Al Rodin is a writer and illustrator from London. He studied children's book illustration at Cambridge School of Art and received the 2019 Sebastian Walker Prize. Al enjoys working with a wide variety of materials including acrylic, watercolour and collage. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries around Europe and Asia, and he was selected for lllustrators' Exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in 2019. Little Echo is his first book.

Al Rodin

Al Smith

Alain Gheerbrant

Alain de Botton is the bestselling author of fifteen books, including The School of Life: An Emotional Education, How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel and The Course of Love. He is the founder of The School of Life (theschooloflife.com).

Alain de Botton

Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue. Alaina hails from Boston, where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters, and a ghost Puggle named Bailey. She is about 75 percent coffee, and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends. 
 
Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. When she isn't hosting Morbid, she hosts the Parcast original show Crime Countdown, and a horror movie podcast called Scream!. Her days are usually spent either recording or eviscerating. The way she sees it, when she hangs up her microphone for the day, it's time to let the dead speak.

Alaina Urquhart

Alaine Hood

Alan Alda

Alan Ayckbourn

Born in London in 1939, Alan Ayckbourn is one of  the world's most popular and prolific playwrights. He has written 74  full length plays and more than 20 other revues and plays for children.  He is also an acclaimed director. Alan Ayckbourn was awarded a CBE in  1987. Ten years later to the day, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II  'for services to the theatre.'

Alan Baker

Alan Barker

Alan Beattie

Alan Bennett is one of Britain's best-loved and most highly acclaimed writers. He has written widely for radio, television and theatre. His latest play, The History Boys, won several awards, including Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards for Best Play and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. It also won six Tony Awards, including Best Play, following an extremely successful transfer to Broadway. In 2006 Bennett was named Author of the Year at the British Book Awards for Untold Stories, his collection of memoirs and diaries.

Alan Bennett

Alan Bennett's television series Talking Heads has become a modern-day classic, as have many of his works for the stage, including Forty Years On, The Lady in the Van, The Madness of George III (together with the Oscar-nominated screenplay The Madness of King George) and an adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. The History Boys won the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle awards for Best Play, The Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the South Bank Award.

Alan Bishop

ALAN BOOTH was born in London in 1946 and travelled to Japan in 1970 to study Noh theatre. He stayed, working as a writer and film critic, until his untimely death in 1993.

Alan Booth

Alan Brazil is a Scottish broadcasting legend and former football player, most notably for Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and internationally for Scotland. He played as a forward before being forced to retire due to a recurring back injury. 
 
After retirement, Alan moved into media presentation, initially on television, before a career in radio where for many years he has presented the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show on TalkSPORT.

Alan Brazil

Alan Bullock

Alan Carr is one of Britain's most successful and treasured comedians. His unique humour and effortless stage presence have earned him a catalogue of awards including Best Chat Show host at the publicly voted for 2015 National Television Awards, winner of the 2013 BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance and 2013 British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. In previous years he has garnered a clutch of awards, from the 2012 National Television Award for Best Talk Show and the 2012 Loaded LAFTA Award for Best Stand-up to the 2010 TV Choice Awards for Best Entertainment Show. There were also nominations for Best New British Comedy &amp; Best Comedy Entertainment Personality at the 2009 British Comedy Awards. 
 
The success of the first series of his own chat show, 'Alan Carr: Chatty Man', in the summer of 2009, led to Channel 4 commissioning 16 further series' as well as numerous Christmas Specials and New Year Specstaculars. In September 2013, the 100th episode aired with A-list guests Justin Timberlake and Rihanna. Guests from past series include: Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Vin Diesel, Adele, Grace Jones, Naomi Campbell, Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Robin Williams, David Walliams, Mariah Carey, Russell Brand, Samuel L Jackson, Miley Cyrus, Robbie Williams, Bette Midler, Sharon Osbourne, One Direction, Gok Wan and Miranda Hart. 
 
The DVD of Alan's 2007 debut stand-up show, 'Tooth Fairy Live' topped the HMV charts and was a Christmas 2007 top seller. 
 
His best-selling debut autobiography 'Look Who It Is' was published in September 2008 by HarperCollins. 
 
In 2011, Alan travelled the country with his second live tour. 'Spexy Beast Live' was a 33-date arena tour and culminated in the successful DVD of the same name. 
 
Throughout 2015, Alan hit the road once again and performed at over 150 sold-out theatre's across the UK and Ireland with his 'Yap, Yap, Yap!' live show. His third stand up DVD 'Alan Carr - Yap Yap Yap! Live' was released by Universal Pictures (UK) in November 2016. 
 
2016 has also seen Alan go global with international performances of his Yap Yap Yap! live show throughout Scandinavia, Montreal (at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival) and can currently be seen on tour this summer in New Zealand and Australia this summer, with two shows at the iconic Sydney Opera House. 
 
Alan also hosts Channel 4's flagship fundraising show 'Stand Up To Cancer' which in 2014 went on to raise an amazing £14 million for Cancer Research. Alan returns once again to host 'Stand Up To Cancer' on Channel 4 this October. 
 
Alanatomy: The Inside Story is Alan's second memoir, and will be published by Penguin in October 2016.

Alan Carr

Alan Clark

Alan Clements

Alan Connor is the author of Two Girls, One on Each Knee: The Puzzling, Playful World of the Crossword ("witty, charming, encyclopaedic and highly readable" - Spectator) and The Joy of Quiz ("An absolute delight" - Mail on Sunday). He has made quizzes for various TV shows and newspapers and written comedy including BBC Film's The Rack Pack, A Young Doctor's Notebook (Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe) and Have I Got News For You.

Alan Connor

Alan Connor has been the question editor for BBC2's Only Connect and Richard Osman's House of Games. He is the author of books for Pointless and The Traitors and is the puzzle consultant for the BBC1 drama Ludwig. He writes puzzles for various newspapers and has written for Charlie Brooker series and Have I Got News for You. His favourite quiz question is: What word was intentionally omitted from the screenplay of The Godfather?

Alan Cowell

Alan Curtis

Alan Cutler

Alan Davies

Alan Dean Foster

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P.D. James

Seven BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of P.D. James’ acclaimed mysteries, plus P.D. James In Her Own Words 
 
This collection includes: 
 
Cover Her Face 
P.D. James' debut novel, introducing her famous detective Adam Dalgliesh. Starring Robin Ellis as Dalgliesh. 
 
A Taste for Death 
Dalgliesh investigates when two bodies are found murdered at a London church. Starring Richard Derrington as Dalgliesh. 
 
Devices and Desires 
Dalgliesh hunts a serial killer in desolate Norfolk. Starring Robin Ellis as Dalgliesh. 
 
A Certain Justice 
Dalgliesh probes the murder of a brilliant criminal lawyer. Starring Philip Franks as Dalgliesh. 
 
The Private Patient 
Dalgliesh investigates a high-profile murder at an exclusive cosmetic surgery clinic. Starring Richard Derrington as Dalgliesh. 
 
An Unsuitable Job For A Woman 
An eminent scientist hires private detective Cordelia Gray to discover why his son committed suicide. Starring Judi Bowker as Cordelia Gray. 
 
The Skull Beneath the Skin 
With her life in danger, actress Clarissa Lisle turns to private detective Cordelia Gray. Starring Greta Scacchi as Cordelia Gray. 
 
Among the supporting cast in these classic dramas are Siân Phillips, Hugh Grant, Anna Massey and Geraldine James. 
 
Also included is a bonus audio documentary, P.D. James In Her Own Words, in which the author discusses her professional career and private life.

P.D. James BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven full-cast dramatisations

Dorothy L. Sayers

Ian Carmichael is Lord Peter Wimsey in these consummate BBC radio dramatisations of Dorothy L Sayers' much-loved mysteries 
 
Elegant, erudite and sharp-witted, aristocratic detective Lord Peter Wimsey featured in numerous novels and short stories by ‘Queen of Crime’ Dorothy L Sayers. These full-cast adaptations – first broadcast on BBC radio between 1975 and 1981– are loved by mystery fans all around the world. 
 
In The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, when General Fentiman is found dead at his club, Wimsey suspects foul play. Could he have been murdered for his money? 
 
Strong Poison introduces Harriet Vane – a crime novelist on trial for murdering her lover. Wimsey knows Harriet is no femme fatale, but an innocent victim embroiled in a diabolical plot… 
 
Five Red Herrings sees Peter faced with six men, all of whom have a motive for killing argumentative Scottish painter Sandy Campbell. But who was the culprit? 
 
In Have His Carcase, when Harriet Vane finds a body on the beach with his throat cut, Lord Peter must work out whether it was murder or suicide. 
 
These classic dramas also feature Peter Jones, Joan Hickson, Miriam Margolyes and Warren Clarke.

Lord Peter Wimsey: BBC Radio Drama Collection Volume 2

Four BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

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

Georges Simenon

Maurice Denham is the famous French detective Maigret and Michael Gough is his creator Georges Simenon in these five classic radio dramatisations. 
 
Parisian detective Jules Maigret first appeared in print in 1931, and went on to feature in 76 novels and 28 short stories. An enduringly popular character, his adventures have been adapted on radio and television, most recently in ITV’s series starring Rowan Atkinson. 
 
In these radio plays, Maigret and Simenon look back over five of their most memorable cases. An anonymous letter sends Maigret back to the village where he grew up, Inspector Lapointe falls in love for the first time – and kills someone for the first time, and a model train seller tells Maigret that his wife is trying to poison him. Plus, how is the death of a Count linked to a collection of love letters? And can Maigret’s carefully prepared plan prevent the latest in a string of serial killings? 
 
First broadcast in 1976 on BBC Radio 4, the episodes included in this collection are: 
 
Maigret Goes Home 
Maigret in Montmartre 
Maigret has Scruples 
Maigret in Society 
Maigret Sets a Trap 
 
Classic Radio Crime: presenting vintage detectives for your investigation!

Maigret: Collected Cases

Classic Radio Crime

Agatha Christie

John Moffatt stars as the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in seven more BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations. 
 
Evil Under the Sun: On holiday in Devon, Poirot becomes embroiled in the murder of a glamorous American starlet. 
 
Sad Cypress: A poison pen letter begins a chain of events which is to end in tragedy. 
 
Murder in Mesopotamia: When death occurs at an archaeological site in the Iraqi desert, Poirot is on hand to dig for clues. 
 
Lord Edgware Dies: Lord Edgware is found brutally stabbed, his wife the prime suspect. But did she murder him? 
 
Hallowe’en Party: The sleuth investigates the death of a girl drowned in an apple-bobbing tub on All Hallows’ Eve. 
 
Murder on the Links: Summoned urgently to France, Poirot finds his wealthy client dead. Can he trace the killer? 
 
Five Little Pigs: A bride-to-be hires Poirot to solve a sixteen-year-old case and prove her mother innocent of murder. 
 
These BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations find Poirot pitting his ‘little grey cells’ against a variety of cunning criminals. Based on Agatha Christie’s original novels, these superb adaptations feature a host of distinguished actors including Iain Glen, Fiona Fullerton, Stephanie Cole and Stephen Tompkinson. 
 © 2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

More of Poirot's Finest Cases

Seven full-cast BBC radio dramatisations

Francis Durbridge

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)

Arthur Conan Doyle

Clive Merrison and Michael Williams star as Holmes and Watson in these twelve adventures from the unique, fully dramatised BBC canon of Conan Doyle's short stories and novels 
 
The Empty House 
The Norwood Builder 
The Dancing Men 
The Solitary Cyclist 
The Priory School 
Black Peter 
Charles Augustus Milverton 
The Six Napoleons 
The Three Students 
The Golden Pince-Nez 
The Missing Three-Quarter 
The Abbey Grange 
 
Sherlock Holmes did not lose his life at the Reichenbach Falls. Nor has three years of absence taken away his power to startle the faithful Dr Watson… In these intriguing tales, the duo solve cases that range from the suspicious to the downright strange, and encounter mysteries as diverse as a disappearing aristocrat and some inspired code-breaking. These twelve stories also see Holmes confronted with an evil blackmailer, an outbreak of attacks on busts of Bonaparte, and a seemingly motiveless murder where his only clue is a pair of spectacles and the victim’s dying words... 
 
Gripping, suspenseful and hugely entertaining, these acclaimed dramatisations bring the world of Holmes and Watson to life. Among the guest cast are Peter Sallis, Susannah Harker, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Wincott, Peter Vaughan, Maurice Denham, Maureen O’Brien and Julian Rhind-Tutt.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Ian Carmichael stars as Lord Peter Wimsey in these definitive BBC radio dramatisations of Dorothy L Sayers' classic crime novels 
 
Aristocratic amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey was the master creation of Dorothy L Sayers, widely acknowledged as one of the four original ‘Queens of Crime’. These full-cast adaptations – first broadcast on BBC radio in the 1970s, and presented here in their entirety – are admired by fans of the genre worldwide. 
 
Whose Body? is the tale that first introduced Lord Peter to the world, and sees him investigating the case of a corpse in a Battersea bathtub and a vanished oil millionaire. 
 
In Clouds of Witness, Lord Peter’s eldest brother stands accused of murder. In collaboration with Inspector Parker, Wimsey slowly uncovers a web of lies and deceit within his own family... 
 
Unnatural Death finds Peter probing the mysterious death of an elderly lady. He suspects foul play, and with the help of the indomitable Miss Climpson, sets about his investigations in deepest Hampshire... 
 
Produced by Simon Brett (author of the ‘Charles Paris’ series), these acclaimed dramas also feature Peter Jones, Patricia Routledge, Miriam Margolyes and Garard Green.

Lord Peter Wimsey: BBC Radio Drama Collection Volume 1

Three classic full-cast dramatisations

Gladys Mitchell

Mary Wimbush stars as unconventional psychoanalyst sleuth Mrs Bradley in these two full-cast dramatisations of stories by Gladys Mitchell. Colourful, cynical, intimidating and extremely intelligent, Mrs Bradley is one of the most unorthodox detectives in the history of Golden Age crime fiction. The heroine of 66 novels by Gladys Mitchell, she has also appeared in several radio adaptations and a BBC TV series starring Diana Rigg. 
 
In these two dramas, she puts her extraordinary mind to work investigating cases of disguise, dismemberment, mayhem and murder. In Speedy Death, a country house in the 1920s is rocked by a murder which takes place in a room which is first locked, then later unlocked. A startling secret is uncovered, and as fingers point and the suspects begin to turn on each other, another death occurs… The Mystery of a Butcher’s Shop sees Mrs Bradley probing some alarming events in the village of Wandles Parva, as Rupert Sethleigh goes missing and a headless body is found jointed in the butcher’s shop. 
 
These entertaining dramatisations, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1990 and 1991, star Mary Wimbush as Mrs Bradley, with Leslie Phillips as Carstairs. 
 
Classic Radio Crime: presenting vintage detectives for your investigation!

The Mrs Bradley Mysteries

CJ Sansom

Shardlake returns in this atmospheric BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of the fourth novel in C. J. Sansom’s bestselling Tudor crime series. 
 
Spring, 1543. London’s streets are filled with preachers; strange signs and portents are seen everywhere; and young men, maddened by differing interpretations of the Bible, are drawn into dangerous fundamentalism. 
 
The family of one such man, Adam Kite, has sought help from lawyer Matthew Shardlake. Adam is suffering from religious mania, and is being held in Bedlam for his own safety. But Shardlake is distracted from the case when his friend Roger Elliard is found brutally murdered – the victim of a serial killer inspired by the Book of Revelation. 
 
Archbishop Cranmer asks Shardlake to conduct a secret investigation: no word of the bloodshed must reach the King as one of the dead men was close to Catherine Parr, Henry’s latest romantic obsession and (like Cranmer) a supporter of religious reform. 
 
With the help of trusty sidekick Barack, Shardlake embarks on his most dangerous investigation yet, as he tries to protect Adam and prevent the killer from fulfilling his unholy mission... 
 
This thrilling fourth instalment of the 'Shardlake' series stars Justin Salinger as Shardlake, with Bryan Dick as Barak. Duration: 2 hours 10 mins approx.

Shardlake: Revelation

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

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

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

Per Wahlöö

Maj Sjöwall

The Martin Beck books are widely acknowledged as some of the most influential detective novels ever written. Written by Swedish husband and wife team Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö between 1965-1975, the ten-book series set a gold standard for all subsequent Scandanavian crime fiction. Long before Kurt Wallander or Harry Hole, Beck was the original flawed policeman, working with a motley collection of colleagues to uncover the cruelty and injustice lurking beneath the surface of Sweden's seemingly liberal, democratic society. 
 
This complete collection includes: 
 
Roseanna (1965) - translated by Lois Roth and dramatised by Jennifer Howarth 
The Man Who Went Up in Smoke (1966) - translated by Joan Tate and dramatised by Katie Hims 
The Man on the Balcony (1967) - translated by Alan Blair and dramatised by Katie Hims 
The Laughing Policeman (1968) - translated by Alan Blair and dramatised by Jennifer Howarth 
The Fire Engine That Disappeared (1969) - translated by Joan Tate and dramatised by Katie Hims 
Murder at the Savoy (1970) - translated by Amy and Ken Knoespel and dramatised by Jennifer Howarth 
The Abominable Man (1971) - translated by Thomas Teal and dramatised by Katie Hims 
The Locked Room (1972) - translated by Alan Blair and dramatised by Jennifer Howarth 
Cop Killer (1974) - translated by Thomas Teal and dramatised by Jennifer Howarth 
The Terrorists (1975) - translated by Joan Tate and dramatised by Katie Hims

The Martin Beck Stories

10 BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Bert Coules

Clive Merrison stars as the enduringly popular sleuth with Michael Williams as Watson in this collection of stories from the unique, fully dramatised BBC Radio 4 canon. In these eight intriguing tales, Holmes and Watson solve cases that range from the suspicious to the downright strange. They encounter mysteries as diverse as vanishing staff, secret plans and eccentric lodgers as Holmes is struck down by a rare tropical disease and, later, lured away from retirement to help his country on the eve of war. The dramatised stories are "Wisteria Lodge", "The Cardboard Box", "The Red Circle", "The Bruce Partington Plans", "The Dying Detective", "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax", "The Devil's Foot" and "His Last Bow". Gripping, suspenseful and hugely entertaining, these acclaimed dramatisations bring the world of Holmes and Watson to life, and are guaranteed to appeal to any fan of the great detective. Duration: 6 hours approx.

Sherlock Holmes: His Last Bow

G K Chesterton

Five full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations of short stories by GK Chesterton, starring Leslie French as Father Brown and Willie Rushton as Chesterton. 
 
Short, shabby and unassuming, Roman Catholic priest Father Brown is an unlikely investigator. But his keen mind and understanding of human nature enable him to solve cases featuring a master criminal and a precious silver relic; a theft at an exclusive hotel; a strange tower and an even stranger story; black magic – and white magic; and a murdered judge. 
 
Created in 1910, Father Brown inhabited the pages of over fifty short stories before appearing in adaptations for film, radio, theatre and television, including his recent incarnation in the hit BBC TV series starring Mark Williams in the title role. 
 
The stories in this collection are The Blue Cross (08/05/1974); The Queer Feet (05/06/1974); The Perishing of the Pendragons (26/06/1974); The Dagger with Wings (10/07/1974) and The Mirror of the Magistrate (31/07/1974). Leslie French stars as Father Brown, with Willie Rushton as GK Chesterton and Francis de Wolff as Flambeau. 
 
Classic Radio Crime: presenting vintage detectives for your investigation! 
 
Duration: 3 hours 45 mins approx.

Father Brown: Collected Cases

Val McDermid

Gina McKee stars in this chilling apocalyptic radio drama by award-winning writer Val McDermid. 
 
It’s the Summer Solstice weekend, and 150,000 people have descended on a farm in the North East of England for an open-air music festival. Reporting on the event is journalist Zoe Meadows, who files her copy from a food van run by her friends Sam and Lisa. 
 
When some of Sam’s customers get sick, it looks like food poisoning, and it’s exacerbated by the mud, rain and inadequate sanitary facilities. It’s assumed to be a 24-hour thing, until people get home and discover strange skin lesions, which ulcerate and turn septic. More people start getting ill – and dying. 
 
What looked like a minor bug is clearly much more serious: a mystery illness that’s spreading fast and seems resistant to all antibiotics. Zoe teams up with Sam to track the outbreak to its source; meanwhile, can a cure be found before the disease becomes a pandemic? 
 
From a No 1 bestselling author, this original drama envisages a nightmare scenario that seems only too credible in our modern age. 
 
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Resistance

BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama

Simon Brett

Jeremy Front

Charles Paris returns in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett’s humorous theatrical mystery, starring Bill Nighy. 
 
A job in pantomime seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but the cast of Cinderella are a motley crew from reality TV and Charles finds himself having to explain the traditions of panto to their baffled American star whose career is on a downward trajectory. 
 
When the star is shot dead, and Charles finds the body, he finds himself under suspicion. As the slapstick makes way for a murder investigation, he decides to clear his name by doing some sleuthing of his own. With a host of suspects and the body count rising, the line 'they're behind you' soon begins to take on a very sinister meaning indeed... 
 
Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his wife Frances, in this funny and fast-paced dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: The Cinderella Killer

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

R D Wingfield

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama starring Derek Martin, the precursor to the popular TV series and novels. 
 
Jack Frost is disheveled, disorganised and disrespectful. His superiors don't like him. He has a habit of doing things his way – and getting results. But when Denton CID is faced with a spate of major crimes, Frost finds himself under pressure. 
 
A young woman becomes the sixth victim of a multiple rapist, a teenage girl goes missing, there's a robbery at the Purple Parrot nightclub, and an old man is injured in a hit-and-run. With all this on his plate, Frost has little time and less patience for paperwork – but if he doesn't submit the overtime reports, there will be hell to pay. Has Frost bitten off more than he can chew? 
 
A Touch of Frost gave rise to a hugely successful TV series that ran between 1992 and 2010. This gritty drama, first broadcast on Radio 4 in 1982, features Derek Martin as Jack Frost, with a supporting cast including Haydn Wood, Stephen Thorne and Alan Dudley. 
 
Classic Radio Crime: presenting vintage detectives for your investigation! Duration: 1 hour 25 mins approx.

Frost: A Touch of Frost

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)

A thrilling BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation based on the third novel in C. J. Sansom's bestselling Tudor crime series featuring hunchback lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake. 
 
Autumn, 1541. Henry VIII, accompanied by his young bride Catherine Howard, has embarked on a Great Progress from London to York, to establish his power and authority with his rebellious subjects in the North and receive their oaths of loyalty. 
 
Shardlake, sent ahead of the 3000-strong procession, is in the city to help prepare legal petitions for the King – and to undertake a delicate clandestine mission for Archbishop Cranmer. Sir Edward Broderick, a dangerous conspirator imprisoned in York Castle, is being transferred to the Tower of London for interrogation, and it is up to Shardlake and his faithful assistant Barak to ensure he gets there safe and well. 
 
But the death of a glazier sees the duo drawn into a murder investigation, a treasonous plot and a secret that threatens to bring down the royal family… 
 
Starring Justin Salinger as Shardlake and Bryan Dick as Barak, this gripping third instalment of the 'Shardlake' series is a compelling murder mystery and a deeply evocative portrait of the turbulent Tudor world. 
 
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx. 
Tensions are running high in the city, and soon Shardlake is called to investigate a suspicious death - and stumbles upon a daring plot that has the potential to shake England to its core. 
 
CJ Sansom's 'Shardlake' series has sold over two million copies, and this atmospheric dramatisation starring BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries) brings his début novel to electrifying life. Fast-paced and suspenseful, it is both an engrossing murder mystery and a brilliantly realised portrayal of Tudor England. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Shardlake: Sovereign

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

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

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

A gripping BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation based on the second novel in C. J. Sansom's bestselling Tudor crime series. 
 
Summer, 1540. It has been three years since the terrible events at Scarnsea monastery, and lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake is living a quiet life in London – until a summons from Cromwell sees him embarking on another dangerous secret assignment. 
 
Someone has stolen the last barrel of 'Greek Fire': a legendary, highly potent incendiary weapon thought lost since the fall of Constantinople. Shardlake is tasked with tracking it down – and he must move quickly, for Cromwell is out of favour with the King and is relying on the precious substance to save his skin. 
 
But Shardlake has another, equally urgent case to deal with – defending an orphan girl, Elizabeth Wentworth, who is accused of murdering her young cousin. Aided by Cromwell's man, Barak, Shardlake must race against time to solve both cases, for the fates of both Cromwell and Elizabeth depend on him… 
 
Winner of the 2005 CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award, Dark Fire is the second thrilling instalment in the 'Shardlake' series. This atmospheric crime drama, starring Justin Salinger as Shardlake, Bryan Dick as Barak and Robert Glenister as Thomas Cromwell, features deception, dark secrets, captivating characters and a vibrant historical setting. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Shardlake: Dark Fire

Charles Dickens

Thrilling full-cast radio dramatisations of three of Charles Dickens' classic novels. Charles Dickens is one of the most renowned novelists of all time, and this second volume of the dramatised canon of his work includes the gripping historical novel Barnaby Rudge, picaresque comedy Martin Chuzzlewit and bittersweet tale of family relationships Dombey and Son. 
 
Barnaby Rudge Against the background of the anti-Catholic riots of the 1780s, young Barnaby Rudge becomes entangled with the fanatical George Gordon and his campaign for 'No Popery'. But mob violence, the burning of Newgate Prison and the shadow of murder put his life in danger... 
 
Martin Chuzzlewit Disinherited by his wealthy grandfather because of his love for the beautiful Mary, Martin Chuzzlewit sets sail for America to seek his fortune. 
 
Dombey and Son Wealthy Paul Dombey is desperate for a male heir to continue the family business, and neglects his six-year-old daughter Florence. Then, at last, the longed-for son is born – but Dombey's hopes for him go unfulfilled... 
 
With a star cast including Simon Cadell, Bill Nighy, Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister, Geraldine James and Pam Ferris, these BBC radio adaptations bring out all the suspense, adventure, satire and social realism of Dickens' three classic masterpieces. Duration: 19 hours approx.

Charles Dickens: The BBC Radio Drama Collection: Volume Two

Barnaby Rudge, Martin Chuzzlewit & Dombey and Son

Ray Galton

Alan Simpson

The complete final series of the groundbreaking BBC Radio comedy starring Tony Hancock – plus five bonus episodes. 
 
Created by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson in 1954, Hancock’s Half Hour was the radio vehicle that made Tony Hancock a household name. Each week listeners would be admitted to the sometimes fantastical, sometimes mundane life of 'the lad ‘imself'. Aided and abetted by Sid James, Bill Kerr Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques, Hancock would enter into the spirit of each episode with characteristic dolefulness. 
 
This volume contains all 14 shows from the sixth radio series, collected together for the first time, including previously unpublished restored versions of The Waxwork, The Fête and The Poetry Society. Also included is the 1958 Christmas Special episode and four re-recordings made for the BBC Transcription Service. Among these hilarious Half Hours, Hancock enters an eating competition; sets out to save a local landmark; becomes the director of Sid's guided tours company and enjoys an evening of abstract verse with his avant-garde friends. 
 
The episodes are: Bill and Father Christmas (1958 Christmas Special); The 13th of the Month (Transcription Services Episode One); The New Secretary (Transcription Services Episode Two); The Ballet Visit (Transcription Services Episode Three); The Election Candidate (Transcription Services Episode Four); The Smugglers; The Childhood Sweetheart; The Last Bus Home; The Picnic; The Gourmet; The Elopement; Fred's Pie Stall; The Waxwork; Sid's Mystery Tours; The Fête; The Poetry Society; Hancock in Hospital; The Christmas Club and The Impersonator. Duration: 9 hours 30 mins approx.

Hancock's Half Hour: Series 6

19 episodes of the classic BBC Radio comedy series

A thrilling BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation based on CJ Sansom's bestselling Tudor crime novel. 
 
Winter, 1537. Henry VIII has declared himself Supreme Head of the Church, and instructed his chief minister Thomas Cromwell to dissolve England's religious houses and seize their wealth. But Cromwell's plot to bring down the abbeys has hit a snag – one of the King's Commissioners has been found brutally murdered in Scarnsea monastery, on the south coast of Kent. If news of the killing were to get out, the consequences could be disastrous. 
 
Desiring a quick, discreet result, he sends his trusted lawyer-detective, Matthew Shardlake, to investigate. However, as Shardlake interviews the prime suspects and delves deeper into the mysteries of Scarnsea, it soon becomes clear that the case will not be as simple to solve as he had hoped. Which of the terrified monks is the murderer? And can Shardlake catch him before he strikes again? 
 
CJ Sansom's 'Shardlake' series has sold over two million copies, and this atmospheric dramatisation starring BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries) brings his début novel to electrifying life. Fast-paced and suspenseful, it is both an engrossing murder mystery and a brilliantly realised portrayal of Tudor England. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Shardlake: Dissolution

John le Carré

The complete collection of acclaimed BBC Radio dramas based on John le Carre's bestselling novels, starring Simon Russell Beale as George Smiley. 
 
With a star cast including Kenneth Cranham, Eleanor Bron, Brian Cox, Ian MacDiarmid, Anna Chancellor, Hugh Bonneville and Lindsay Duncan, these enthralling dramatisations perfectly capture the atmosphere of le Carre's taut, thrilling spy novels. 
 
Call for the Dead is the first Smiley novel, which sees him looking into an apparent suicide only to uncover a murderous conspiracy; 
 
A Murder of Quality finds Smiley investigating a murder in a private school; 
 
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold introduces Alec Leamas, a British intelligence officer whose East Berlin network is in tatters; 
 
The Looking Glass War features former spy Fred Leiser, lured back from retirement to investigate a claim that Soviet missiles are being installed close to the West German border; 
 
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the first book in the Karla trilogy, and sees Smiley searching for a mole who has infiltrated the Circus; 
 
The Honourable Schoolboy sees Smiley determined to destroy his nemesis, Karla, and his spy networks; 
 
Smiley's People finds George Smiley called out of retirement to exorcise some Cold War ghosts from his clandestine past; 
 
The Secret Pilgrim sees Smiley invited to dine with the eager new recruits at the Circus. He offers them his thoughts on espionage and, in doing so, prompts a former colleague to re-examine his own eventful secret life. 
 
'A radio triumph...Simon Russell Beale's pitch-perfect master spy' - "Financial Times". 
 
 
 ©2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Complete George Smiley Radio Dramas

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's entertaining crime novel, starring Bill Nighy. 
 
Charles Paris has been 'resting' for quite a while, so he's relieved when he is cast as the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father and First Gravedigger in a touring production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are a little tense – the lead roles of Hamlet and Ophelia are played by a reality TV contestant and TV talent show winner respectively, and their opinions on celebrity and the theatre differ somewhat from those of the more experienced members of the cast. 
 
The show is barely on the road before tragedy strikes – just before opening night, part of the set collapses, seriously injuring one of the actors. Then anothermember of the cast is found dead. It's up to Charles Paris to turn detective and investigate the mystery: but with almost everyone having a motive for murder, will he ever track down the real killer? 
 
Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: A Decent Interval

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)

Twelve classic Christie short stories are given a modern spin in these BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations. 
 
Agatha Christie is the acknowledged 'Queen of Crime', and these twelve short stories showcase her skilful plotting and talent for producing compelling mysteries. First broadcast in the early 2000s, the stories were adapted and brought up-to-date for a contemporary audience. 
 
Among the star cast are Tom Hollander, Emilia Fox, Patricia Routledge, Julia McKenzie, Neil Dudgeon, Richard Griffiths, Rebecca Front and Andrew Sachs. 
 
Unconventional detective Parker Pyne features in two of the stories, all twelve of which are infused with Agatha Christie's trademark tension and suspense. These tantalising tales of revenge, jealousy, love and death will thrill her many fans. 
 
The stories are: 
 
Philomel Cottage 
Swan Song 
Magnolia Blossom 
Witness for the Prosecution 
The Gates of Baghdad 
The Hound of Death 
In a Glass Darkly 
The Dressmaker's Doll 
The Case of the Perfect Carer 
The £199 Adventure 
The Gypsy 
The Last Séance 
 
Duration: approx 5 hours 30 minutes

Agatha Christie: Twelve Radio Mysteries

Twelve BBC Radio 4 dramatisations

Drenai Novels

DropZone

Duggee's Little Library

Dungeon Crawler Carl Series

Duty Calls

A gripping three-part series based on real historical events. Three Roman legions massacred. Three Imperial Eagles lost. One man vies for revenge.

Eagles of Rome

For thirty years, the O’Donnels have ruled the East End, but there’s a price to pay for this power, and it’s usually in blood.

Eastend Trilogy

Easterleigh Hall

Eat Around Italy

Eat Around Spain

Eat Right For Blood Type

Ebb and Flo

Ed Reardon's Week

Elemental Emergence

Elfies Spellbook

Eliot Biographies

Emma Trilogy

Emma and James

Empire of Salt

In the Swedish town of Engelsfors, a mysterious forcedraws seven teenagers together. They are the Chosen Ones, and they have been chosen to drive back the demons that threaten to overwhelm the world

Engelsfors Trilogy

England's Medieval Queens

English Heritage

Erica Martin Thriller

Eternal Ones

Eve of Man Trilogy

Everyman's Library Barbreck

Everyman's Children's Classics has more than 50 titles in print. It offers the finest editions currently available of the world's greatest children's books in handsome, full cloth hardcover bindings. 
 
The library brings back into print major illustrators such as Ivan Bilibin, Kate Greenaway, Arthur Rackham, Nicolas Bentley, Walter Crane, Aubrey Beardsley, Edward Ardizzone, W.Heath Robinson and Mervyn Peake.

Everyman's Library CHILDREN'S CLASSICS

The finest editions available of the world's greatest classics from Homer to Achebe, Tolstoy to Ishiguro, Proust to Pullman, printed on a fine acid-free, cream-wove paper that will not discolour with age, with sewn, full cloth bindings and silk ribbon markers, and at remarkably low prices. All books include substantial introductions by major scholars and contemporary writers, and comparative chronologies of literary and historical context.

Everyman's Library CLASSICS

P G Wodehouse is widely recognized as the greatest English comic writer of the twentieth century. 
 
His characters and settings have entered our language and our mythology. The first ever collected edition (Wodehouse had many publishers in his lifetime), the Everyman Wodehouse, will contain all the novels and stories, newly edited and reset from the first British edition. 
 
Printed on cream-wove, acid-free paper, sewn and bound in cloth, each Everyman volume is already recognized as the finest edition of the master ever published.

Everyman's Library P G WODEHOUSE

Everyman's Pocket Classics complements highly successful Pocket Poets series, offering the best prose writing in a handy pocket-sized format. Like all Everyman Library books, each title is printed on a cream-wove, acid-free paper with full cloth sewn binding, headbands and silk ribbon marker. Eminently collectable and great gifts.

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