the people around it have reasons to keep things hidden. A beautiful setting does not make an uncomplicated community.
As you read, notice what the setting allows people to see, and what it allows them to conceal. Sometimes a location is more than a backdrop. It is part of the question.