Francis Durbridge was born in Hull in on 25 November 1912. He was educated in Bradford and went on to Birmingham University. It was while he was there that his radio play, Persuasion, was written and broadcast. After leaving university he worked for a short time in a stockbroker's office before realising that the only career he was really interested in was writing. For some time he toyed with the idea of creating a detective who was also a crime novelist, but was unable to finalise the character to his satisfaction until 1938. The end result, Paul Temple, inhabited a world of luxurious sports cars, Knightsbridge flats and chic women - a bygone age of elegance and manners. Durbridge had his first detective novel published at the age of twenty-two and went on to write three dozen more. Paul Temple made his first radio appearance on 8 April 1938 on the BBC's Midland Region. Send for Paul Temple was a huge success: within a week of the serial's final instalment the BBC received 7000 letters demanding more. A second adventure, Paul Temple and the Front Page Men, was broadcast in November and December 1938 and was even more popular than the first. The theme tune for the series was Vivian Ellis' Coronation Scot, which became instantly recognisable to the millions of Temple listeners. In all, twenty-one series of Paul Temple were broadcast over a period of thirty years. During the 1950s and '60s Durbridge transferred his skills to television; Portrait of Alison, Melissa and The Scarf are just a few of the serials that gripped the nation during those years. They all adhered to the writer's golden formula: 'Everybody is lying, nothing is as it seems.' His appeal was widespread: in Germany in particular a new Durbridge television thriller was apparently enough to clear the cinemas. In 1967 the European Broadcasting Union commissioned him to create a radio serial for the international market. The result, La Boutique, made for riveting listening. Durbridge was an extremely entertaining writer and the clever twists and turns of his plots were guaranteed to keep audiences tuning in week after week. He also wrote nine plays for the theatre: Suddenly at Home, The Gentle Hook, House Guest and A Touch of Danger all ran successfully in the West End. He married Norah Lawley in 1940 and had two sons. Francis Durbridge died in London on 10 April 1998.

Francis Durbridge

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

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

From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials.   They inhabited a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - a world where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   The case this time involves Dr Conrad's daughter Betty, who has disappeared from her finishing school in Bavaria. Paul is invited by the police to go over there to help trace the missing girl. Initially, though, even he is baffled, since the only clue to the mystery is an unusual cocktail stick found in her bedroom.   Can Paul work it out?   This edition also includes a bonus interview with Francis Durbridge.

Paul Temple And The Conrad Case

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

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

Paul Temple lives again in five BBC Radio 4 remakes of classic adventures, starring Crawford Logan as Paul and Gerda Stephenson as Steve. 
 
Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery (2006): A pair of spectacles spells danger for the suave sleuth and his wife as they embark on a trip to Egypt. 
 
Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery (2008): A murdered millionaire and a mysterious watch-chain sets the Temples on the trail of an international counterfeiting gang. 
 
Paul Temple and Steve (2010): On the hunt for notorious criminal mastermind Dr Belasco, Paul and Steve find trouble at every turn... 
 
A Case for Paul Temple (2011): Braving booby traps, bullets and blazing houses, Paul pursues a shadowy drug dealer known only as ‘Valentine’. 
 
Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair (2013): When a young woman disappears, Paul is drawn into a ruthless kidnapping racket run by the murderous ‘Mr Gregory’. 
 
These five dramas were originally broadcast in the late 1940s, but are now missing from the BBC archives. Using the same scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music, these remakes have been engineered to sound as much like the lost serials as possible. 
 
Caution: these programmes contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set.

Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume Four

Paul Temple Returns (2006-2013)

From 1938 to 1968 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC Radio’s most popular series. Now the glamorous duo return to the airwaves to break a mysterious drug-running gang.   Post-war London is buzzing with speculation about the deaths of ten young drug addicts within the space of just one week. The police are desperate to cut off supplies of heroin and cocaine to the capital, but they are struggling. So Sir Graham Forbes turns to Paul Temple.   By fast car and police launch, on deserted houseboats and midnight beaches, in dodgy East End pubs and smart West End restaurants, braving booby traps, bullets and blazing houses, Paul and Steve pursue the ruthless and feared drug dealer known only as ‘Valentine’.   This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music from the missing 1946 production. As far as possible it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded if its recording had survived.

A Case For Paul Temple

Five complete radio dramas featuring writer and amateur detective Paul Temple, plus bonus archive material. 
 
When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple (Peter Coke) and his wife Steve (Marjorie Westbury) are the crème de la crème. Between 1938 and 1968 their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's adventures from the 1950s: The Gilbert Case (1954); The Lawrence Affair (1956); The Spencer Affair (1957); The Vandyke Affair (the 1959 remake) and The Conrad Case (1959). This collection also includes a number of bonus items. 
 
Caution: these programmes contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set.

Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume Two

The Fifties

Three complete radio dramas featuring writer and amateur detective Paul Temple, plus bonus archive material. 
 
When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple and his wife Steve are the crème de la crème. Between 1938 and 1968 their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's earliest adventures. Send for Paul Temple (1940) is an early remake of the now-lost original 1938 BBC production. Paul Temple Intervenes (1942) finds Paul and Steve investigating a series of celebrity murders, whilst Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair (the original 1950 production, presented here for the very first time) concerns the strange disappearance of the Desmond baby and her sitter. Hugh Morton, Bernard Braden, Carl Bernard and Peter Coke play Paul in these episodes, with Bernadette Hodgson, Peggy Hassard and Marjorie Westbury as Steve. 
 
A bonus track features rare archive material from otherwise lost productions, including the final episodes of Send for Paul Temple (1938) and Paul Temple and the Front Page Men (1938). 
 
Caution: these programmes contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set.

Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume One

The Early Years (1938-1950)

Bernard Braden stars in an original 1940 full-cast production of the very first Paul Temple adventure 
 
Between 1938 and 1968 the exploits of amateur detective Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, enthralled generations of BBC radio listeners. Theirs was an exciting world of violence and glamour - car bombs and cocktail parties. 
 
In Paul and Steve’s very first adventure, starring Bernard Braden as Paul with Peggy Hassard as Steve, a spate of jewel robberies in the Midlands has left the police baffled. They are the work of a shadowy criminal mastermind known only as The Knave of Diamonds. But who is the Knave? And can he be stopped? 
 
All but one episode of the original 1938 BBC production of Send for Paul Temple are lost from the archives. However, this complete recording of a 1940 production - made for Canadian radio and based on the original BBC radio scripts - was recently rediscovered in the national Library and Archives of Canada. Digitally restored, all six episodes are now available for the very first time. 
 
Two bonus features are also included: the sole surviving sixth episode of the original 1938 production, starring the original Paul Temple, Hugh Morton, and an unbroadcast interview with the longest-running Paul Temple actor, Peter Coke. 
 
Caution: this programme contains language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which it is set.

Send for Paul Temple

A 1940 full-cast production of Paul's very first adventure

Paul Temple swings into the Sixties in these five complete radio dramas starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury – plus bonus archive material 
 
Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case (1960): A dead girl's father is sure the police have placed the wrong man in the gallows. This 1960s remake version is published for the first time. 
 
Paul Temple and the Margo Mystery (1961): The suave sleuth tries to connect his wife's kidnapping with a body dressed in an expensive designer coat. 
 
Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery (1963): After meeting an American couple on a flight, Paul Temple is soon investigating another murder in this 1963 remake. 
 
Paul Temple and Geneva Mystery (1965): A woman thinks her late husband is still alive – and someone would prefer Paul Temple dead... 
 
Paul Temple and the Alex Affair (1968): The debonair detective investigates three murders, all linked to the mysterious and elusive 'Alex'. 
 
This volume also includes the bonus 2005 radio feature Peter Coke and the Paul Temple Affair, introducing the man behind radio's smoothest and most sophisticated sleuth. Actor Peter Coke talks to Michaela Saunders about how he got the part, what he thinks of his famous catchphrase and more. 
 
Caution: these programmes contain language that may cause offense, and dated attitudes that reflect the age in which they are set.

Paul Temple: The Complete Radio Collection: Volume Three

The Sixties (1960-1968)

In a thrilling case that takes Paul and Steve to exotic Egypt, Paul Temple is called in to investigate a mysterious murder. The twisting trail takes them from London to the back streets and nightclubs of Cairo...   From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio’s most popular serials. They inhabited a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - and where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needed Paul’s help with a tricky case.   Now Paul Temple is being brought into the 21st century in this eight-part recording of a lost archive Paul Temple mystery, starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson. This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the incidental music from the missing 1947 production. As far as possible, it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded had its recording survived.

Paul Temple And The Sullivan Mystery

For thirty years the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   Just as Paul and Steve are about to go on holiday, Wilfred Stirling visits with a plea. His daughter Brenda was recently murdered, her body dumped on a bomb site. Her boyfriend Howard Gilbert, seen walking away from the site, has been convicted of the murder and sentenced to hang - but Brenda's father feels sure he didn't do it. In spite of all the evidence against Gilbert, Mr Stirling asks Paul to clear his name and discover the real murderer.   If he's to prevent an unjust hanging, Paul has just a week in which to discover the truth. Can he solve the case in time?

Paul Temple And The Gilbert Case

From 1938 to 1969 the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio’s most popular series.   When young drama student Mary Dreisler is found murdered in her flat, her father instantly sends for Paul Temple. There appears to have been no struggle, no robbery - no motive.   The only possible clue is a package that arrives for the dead girl. It contains a gramophone record called 'My Heart and Harry' and attached is a note: ‘Adored every minute of it - Spencer’.   Who is Spencer? Does the song have anything to do with the murder? If anyone can find the answers, Paul can...

Paul Temple And The Spencer Affair

From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio’s most popular serials. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats – a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul’s help with his latest tricky case.   This time, the case involves the Fergusons, who Paul and Steve meet while on the way home from New York. They are flying to England to visit their son Richard, a student at Oxford University.   But at the airport, there is shocking news: Richard has been murdered, found shot dead in his room. The only clues are a postcard from Harrogate signed ‘Jonathan’, and Richard’s missing gold signet ring.   But who is Jonathan, and what is his connection to the dead man? It is up to Paul to find the answer...

Paul Temple And The Jonathan Mystery

For thirty years the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   Whilst she and Paul are staying in the fishing village of Downburgh, Steve gets the uneasy feeling that she is being watched by a man at Fisherman's Point. A pleasant boat trip turns into a nightmare when their craft gets shot at - and the boatman himself is later discovered drowned at sea.   Back in London, the daughter of the head of CI5 has disappeared, and Sir Graham brings the matter to Paul's attention. Could there be a connection between this and the events in Downburgh?

Paul Temple And The Lawrence Affair

From 1938 to 1969 the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case. In this adventure, Paul Temple is called in to investigate the disappearance of the Desmond baby, and the 'Sitter-In' Miss Millicent. When they visit Mary Desmond she is, understandably, very upset - it's already been a week since her eighteenth-month-old daughter vanished. The only clue is a telephone message left in Miss Millicent's handwriting: 'A Mr Vandyke telephoned, he left no message'. However, no-one knows who this mysterious Mr Vandyke is... This audio edition also includes the BBC Radio 4 programme The Radio Detectives: 'Send for Paul Temple', an affectionate look at the indomitable husband and wife team, Paul and Steve Temple. It features an exclusive interview with the definitive Paul Temple, Peter Coke, and rediscovered vintage recordings.

Paul Temple And The Vandyke Affair

From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men wear cravats - and where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.   Returning from America by ocean liner, the Temples enjoy the company of their fellow passengers, only to find one of them dead the next morning - and when Paul and Steve get home to London, Sir Graham is waiting to plunge them into one of their most thrilling and dangerous adventures, the pursuit of a ruthless international gang of counterfeiters.   As knives fly and bombs explode, the key to the puzzle seems to lie in a coin on the end of a watch-chain...   This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music from a lost archive 1949 production. As far as possible, it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded had its recording survived.

Paul Temple And The Madison Mystery

From 1938 to 1969 the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   The murder of well-known American Myron Harwood, found dead in a small country lane, heralds the start of a series of celebrity murders. Each time, the body is found with a small, square piece of white cardboard bearing the inscription 'The Marquis'.   When the eighth victim, a girl, is picked out of the river with the same card attached to her dress, a note from Paul Temple is delivered to Sir Graham Forbes. The message reads: 'Is it true what they say about Rita?' Rita Cartwright was a private detective investigating the Marquis murders - and now she too has ended up dead.   With the police baffled and the Home Secretary specially requesting his involvement, Paul Temple has no choice but to intervene...

Paul Temple Intervenes

For thirty years the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   Flying home from a lecture tour of America, Paul Temple encounters Mike Langdon who is seeking to persuade his employer's spoilt daughter Julie to give up her boyfriend, pop-singer Tony Wyman.   Meeting Paul at the airport, Steve is drugged and kidnapped. She is released without harm - but mysteriously in possession of a coat, bearing the label 'Margo'.   As Mike seeks Paul's help, the Temples enter into a dangerous web of lies and murder.

Paul Temple And The Margo Mystery

For thirty years the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.   This adventure begins with a body on a train, the word 'Alex' scrawled on the compartment window, and the discovery of a visiting card bearing the name 'Mrs Trevelyan'. More bodies follow, and the two names recur on each occasion.   Paul's attempts to unravel the mystery take him to a psychiatrist's consulting room, a rendezvous in London's dockland, a hotel in Canterbury, and many other places before the denouement in a deserted mill and the Temples' elegant flat in London.

Paul Temple And The Alex Affair

For thirty years the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.  Paul is contracted by one Maurice Lonsdale, whose brother-in-law was apparently killed in a car accident whilst abroad. His widowed sister Margaret is increasingly convinced that her husband is still alive - and she wants Paul Temple to investigate!   Paul and Steve find that their own lives are soon in danger as they become embroiled in a deception stretching from London to Switzerland.

Paul Temple And The Geneva Mystery

From 1938 to 1968, crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular serials. Now the dapper duo return refreshed and reinvigorated to the airwaves, to investigate the activities of a shadowy and ruthless criminal mastermind in post-war London.   Enlisted by Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard to help track down the mysterious Dr Belasco, Paul and Steve find clues in cigarette lighters and bodies in shrubberies, dance the night away in louche Latin American night clubs, meet sinister manservants and suspicious foreigners, and have their lives threatened at every turn. Just as well Steve remembered to bring along her revolver as well as her ration book...   This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the incidental music from the missing 1947 production. As far as possible, it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded had its recording survived.

Showing results for: ‘Francis Durbridge’

Filters

Category

Publication Date

Format

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter