Four Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Dramatisations

Fire, Burn! & other mysteries

Four full-cast stories of suspense from the creator of Dr Gideon Fell 
 
The master of the ‘impossible crime’ novel, American author John Dickson Carr was renowned for his Golden Age detective stories featuring the eccentric genius Dr Gideon Fell. This collection brings together four of his captivating radio plays, including a time-slip murder mystery, a chilling supernatural tale, a menacing story of blackmail and retribution, and a life-or-death case for Dr Fell... 
 
Fire, Burn! – On a foggy night in 1960s London, Superintendent John Cheviot boards a taxi to Scotland Yard. But when he alights at his destination, the taxi is now a horse-drawn cab and the year is 1829... Pulled out of his own time, Cheviot finds himself investigating a seemingly inexplicable Regency murder – but can he avoid being framed? Starring Michael Denison, Rachel Gurney, Marjorie Westbury and John Westbrook. 
 
Blind Man’s Hood – Visiting their friends’ house on Christmas Eve, the Hunters are surprised to find the place deserted but for a mysterious young woman, who invites them in. As they sit by the fire, she proceeds to tell them the chilling tale of an unsolved Victorian murder, a sinister party game, and a spurned lover who wreaks a terrible revenge… Terrence Hardiman, Denys Hawthorne and Jill Bennett star in this eerie ghost story. 
 
The Speaking Clock – When Judith Ray and Ronald Gilbert arrive in a dimly lit antiques shop to confront their blackmailer, Charles Markham, they face a double surprise – and soon, events take an unexpected and dramatic turn... First broadcast in 1944 as part of the vintage horror series Appointment with Fear, this macabre tale stars Esme Percy, Belle Chrystall and John Dodsworth. 
 
The Clock Strikes Eight – A woman suffering from amnesia wakes in the middle of the night to find herself in an unfamiliar room, with no idea how she got there. To her horror, she is told that she is in a prison cell tor killing her lover – and that the hangman’s noose awaits her in the morning… Dr Fell is convinced of Helen Barton’s innocence – but can he uncover the truth in time to save her? Another classic 1944 episode from Appointment with Fear, starring Richard George and Grizelda Harvey. 
 
NB: Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary 
 
First published 1937 (Blind Man’s Hood), 1944 (‘The Speaking Clock’, ‘The Clock Strikes Eight’) 1957 (Fire, Burn!) 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

John Dickson Carr

Wendy Craig

Donald Sinden

John Hartley

Nigel Davenport

Full Cast

Patrick Allen

Andrew Wincott

James Fleet

Eight full-cast crime dramas from the Golden Age of detective fiction

Eight BBC Radio crime dramas featuring Golden Age detective Gideon Fell, starring Donald Sinden 
 
With his cape, canes and shovel hat, portly amateur sleuth Dr Gideon Fell cuts an eccentric figure - but his odd appearance belies his sharp intellect and astonishing faculty for deduction. Created by crime novelist John Dickson Carr, and supposedly based on fellow author G. K. Chesterton, Dr Fell appeared in 23 novels between 1933 and 1967. This radio collection comprises all eight of the BBC adaptations based on Carr's bestselling books. 
 
The Hollow Man - Dr Gideon Fell becomes embroiled in an intriguing locked room mystery when an illusionist threatens an eminent professor. 
 
The House in Gallows Lane - 1936, and the peace of a small English village is disrupted by a mysterious death in this captivating drama adapted from the novel Till Death Do Us Part. 
 
To Wake the Dead - On the eve of King George VI's coronation, a woman is murdered in a grand London hotel. But this death is not the first of its kind... 
 
The Blind Barber - When a brutal killing takes place on an ocean liner, the engraving on the murder weapon provides a vital clue. 
 
The Black Spectacles - Three people witness a murder, yet none of them can agree about what they have seen. 
 
The Mad Hatter Mystery- A young journalist is found murdered at Traitors' Gate in fog-bound London, a crossbow through his heart and a top hat on his head. 
 
He Who Whispers - Dr Fell becomes involved in a seemingly supernatural murder, in which the victim was found entirely alone at the top of an isolated medieval tower in France. 
 
Below Suspicion - The stifling respectability of a South London suburb is rocked by a spate of ruthless poisonings - and as Fell investigates, he uncovers a sinister black magic cult... 
 
Donald Sinden stars as Gideon Fell, with John Hartley as Superintendent Hadley. Among the supporting casts are Nigel Davenport, Wendy Craig, Patrick Allen, Andrew Wincott and James Fleet. 
 
Written by John Dickson Carr 
Dramatised by Peter Ling 
Produced and directed by Enyd Williams 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

John Dickson Carr

Books by John Dickson Carr

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