Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

Ernest Dudley

Leslie Phillips stars in this eight-part radio comedy thrillerFamous Mayfair hairdresser Hilaire knows all the secrets of feminine beauty. His VIP clients trust him implicitly and take him into their confidence, telling him things they wouldn’t dare tell their husbands or lovers. But unbeknownst to them, he leads a double life as a secret agent, working for London’s top man, Major Selby.Sent to Hamburg on a mysterious mission to steal an important tape recording from an opera singer’s dressing room, Hilaire soon finds himself in a dangerous predicament. In the course of one eventful evening, he is arrested, confronted by a knife-wielding maniac and beguiled by an attractive blonde. And when the lovely Caresse ends up half-strangled in his sleeping compartment on the Nord Express, he realises his straightforward assignment has just turned deadly.Who is the would-be killer on the train, and how is he connected to the mysterious ‘Josef’? What is the significance of the red carnation? And what part does Selby’s arch-rival, Lord Dulane, have to play in the affair? Hilaire must comb through the clues and tease out the truth – or it will be a case of hair today, gone tomorrow…Written by Ernest Dudley, the creator of the popular radio crime series A Case for Dr Morelle, this fast-paced tale of murder, blackmail and wigs stars Leslie Phillips as Hilaire, with Irene Sutcliffe as Caresse and Simon Lack as Selby.Cast and creditsWritten by Ernest DudleyProduced by Guy VaesenHilaire – Leslie PhillipsErich/Francois-Jules/Airport officer/Policeman/Newsreader/Detective Sergeant – Ian ThompsonSecond detektiv/First night porter/Hotel receptionist – David BrierleySelby – Simon LackWeber/Waiter/Stranger – Leroy LingwoodStage doorman/Taxi driver/Sleeping-car atttendant/Airport announcer/Judo instructor/Dining-car attendant/Second night porter – Michael HarbourBrigit – Hilda SchroderFirst detektiv/Barman – John WyseCaresse – Irene SutcliffeNicolette – Ann MurrayAgent – James BeattieLady Dulane – Carol MarshLord Dulane – Henderson TateFirst detective – Nigel GrahamSecond detective – Malcolm YoungHall porter – Graham ArmitageDriver – Ronald HerdmanZoe Bellamy – Barbara MitchellHotel detective – Denis McCarthyDrunk – Ralph TrumanDetective Inspector – Geoffrey WincottFirst broadcast BBC Radio 2, 27 Nov – 21 Dec 1967© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution

The House of Unspeakable Secrets

A Vintage BBC Comedy Thriller

Eric Ambler

BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of three of Eric Ambler’s bestselling spy thrillers, plus Nick Perry’s play The Battle of San Pietro and a bonus documentary, Ambler at 80 
 
Eric Ambler has been hailed as ‘the father of the modern spy story’. His tense, gritty thrillers introduced a new realism to the classic espionage mystery, and influenced novelists from Graham Greene to John le Carré. This collection brings together three of his best-known novels, adapted for radio with a full cast. 
 
Epitaph for a Spy 
When Hungarian language teacher Josef Vadassy goes to collect his photographs from the chemist, he is arrested on suspicion of espionage. The roll of film contained pictures of military installations – but Vadassy knows he didn’t take them. Can he find the real spy and prove his innocence? 
 
Journey into Fear 
Istanbul, 1940. Amiable engineer and munitions expert Alec Graham has just concluded high-level arms talks with the Turkish government when someone tries to kill him. Escaping by steamer, he realises that his would-be assassin is also on board… 
 
The Levanter 
Michael Howell has kept his family's firm from nationalisation by co-operating with the new Syrian regime. But other political forces are at work in the Middle East – and Howell soon finds himself caught up in a deadly plot. This gripping tale of intrigue and double-dealing won the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger Award. 
 
Among the casts of these fast-paced adaptations are Edward Hogg, Daniel Rigby and Raad Rawi. Also included in this collection are The Battle of San Pietro by Nick Perry, a 45-minute play exploring Eric Ambler’s experiences shooting a wartime propaganda movie alongside John Huston, and the celebratory Radio 4 profile Ambler at 80, in which presenter Michael Barber discusses the author’s life and work.

A BBC Radio Collection

Peter Flannery

Olivia Poulet

Laurence Dobiesz

Karen Laws

Melanie Harris

Hannah Silva

Dan Rebellato

Tim Dawson

Gemma Bedeau

Ishy Din

Derron Sandy

Kyle Hernandez

Elisha Efua Bartels

Lucy Montague Moffatt

Thirteen plays about human connection, from some of BBC Radio's best writers exploring love, family, romances and life's ups and downs 
 
This diverse collection of stories centres around family dynamics, relationships both romantic and platonic, and the diverse ways ordinary people navigate the vicissitudes of everyday life. 
 
Ranging from modern fairy tales to coming-of-age dramas, they feature a wide variety of styles, and are scripted by an array of writers from award-winning dramatists to first-time authors. Here are stories of meeting and parting; hope and heartbreak; grief and forgiveness; and the endless possibility of change. 
 
We meet the couple racing to secure their IVF treatment; the wide-eyed young Conservative whose awakening is more than just political; the teenager who discovers a secret that threatens his entire extended family; the ex-offender transformed through his friendship with a photographer, and many more captivating characters. These engrossing dramas let us venture into their worlds; giving us an intimate insight into their lives and loves. 
 
Among the casts are Jaime Winstone, Sean Gallagher, Rhea Bailey, Mina Anwar, Ciarán Griffiths and Harry McEntire. 
 
Cast and credits 
All plays are Sparklab productions for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 3. 
Produced by Melanie Harris and Executive Produced by Polly Thomas, Jeremy Mortimer & Jo Meek. 
 
#blessed 
Cast: Olivia Poulet, Laurence Dobiesz, Ayesha Dharker, Valmike Rampersad, Fenella Woolgar 
Written by Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz. Directed by Susannah Tresilian. 
 
Indigo Children 
Cast: Lizzy Clark, Jaime Winstone, Luke Jerdy, Sylvestra Le Touzel 
Written by Hannah Silva. Directed by Jude Kelly 
 
My Life Is a Series of People Saying Goodbye 
Cast: Sean Gallagher, David Annen, Will Payne, Fenella Woolgar, Frances Grey, Jenny Jules 
Written by Dan Rebellato. Produced and Directed by Polly Thomas 
 
Not for Turning 
Cast Nicola Holt, Henry Devas, Andrew Bentley, Ashley Gerlach, Toby Hadoke 
Written by Tim Dawson. Directed by Lawrence Till 
 
The Ladies Room 
Cast: Rhea Bailey, Lisa Livingstone, Lois Chimimba 
Written by Gemma Bedeau. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Whose Baby? 
Cast: Gurjeet Singh, Mina Anwar, Perveen Hussain, George Bukhari, Sid Akbar Ali 
Written by Ishy Din. Directed by Julia Ford. 
 
1963 
Cast: Andy Clark, Curtis Appleby, Ross Waiton, Jill Dellow, Micheal Ajao 
Written by Peter Flannery. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Mr Singh 
Cast: Keegan Maharaj, Rhesa Samuel, Idrees Saleem, Tafar Lewis, Khadijah Kirton, Israel Nunes Children from the Quays Foundation, Maloney, Trinidad & Tobago. 
Written by Derron Sandy. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Aron 
Cast: Levee Rodriguez, Errol Fabien, Anand Lawkaran, Jayron Remy, Tishanna Williams, Nickolai Salcedo. Written by Kyle Hernandez. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Water More Than Flour 
Cast: Mandisa Granderson, Conrad Parris, Kimmy Stoute-Robinson, Arnold Goindham 
Written by Elisha Efua Bartels. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Karin and Andrew 
Cast: Eve Shotton, Ciarán Griffiths, Darren Kuppan, Melissa Jane Sinden 
Scripted and directed by Melanie Harris. 
 
In His Kiss 
Cast: Niamh McGowan, Harry McEntire, Kimberly Hart-Simpson 
Written by Lucy Montague Moffatt. Directed by Julia Ford 
 
The Reality Tunnel 
Cast: Sarah Miele, Sam Newton 
Written by Karen Law. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

#Blessed and other stories of love and friendship

13 BBC Radio Dramas

Julian Simpson

A super spy, a mysterious death and a world of yachts, private planes and underground bases - but only one question – who really is Aldrich Kemp?Enjoy this fast-paced, action-packed series, available for the first time as a complete download. Featuring a stellar cast including Phoebe Fox, Tim McInnery and Nicola Walker. The washed-up body of a man presumed dead seven years earlier marks the beginning of Clara Page's mission to find the elusive Aldrich Kemp…Who is Aldrich Kemp?Series one plunges intelligence analyst Clara Page into the glamorous and sometimes improbable world of the mysterious Aldrich Kemp. Encountering Euro-villains and murderous housekeepers she learns some surprising family history along the way. When events take a shocking turn can she reply on the man she is hunting to save her…?Who Killed Aldrich Kemp?Our heroine Clara Page returns, and this time the question is deadly serious - Who Killed Aldrich Kemp? Series two is another rollercoaster ride, from the Italian Riviera to the unexplored Malaysian jungle - via afternoon tea at Themis House and a medieval village. There are new faces and new challenges in store. Cup of tea anyone?Where is Aldrich Kemp?The gang is back in series three! When details of an incredibly rare flower are stolen during a break-in at the Linnean Society, there are fears the thieves turn it into the most deadly biological weapon the world has ever seen. Clara sets out for the Himalayas, where she run into murder, mayhem, the ancient secret society that rules the world, and several familiar faces who are already on the trail of the Nepalese Flower for their own idiosyncratic reasons...This pacy and globe-trotting drama takes you from the depths of The Black Windmill in Holland to the exclusive clubs of Mayfair to the techno clubs of Berlin and half way up the Himalayas. With witty dialogue and standout sound production Aldrich Kemp is a listening treat, not to be missed."What's so enjoyable about this series…is the way it uses audio. Oh, and the OTT action. There's a hilarious section in episode two where you follow what's going on through the sound of explosions and motorbike revving and automatic gunfire and the pouf of a silenced bullet and "Oh crap!". It made me laugh out loud. It's joyous….Aldrich Kemp is an excellent audio version and this daft series is just the tonic for rainy weekends or the horribleness of news."?Observer Cast and creditsWritten and directed by Julian SimpsonProduced by Sarah TomblingExecutive Producer Karen RoseMusic composer Tim ElsenburgSound Designer David Thomas 
 Series 1Clara Page - Phoebe Fox 
Mister Bartholomew - Tim McInnerny 
Aldrich Kemp – Ferdinand KingsleyMrs Boone – Nicola WalkerSebastian Harcourt – Kyle SollerNakesha Kemp – Karla CromeAunt Lily – Susan Jameson 
Secretary - Louise Brealey 
Howlett - Ben Crowe 
Tom - James JoyceCyclist/Nurse - Louise BrealeyThe Underwood Sisters – Jana CarpenterConrad Spijker - Steven MackintoshSeries 2 Clara Page - Phoebe FoxAldrich Kemp – Ferdinand KingsleyMrs Boone – Nicola WalkerSebastian Harcourt – Kyle SollerNakesha Kemp – Karla CromeAunt Lily – Susan JamesonThe Underwood Sisters/Forsaken McTeague – Jana CarpenterSabine Seah – Rebecca BoeyRemington Schofield – Barnaby KayMiss Lotte Amutenya – Cherrelle SkeeteMrs Bartholomew – Kate IsittBlue 2/Novak - Ben CroweWinslow/Blue 1/Camera Assistant/Film Director/Co-Pilot - James JoyceSeries 3 Clara Page - Phoebe FoxAldrich Kemp – Ferdinand KingsleyMrs Boone – Nicola WalkerSebastian Harcourt – Kyle SollerNakesha Kemp – Karla CromeAunt Lily – Susan Jameson©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Aldrich Kemp: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Three BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Crime Thrillers

Agatha Christie

A full-cast BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, known to be a favourite among her own works. 
 
When Doctor Calgary visits the Argyle family, he believes he brings good news. He is there to clear the name of Jacko, who was convicted of the murder of his own mother, Rachel. But the doctor’s news is not greeted with the enthusiasm he expects, and the family seem intent on resisting both his help and the investigations of Inspector Huish. 
 
When a further murder is committed, it becomes apparent that a killer is among the gathered party. With almost everyone having a motive and the means for murder, they must all be on their guard. 
 
Eschewing the traditional detective format, Ordeal by Innocence examines how the innocent suffer more than the guilty when a crime goes unsolved. Along with Crooked House, it was Agatha Christie's favourite of her own works. 
 
Cast: 
Calgary...Mark Umbers 
Gwenda...Jacqueline Defferary 
Kirsten...Wanda Opalinska 
Hester...Phoebe Waller-Bridge 
Jacko...Arthur Hughes 
Leo...Sean Murray 
Mickey...Joel MacCormack 
Tina...Carys Eleri 
Philip...John Norton 
Mary...Priyanga Burford 
Marshall...David Seddon 
Huish...Michael Burtenshaw 
Doctor...Harry Jardine 
Hotel Receptionist...Georgie Fuller 
 
Adapted by Joy Wilkinson 
Directed by Mary Peate

Ordeal by Innocence

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

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

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

Robert Barr

A double serving of thrilling vintage spy drama featuring the tenacious Captain Jim Nicholson 
 
"These productions are pure ‘Boys Own'-style entertainment...I found them to be thoroughly engrossing, with the actors conveying earnestness throughout." - Entertainment Focus 
 
A treat from the archive: two classic dramas from the writer of Z-Cars, Robert Barr, set during the height of the Cold War. 
 
The Dark Island is a thrilling story of espionage set among the remote, mist-veiled islands of the Outer Hebrides. Two Intelligence Officers discover an escape route for defectors from Britain. The route, ending behind the Iron Curtain, involves the use of Russian trawlers plying outside territorial waters. Edward de Souza (Coronation Street, Doctor Who) stars as Jim Nicholson in this full-cast drama packed with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you gripped until the very end. 
 
In Return to the Islands, the indefatigable Captain Jim Nicholson heads back to the atmospheric islands of the north when a body is discovered near a secret training base. Things take a sinister turn when an elite trainee is taken hostage. An enemy agent is captured and interrogated but can Nicholson and his team solve the mystery in time? When tragedy strikes, the team are pushed to their limit and embark on a deadly endgame… 
 
Former BBC war correspondent Robert Barr is best remembered writing for BBC TV’s police dramas Z-Cars and Softly Softly. He also wrote the long-running radio series Detective. The Dark Island was originally made for TV in 1962 as well as being published as a novel in 1972. This is a gem from the archive, perfect for fans of espionage thrillers and vintage drama performed by a great cast. 
 
Please note: due to the age of these vintage recordings, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
The Dark Island 
Written by Robert Barr 
Produced by Peter Titheridge 
Jim Nicholson - Edward De Souza 
Bill Grant - Geoffrey Frederick 
Ian McLeod - Bryden Murdoch 
Lieutenant Ritchie - Roy Spencer 
Major Williams - Peter Hawkins 
Brigadier - Michael Kilgarriff 
Mary Somers - Rosemary Miller 
Colonel Jamieson/Hotel Manager - Alaric Cotter 
Alec Thompson - John Graham 
Major Williams - Peter Hawkins 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19th September - 24th October 1969 
 
Return to the Islands 
Written by Robert Barr 
Produced by Peter Titheridge 
Jim Nicholson - Edward de Souza 
Ian McLeod - Bryden Murdoch 
Major Miller - John Graham 
Paul O'Donnell - Geoffrey Frederick 
Sergeant Finney - Clive Merrison 
Alan Shaw/Landlord - Andrew Neil 
Katy Evans - Gretta Gouriet 
Alec Rogers - Ian Dewar 
Doctor - Gerald Cross 
Prisoner - David Gooderson 
Miss Dalgliesh - Eva Stuart 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10th October - 14th November 1971 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Captain Jim Nicholson: The Dark Island & Return to the Islands

Two Full-Cast Classic BBC Radio Spy Dramas

Raymond Chandler

The complete collection of landmark BBC Radio dramas of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe mysteries. 
 
Philip Marlowe is the archetypal noir detective: wisecracking and world-weary, hardboiled yet honourable. This volume includes all eight dramatisations of Raymond Chandler's groundbreaking crime novels featuring his iconic hero. 
 
The Big Sleep Marlowe is consulted by a wealthy family man with two big problems: his children. 
 
Farewell My Lovely Marlowe's search for an ex-con's ex-girlfriend leads him into danger. 
 
The High Window When rare gold coin is stolen from her collection, Mrs Murdoch hires Philip Marlowe to find it. 
 
The Lady in the Lake Businessman Derace Kingsley hires Marlowe to find his estranged wife Crystal. 
 
The Little Sister Commissioned to find Orfamay Quest's missing brother, Marlowe is drawn into the glamorous film world of Hollywood. 
 
The Long Goodbye Marlowe befriends a drunk named Terry Lennox, but comes to regret doing him a favour. 
 
Playback Hired to follow the mysterious Betty Mayfield, Marlowe soon finds that he is being tailed too... 
 
Poodle Springs Newly-married Marlowe puts his bride aside to look for a gambler on the run. 
 
Starring Toby Stephens as Philip Marlowe, these stylish, suspenseful dramatisations – full of witty, ironic dialogue and colourful characters – bring the beautiful, corrupt world of California in the '40s and '50s to luminous life. Duration: 11 hours approx.

Raymond Chandler: The BBC Radio Drama Collection

8 BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

John le Carré

Smiley, wrestling with retirement and disillusionment, is summoned to a secret meeting with a member of the Cabinet Office. Evidence has emerged that the Circus has been infiltrated at the highest level by a Russian agent. Find the mole, George. Clean the stables. Do whatever is necessary. Reluctantly Smiley agrees, and so embarks on a dark journey into his past - a past filled with love, duplicity and betrayal.   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a star cast including Anna Chancellor, Alex Jennings, Kenneth Cranham and Bill Paterson, this epic dramatisation brilliantly depicts the complicated moral dilemmas of those who practise post-war espionage, and illuminates the murky corners of le Carré’s classic spy thriller - the first in the Karla trilogy.   '... a worthy audio version of the seminal spy drama, brilliantly depicting the complicated moral dilemmas of post-war espionage, and allowing Beale room to shine as the character of Smiley really comes into his own' - Herts Advertiser   'beautifully paced in a dramatisation which captures the essence of the book whilst working supremely well in its own right in the radio medium' - Chichester Observer   'This period dramatisation could not be bettered' - Observer

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Jeffrey Archer

Two full-cast dramatisations of Jeffrey Archer's thrillers with narration by Jeffrey Archer himself 
 
Jeffery Archer is a New York Times bestselling author, published in over 37 languages across 97 countries. Jeffrey Archer's debut novel Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less from 1976 is dramatised here in seven parts by Betty Davis; as well as his later work A Matter of Honour, which was recently rediscovered in the collection of an amateur archivist after the recording was lost on delivery to the BBC archives. The sound quality of A Matter of Honour may be affected as a result. 
 
Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less 
 
The conned: an Oxford don, a revered society physician, a chic French art dealer, and a charming English lord. They have one thing in common. Overnight, each novice investor lost his life's fortune to one man. 
 
The con: Harvey Metcalfe. A brilliant, self-made guru of deceit. A very dangerous individual. And now, a hunted man. With nothing left to lose, four strangers are about to come together - each experts in their own field. 
 
Their plan: find Harvey, shadow him, trap him, and destroy him - penny-for-penny. From the luxurious casinos of Monte Carlo to the high-stakes windows at Ascot; from the bustle of Wall Street to fashionable London galleries, their own ingenious game has begun. 
 
It's called revenge - and they were taught by a master. 
 
Narrated by Jeffrey Archer 
 
Harvey Metcalfe - Stratford Johns 
Stephen Bradley - Paul Darrow 
Adrian Tryner - Francis Matthews 
Jean Pierre Lamanns - Edward de Souza 
Lord James Brigsley - Jeremy Clyde 
Anne Summerton - Lesley-Anne Down 
David Stein - Leonard Fenton 
Jorg Birrer - Sion Probert 
Miss Melkie - Sonia Fraser 
Giovanni - Sean Arnold 
 
Adapted by Betty Davies 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
First Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 October and November 1980 
 
 
A Matter of Honour 
 
10th May 1966: The Tsar's Icon is a fake. It is imperative that the original be found - and by 20th June. Finding it will change the course of human history. 
 
It seems innocent enough. A disgraced British colonel bequeaths a mysterious letter to his only son. But the moment Adam Scott opens the yellowing envelope, he sets into motion a deadly chain of events that threatens to shake the very foundations of the free world. 
 
When at last he comes to understand what he is in possession of, he's even more determined to protect it, for it's more than a matter of life and death - it's a matter of honour. 
 
Narrated by Jeffrey Archer 
 
Adam Scott - Michael York 
Alexander Romanov - Simon Ward 
Lawrence Pemberton - Tom Chadbon 
Brezhnev - Czeslaw Grocholski 
Zaborski - John Church 
Petrova - Jill Lidstone 
Heidi - Helena Breck 
Konstantinov - George Roubicek 
Goering - Garard Green 
Gerard Scott - Manning Wilson 
Mrs Scott - Pauline Letts 
Wainwright - Eric Stovell 
Other parts played by Sheila Grant, Ronald Herdman, Gordon Reid and Jill Simcox 
 
Dramatised by Brian Sibley 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
 
First Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 November and December 1986 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jeffrey Archer: Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less & A Matter of Honour

2 BBC Radio 4 full-cast thrillers

George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’.   When a Russian émigré is found murdered on Hampstead Heath, Smiley is called out of retirement to exorcise some Cold War ghosts from his clandestine past. What follows is Smiley the human being at his most vulnerable and Smiley the case officer at his most brilliant; and it takes to a thrilling conclusion his career-long, serpentine battle with the enigmatic and ruthless Russian spymaster Karla...   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a distinguished cast including Anna Chancellor, Lindsay Duncan, Maggie Steed, Alex Jennings and Kenneth Cranham, this enthralling dramatisation captures every nuance of le Carré’s complex and compelling novel - the final book in John le Carré’s Karla trilogy.   ‘a radio triumph... Simon Russell Beale’s pitch-perfect master spy’ - Financial Times.

Smiley's People

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

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

George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’.   Smiley, now head of the Circus, must rebuild trust in the shattered organisation. He is also determined to destroy his nemesis, Karla, and his spy networks. He recruits Jerry Westerby, occasional spy, occasional news reporter, full-time romantic - the Honourable Schoolboy of the title - and despatches him to the Far East, where, amidst the corruption and decay of former colonies, a new battle is about to begin...   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a star cast including Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Steed and Anna Chancellor, this gripping dramatisation perfectly captures the atmosphere of le Carré’s intricate, intriguing novel, the second in the Karla trilogy.

The Honourable Schoolboy

Edward Boyd

A bookseller turns P. I. in this intriguing five-part BBC radio thriller 
 
Grahame Mayer specialises in selling books, not solving mysteries. So when he’s asked to play private investigator and track down a soldier from the Spanish Civil War, he wonders if it’s some sort of test – and if so, what will happen if he fails... 
 
Armed with fresh information, he is sent to Glasgow on the trail of Jock Cameron, and a meeting with a former nurse who knew him back in Spain furnishes Grahame with further clues. But despite these new leads, the elusive Jock remains tantalisingly out of reach. 
 
Will a series of postcards, some holy pictures and an encounter with a pop star enable the reluctant sleuth to hunt Cameron down – or will it take a man’s death to release Mayer from his quest? 
 
Created by Edward Boyd, who wrote for a number of BBC TV shows including Z-Cars, this enthralling crime drama stars Ray Brooks, with a supporting cast including Garard Green, John Hannah and Alexandra Mathie. 
 
 
Written by Edward Boyd 
Produced at BBC Scotland by Patrick Rayner 
 
Cast 
 
Grahame Mayer……………………Ray Brooks 
Coleman……………………John Westbrook 
Teresa……………………Alexandra Mathie 
Forrest……………………Garard Green 
Hemingway……………………William Hope 
Cameron……………………John Hannah/Joseph Greig 
Rainsford……………………Jonathan Tafler 
Inspector McNeill……………………Carey Wilson 
Norah McGill……………………Sybil Wintrope 
Henderson……………………Joseph Brady 
Arnold……………………Ian Thompson 
Receptionist……………………Jennifer Piercey 
Man on plane/Millhouse……………………William Hope 
Miss McLauchlan……………………Yvonne Gilan 
Pat……………………Richard Jamieson 
Paula……………………Caroline Guthrie 
Waiter/Taxi driver……………………Gordon Reid 
Nuke……………………John McGlynn 
Apollyon……………………Billy McColl 
Dr Lovat……………………Roy Hanlon 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 October-20 November 1987

Castles in Spain

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast P.I. Detective series

John Dryden

A three-part BBC Radio drama about modern-day spying set in Cairo against a backdrop of the "Arab Spring". Hard-up Coptic art expert Duncan Kavanagh scrapes a living as a private English language tutor and by showing tourists around the ancient churches of Cairo. He lives with his feisty, politically-aware, 15-year-old daughter Ola, who is half-Egyptian, in a modest flat they can barely afford. Since the revolution, the situation has become ever harder for Duncan with tourists in short supply. When approached by seductive Canadian student Tara Moore to deliver a letter - for money - to a prominent Egyptian politician whose son Duncan teaches, he accepts. It's a decision that will solve his short-term financial problems but embroil him in a complex web of secrets and misinformation and a struggle for his own and his daughter's survival. Written and directed by John Dryden. Starring Nigel Lindsay, Aiysha Hart and Sarah Goldberg.

The Reluctant Spy

Arthur Conan Doyle

Clive Merrison and Michael Williams star as Holmes and Watson in this collection of stories from the unique fully dramatised BBC Radio 4 canon, based on Arthur Conan Doyle's original short stories. 
 
The twelve dramatisations are A Scandal in Bohemia; The Red-Headed League; A Case of Identity; The Boscombe Valley Mystery; The Five Orange Pips; The Man with the Twisted Lip; The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle; The Adventure of the Speckled Band; The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb; The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor; The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet; The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. 
 
In these twelve stories, Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson investigate a compromising photograph, a murder case with Australian connections, a disreputable opium den, a Christmas goose, a ruined ancestral estate, a disastrous wedding day, a house with frightening secrets, and several other baffling circumstances. 
 
Among the large supporting cast are Sarah Badel, Andrew Sachs, James Grout, James Wilby, Sam West, Stephen Tompkinson and Imogen Stubbs.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Philip Palmer

A gritty thriller set behind the Iron Curtain in 1960s Hungary 
 
Budapest, 1963. Special Investigator Bertalan Lázár and his wife, spymaster Franciska Lázár, face formidable challenges as they try to navigate a path through the dangerous underworld of Cold War-era Hungary. Catching the criminals is difficult enough, but there are other more threatening battles raging in higher places. 
 
In these 16 episodes, Bertalan must investigate the murder of a former member of the secret police, fight a turf war as he tries to find a child killer, probe a seemingly straightforward case of GBH that leads him to a rogue cop and enter the uncharted territory of Budapest's underground drugs scene after a rock musician is found dead. 
 
Written by Philip Palmer, this gripping, atmospheric drama expertly conjures up the tense, paranoid world of Communist Hungary, where dissidence was dangerous, the truth was hard to find and pursuing justice could get you killed. Leo Bill stars as Bertalan and Clare Corbett as Franciska, with Andy Linden as Tibor Farkas and Joseph Ayre as József Szabados. 
 
The episodes in this collection are: 
 
 The Wolf 
The Old Days 
Behind the Wall 
Waiting by the River 
Heroes 
Gellert Hill 
Spider's Web 
Carnaby Street 
Gypsy Dancers 
Grandmother's Footsteps 
Mad Dog 
The Light of Dawn 
The Great Society 
Red Pen 
The Great Tree Gang 
The Magical Magyars 
 
Produced and directed by Toby Swift and Sasha Yevtushenko 
Sound Design by Caleb Knightley 
 
Cast 
Bertalan Lázár - Leo Bill 
Franciska Lázár - Clare Corbett 
Tibor Farkas - Andy Linden 
József Szabados - Joseph Ayre 
Gizella - Nicola Ferguson 
Bela Fekete - Sargon Yelda 
Mr Papp - Nick Underwood 
Kitchen Porter - Richard Pepple 
Police Officer/Csaba - Sam Rix 
Lilien Racz - Adie Allen 
Milton Szilard - Philip Fox 
Kristof Szep - Samuel James 
Mr Kiraly - Robert Blythe 
Waiter/Peterke - Tom Forrister 
Mrs Tolnay - Sanchia MacCormack 
Stenographer - Kerry Gooderson 
Dmitri Dragunov - Simon Scardifield 
Márk Mészáros - Michael Bertenshaw 
András Vásáry - David Hounslow 
Priest/Copper - Christopher Harper 
Gyuri Varg/Fabenyi/Police officer/Partygoer - Kenny Blyth 
Dorina Varga - Helen Clapp 
Ministry official/Police officer/Drug dealer/Partygoer - Chris Pavlo 
Hanna Krivosik - Franchi Webb 
Zsófia/Nurse 1 - Sarah Ovens 
PuŠomori Žiga - Debbie Korley 
Mrs Kovacs/Nurse 2/Receptionist - Susan Jameson 
Gyozo Novak - Carl Prekopp 
Florian Hevesi - Luke Nunn 
Sandor Boros - Stephen Greif 
Pathologist - Jane Whittenshaw 
Cop/Detective - Stefan Adegbola 
Mother - Emma Handy 
Kulcsar - Roger Ringrose 
Draskovic - Ewan Bailey 
Billiards player/Prison officer - Ian Dunnett Jnr 
Hadik - Hasan Dixon 
Richard Miklos/Károly Miklós/Laska - Shaun Mason 
Violinist/Márton Kozma/Police Officer/Priest - Simon Ludders 
Réka Kozma/Pathologist - Jane Slavin 
Archivist/Ioveanu - Tony Turner 
Orsolya - Ria Marshall 
Receptionist - David Sturzaker 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Keeping the Wolf Out

The complete BBC Radio 4 full-cast crime series

Sarah Maxwell

Francis Matthews stars in this trilogy of crime capers spoofing 1930s Hollywood movies 
 
Paul Temple star Francis Matthews gives his best Cary Grant impression as suave PI Dick George in these three comedy adventures, with Margaret Robertson channelling Katherine Hepburn as his glamorous ex-wife Dora, 'Man in Black' Edward de Souza as his valet, Blore, and Ronald Herdman as Pasta the dog. 
 
The Case of the Cool Canary - Dick George's leisurely breakfast is disturbed by the arrival of a mysterious, satin-clad beauty, who promptly passes out on his doorstep. Heiress Ruth-Anne Rogers is in trouble - can Dick and Dora protect her from gangsters intent on stealing her fortune? Starring Lisa Jacobs, Nigel Anthony and Harry Towb. 
 
The Case of the Substitute Spouse - Married once more, the Georges are spending a weekend in Maine with Dora's old school pal, Connie Morgan. But, arriving at her holiday cottage, they find a sheriff's car parked outside, a body on the rug, and Connie under suspicion of murder. It's up to Dick and Dora to clear her name - and find the killer. Starring Bonnie Hurren, Liza Ross, Bob Sherman and Don Fellows. 
 
The Case of the Vanishing Vamp - Dick and Dora are on the brink of divorce - again - and Dick's planning to make film star Loretta Raine the next Mrs George. But his romance with 'The Oops Girl' takes a back seat when he sets out to trace missing ingenue actress Irene Smith. Meanwhile, Dora's playing the leading role in a drama of her own... Starring Liza Ross, Ed Bishop and Nicky Croydon. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Susan Maxwell 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
 
Starring Francis Matthews as Dick George, Margaret Robertson as Dora, Edward de Souza as Blore and Ronald Herdman as Pasta the dog 
 
The Case of the Cool Canary 
Ruth-Ann Rogers/Lucille Lamont - Lisa Jacobs 
Louie - Nigel Anthony 
Mugsy Moran - Harry Towb 
Charlie - Alan Tilvern 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 September 1986 
 
The Case of the Substitute Spouse 
Antony Legrange - Liza Ross 
Barrett Legrange - Blain Fairman 
Zebediah - Don Fellows 
Connie Morgan/Operator/Librarian - Bonnie Hurren 
Sheriff Johnson - Bob Sherman 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 February 1989 
 
The Case of the Vanishing Vamp 
Mugsy Moran - Harry Towb 
Loretta Raine - Liza Ross 
Harry Loomis - Ed Bishop 
Jonathan Dane - Peter Whitman 
Marie Celeste - Nicky Croydon 
Central Casting - Bonnie Hurren 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 July 1992 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dick George: Private Investigator

Three BBC Radio comedy thrillers

Jim Eldridge

Dinsdale Landen stars in this gripping vintage 1970s crime drama about a retired hitman tempted by one last job 
 
Sick of the spying business, professional assassin Art Gordo decides to quit the Secret Service - but his old life won't leave him alone. 
 
It's Christmas, three months after his retirement, and Gordo is visited by an old colleague with a proposition. A senior MI7 agent has been selling secrets to the opposition and needs to be eliminated - and the job can't be traced back to the Department. What's more, the task must be completed within the next five days. Clarke's offering big money - but despite the temptation, Art turns him down. Only someone won't take 'no' for an answer. 
 
Hunted by a mysterious nemesis who'll stop at nothing - including murder - to get their way, Gordo finds himself caught in a deadly game of deception, double-cross and betrayal. To stay alive, he must find out the truth about his shadowy target, and re-enter a world he thought he'd left behind. A world with only one rule: kill or be killed... 
 
Originally produced in the 1970s, this twisty, fast-moving suspense thriller stars Dinsdale Landen as Art Gordo and Frances Jeater as Louise. 
 
Production credits 
Adapted from his own novel by Jim Eldridge 
Produced by John Fawcett Wilson 
 
Cast 
Art Gordo - Dinsdale Landen 
Clarke - Manning Wilson 
Louise Lenehan - Frances Jeater 
Ben/Roberts/Man on phone - Jon Croft 
Joe/Ferguson - Peter Craze 
Charles Allweather - Glyn Owen 
Paul Le Clerk - Donald Gee 
Sally Le Clerk - Joanna Wake 
Leon Young - Basil Henson 
Francis/Forbes - Douglas Blackwell 
Parsons - Terrence Hardiman 
Hotel porter - Frank Coda 
 
First broadcast on BBC World Service, 3-31 May 1976 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Down Payment on Death

BBC Radio drama thriller

George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’.   When word reaches 'The Department' - an ailing section of British intelligence - that Soviet missiles are being installed close to the West German border, it seems the perfect opportunity to show Control and Smiley, their rivals over at the Circus, that The Department still has value. Former spy Fred Leiser is lured back from retirement to investigate, and manages to cross the border into East Germany in a dangerous night-time operation.   But the world has changed since The Department's glory days during the Second World War. The harsh realities of the Cold War now prevail, and there is no place for heroes...   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a distinguished cast including Ian McDiarmid and Philip Jackson, this compelling dramatisation perfectly captures the atmosphere of le Carré's chilling novel of deception and betrayal.

The Looking Glass War

Robert Forest

George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’.   It is 1962: the height of the Cold War and only months after the building of the Berlin Wall. Alec Leamas is a hard-working, hard-drinking British intelligence officer whose East Berlin network is in tatters. His agents are either on the run or dead, victims of the ruthlessly efficient East German counter-intelligence officer Hans-Dieter Mundt.   Leamas is recalled to London where, to his surprise, instead of being washed up and consigned to a desk he's offered a chance to have his revenge by becoming a pawn in a brilliantly-conceived plot to destroy Mundt. But in order to do so he has to stay out in the cold a little longer...   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a distinguished cast including Brian Cox as Alec Leamas, this tense, compelling dramatisation perfectly captures the atmosphere of le Carré's taut, intricate thriller.

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’.   The Berlin Wall is down, the Cold War is over, but the world’s second oldest profession is very much alive. Smiley accepts an invitation to dine with the eager young men and women of the Circus’ latest intake; and over coffee and brandy, by flickering firelight, he beguilingly offers them his personal thoughts on espionage past, present and future. In doing so, he prompts one of his former Circus colleagues into a searching examination of his own eventful secret life.   Starring the award-winning Simon Russell Beale as Smiley, and with a distinguished cast including Patrick Malahide as Ned, this engrossing dramatisation brings le Carré’s masterful novel vividly to life.   'A radio triumph... Simon Russell Beale’s pitch-perfect master spy' - Financial Times.

The Secret Pilgrim

Clive Merrison stars as Holmes with Michael Williams as Watson in these twelve adventures from the unique, fully dramatised BBC canon of Conan Doyle's short stories and novels. 
 
The twelve dramatisations are The Illustrious Client; The Blanched Soldier; The Mazarin Stone; The Three Gables; The Sussex Vampire; The Three Garridebs; The Problem of Thor Bridge; The Creeping Man; The Lion's Mane; The Veiled Lodger; Shoscombe Old Place; The Retired Colourman. 
 
These short stories are the very last ones written by Arthur Conan Doyle about his much-loved fictional detective. Holmes and Watson are faced with cases that range from the suspicious to the seemingly supernatural, and encounter characters as diverse as an evil Austrian adventurer, a formidable female criminal, a distinguished professor who is acting oddly and a mysterious tenant who refuses to show her face. 
 
Gripping, suspenseful and hugely entertaining, these acclaimed dramatisations were adapted by Bert Coules from the original short stories. Among the guest cast are Hannah Gordon, Robert Glenister, Michael Troughton, Alexandra Bastedo, Harriet Walter, Douglas Henshall and George Cole.

The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes

Greg Haddrick

Jeremy Fox

Spies, lies and the origins of the CIA – an epic story starring Kim Cattrall and Ed Harris 
 
Listen now to this utterly gripping drama revealing the inside story of the CIA, featuring an all-star cast. Told from the perspective of Eloise Page (Kim Cattrall), who joined on the Agency’s first day in 1947 and, in her 40-year career, became one of its most powerful women. Eloise takes the listener on a journey through the highs and lows of US foreign policy, spanning the staggering world events that shaped not only her career, but also her personal relationships with early CIA leaders, Allen Dulles (Ed Harris) and Richard Helms (Johnny Flynn). 
 
From its inception the CIA has been at its heart a secretive organisation, wielding phenomenal power and influencing events on a global scale. The story begins as tensions with Russia in war-torn Europe rise, and a letter is found in Hitler’s safe. As the new agency grows in both reach and power, Eloise takes us on a thrilling journey through Europe, as the Iron Curtain descends, then to Iran where a fearful Shah meets a secret operative and eventually to Central America where the implications of short-terms wins lead to unforeseen consequences. Featuring spies, traitors, secret operations, regime change, murder and the internal politics of an organisation that defined the shape of global politics for over half a century, this is a stunning listen from start to finish and performed by an impressive A-list cast. 
 
Kim Cattrall is a multi-award-winning actress, perhaps best known for her role as Samantha Jones in the popular TV series, Sex in the City. In a career spanning over four decades she has appeared in films, on TV and on stage in both the West End and Broadway. Ed Harris is an Academy Award nominated actor known for his roles in The Truman Show, Pollock and The Hours. He recently starred in the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. Johnny Flynn is a British actor best known for his role in TV comedy drama Lovesick and for playing David Bowie in the biopic Stardust. He recently performed on stage at the National Theatre as Richard Burton in The Motive and the Cue directed by Sam Mendes, and is also the composer and singer of the theme tune for The Detectorists. 
 
Written by Greg Haddrick, who created the series with Jeremy Fox 
Directed by John Scott Dryden 
Produced by Emma Hearn 
Executive Producers: Howard Stringer, Jeremy Fox, Greg Haddrick and John Scott Dryden 
Original music by Sacha Puttnam 
A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13th September - 15th November 2024 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Central Intelligence: Series 1

The Inside Story of the CIA

‘You’re not to disturb, annoy or offend. They’re walking on a knife edge out there, anything could tilt the balance.’   Missing: one junior diplomat and 43 of the British Embassy’s most confidential files. The timing is alarmingly significant: with neo-Nazi riots and radical student demonstrations, the threat to Germany’s security  is all too apparent. Britain’s own Alan Turner is sent in, with instructions to tread carefully at all costs.   But will he find the missing man and the files before the political situation erupts?   Kenneth Haigh stars as Alan Turner with Bernard Hepton as Rawley Bradfield in a fast-paced, explosive dramatisation of John le Carré’s acclaimed spy story, dramatised by René Basilico.

A Small Town In Germany

Ian Rankin

A gripping original story for BBC Radio 4 by award-winning crime writer Ian Rankin, written for the landmark Radio 4 Book at Bedtime slot 
 
Saughton Prison, Edinburgh. 1962. 
 
Prison guard Thomas Scott watches over a condemned man sentenced to hang for the murder of his wife. 
 
His prisoner is a guilty man, that’s for sure. William Telfer has done enough bad things in his life. And Scott has been in his job long enough to know that guilty men often proclaimed their innocence right up until the moment the noose was placed around their necks. But as they wait out the days until his execution, Scott begins to suspect that Telfer is innocent of this murder. 
 
An innocent man could be hanged by the neck until dead. And his jailer doesn’t know what to do about it… 
 
To find out the truth, Scott must explore Edinburgh’s darkest corners. And he is running out of time. 
 
From the best-selling author of the Rebus novels, this original story asks what you would do in the face of doubt, and in the search for justice. 
 
(This release contains additional material not included in the radio broadcast, plus an extended postscript.)

The Deathwatch Journal

An original story for BBC Radio 4

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

John Fletcher

A six-part radio spy thriller about an ex-SAS agent framed for murder and on the run 
 
Terry Prince is an ex-SAS professional occasionally hired by the Secret Services to do special 'jobs'. His latest mission seems straightforward enough: find and retrieve a top secret file, belonging to the Department of Internal Security, that has been leaked to a left-wing magazine. 
 
Arriving at the offices of Socialist Attack, he discovers the editor dead - and he himself suspected of murder. Falsely accused, he goes on the run from both the Internal Security Department and gangsters from London's underworld. 
 
But Terry's cover is blown, and he soon finds himself blackmailed by a mysterious organisation who threaten to turn him in unless he works for them. Heading to a remote country mansion in Oxford with his instructions, he prepares to do battle with whatever forces await him... 
 
Created by John Fletcher, whose writing credits include Bergerac, this gripping serial stars Freddie Lees as Terry, with John Abineri, Hubert Rees and Madeleine Cemm. 
 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by John Fletcher 
Directed by Brian Miller 
 
Cast 
Terry - Freddie Lees 
Thompson - John Abineri 
Fortescue - Hubert Rees 
Sturley/Georghiu - John Linstrum 
Sir James Simpson - Conrad Phillips 
Chris - Elwyn Johnson 
Linda Taylor - Madeleine Cemm 
Nick - Brett Usher 
Watson - Ray Handy 
Trader - Colin Starkey 
Keith - Rod Beacham 
Frank - Thomas Heathcote 
Josie - Hilda Schroder 
Hobson - David Sinclair 
Radio voice - Roger Leach 
Manny Silverman - Arnold Diamond 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May-24 June 1984

Deep Six

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast spy thriller

biblio.categories.code

biblio.publicationStatus

biblio.brand

biblio.workEditions.format

biblio.ageRange

biblio.series.seriesName

biblio.imprint.description

biblio.type

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Best-Jane-Austen-quotes_Online-Desktop_Penguin

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

Search Results

The Fall of the West

Hunt the Villain

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight (Book 21)

The Mortons

Watch a trailer for The Spook's Blood

A photograph of Ben Barnes in character for Shadow and Bone Netflix series.

Interviews

Shadow and Bone’s Ben Barnes on tear-jerking books and what he’s reading

An image showing a selection of adventure stories for 9-12 year olds on a bright yellow background with orange doodles that include a hashtag, flag, danger sign and speech bubble

Children's reading lists

16 books for 9 to 12-year-olds that love adventures

An image of a selection of books for 9-12s on a blue background with a large splodge and striped print

24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds

A picture of several different children's books on a pink to blue ombre background; each book has a bright yellow shadow

Showing results for: ‘joseph delaney’

Filters

Category

Publication Date

Format

Series

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter