A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy and is known as @agatharoza on Wattpad.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

Aaron Dignan is the founder of The Ready--a global organizational transformation and coaching practice--that helps companies large and small adopt new forms of self-organization and dynamic teaming. Clients include Johnson &amp; Johnson, Microsoft, Lloyds Bank, Citibank, Boeing, Mailchimp, Airbnb, Dropbox, and charity: water. 
 
He is also the founder of Murmur--a SaaS startup that helps teams scale culture through the magic of working agreements. The Murmur platform will allow every team on the planet to define and share their ways of working. 
 
Dignan is the author of Brave New Work (2019) and Game Frame (2011), co-host of the Brave New Work podcast, and a friend to misfit toys.

Aaron Dignan

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm: The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Aaron Edwards

Aaron Robertson is a writer, an editor, and a translator of Italian literature. His translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon was short-listed for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award, and in 2021 he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, n+1, The Point, and Literary Hub, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Aaron Robertson

Aaron Shapiro

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Cath Staincliffe

Seven original radio dramas by award-winning crime writer Cath Staincliffe, featuring heir hunters, a genealogist and an undercover cop who must untangle family mysteries 
 
Cath Staincliffe is best known as the creator of the hit TV series Blue Murder, as well as for her ‘Scott and Bailey’ books and ‘Sal Kilkenny’ crime novels. This full cast drama collection features the five gripping dramas in her ‘Legacy’ series, together with a standalone mystery and a three-part thriller, all specially written for BBC Radio. 
These dramas feature a stellar line-up including Maxine Peake, Tony Mooney, William Ash, Claire Keelan, Jo Hartley, Suranne Jones, Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, Esh Alladi and Matthew McNulty. 
 
Legacy – Ex-police officer Dan and his ruthless sister Rachel are probate detectives, tracking down the rightful heirs to unclaimed estates. As they delve into the past, they uncover long-buried secrets… 
 
Legacy: Blood in the Mountains – When Henry Gaunt dies, Dan and Rachel trace his family tree back to the Spanish Civil War, where Henry’s father George died fighting alongside his cousin, Eric. Is Eric still alive, and could he be the heir they’re looking for? 
 
Legacy: Eden – Digging into the records to find Gordon Willshaw’s kin, Jo and Rachel are led to 1950s Kenya and the terrible events of the Mau Mau rebellion. 
 
Legacy: Suspicious Minds – The search for an heir to Petra Oster’s estate takes Dan and Rachel to 1980s East Berlin. It soon becomes clear that she escaped to Britain to erase her past – but what dark truths was she hiding? 
 
Legacy: High Green Walls – Discovering that deceased 73-year-old recluse Susan Peller was once a successful artist with a twin sister, Barbara, Dan and Rachel travel to America to find her fortune and hunt for her heir. 
 
Look Sharp – Genealogist Karen Sharp finds herself in danger – and forced to face her own fears – when she sets about untangling a family mystery. 
 
Undercover: Close to Home – Hoping to find out what happened to Ben Curtis’s wife, who went missing a year ago, policewoman Grace goes undercover as a live-in nanny at the family home... 
 
 
Credits 
Written by Cath Staincliffe 
Directed by Nadia Molinari 
 
Legacy 
Cast: Maxine Peake, Tony Mooney, Thomas Rolinson, Daniel Rogers, Lowri Evans, Eileen O'Brien, Fiona Clarke, Claude Close 
 
Legacy: Blood in the Mountains 
Cast: Claire Keelan, William Ash, Tom Hughes, Steven Hoyle, Russell Dixon, Eithne Browne, Russell Richardson 
 
Legacy: Eden 
Cast: Jo Hartley, William Ash, Alexandra Mathie, Olivia Cooke, Henry Devas, Yusra Warsama, Hugh Simon 
 
Legacy: Suspicious Minds 
Cast: Jo Hartley, William Ash, Conrad Nelson, Lisa Brookes, Fiona Clarke, Sarah McDonald Hughes, Jack Lord 
 
Legacy: High Green Walls 
Cast: Claire Keelan, William Ash, Russell Dixon, Kellie Shirley, Ellie Meigan Rose, Malcolm Raeburn, Jonathan Keeble, Fiona Clarke 
 
Look Sharp 
Cast: Suranne Jones, Jeff Hordley, David Hargreaves, Deborah McAndrew, Danielle Henry, Julie Westwood 
 
Undercover: Close to Home 
Cast: Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, Esh Alladi, Matthew McNulty, Bebe Massey, Tareq Al-Jeddal, Christine Bottomley, Emma Cunniffe, Kymberley Cochrane, Lula Marsh, Jessica Bellamy & Esh Alladi 
 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Legacy

Seven Full-Cast BBC Radio Mysteries

Jack Higgins

Full-cast dramatisations of three of Jack Higgins’ best-known novels 
 
Jack Higgins (the pen name of Henry Patterson) was the internationally bestselling author of 85 novels. He shot to fame with The Eagle Has Landed, which sold 50 million copies worldwide and became a hit film. Adapted for radio, it is included here, together with its gripping sequel The Eagle Has Flown and the sensational Falklands War thriller Exocet. 
 
The Eagle Has Landed – November 1943, and Winston Churchill is planning a weekend's relaxation in the Norfolk village of Studley Constable. Little does he know that a crack group of German paratroopers, aided by deadly IRA gunman Liam Devlin, are waiting to kidnap him and deliver him to Adolf Hitler…Starring Michael Fitzgerald, Frank Grimes, Rosemary Martin and Harry Patterson, aka Jack Higgins, this classic story is one of the greatest World War Two adventures ever told. 
 
The Eagle Has Flown – Gunned down during ‘Operation Eagle’, German paratrooper Kurt Steiner is alive, but a prisoner in the Tower of London. Now Himmler wants him back, and calls in the one man with the skills to retrieve him: Liam Devlin. Harry Paterson stars as himself, Jack Higgins, with Michael Fitzgerald as Steiner, Frank Grimes as Devlin and Graham Padden as Himmler. 
 
Exocet – Argentina has invaded the Falkland Islands, forcing Britain to send in a naval task force to reclaim them. With war looming, Brigadier Charles Ferguson of MI6 recruits the beautiful Gabrielle Legrand to spy on her Argentinian lover, Raul Montera. Her mission: to work alongside her ex-husband, Tony Villiers, to foil a Soviet plot to sell deadly Exocet missiles to Argentina… Peter Jeffrey, Michael N Harbour, Moir Leslie and William Hope star in this riveting four-part drama. 
 
Text copyright © Jack Higgins 1971, 1983 (The Eagle Has Landed), 1983 (Exocet), 1991 (The Eagle Has Flown) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Jack Higgins 
 
The Eagle Has Landed 
Jack Higgins – Harry Patterson 
Steiner – Michael Fitzgerald 
Col Radl – Ian Hogg 
Joanna – Rosemary Martin 
Liam Devlin – Frank Grimes 
Molly – Holly Aird 
Pamela – Kimberly Hope 
Father Vereker – Simon Carter 
Churchill – Roger Hume 
Himmler – Graham Padden 
Canaris – Terry Molloy 
Hitler – David Halliwell 
Sturm – David Vann 
Meuhoff – Neil Coker 
Neuman – John Dixon 
Lemke – Stephen Garlick 
Betty Wilde – Heather Barrett 
Graham – Philip Molloy 
Arthur – Christopher Good 
George – Vincent Brimble 
Sgt Hofer – Geoffrey Whitehead 
 
The Eagle Has Flown 
Liam Devlin – Frank Grimes 
Jack Higgins – Harry Patterson 
Steiner – Michael Fitzgerald 
Vaughan – Quint Boa 
Himmler – Graham Padden 
Canaris – Terry Molloy 
Hitler – David Halliwell 
Mary – Melanie Revill 
Lavinia – Charlotte Westoram 
Shaw – David Neal 
Rommel – Gordon Reid 
Munro – Leon Tanner 
Carter – John Dixon 
Schellenberg – David Holt 
Kneussel – Richard Allenson 
Kramer – Richard O'Ryan 
Berger – Peter Meakin 
 
Exocet 
Brigadier Charles Ferguson – Peter Jeffrey 
Major Tony Villiers – Michael N Harbour 
Gabriel Legrand – Moir Leslie 
Harry Fox – Peter Acre 
Victor Vronski – David Bamber 
Col Raul Montera – William Hope 
Julio Garcia/Col Dwyer – Allan Corduner 
Nikolai Belov – David March 
Sgt Major Jackson – Eric Allan 
Chief Supt Carver/General Leopoldo Galtieri – John Church 
Anna Marchuk – Melanie Hudson 
Queen Elizabeth II/Margaret Thatcher – Melinda Walker 
Prof Paul Bernard – Keith Drinkel 
Major Langham/Major Espinet – Steve Hodson 
Journalist/Private Elliot – David Holt 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Eagle has landed, The Eagle has Flown and Exocet

Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Thrillers

Francis Durbridge

Anthony Head reads three unabridged novels by Francis Durbridge. 
 
In The World of Tim Frazer, the engineer-turned-spy's friend and ex-business partner Harry Denston has gone missing. That's not all: he owes money, and there are several people desperate to track him down. Frazer must put the pieces together. 
 
In Tim Frazer Again, when special agent Leo Salinger is killed by a fast car in Amsterdam, Frazer is sent over to trail the young woman who was at the wheel. Was it a genuine accident? The case grows more complicated at every turn. 
 
In Tim Frazer Gets The Message, Frazer is sent to Wales to find out why a British intelligence agent was brutally murdered. There's also the matter of a missing German scientist. Can Frazer find out what links the two agents, before it's too late? 
 
Anthony Head, famed for his TV roles in Buffy and Little Britain, reads these stories inspired by one of the most successful BBC TV serials of the 1960s. 
 
(P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

A Tim Frazer Trilogy

Three abridged novels

Three unabridged readings of original novels from the creator of Paul Temple. 
 
In The Desperate People, read by Neil Pearson, Philip Holt is determined to uncover the truth about the death of his brother, Rex, and those who were responsible for it. 
 
In Dead to the World, also read by Neil Pearson, Philip Holt's skills are again in demand after he meets Robert Scranton, a wealthy American, on a plane returning to England from the USA. 
 
In My Wife Melissa, read by Greg Wise, the wife of a journalist is found strangled, and all the evidence points to her husband as the culprit. It is up to Guy Foster himself to uncover the truth about his own wife and then find her killer. 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Francis Durbridge Investigates

Three unabridged novels

Toby Stephens reads three thrilling unabridged novels by Francis Durbridge. 
 
In Paul Temple Intervenes, the murder of a well-known American heralds a spate of celebrity deaths that become known as the Marquis murders. The police are baffled, and the Home Secretary is calling for Paul Temple to intervene... 
 
In Paul Temple and the Geneva Mystery, Paul faces danger once again as he and Steve must find the answer to one vital question: is Carl Milbourne, supposedly killed in a motor accident in Switzerland, dead or alive? 
 
In Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery, a brand of expensive designer coats sparks the latest mystery, when Steve goes missing and another woman is brutally strangled and thrown into the Thames. A trip to the funfair yields further clues... 
 
Toby Stephens, known for roles including Gustav Graves in Die Another Day, reads these stories based on some of the most popular BBC radio serials of the Twentieth Century. 
 
Caution: these stories contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set. 
 
(P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Paul Temple Deduces

Anthony Head reads eight abridged novels by Francis Durbridge. 
 
Send for Paul Temple, based on the first ever Paul Temple radio serial, centres around the mystery of The Green Finger. 
 
In Paul Temple and the Front Page Men, a series of thefts is linked to high profile kidnapping cases - and then murder. 
 
News of Paul Temple links a vivacious actress, a mysterious letter and an enigmatic doctor in Paul's latest case. 
 
In Paul Temple and the Tyler Mystery, the main suspect in a murder case is someone Paul put away for fraud four years earlier... 
 
In Paul Temple East of Algiers, the Temples travel to Tunis in order to deliver a package - but a series of murders ensues. 
 
In Paul Temple and the Kelby Affair, a sensational diary appears to be at the centre of Alfred Kelby's murder. 
 
In Paul Temple and the Harkdale Robbery, a suspect involved in a robbery is found dead - in the garage of Paul's own country cottage. 
 
Paul Temple and the Curzon Case is a gripping story of kidnap, intrigue and sudden death, and Paul must work to find out if all the events are connected. 
 
Anthony Head, famed for his TV roles in Buffy and Little Britain, reads these stories inspired by one of the most successful BBC radio serials of the Twentieth Century. 
 
Caution: these stories contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set. 
 
(P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Paul Temple at the Double

Eight abridged novels

George MacDonald Fraser

Full-cast adaptations of two Flashman novels, plus a standalone historical romp, a humorous short story and an interview with George MacDonald FraserScottish author George MacDonald Fraser took the loutish bully from Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown's Schooldays and gave him a new lease of life. Over the course of 12 novels, caddish anti-hero Flashman swashbuckled his way around the British Empire, playing a key role in some of the 19th century’s most significant events.Adapted for BBC Radio, and featuring a stellar cast, this collection includes:Flash for Freedom! – It is 1848 and Flashman is considering a political career. But a disastrous card game with Disraeli plunges him into hair-raising involvement with a murderous sea captain, the transatlantic slave trade, the Underground Railroad and Abraham Lincoln.Flashman at the Charge – Renowned bounder, blackguard, liar, lecher, and self-confessed coward Sir Harry Flashman suffers the ill fortune of being caught up in the Charge of the Light Brigade – and rides with the descendants of Genghis Khan against the might of Imperial Russia, as he attempts to save British India…Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don – England, 1599, and at the Spanish Embassy, a devilish plot is brewing. New envoy Don Diego claims to possess a compromising letter written by Queen Elizabeth 50 years ago: and unless it is retrieved, her reputation as the Virgin Queen will be in tatters. Time to call in Mistress Phoebe Fosdyke, Secret Agent…‘Monsoon Selection Board’ – Corporal David MacNeill recalls his challenging time in 1940s Burma, when he was part of a battalion trying to stop the Japanese army escaping. Hoping to become an officer, he is sent to face the Selection Board – but can he prove his mettle?Bookclub: George MacDonald Fraser – James Naughtie talks to George MacDonald Fraser about his inspiration for the Flashman books, writing a Bond screenplay, and why we can’t resist a rogue.Text copyright © George MacDonald Fraser 1970 (‘Monsoon Selection Board’), 1971 (Flash for Freedom!), 1973 (Flashman at the Charge), 2000 (Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don) Cast and creditsWritten by George MacDonald FraserFlash for FreedomFeaturing Joss Ackland, Rhys Meredith, Nigel Anthony, Christian Rodska, William Hope, Ndidi Del Fatti, Emily Wachter, Jamie Newall, Robert Hastie, Damian Lynch, Stuart MilliganDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Mar-3 Apr 2005Flashman at the ChargeFeaturing Joss Ackland, Angus Wright, Jayne McKenna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Anthony, David Holt, David Bannerman, Peter KennyDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13-20 Oct 2002Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly DonFeaturing Vivienne Dixon, Crawford Logan, Katherine Igoe, Mark McDonnell, James Bryce, Julie AustinWritten by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May 2000‘Monsoon Selection Board’Read by Tom FlemingProduced by Bruce YoungFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 Oct 1990Bookclub: George MacDonald FraserPresented by James NaughtieWith George MacDonald FraserProduced by Dymphna FlynnFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 Jan 2006© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Flashman & more

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Alison Joseph

A quartet of crime dramas by Alison Joseph, including a thrilling murder mystery featuring detective-nun Sister AgnesAn acclaimed crime novelist and dramatist, Alison Joseph has scripted over 25 plays for BBC Radio. This collection showcases four of her original crime dramas, all specially written for Radio 4 – beginning with an apparently open-and-shut case for Sister Agnes that turns out to be anything but...Sister Agnes Investigates – Seconded to the order’s library to catalogue their books, Agnes is shocked when her mousy colleague claims to have killed a man. Convinced Catherine is incapable of murder, the sleuthing Sister sets out to find the truth. Anne-Marie Duff stars as Sister Agnes, with Helen Longworth as Catherine.Jane’s Story – Jane Michaels thought that she and her husband had no secrets from each other. But then James dies suddenly, leaving her with an unfinished property redevelopment project and a heap of unanswered questions… Starring Elizabeth Bell, Ella Smith and Noma Dumezweni.The True Story – When the wife of ex-government minister Richard Carey QC goes missing, her family are thrown into disarray. Could secrets from the past hold the clue to her disappearance? David Ryall and Barbara Flynn star in this intriguing mystery serial.One Down – A mystery crossword appearing in the Rainswick Mercury has the staff flummoxed. Is it just a prank – or is there a sinister message behind it? Starring Nicholas Le Prevost and Adjoah Andoh.© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sister Agnes Investigates & more

Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime and Mystery Dramas

John Graham

Peter Ling

Norman Wisdom stars in this light-hearted comedy crime caper 
 
British comedy legend, Norman Wisdom plays small-time crook Norman Hood who’s just been released from prison for burglary. Hoping to make a new life as an honest man, he is entrusted to widow Natalie Matthews (Moira Lister), who offers him a job and accommodation. However, she has an ulterior motive… 
 
Follow the farcical misadventures of Norman, played out with a huge cast of supporting actors as he tries to stick, but mostly fails, to the straight and narrow! Charming, gentle but ever so funny, Robbing Hood is a joy to listen to. Norman’s bicycle turns out to be an unexpected treasure, there’s a trip to the Grand Hotel which triggers a safe cracking incident, and somehow the hapless ex-con becomes mixed up with the mafia – who needs brains when you’ve got bullies?! When Norman tries to earn an honest crust and gets a job in a marmalade factory, it makes for a sticky situation and the psychiatrist next door wants to know why Norman's talking to trees? This is a vintage treasure of a series, not to be missed. 
 
Sir Norman Wisdom was a comedy legend and national treasure whose stellar career on film, stage and television spanned six decades. Charlie Chaplin once referred to him as his ‘favourite clown’. Robbing Hood is a rare radio outing for the actor and a must listen. Moira Lister was a regular cast member on Hancock’s Half Hour, and also appeared in a number of Ealing Studios comedy films. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by John Graham and Peter Ling 
Based on an idea by Norman Wisdom 
Directed by Leslie Lawton 
 
Norman Hood - Norman Wisdom 
Natalie Matthews - Moira Lister 
Bernard Bassington - Norman Jones 
Beatrice Bassington - Rosemary Leach 
Winifred Bassington/Miss Barlow - Anne Windsor 
Head Waiter - Timothy Carlton 
Prison Governor - Gordon Reid 
Warden - Peter Gunn 
Pettigrew - Royce Mills 
Mr Bargery - Jonathan Adams 
Mrs Bargery - Kate Binchy 
Victor/Charlton Humsecke - John Church 
Lorry driver - David Learner 
BT youth - Matthew Sim 
Valerie/Fiona - Melinda Walker 
Lady helper/Poppet/Michelle - Siriol Jenkins 
Nosher Nelson - Windsor Davis 
The Judge - James Grout 
Fifi - Sally Kinghorn 
Waiter - Eric Allen 
Alfredo - Nicky Henson 
Tracey - Lorraine Chase 
Police Sergeant - Victor Winding 
Inspector/Parrot - John Graham 
Petshop Girl/Receptionist - Joanna Wake 
The Simpson brothers - Henry McGee 
PC Harris - Jonathan Tafler 
Evans - Matthew Morgan 
Roderick Burrows - Keith Drinkel 
Dr Doberman - Andrew Sachs 
Miss Conway - Liza Goddard 
Heidwig - Sally Kinghorn 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 July - 25 August 1992 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robbing Hood

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime Comedy

James Hogg

BBC Radio 4 adaptations of James Hogg’s classic psychological thriller and one of his best-known stories of suspense – plus a bonus docudrama about his lifeJames Hogg was a farmer, poet, novelist and self-educated genius. A friend of Sir Walter Scott, he is recognised today as one of Scotland’s great writers. His masterpiece, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, has influenced authors from Robert Louis Stevenson to Irvine Welsh, and remains relevant today. Re-envisioned for radio, it is included here, alongside a chilling supernatural tale and a drama-documentary exploring his remarkable life.Confessions of a Justified Sinner – Believing he is predestined to go to heaven, Robert Colwan has committed terrible crimes without fear of reprisal. But now, two women are determined to hold him to account. Held captive, Robert begins his confession – but the words that come out of his mouth shock Bell and Arabella to their very core. Lorn Macdonald, Shauna Macdonald and Wendy Seager star in this electrifying reimagining of James Hogg’s seminal novel about a young man radicalised by religious fervour.The Brownie of the Black Haggs – Lady Wheelhope has a reputation as a violent and tyrannical mistress. Her servants are her pawns, to do with what she will – until the mysterious Merodach arrives, and she falls prey to a dangerous obsession… This macabre drama stars Irene Macdougall and James Chisholm.James Hogg: Portrait of a Justified Sinner – James Hogg was patronised by Edinburgh society and disregarded by the literati of the time. Yet now he is seen in some quarters as the finest of his contemporaries. John Shedden stars as Hogg and Iain Cuthbertson as Walter Scott in this fascinating docudrama, written and presented by Hugh Douglas and with contributions from historians, literary critics and admirers of the author.First published 1824 (The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner), 1828 (‘The Brownie of Black Haggs’)Cast and creditsWritten by James HoggConfessions of a Justified SinnerRobert – Lorn MacdonaldArabella – Shauna MacdonaldBella – Wendy SeagerDramatised by Robert ForrestDirected by Kirsty WilliamsStudio Recordings by Niall YoungSound Design and Original Music by Fraser JacksonFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 Mar 2023The Brownie of the Black HaggsLady Wheelhope – Irene MacDougallThe Laird – Paul YoungMerodach – James ChisholmBessie – Mary RiggansWattie – James BryceAdam – Alec HeggieDramatised by Marty RossDirected/produced by Bruce YoungFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 May 2003James Hogg: Portrait of a Justified SinnerJames Hogg – John SheddenWalter Scott – Iain CuthbertsonCharlotte Scott – Joyce DeansWordsworth – Anthony HydeDorothy Wordsworth – Judy CornwellTibbie Shiels – Mary RiggansWritten and presented by Hugh DouglasWith Professor David Daiches, Professor Douglas Gifford, Dr David Groves, Douglas Mack, Walter Barrie, James and Doreen Mitchell, Margaret LaverickDirected by Alec ReidSinger: Geoffrey DavidsonViolinist: Bill McNabFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Jan 1985© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Confessions of a Justified Sinner & The Brownie of the Black Haggs

Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations of Two Classic Thrillers

H. R. F. Keating

BBC Radio adaptations of two historical crime novels by H. R. F. Keating, plus bonus extract from BookshelfBritish detective writer H. R. F. Keating was best known as the creator of Inspector Ghote of the Mumbai CID. He won two Crime Writers’ Association Gold Daggers, and in 1996 was awarded the Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement. Included here are dramatisations of two of his most popular murder mysteries, set in 1930s India and Victorian London, plus a short clip from Radio 4’s Bookshelf featuring the award-winning author.The Murder of the Maharajah – His Highness the Maharajah of Bhopore delights in playing April Fool’s Day tricks on his guests – but the joke turns sour when one of his pranks inadvertently leads to his own murder. Five people apparently had the means and motive to kill him, but as District Superintendent of Police Howard investigates, he realises that the circle of suspects is wider than it seems. Zia Mohyeddin, Renu Setna and Sam Dastor star in this entertaining, Christie-esque drama, adapted from H. R. F. Keating’s Gold Dagger Award-winning novel.The Governess – When Harriet Unwin is hired as a governess in a wealthy London household, it seems that luck is on her side. That is, until the master of the house, William Thackerton, is found stabbed to death – and all the evidence points to her. Desperate to prove her innocence, she turns detective, uncovering the dark secrets hidden behind the family’s respectable Victorian facade.... Based on H. R. F. Keating’s novel written under the pseudonym Evelyn Hervey, this atmospheric adaptation stars Angela Pleasance and James Bolam.Bookshelf – Talking to fellow thriller writer Susan Hill, H. R. F. Keating holds up a magnifying glass to the art of crime fiction as he discusses his work and ideas. 
Please note: this collection contains language that reflects the attitudes of the eraThe Murder of the Maharajah text copyright © H. R. F. Keating 1980The Governess text copyright © Evelyn Hervey 1983Production creditsWritten by H. R. F. KeatingThe Murder of the MaharajahMaharajah – Zia MohyeddinDewan – Renu SetnaPorgy – Lyndam GregoryD S P Howard – Sam DastorRam Singh – Amerjit DeuSir Arthur – Philip AnthonyMichael – Luke BeesonSchoolmaster – BhaskerDolly – Rachel AtkinsJudy – Oona BeesonElaine – Sheila MitchellFrere – Dominic LettsJoe – Steve HodsonMorton – Barry GordonThe GovernessHarriet Unwin – Angela PleasanceSergeant Drewd – James BolamPelham – James HollandMrs Arthur Thackerton – Susan JamesonWilliam Thackerton – Jack MayArthur Thackerton – Tony MathewsJoseph – Steve HodsonVilkins – Emily RichardGrandmother Thackerton – Joan MathesonHopkinson – David SinclairHannah – Victoria CarlingMrs Breakspear – Eva StuartNewspaper voice – John RyeMiss Bond – Marian DiamondJohn – Stephen TompkinsonPC Wilson – Anthony JacksonSurgeon – Alan DudleyMr Brattle – Kim WallPC Smithers – Michael TroughtonSuperintendent – Stephen Thorne© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Murder of the Maharajah & The Governess

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime Dramatisations

Mahesh Dattani

Three original murder mysteries featuring Bangalore detective Uma Rao 
 
Actor, writer and director Mahesh Dattani is the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award by India’s National Academy of Letters. Included here are all three of his plays featuring Uma Rao – PhD student, daughter-in-law of Bangalore's deputy commissioner of police, and wife of the superintendent. Priyanga Burford (neé Elan), stars as the intrepid sleuth, with full casts including Shiv Grewal, Saeed Jaffrey, Ajay Chhabra, Amerjit Deu and Nitin Chandra Ganatra. 
 
Seven Circles Around the Fire – For her university thesis, Uma is conducting research into the Hijra community (third gender people who are invited to sing, dance and give blessings at weddings and births, but marginalized from mainstream society). But her inquiries uncover a case of corruption, murder and a terrible miscarriage of justice... 
 
The Swami and Winston – When an English aristocrat is found murdered outside a Hindu temple, the only clues are a mischievous dog and a Burberry raincoat. Why was Lady Montefiore visiting an ashram, and who could have wanted to kill her? As Uma delves into her death, she comes into contact with religious fanaticism at its most dangerous... 
 
Uma and the Fairy Queen – Attending a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Uma is embroiled in another murder investigation when the actor playing Oberon, Michael Forsyth, is kidnapped, reappears just in time to go on, and is then found shot dead after the show. Suspicion falls on his wife, but Uma is convinced that the solution to the mystery lies in the play itself... 
 
 
Seven Circles around the Fire 
Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan 
Suresh Rao – Rehan Sheikh 
Constable Muniswami – Shiv Grewal 
Jumpa – Saeed Jaffrey 
Anarkili – Rikki Beadle-Blair 
Saleem – Amerjit Deu 
Mr Shirma – Nitin Chandra Ganatra 
Suba Shirma – Ajay Chhabra 
Produced and directed by Jeremy Mortimer 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 January 1999 
 
The Swami and Winston 
Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan 
Constable – Shiv Grewal 
Charles – Andrew Wincott 
Suresh – Ajay Chhabra 
Swami – Saeed Jaffrey 
Sitaram – Paul Bhattarcharjee 
Lady Montefiore – Richenda Carey 
Driver – Amerjit Deu 
Farmer – Nitin Chandra Ghanatra 
Produced and directed by Jeremy Mortimer 
Music by Eero Hameenniemi 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 June 2000 
 
Uma and the Fairy Queen 
Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan 
Suresh – Ajay Chhabra 
Nila – Souad Faress 
Feroz – Akbar Kurtha 
Malik – Kaleem Janjua 
Liam – Gerard McDermott 
Michael – Stephen Critchlow 
Produced and directed by Marc Beeby 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 August 2003 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Uma Rao Mysteries

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime Dramas

Daphne du Maurier

A comprehensive collection of dramatisations of Daphne du Maurier’s works 
 
'Containing performances from well-known actors from past and present, Daphne du Maurier: The BBC Radio Collection is a rich feast for all fans of the writer's work.' - Entertainment Focus 
 
Daphne du Maurier was one of the 20th century’s most popular writers. Extraordinarily prolific, she produced a string of bestsellers, many of which were adapted as award-winning films. From romance and adventure yarns to psychological thrillers and supernatural tales, the breadth and imaginative variety of her storytelling continues to thrill us today. 
 
This bumper collection features her most famous works and some lesser-known gems, beginning with full-cast adaptations of seven of her much-loved novels – Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, Frenchman’s Creek, The King’s General, My Cousin Rachel, The Scapegoat and The House on the Strand. With settings ranging from the 19th century to the English Civil War and the Black Death of 1349, these thrilling tales take us from the wilds of Cornwall to Monte Carlo, Italy and northwestern France. Among the star casts are Susannah Corbett, Christopher Cazenove, Lorna Heilbron, Cathryn Harrison, Adam Godley, Hugh Burden and Ian Richardson. 
 
Next up are two of her acclaimed plays, The Years Between, set in the 1940s and telling the story of a woman whose MP husband is reported killed in action, and September Tide, a bittersweet love story centred around a mother, her newly-married daughter and her artist son-in-law. Diana Quick, Roger Allam, Paula Wilcox, Jonathan Firth and Alice Hart star in these twisty, subversive dramas. 
 
We conclude with a selection of Daphne du Maurier’s short fiction. Dramatised by Melissa Murray, ‘The Birds’ stars Neil Dudgeon and Nicola Walker. It is followed by ‘The Blue Lenses’ and ‘The Little Photographer’, starring Bethany Muir and Lucy Boynton respectively; and ‘The Apple Tree’, starring Charles Gray. Also included are full-cast adaptations of ‘Panic’ (starring Dinsdale Landen and Maureen O’Brien), ‘The Chamois’ (starring Christopher Cazenove and Anna Cropper), ‘The Alibi’ (starring Tony Britton and Sarah Badel), ‘Ganymede’ (starring John Le Mesurier and Anthony Daniels) and ‘Don’t Look Now’ (starring Jamie Parker and Aisling Loftus). 
 
Please note that the pieces in this collection range from vintage 1970s productions to modern adaptations, and the sound quality reflects the age of the recordings. 
 
Contents 
Jamaica Inn 
Rebecca 
Frenchman’s Creek 
The King’s General 
My Cousin Rachel 
The Scapegoat 
The House on the Strand 
The Years Between 
September Tide 
‘The Birds’ 
‘The Blue Lenses’ 
‘The Little Photographer’ 
‘The Apple Tree’ 
‘Panic’ 
‘The Chamois’ 
‘The Alibi’ 
‘Ganymede’ 
‘Don’t Look Now’ 
 
Text copyright © 1936 (Jamaica Inn), 1938 (Rebecca), 1941 (Frenchman’s Creek), 1943 (The Years Between), 1946 (The King’s General), 1949 (September Tide), 1951 (My Cousin Rachel), 1952 (‘The Birds’, ‘The Little Photographer’, ‘Blue Lenses’, ‘The Apple Tree’), 1954 (‘Panic’), 1957 (The Scapegoat), 1959 (‘The Chamois’, ‘The Alibi’, ‘Ganymede’), 1969 (The House on the Strand), 1971 (‘Don’t Look Now’). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Daphne du Maurier: The BBC Radio Collection

Including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, Frenchman’s Creek & more

Peter Whalley

A bumper collection of radio thrillers from acclaimed scriptwriter Peter WhalleyPeter Whalley was Coronation Street&rsquo;s longest-serving writer, scripting 601 episodes between 1979 and 2014. His other works included TV&rsquo;s Albion Market and Castles, 40 radio plays and 10 novels, and in 2009 he was presented with a Special Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards. Collected here are 14 of his finest radio crime dramas and thrillers, with full casts including Lee Ingleby, Joanne Froggatt, Tracy Wiles, Robert Pickavance, Jason Done, Lyndsey Marshal, David Calder and Paula Tilbrook.Our opening play, The Disappearance, is a compelling psychological thriller about a landlord and tenant who are not who they say they are, while in The Trial, Molly finds that falling in love with a stranger has never been scarier. In Who Shot Ada Tansey?, there&rsquo;s turmoil behind the scenes of a Northern soap opera when the leading lady is murdered, and after a death at a dinner party, the remaining diners become suspects in The Absent Guest. The Blackpool Detective follows actor-turned-PI Ben Lomax, as he takes over his father&rsquo;s investigation agency and is faced with a serious case. A terrible lie is about to be revealed in The Test, as the reinvestigation of an old murder threatens to turn John Newland&rsquo;s life upside down. And in When Last I Saw You, the law&rsquo;s failure leads a desperate woman to impose her own justice.A man picks up a female hitch-hiker in The Longest Journey &ndash; but both are concealing a secret. Blackmail is the theme of the six-part mystery serial Letters of Introduction, whereas The Second Son centres around identity, fraud and self-belief. When Lauren&rsquo;s estranged husband unexpectedly returns, his motives for walking out on her become clear in Reasons for Leaving. Hoodlums finds a gang of bank robbers reunited after years in prison: but old age hasn&rsquo;t blunted their criminal instincts. Nosy neighbours, a missing wife and a husband suspected of killing her are at the heart of Neighbourhood Watch, and in Nearly Dead, an old man is murdered in a geriatric hospital. With the other residents lost in their own worlds, can DI Halliwell fight through a fog of confusion to find the truth?Cast and creditsWritten by Peter WhalleyContentsThe DisappearanceThe TrialWho Shot Ada Tansey?The Absent GuestThe Blackpool DetectiveThe TestWhen Last I Saw YouThe Longest JourneyLetters of IntroductionThe Second SonReasons for LeavingHoodlumsNeighbourhood WatchNearly Dead&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Who Shot Ada Tansey? & other thrillers

14 Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas

A. E. W. Mason

BBC dramatisations of two classic detective novels featuring Inspector Gabriel Hanaud of the Paris Sûreté 
 
The brilliant creation of British author A.E.W. Mason, Inspector Hanaud has been hailed as ‘the first major fiction police detective of the Twentieth Century’, and was one of the inspirations for Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. In these engaging whodunits, France’s cleverest investigator is tasked with proving the innocence of two young women, both accused of murder. 
 
At the Villa Rose – Madame Dauvray is found strangled at her villa, her priceless jewellery stolen. All the evidence points to her English companion Celia Harland, who has since disappeared. Holidaying in Aix-les Bains, Inspector Hanaud is approached by her fiancé Harry, who persuades him to take up the case…First published in 1910, this gripping mystery was the first outing for Inspector Hanaud, played here by Andrew Sachs, with Nicholas Rowe as Harry and Fiona Clarke as Celia. 
 
The House of the Arrow – When a wealthy widow dies suddenly, the finger of suspicion points at her adopted daughter, Betty Harlowe. Her English lawyer, Frobisher, calls in Inspector Hanaud, who has come to Dijon to investigate a spate of poison-pen letters. Can he unravel the mystery surrounding the House of the Arrow? Richard Pasco stars as Hanaud in this adaptation of A.E.W. Mason’s 1924 thriller, alongside Benedick Blythe, Moir Leslie and Deborah Makepeace. 
 
 
At the Villa Rose 
Hanaud – Andrew Sachs 
Ricardo – Ian Masters 
Wethermill – Nicholas Rowe 
Celia – Fiona Clarke 
Madame Dauvray/Marthe/Jeanne – Janet Whiteside 
Helene Vauquiers/Waitress – Alice Arnold 
Perrichet/Lemerre – Stephen Critchlow 
Servattaz/Besnard – Sean Baker 
Adele – Becky Hindley 
Dramatised by David Benedictus 
Directed by Marion Nancarrow 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 October 1999 
 
The House of the Arrow 
Inspector Hanaud – Richard Pasco 
Jim Frobisher – Benedick Blythe 
Betty Harlowe – Moir Leslie 
Ann Upcott – Deborah Makepeace 
Francine Rollard – Carole Boyd 
Boris Waberski/Girardot – Alfredo Michelsen 
Carlos Espinosa/Gaston – Clive Panto 
Maurice Thevenet – Mark Jones 
Adapted by Alan Downer 
Directed by Christopher Venning 
Music composed and directed by Terence Allbright 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 February 1984 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Lt

Inspector Hanaud: At the Villa Rose & House of the Arrow

Paul Sellar

Four gritty thrillers from acclaimed dramatist Paul Sellar 
 
‘The master of deception layered upon deception’ Moira Petty, The Stage 
 
Paul Sellar is an award-winning playwright working in theatre, film and radio. This compulsive collection brings together four of his gritty, modern thrillers, set at the intersection of the murky worlds of corrupt business and criminality. 
 
The Gold Killing – Boxer turned businessman Joe Stein would normally run a mile from the Russian mafia and their dirty money. But a chance to invest in a Ghanaian gold mine with incredible deposits seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When the returns from the mine begin to pay dividends he’d rather be without, he finds himself in the biggest fight of his life – to stay alive… Robert Glenister stars in this gripping tale of fear, greed and fraud. 
 
How to Build a Supertower – When property tycoon Max Silver is persuaded to build an iconic new London skyscraper, he hopes it will secure his family’s future – and his own legacy. But he needs all his deal-making skills to avoid the traps put in his path by big business – and by sheer human folly. Starring Robert Glenister, this four-part drama takes you on a roller-coaster ride through the cut-throat domain of international commerce. 
 
The Moonflask – When a group of jobseekers meet on a back-to-work course they pool their various skills to plot a daring heist. Their plan: to steal a priceless Ming vase from an auction house and return it to its rightful owner. But who is conning whom? Lee Ross, Ken Bones and Sean Murray star in this fast-paced caper with a conscience that’s full of twists and turns. 
 
Takeover – Self-made tycoon Harry has fought his way to the very top of the business ladder. So when his less successful sibling, Adam, asks him for help fending off a hostile takeover bid from his dodgy rival Terry White, Harry agrees. But fortune can be fickle, and it favours the ruthless… Shortlisted for the 2012 Imison Award, this dark drama of duplicity and double-crossing stars Allan Corduner and Adam Levy. 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Gold Killing & more

Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Thrillers

Ted Allbeury

A collection of full-cast dramatisations and original radio plays from master storyteller Ted Allbeury – plus bonus programmes 
 
Described by Len Deighton as ‘a classic writer of espionage fiction’, Ted Allbeury based his many acclaimed spy novels on his own real-life experiences. In World War II, he served as an intelligence officer with Special Operations Executive, and subsequently ran agents across the border between East and West Germany during the Cold War. He began writing in his fifties, and went on to pen over 40 bestselling books, five of which are dramatised here alongside three plays specially written for BBC Radio and two bonus documentaries. 
 
The Lonely Margins tells the story of James Harmer, parachuted into France in 1944 on a secret mission. Christian Rodska and Kim Thomson star in this tense tale of danger and deceit. 
 
Inspired by actual events, The Other Side of Silence sees MI6 agent John Powell tasked with finding out why notorious traitor Kim Philby wants to return to England from Russia. James Bolam stars as Powell, with Nigel Hawthorne as Philby. 
 
In Long Ago and Far Away, starring David McAlister and Kate Binchy, two ex-SOE operatives find the past returning to haunt them when a voice on the radio brings back memories best left dormant. 
 
In Pay Any Price, a Presidential assassination sparks trouble for the CIA and SIS, as they deal with the consequences of a sinister programme known as MKUltra… Starring Barry Foster, Robert Beatty, Susannah Fellows and Michael J. Shannon. 
 
The Way We Live finds Andrew Collins discovering the unexpected repercussions of being ‘positively vetted’ by the Security Service, starring John Forbes-Robertson. 
 
Time Spent in Reconnaissance sees Peter Harvey finding out how an old military adage applies to his professional and private lives. This thrilling radio play stars Michael Cochrane. 
 
No Place to Hide centres around John Rennie (James Kerry), a secret agent whose loyalty is tested when he is ordered to do something he considers abhorrent. 
 
Meanwhile, in Deep Purple, starring Michael Melia, Louise Germain and Steve Hodson, the fates of a Secret Intelligence Service officer, a Russian defector and a prostitute are inextricably linked. 
 
We conclude with the fascinating two-parter Occupation: Spy, in which Ted Allbeury gives us his unique perspective on the shadowy world of spies and spying. 
 
NB: The language in these programmes reflects the era in which they were first broadcast 
 
Due to the age of these archive recordings, the sound quality may vary 
 
Text copyright © Ted Allbeury 1981 (The Lonely Margins, The Other Side of Silence), 1982 (Long Ago and Far Away), 1983 (Pay Any Price, The Way We Live, Time Spent in Reconnaissance), 1984 (No Place to Hide), 1989 (Deep Purple) 
 
'If you like spy stories rooted in the Second World War madness and Cold War paranoia, and appreciate quality radio drama, then ‘Occupation: Spy' will continue to delight for almost eighteen hours' - Greg Jameson 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Occupation: Spy

Eight Full-Cast BBC Radio Spy Thrillers

Simon Bovey

Four gripping sci-fi adventures from acclaimed scriptwriter Simon Bovey 
 
Simon Bovey is an established writer and director who has penned numerous compelling dramas for BBC Radio. Collected here are four of his sensational sci-fi tales, packed with mystery, suspense and terror... 
 
Cold Blood – Recorded in 2005 but set in 2015, this chilling serial follows a group of scientists conducting research in Antarctica. Once the most pristine environment in the world, this icy wilderness has become gold rush country. Biotechnology companies have raced to unravel the secrets of life in a cold climate, drawn by the lure of lightning in a bottle. Now someone’s captured it – and a killer is on the loose… Starring Tom Mannion, Tim McMullan, Ndidi Del Fatti, Helen Longworth and Stuart McLoughlin. 
 
The Voice of God – Investigating a series of mysterious Australian earthquakes, seismologist Sam Rideout and her outback guide, Joshua, make a sinister discovery when they track the tremors to their epicentre inside an old British nuclear test site. Joshua is Aboriginal, and Maralinga is a sacred place to his people. But it also happens to be a top-secret facility, researching a sonic super-weapon that could lead to global catastrophe… Clare Corbett, Matthew Dyktinski, Geoffrey Beevers and David Thorpe star in this tense apocalyptic thriller serial. 
 
Slipstream – It’s 1945, and the Allies are on course to win the war. But then an unidentified Nazi aircraft appears: silver, disc-shaped and capable of astonishing speed. When it shoots down 150 RAF bombers, Major Barton and his British Commando unit are sent on a dangerous mission to investigate… Rory Kinnear, Tim McMullan, Ben Crowe, Joannah Tincey and Rachel Atkins star in this action-packed serial set during World War II. 
 
Hive Mind – Written in 2010, this dystopian eco-drama is set in 2019, in a world where honeybees are officially extinct. Their role now falls to an army of seasonal migrant workers, hired by farmers like Sam Clark to pollinate crops by hand. It’s a costly, labour-intensive process, so when a new technological solution is developed in the form of tiny artificial ‘bees’, Sam jumps at the chance to try it. But the arrival of the Honeybots proves anything but ideal… Starring Tony Bell and Ania Sowinski, with Michael Shelford, Alison Pettitt, David Seddon and Lloyd Thomas. 
 
 
Written by Simon Bovey 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Cold Blood & other stories

Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Sci-Fi Thrillers

Franz Kafka

Kafka’s finest works adapted for BBC radio – plus a biographical play, three discussion pieces and the award-winning Kafka The Musical 
 
A lawyer by day, Franz Kafka spent his nights writing visionary stories and novels exploring bureaucracy, power and alienation – iconic fiction that gave the world the adjective ‘Kafkaesque’. 
 
This BBC anthology showcases his most famous works. Metamorphosis tells the tale of Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Starring Tom Basden, this Radio 4 production gives Kafka’s classic a modern twist with a darkly comic edge. In The Trial, a protagonist known only as ‘K’ is plunged into a nightmare world when he is accused of an unknown crime. Iwan Rheon leads an all-star cast including Phil Davis and Mark Heap. 
 
Set in 1911, Kafka’s debut novel The Man Who Disappeared (Amerika) features a young man from Prague, sent away to the New World after an indiscretion with a girl. Read by Carl Prekopp, Tiny Tales offers an exquisite study in restlessness, while Dermot Crowley narrates the short story ‘A Country Doctor’. 
 
Also included is Franz and Felice, a biographical play, and the Kafkaesque drama Kafka: The Musical, in which the author finds he has been cast to play himself in a show about his own life. David Tennant stars in this award-winning Radio 3 production. Three fascinating documentary programmes round off our collection, with discussions pieces on the man and the work. 
 
First published 1915 (Metamorphosis), 1916 (‘A Country Doctor’), 1925 (The Trial), 1927 (Amerika) 
 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Franz Kafka: The Trial, Metamorphosis, Amerika & more

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama collection

William Shakespeare

Robert Louis Stevenson

Oscar Wilde

Mary Elizabeth Braddon

BBC radio dramatisations of classic novels featuring some of literature’s most devious and compelling villainsCunning. Corrupt. Charismatic. The degenerate characters in this collection shun conventional morality, and will stop at nothing to get what they want... These five sensational dramas, set in locations ranging from 16th century Venice to Victorian England, revolve around their unscrupulous actions – and the devastating consequences of the choices they make.Othello – Lenny Henry stars in this acclaimed production of Shakespeare's great tragedy of love turned sour by unfounded jealousy. Othello is a brave general and a noble man – but the evil manipulations of his lieutenant, Iago (Conrad Nelson) provoke his descent into deluded rage.The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Introduced by David Tennant, this fast-moving dramatisation tells the disturbing tale of a scientist who experiments on himself to release his uncontrollable dark side, and of the lawyer’s daughter determined to bring him to book. Starring Stuart MacQuarrie, John Dougall and Madeleine Worrell.The Picture of Dorian Gray – Vain, hedonistic aristocrat Dorian Gray makes a Faustian pact to preserve his youthful beauty. But after years of decadence and selfish pleasure, is retribution on the horizon? Jamie Glover and Ian McDiarmid star in this adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s famous novel.Lady Audley’s Secret– Newly married to rich widower Lord Audley, former governess Lucy Graham glories in the delights of her new life. When her scandalous past is discovered, she will dare anything to preserve the security and wealth she has gained… Starring Hattie Morahan, Charlotte Emerson and Alex Wyndham, this thrilling serial retains all the mystery and suspense of Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Gothic ‘sensation novel’.Confessions of a Justified Sinner – Robert Colwan believes he is destined for salvation no matter what crimes he commits. If you can kill without paying the price, how murderous can you become? And what, if anything, does that do to your psyche? Lorn Macdonald stars in this tense, eerie reimagining of James Hogg’s seminal novel about a young man radicalised by religious fanaticism.Content listOthelloWritten by William Shakespeare 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Feb 2010The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeWritten by Robert Louis Stevenson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 Nov 2016The Picture of Dorian GrayWritten by Oscar Wilde 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 Jan-6 Feb 2000Lady Audley’s SecretWritten by Mary Elizabeth Braddon 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Apr-1 May 2009Confessions of a Justified SinnerWritten by James Hogg 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 Mar 2023© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Immorality Unmasked: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Five Full-Cast Dramatisations Including Othello, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde & The Picture of Dorian Gray

Matthew Broughton

From the writer of Tracks and Broken Colours, a gripping new drama about the collision of medicine and something infinitely stranger 
 
When Dr Anna Diaz moves from an urban practice in Cardiff to take on a new job in Bly, a remote village in rural Wales, she finds a community reeling from the unexpected death of their last GP and a startling number of curious rare medical conditions. Among them, a young woman who has become so hairy she looks like an ape, a farmer who is growing new bones, a teacher who hasn't slept for a month, and an old man who has gained enormous amounts of weight and has horns growing out of his head. Deeply unsettled, the locals feel something viral and horrendous is happening to them - they're anxious, confused, afraid, and need help. 
 
Dr. Diaz is determined to understand what's happening, and to cure and reassure the people of the village. But when the sicknesses evolve and villagers start dying, things begin to balloon out of even the Doctor's serene control. The puzzle forms piece by piece as Anna's investigations into the disparate conditions reveal hidden connections. All the illnesses appear to be leading her to the previous GP, his death, and something she's never seen before. 
 
Starring Saran Morgan as Anna Diaz, Sion Daniel Young as Ged Diaz and Michelle Bonnard as Ruth. 
 
Cast: 
Anna Diaz &ndash; Saran Morgan 
Ged Diaz &ndash; Sion Daniel Young 
Ruth &ndash; Michelle Bonnard 
Mr Devonshire &ndash; Pal Aron 
Mr Dartington &ndash; Ifan Huw Dafydd 
Raymond &ndash; Ioan Hefin 
Maggie &ndash; Catrin Aaron 
Nell &ndash; Diana Yekinni 
Sian Ellis &ndash; Ceri Lloyd 
 
Credits: 
Written by Matthew Broughton 
Original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies 
Sound Design by Catherine Robinson 
Production Coordinators: Eleri McAuliffe and Lindsay Rees 
Directed by John Norton and Fay Lomas 
A BBC Audio Wales production for Radio 4 
 
&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Specialist

A Full-Cast BBC Mystery Thriller

Ben Lewis

A propulsive thriller starring Jack Rowan, Siena Kelly and Iain de Caestecker. 
 All three series of this fast-paced thriller from award-winning writer Ben Lewis, performed by a stellar cast – it will have you gripped from the first episode.When Jake signs up to a personal training programme that promises to turn the meekest man-boy into an alpha male, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s getting himself into. Two years later, his sister Maya sets out to uncover the truth. Life-changing events come thick and fast as The System’s true intent is revealed. In the shadowy world she uncovers, everything can shift in a heartbeat. Lives become polarized. Can Jake and Maya find it in themselves to resolve their differences and survive when their increasingly divided worlds collide? Time is running out and the siblings find themselves pulled into a fight for survival. For them. And for us.Who is really in charge? And can they stop The System?The System explores the dark fringes of masculinity through a nail-biting, cultish adventure that will have you hooked.Winner of the Prix Europa for Best Radio Series in 2021, this action-packed and engrossing thriller’s cast includes BAFTA nominee Siena Kelly (Adult Material), Jack Rowan (Noughts + Crosses) and Iain de Caestecker (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).Written by Ben LewisDirected by Kirsty WilliamsProduced by BBC ScotlandOriginal music and sound design by Danny Krass. Featuring tracks from Equiknoxx music collectiveCastJake - Jack Rowan (Series 1 and 3) / Alex Austin (Series 2)Maya - Siena KellyAlex - Iain de Caestecker 
Jerome - Don Gilét 
Beau - Matthew Needham 
DI Cohen/Jess - Chloe Pirrie 
Coyote - Divian LadwaGrace - Ashna RabheruDr Khalid Hassan - Souad FaressJess - Chloe PirrieRichard - Pip Torrens Liv - Jemima RooperAngel Investor/Matt Finch/Control - Rhashan StoneCarly/Amanda - Lois ChimimbaAsh/Reggie - Ian Dunnett JnrVoice of the Game/Robin - Ryan Sampson Wendy - Amelia BullmoreFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 May – 2 July 2021 (Series 1), 10 June – 9 July 2022 (Series 2), 15 September – 13 October 2023 (Series 3)©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The System: The Complete Series 1-3

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Thriller

Berkely Mather

Ten full-cast BBC Radio thrillers by Berkely Mather 
 
Berkely Mather (real name John Evan Weston-Davies) was a British author who wrote sixteen novels ranging from historical adventures to espionage fiction. A prolific writer for television and radio, he contributed scripts to TV series including Z Cars and The Avengers, and his film credits include Dr. No. 
 
Included here are some of his best radio thrillers, beginning with The Sand Leopard, charting the exploits of Geth Straker, captain of the Peregrine. The trouble-hunting mariner is commissioned to sail to the Red Sea in search of sunken Second World War bullion – but are his two new crew members what they seem? Neil McCallum stars as Straker in this action-packed drama. 
 
In The Hard Buy, it is the late 1960s, and wealthy young British playboy Brett Beaumont (John Rye) suddenly finds himself discredited and framed. Aboard his luxury yacht, he embarks on a dramatic journey to clear his name. 
 
The Meisterspringer, starring Cyril Shaps and Graham Blockey, sees ‘Meisterspringer’ Paul Mettold blackmailed by British agents into arranging the escape from prison of Russian spy James Carter. But the breakout does not go according to plan… 
 
The Bounce Back features six plays themed around retribution – Returned Without Thanks, Honesty’s The Best Fiddle, The Stake-Out, Just a Detail, Never Let Your Left Hand Know…, and Quick Returns. Among the casts are Hector Ross, Hilda Schroder, Henry Stamper, Humphrey Morton, Douglas Hankin, Sheila Grant, Alan Dudley and Ronald Herdman. 
 
Finally, the 30-minute drama Bird’s Eye View, starring Geoffrey Matthews and Cecile Chevreau, tells the story of an English convict on a French prison island who attempts to escape by boat – but on board, a surprise awaits him… 
 
NB: Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary. Some episodes contain dated attitudes and language 
 
 First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 31 July-18 September 1961 (The Sand Leopard), 15 October 1962 (Bird’s Eye View), 23 January-13 March 1967 (The Bounce Back), 27 June-22 July 1968 (The Hard Buy), 21 April-26 May 1985 (The Meisterspringer) 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Sand Leopard & Other Vintage Thrillers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Collection

C.S. Forester

Full cast BBC Radio productions of five of C. S. Forester’s classic novels 
 
Most famous for his Hornblower series, iconic writer C. S. Forester tells tales of adventure like no other. This BBC radio collection features modern adaptations of five of his acclaimed novels, including The African Queen (famously adapted as an Oscar-winning film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn) and The Gun, which was turned into the hit Hollywood movie The Pride and the Passion. 
 
The African Queen – East Africa, 1915. When missionary Rose Sayer’s brother dies and the German army invade their village, she finds herself thrown together with cowardly Cockney Charlie Allnut in his rickety steam-powered boat, The African Queen. Together, they brave German attacks, rapids, malaria and mechanical mishaps – but can they survive each other’s company? This radio dramatisation goes back to the novel, reinstating Forester's original ending and giving Charlie his Cockney identity back. Samantha Bond stars as Rose, with Toby Jones as Charlie. 
 
London Noir – Based on early novels by C. S. Forester, these three psychological thrillers take crime writing in a new direction by portraying ordinary, desperate people engaging in monstrous acts. Set in the 1920s, Payment Deferred centres around a bank clerk who commits a heinous crime to get out of debt, while Plain Murder sees three ad men plotting the ‘perfect murder’. And in The Pursued, it is 1935, and an elderly lady becomes obsessed with revenge when her daughter is found dead. Greg Wise narrates these chilling dramas, with casts including Sam Dale, Bryan Dick and Sophie Thompson. 
 
The Gun – This masterful historical drama tells the story of a massive 18-pounder gun that falls into the hands of Spanish partisans during the Peninsular War. Dragged across the mountains and plains of Spain, it becomes a potent symbol of pride and resistance – and changes the lives of those who fight each other to the death to gain control of it. Scott Arthur and Matthew Grevelle star in this gripping tale of guerrilla warfare. 
 
Text copyright C. S. Forester 1926 (Payment Deferred), 1930 (Plain Murder), 1933 (The Gun), 1935 (The African Queen, The Pursued) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by C. S. Forester 
 
The African Queen 
Featuring Samantha Bond, Toby Jones, Stephen Critchlow, Mark Edel-Hunt, David Acton 
Adapted by Paul Mendelson 
Produced and directed by David Ian Neville 
Music composed and played by Gary C. Newman 
 
London Noir 
Dramatised by Paul Mendelson 
Produced and directed by David Ian Neville 
Music composed by Gary C. Newman 
Clarinet: Samantha Baldwin 
 
Payment Deferred 
Featuring Greg Wise, Sam Dale, Rebecca Lacey, Teresa Gallagher, Nick Underwood, David Thorpe, Sam Cummings, Emily Dolbear 
 
Plain Murder 
Featuring Greg Wise, Bryan Dick, Susie Riddell, Crawford Logan, David Seddon, Christopher Webster, David Holt, Cassie Layton, Imogen Barnes 
 
The Pursued 
Featuring Greg Wise, Sophie Thompson, Ben Crowe, Tessa Peake-Jones, Richard Lumsden, Carl Prekopp, Charlie Abbit, Cassie Layton 
 
The Gun 
Featuring Scott Arthur, Matthew Gravelle, Keiron Self, Don Gilet, Kevin Doyle 
Dramatised by Mike Walker 
Produced by Polly Thomas 
 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

C.S. Forester: The African Queen, The Gun and more

5 Full Cast Dramatisations of iconic novels

David Valla stars in a gripping story of drugs, deception and betrayal set in 1960s LondonTransport yourself to London&rsquo;s swinging sixties and the dark underbelly of the capital city in this immersive thriller that will have you hooked from the start. Find yourself trapped in the brutal world of drug dealers, vice and deception. This is an evocative and gripping listen with a full cast and stunning score.It&rsquo;s the late 1960s and Nico Gachet is a young French student on the run in England. After making some terrible mistakes he must take drastic measures if he is to save his life and the lives of those he loves. Hoping to make amends for a terrible crime, Nico plans a dangerous liaison in the heart of the city. However, everywhere he turns the fearsome &lsquo;Buller&rsquo; looms. Nico&rsquo;s plans begin to fall apart and he must choose who he can trust. Can the young man pick his allies wisely and are they really who they say they are? Who is the sinister drug dealer Buller? And can Nico save himself and his friends? This atmospheric story is a perfect listen for fans of vintage thrillers such as Edward Boyd, Find the Lady and Paul Temple.Starring David Valla, who is known for his roles as Bill Warren in Crossroads and Eddie Syms in Coronation Street. Written by Peter Ling, the co-creator of Crossroads, whose writing credits include Doctor Who for television and radio adaptations of Sherlock Holmes and Gideon Fell. 
Cast and creditsWritten by Peter Ling 
Produced by Ronald MasonNico Gachet - David Valla 
Karen Engstrom - Patricia Gallimore 
Mrs Benson - Hilda Kriseman 
Neil Benson - Derek Seaton 
Andrew Plessey - Geoffrey Wincott 
Miss Hathaway - Hilda Schroder 
Garage Mechanic/Ambulance Man - Roger Gale 
Vince McAfferty - Kerry Francis 
Coffee House Boss - John Gabriel 
Landlady - Diana Payan 
Syd Schumann - Leonard Fenton 
Indian Doctor/Inspector - Garard Green 
Ray Lockett - Alaric Cotter 
Detective - Michael Deacon 
Stall Keeper - Peter Maycock 
Suzanne Kaye - Cecile Chevreau 
Salesman - Ian Thompson 
Buller - Henry Stamper 
Receptionist - Frances Jeater 
Amanda - Margaret Wolfit 
Night Nurse - Kathleen HelmeFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 2, 7 August 1969&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Death Speaks Another Language

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Thriller

Harry Venning

Neil Brand

Meet the bungling surveillance team you won&rsquo;t want on your tail.The time, now - the place, outside your window. Three surveillance operatives are on an unspecified job, working for an unspecified employer. Together, they are Beagle Team.Good surveillance operatives have patience, alertness and discretion - this is a series about the other type of surveillance operative. Bill (Richard Lumsden), career snoop and technical specialist, has long carried a torch for beautiful yet disconnected fieldworker Sharla (Nina Conti), who doesn't know he exists, despite sharing the back of a van with him for most of their working life. Mark (Daniel Kaluuya), an enthusiastic yet slightly criminal trainee, has been assigned to them by their unknown employer, who goes by the codename &lsquo;Huntsman&rsquo;. However, whilst the team should be focusing on honing their surveillance skills, they spend more time backstabbing and scapegoating each other. Usually the team member out in the field with the microphones&hellip;Faced with fresh targets, situations and locations, can the team botch their way to bringing down a team of blackmailers, stake out a Russian billionaire or learn anything from a CIA operative? What will happen when old rivals Terrier Team come onto their patch and what about that job so secret even the boss doesn&rsquo;t know about it?Sneakiepeeks is a laugh-out-loud comedy featuring an all-star cast including comedian Nina Conti, Clare in the Community's Richard Lumsden and Daniel Kaluuya, star of Skins, Get Out and Black Panther. It&rsquo;s written by Harry Venning, the creator of Clare in the Community, and Neil Brand, the creator of Big Broadcast.&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution LtdCast and creditsWritten by Harry Venning and Neil BrandProduced by Katie TyrellBill - Richard LumsdenSharla - Nina ContiMark - Daniel KaluuyaTony Savage/Captain Le Clerc - Kevin EldonGeoff/Boris/Bristow - John BigginsTed/Bolkonski - Shaban ArifiNanny/Milij/Russian Girl - Alex TregearMr Smith/Russian Crew/Ignatius/Fuego - Nigel HastingsMrs Smith/Russian Girl/Mrs A/Delphine - Kate LaydenBishop/Russian Crew/Mr A - Ewan HooperJustine/Mrs Davies/Secretary -Tessa NicholsonDavid/Colonel/Customer 2/Channing - Ewan BaileyMan - Rhys JenningsEdward Barraclough MP/Ian - Paterson Joseph 
Norris/Tim the Tea Boy - Joe Thomas 
Ros/Mrs Davies - Lucy Montgomery 
Customer 1- Harry Venning 
Customer 3 - Neil BrandFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 December 2009

Sneakiepeeks

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy

Honoré De Balzac

Stunning all-star adaptations of Balzac&rsquo;s finest worksThis brilliant collection of France&rsquo;s foremost nineteenth-century novelist and playwright delivers four of his most fascinating works - stories of love, rivalry, horror and adventure - all brought to life by a stellar cast including Stephen Fry and Alex Kingston. A huge influence on many of the most famous writers from Proust to Kerouac to Dickens, Balzac delivers beautifully observed and complex characters with an unsurpassed attention to the details of society at the time, making him an exemplary of realism in European literature.Pere Goriot - Dramatised in four parts, this is the story of Eugene, who has discovered that the mysterious Pere Goriot has two daughters who could provide the key to his entry into Parisian society&hellip; Starring Stephen Fry as the author Balzac and Alex Kingston as Delphine.Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) - 74 year old Dr Minoret has returned to live out his final days in his home town. His grasping nephews and nieces eagerly await his demise but the good doctor seems to favour his charming young ward, Ursule. What lengths are his family prepared to go to secure their inheritance? Starring Elizabeth Cassidy in the title role of this three-part production.The Mysterious Mansion - A grisly tale set in La Grande Breteche, the ruins of an abandoned house and neglected garden. Balzac is determined to uncover the story behind its tragic secrets&hellip; David Calder stars as the author.The Black Sheep - Balzac&rsquo;s classic tale of family rivalry set in 19th-century France. Philippe Bridau returns from the battle of Waterloo and steals from his mother to finance his gambling habit. It's left to his brother Joseph to rescue the family from destitution, but at what cost? Can he betray his own sibling? Geoffrey Whitehead leads the cast in the role of narrator.A wonderful collection from a superb author, performed by a stunning cast, this is a must listen for any fan of classic literature.Cast and creditsWritten by Honoré De BalzacPere GoriotFeaturing: Stephen Fry, Douglas Hodge, David Ross, Geoffrey Banks, Alex Kingston, Noreen Kershaw, Ian Mercer, Romy Baskerville, John Griffin, Clare Dow, Barbara Marten, Paul Broughton, Robin PolleyDramatised by David HopkinsDirected by Kate RowlandFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 Sep 1992Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) Featuring: Margot Boyd, Ronald Herdman, Alan Devereux, Patricia Gallimore, Haydn Jones, Sean Barrett, Stephen Thorne, Terry Molloy, Edward Kelsey, Patricia Gibson, Denys Hawthorne, Elizabeth Cassidy, Penelope Shaw, Geoffrey Matthews, Alexander JohnDramatised by Joan O&rsquo;ConnorDirected by Roger PineFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 Apr 1980The Mysterious MansionFeaturing: David Calder, Dorien Thomas, Dillwyn Owen, Tessa Gearing, Christopher Grimes, Marilyn Le Conte, Nigel Carrington, Manon Edwards, Alan TownerDramatised by Peter MackieDirected by David HunterFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 Oct 1993The Black SheepFeaturing: Geoffrey Whitehead, Matthew Pidgeon, Briony McRoberts, Thomas Arnold, Alan Cox, Timothy Bateson, Lucy Paterson, Christian Rodska, Colette O'Neil, Jon Glover, Nyasha Hatendi, Chris PavloDramatised by Chris NolanDirected by Bruce YoungFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 Aug 2008&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Honoré De Balzac: Pere Goriot, The Black Sheep & more

Four BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Edward Boyd

A collection of suspenseful standalone radio thrillers by Edward Boyd 
 
Scottish writer Edward Boyd was well known for his TV and radio plays, including The Corridor People and The View from Daniel Pike, and he also penned several episodes of Z-Cars. He specialised in the thriller genre, and this collection showcases six of his best radio crime dramas. 
 
The Wolf Far Hence – Steve Gardiner heads to the Highlands to try and locate his ex and her new fortune-hunting lover – only to find himself investigating a series of murders in a hotel beside a lonely Scottish loch. Teddy Johnson stars in this gripping serial, which won Edward Boyd a Writers’ Guild Award. 
 
The Candle of Darkness – Hardnosed investigator Steve Gardiner returns for another adventure, in which he goes looking for an old friend in a small Scottish seaside resort, but finds the town under threat from a serial killer dubbed ‘The Kind Man’. Starring Teddy Johnson as Steve, with Moultrie Kelsall as DI Gordon. 
 
The Same River Twice – Johnny Maxen reluctantly walks through the Gare du Nord on his way back to a life he thought he’d left behind. He’s looking for his missing wife – but is soon under suspicion for her murder… Gordon Jackson stars as Johnny Maxen, with Roddy McMillan as Inspector Wardlaw. 
 
Badger by Owl-Light – When a bomb explodes in the middle of London, Peter Talion is hired to uncover the secret cult responsible – and eliminate its leader. Starring Edward Judd as Peter Talion, with Tony Robinson as Simon. 
 
Curlew in Autumn – A small town in Galloway, Scotland. A cottage unchanged since 1941. A dead nurse. And a lawyer with one million pounds in his bank account, and no idea how it got there… These puzzling facts and events are explored in this atmospheric mystery, starring McLevy creator David Ashton. 
 
Castles in Spain – Grahame Mayer is a bookseller, not a private eye. Nonetheless, he's being asked to investigate a military mystery connected to the Spanish Civil War – a mystery that almost every major intelligence agency in Great Britain and America wants solved. Starring Ray Brooks and Garard Green. 
 
NB: These vintage recordings contain language and attitudes from the time in which they were first broadcast. Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Edward Boyd 
Produced by Eddie Fraser (The Wolf Far Hence, The Candle of Darkness, The Same River Twice), Stewart Conn (Badger by Owl-Light) and Patrick Rayner (Curlew in Autumn, Castles in Spain) 
 
The Wolf Far Hence 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 20 November-25 December 1953 
 
The Candle of Darkness 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29 March-3 May 1954 
 
The Same River Twice 
First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 2 October-20 November 1966 
 
Badger by Owl-Light 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 October 1975 
 
Curlew in Autumn 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 April-13 May 1984 
 
Castles in Spain 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 October-20 November 1987 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Same River Twice & Other Stories

Six Classic BBC Full-Cast Thrillers

Mike Walker

Mike Walker’s gripping BBC Radio drama about money, art, religion, politics and power 
 
Florence, 1415. Banker Cosimo Medici is looked down upon as a jumped up money-changer. Then he marries the noble Contessina de Bardi and becomes the richest man in Europe. But his wealth and power threaten the Florentine elite, who are determined to bring him down... 
 
However, the House of Medici cannot be crushed that easily. Sixty years and many violent deaths later, the family are the unquestioned, ruthless rulers of Florence. They control the government, have transformed the city through their patronage of the arts, and one of them has even been crowned Pope. But trouble is coming in the form of the fanatical poet monk Savonarola, and the bank is in decline. Can Lorenzo the Magnificent save anything for his dim-witted successors – and will they even care? 
 
With a cast of extraordinary characters including Piero the Gouty, master negotiator Lucrezia Tornabuoni and Pope Leo X, as well as Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Artemisia Gentileschi, this fast-paced ‘Renaissance Sopranos’ tells the thrilling story of one of the most infamous dynasties of all time. Among the cast are Patrick Baladi, Sirine Saba, Tom Cullen, Saran Morgan and Catrin Aaron. 
 
 
Created by Mike Walker 
Written by Mike Walker, Sian Ejiwunmi Le-Berre and Catherine Johnson 
Sound Design: Nigel Lewis and Catherine Robinson 
Organ: Branwen Munn 
Produced by John Norton 
 
Cast 
Cosimo de' Medici – Patrick Baladi 
Contessina de' Bardi – Sirine Saba 
Rinaldo degli Albizzi – Richard Elfyn 
Niccolo Tinucci – Christopher Elson 
Old Giovanni – Hugh Thomas 
Silvio – Marc Danbury 
Gio Verdi – Marco Fiera 
The Manager – David Hounslow 
Lorenzo de' Medici – Tom Cullen 
Lucrezia Tornabuoni – Saran Morgan 
Clarice Orsini – Abra Thompson 
Gio de' Medici – Gareth Pierce 
Marietta – Saran Morgan 
Cardinal Orsini – Simon Armstrong 
Soderini – Daniel Cerqueira 
Pope Sixtus – John Cording 
Tinucci – Tommy Sim'aan 
Pazzi – Matthew Durkan 
Savonarola – Matthew Gravelle 
King Ferrante – Jonathon Forbes 
Pope Innocent – Roger Ringrose 
Leonardo da Vinci – Tom Kiteley 
Botticelli – Hughie O' Donnell 
Alessandro de Medici - Elliott Barnes-Worrell 
Lorenzino de Medici - Sion Daniel Young 
Ippolito de Medici - Jacob Ifan 
Taddea Malaspina - Kiran Sonia Sawar 
Simonetta da Collevecchio - Marsha Millar 
Giorgio Vasari - Nico Pimparé 
Pope Clement - Arwel Gruffydd 
Emperor Charles V - Michael Bertenshaw 
Margaret - Kitty O'Sullivan 
Scoronconcolo - Tyler Cameron 
Strozzi - John Lightbody 
Young Alessandro - Hardy Yusuf 
Young Ippolito - Huw Huckstep 
Catherine de Medici - Catrin Aaron 
Silvestri - Julian Lewis Jones 
Diane de Poitiers - Juliette Aubrey 
Prince Henri - Arthur Hughes 
King Francis - Aneirin Hughes 
Guise - Joel MacCormack 
Nurse - Heather Craney 
Young Catherine - Grace Nettle 
Isabelle - Nia Gandhi 
Coligny - Ian Dunnett Jnr 
Le Conde - Matthew Bulgo 
Cardinal Guise - Tom Mumford 
Margot - Poppy Almond 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Medici: Bankers, Gangsters, Popes

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Drama

David Ashton

Brian Cox and Siobhan Redmond return in two new series of adventures set in San Francisco.Forced to run for his life after killing two suspects, assaulting the Chief Constable and inadvertently causing the death of Lieutenant Roach, McLevy has fled Leith for San Francisco. Somewhat rashly, and against her better judgement, Jean Brash has decided to accompany him...Arriving in America, it seems they’ve jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. San Francisco is as cold and foggy as Leith, and home to just as many criminals. With the Gold Rush at its height, the city is a madhouse, its inhabitants driven by greed. Everyone is dying to get rich quick, and McLevy and Jean are caught in the middle.Unimpressed by San Francisco’s bawdy houses, Jean shifts from brothel-keeping to playing poker, and is soon making a killing. McLevy, however, is having a harder time adjusting. Adrift and purposeless, he goes looking for trouble – and finds it in spades. As he and Jean face violence, corruption, skulduggery and murder, McLevy sets about doing what he does best: tackling crime. His time as a policeman may be over, but in this wild, lawless West, there’s a desperate need for a good private investigator...Starring Brian Cox and Siobhan Redmond, these four entertaining episodes follow ex-Inspector James McLevy and former madame Jean Brash as they attempt to forge a new life in the New World.Cast and creditsWritten by David AshtonProduced and directed by Bruce Young© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

McLevy in the New World

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Crime Drama

A Private Thriller

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

A Puffin Book

A Ripley Novel

A Slice of the Moon

A Victorian Mystery

A Walk in...

A Women’s Murder Club Thriller

A chef Paul Delamare Mystery

Aberrations

Across the Universe

Actiphons

Adelia Aguilar

Adrian Mole

Adventures in Time

Aftermath

Against War

Age of X

Agent 21

Agent Z

Detective Aidan Waits is a troubled junior detective haunted by his past. Facing an uncertain future, and disconnected from his history, DC Waits and his partner, Detective Inspector Peter 'Sutty' Sutcliffe work on Manchester's streets to uncover the city's worst criminals among the grime of the underworld.

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