Abilio Estévez

Abir Mukherjee is the bestselling author of the award-winning Wyndham &amp; Banerjee series of crime novels set in 1920s India and the British Book Awards Crime Thriller of the Year 2025 Hunted. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and won various awards including the CWA Dagger for best Historical Novel, the Prix du Polar Européen, and the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing. 
 
 
He also co-hosts the popular Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast which takes a wry look at the world of books, writing, and the creative arts, tackling everything from bestsellers to pop culture. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in Surrey with his wife and two sons. 
 
 
Website: abirmukherjee.com Twitter, Threads &amp; Instagram: @radiomukhers Facebook: AuthorAbir

Abir Mukherjee

Abolqasem Ferdowsi

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham L. Newman is a professor at the School of Foreign Service and Government Department at Georgetown University. He is a 2022-2023 Berlin Prize winner and his work has been published in leading outlets like The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, Nature, Science, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Harvard Business Review, and Politico.

Abraham Newman

Abraham Verghese

Absolut Vodka

Ad Putter

Ada Moncrieff is the author of Murder Most Festive, Murder at the Theatre Royale and Murder at Maybridge Castle. She lives and works in London.

Ada Moncrieff

Adam Aleksic is a linguist and content creator posting educational videos as the “Etymology Nerd” to an audience of over two million. As a linguistics student at Harvard College, he founded and served as president of the Harvard Undergraduate Linguistics Society. He’s discussed online language on NPR, repeatedly contributed to The Washington Post, and his work has been mentioned in The New York Times, The Economist, and The Guardian. He’s lectured on language and social media at Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, and other top universities, including a TEDx talk at the University of Pennsylvania. Adam is based in New York City, where he spends a lot of time scrolling TikTok for “research.”

Adam Aleksic

Adam Alter is an Associate Professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, and holds an affiliated appointment within the Psychology Department. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel and Behave and has written for The New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic, Wired, Popular Science and numerous other publications.

Adam Alter

Professor Adam Balen is lead clinician at one of the UK's largest and most successful IVF units at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. In recognition of his research on fertility and related conditions, he holds a DSc (the highest academic degree in medicine) from the University of Leeds. Adam is internationally renowned, holding roles with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Federation of Gyneacology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gyneacologists (RCOG). He runs both NHS and private fertility clinics so he understands the issues that arise from both sides and he works closely with fertility patient support organisations across the UK. Adam regularly features in the media on all aspects of reproductive health and lectures widely throughout the world.

Adam Balen

Adam Baron

Adam Bornstein

Adam Brookes grew up in the UK and was a journalist with BBC News for many years. As a foreign correspondent he was based in Indonesia, China and the United States. Along the way he reported from many other countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea. He lives in Washington DC.

Adam Brookes

Adam Buxton

Adam Christopher is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith and Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town. He has also written official tie-in novels for the hit CBS television show Elementary and the award-winning Dishonored video game franchise. Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic. Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.

Adam Christopher

Adam Foulds's most recent books are In the Wolf’s Mouth, The Quickening Maze, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Encore Award and the European Union Prize for Literature, and The Broken Word, which won the Costa Poetry Award and the Somerset Maugham Award. He has recently been awarded the E.M. Forster Award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and named as one of Granta’s ‘Best of Young British Novelists’.

Adam Foulds

Dr Adam Fox is a highly qualified and respected allergy specialist and consultant paediatric allergist and clinical lead for Allergy at Guy's &amp; St Thomas' Hospitals. The Times recently named him as one of Britain's top 100 children’s doctors. 
 
www.allergyfreebabyandtoddler.com

Adam Fox

Adam Frost

Adam Galinsky is currently the Morris and Alice Kaplan Professor of Ethics and Decision in Management at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He received his PhD from Princeton University in Social Psychology and his B.A. from Harvard University.

Adam Galinsky

Adam Glasser

Adam Goodfellow

Adam Goodwin

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton, where he has been the top-rated professor for seven straight years. His books have sold millions of copies, his TED talks have been viewed more than 30 million times, and he hosts the hit podcast Re:Thinking. His pioneering research on motivation and meaning has enabled people to reach their aspirations and exceed others' expectations. His viral piece on languishing was the most-read New York Times article of 2021 and the most-saved article across platforms. He has been recognized as one of the world's ten most influential management thinkers and Fortune's 40 Under 40, and has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation. Grant received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and he is a former Junior Olympic springboard diver. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and their three children.

Adam Grant

Adam and Charlotte met in Zanzibar while working with Voluntary Services Overseas. Upon their return to the UK, Charlotte completed an MA at Oxford Brookes and started her career in publishing. Adam in the meantime became writer-in-residence at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre before co-founding Storytelling Schools, an international organisation dedicated to training teachers in oracy, literacy and creativity. Adam and Charlotte's first book together was the best-selling and award-winning Spaghetti with the Yeti. Since then, Adam and Charlotte have continued to follow their passion for creating engaging books that inspire interaction and creativity in young readers.

Adam Guillain

ADAM HAMDY is a bestselling author and screenwriter. His most recent novel, The Other Side of Night, was an NPR best book of 2022 and a New York Times best thriller of the year, and has been described as ingenious and deeply moving. He is the author of the Scott Pearce series of modern spy thrillers, Black 13, Red Wolves and White Fire, and the Pendulum trilogy. Keep up to date with his latest books and news at www.adamhamdy.com.

Adam Hamdy

Adam Hart-Davis

Adam Haslett is the author of the story collection You Are Not a Stranger Here and the novels Imagine Me Gone and Union Atlantic. He has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and his books have been translated into over thirty languages. His journalism on culture and politics has appeared in The Financial Times, Esquire, The New Yorker, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, The Nation, and The Atlantic, among others. He lives in New York City.

Adam Haslett

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Edson Burton

Don Warrington stars as the enigmatic Deacon in this gritty contemporary fantasy trilogy 
 
In the spaces between inner-city Bristol and the netherworld walks Deacon, a mysterious, centuries-old drifter who arrives when least expected to save lost souls. In these three dramas, he comes to the aid of a boxer turned petty criminal, a teenager in danger and a refugee in hiding. 
 
Deacon 
Offered a 'job' by his former boxing trainer Jimmy, Mack is happy to oblige. All he has to do is deliver a car to a certain address by midnight - and not look in the boot. Then Mack hits an old man with the car. His name is Deacon, and although he looks like a tramp, he speaks words that are wise beyond this world. And he's about to change Mack's life, forever... 
 
Deacon: Moonlight on Water 
Sixteen-year-old Jas has a secret boyfriend, Ray, and she's planning to run away with him. But her ex, Zain, has found out, and pursues her into pitch-dark Eastville Park. Jas isn't scared: she knows how to handle Zain. But in this dangerous night-world, powerful spirits are abroad, and all is not what it seems... 
 
Deacon: Gabriel's Feast 
Grace has fled her war-torn homeland and sought sanctuary with a strange community on the fringes of Bristol. But what's driving their leader Gabriel? What are they preparing for? Despite Deacon's years and wisdom, he struggles to read the signs. Will he realise what is happening in time, or has he finally met his match? 
 
Created by writer and historian Edson Burton, these thrilling urban fantasy dramas are inspired by West African mythology and spirituality, and feature a predominantly black cast including musician and actor Ashley Thomas, aka Bashy, as Mack; Ashna Rabheru (Sex Education, Indian Summers) as Jas; Raj Bajaj (Killing Eve) as Zain; Don Gilet (EastEnders, Babyfather) as Ray; Diana Yekinni (Ije, Lunchtime Heroes) as Grace and Richard Pepple (Bridgerton, Beasts of No Nation) as Gabriel. 
 
 
 
 
Written by Edson Burton 
 
 
Starring Don Warrington as Deacon 
 
 
Deacon 
Mack - Ashley Thomas 
Mary - Leona Walker 
Jimmy - John Cording 
Price - Simon Ludders 
Waitress - Claire Cage 
Directed by James Robinson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 July 2017 
 
Deacon: Moonlight on Water 
Jas - Ashna Rabheru 
Ray - Don Gilet 
Legba - Marega Palser 
Zain - Raj Bajaj 
Directed by John Norton 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 July 2019 
 
Deacon: Gabriel's Feast 
Grace - Diana Yekinni 
Gabriel - Richard Pepple 
Khan - Ikky Elyas 
Max/Legba - Marc Danbury 
Directed by John Norton 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 October 2020 
 
 
? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Deacon

Three BBC Radio full-cast dramas

Lucy Catherine

A gripping full-cast drama about a family in meltdown, starring Tyger Drew-Honey 
 
Luke and Nettie are 15-year-old twins in a normally dysfunctional family. But when something bad happens to Nettie, it becomes clear that no-one knew much about her. As the family wait by her hospital bedside, they gradually discover more about what was going on in her life. 
 
This gripping full-cast drama stars Tyger Drew-Honey (Outnumbered) and Sharon Small (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Mistresses, Cutting It). 
 
Directed by Mary Peate

Halfway Here

A gripping BBC Radio drama

Danny Brocklehurst

Hugo Speer stars as Manchester detective John Stone in the final two series of the hard-hitting detective drama 
 
DCI Stone and his team are faced with two more tricky, morally complex cases in these gritty five-part dramas, created by award-winning screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst. 
 
Series 8, Retribution: The Unravelling of a Murder, sees Stone grappling with grief after his wife's death, and struggling to look after his teenage daughter alone. DS Kelly, meanwhile, is preparing to get married, and feeling overwhelmed with wedding admin - but their personal lives are put on hold when the team is called to investigate a death at an inner-city hotel. How did respectable businessman Maxwell Foley come to fall from Room 608 - and why was he at the Beresford in the first place? To find out, Stone must navigate the murky, transient world of the hospitality industry... But as he comes closer to uncovering the truth, forces conspire to prevent past crimes from coming to light... Written by Martin Jameson and Richard Monks, this gripping drama features a full cast including Lizzie Stavrou (Hollyoaks) and Emma Cunniffe (Roadkill). 
 
As Series 9, Protection, opens, DI Tanner has just had some life-changing news - while Stone gets a call from his daughter Alice, telling him she's been arrested. Meanwhile, their new investigation feels dangerously close to home. A teenager has been fatally stabbed, in what seems to be a totally unprovoked attack. The boy wasn't a known gang member, and his girlfriend Ruby claims she didn't recognise his killer. As the team search for leads, can they find out who was responsible before someone else gets hurt? This compelling drama was written by Vivienne Harvey, Carol Russell and Martin Jameson, and the cast includes Sydney Wade (I Kill Giants) and Angela Lonsdale (Our Girl). 
 
 
Created by Danny Brocklehurst 
Produced and directed by Gary Brown and Nadia Molinari 
 
Starring Hugo Speer as DCI John Stone, Craig Cheetham as DI Mike Tanner and Deborah McAndrew as DS Sue Kelly 
 
Series 8 
Elena/Karen/Lowri/DC Novak - Lizzie Stavrou 
Terry Quinn/DC Hale/Dave Webster - Jason Done 
Alice Stone - Millie Gibson 
Jolene/Diana/Vicky - Angela Lonsdale 
Asadi Qadir/Gareth - George Bukhari 
Ibrahim/Gordon - Peter Singh 
Marek/Joe Myers - William Ash 
Lisa Taylor/Heather Webster - Emma Cunniffe 
Tomo/ Dean Carradous - William Fox 
Sophie Webster/ DS Richards - Sacha Parkinson 
Mia - Nadia Emam 
Charlie Haynes - Simon Trinder 
Written by Martin Jameson (Episodes 1 &amp; 2) and Richard Monks (Episodes 3-5) 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7-11 January 2019 
 
Series 9 
Alice/Kid 2 - Sydney Wade 
Jolene/Karen/Valerie/Greta - Angela Lonsdale 
Yusef/Security guard - Eddie Capli 
Ruby/Fi - Lucy Dixon 
Tolga/Jo Jo - James Cooney 
Jax Braithwaite/Renita/Dr Bassey - Doña Croll 
WC/Paramedic/Denny Rashford/Adam Collins - Hamish Rush 
Nessy/Dr Abiola - Danielle Henry 
Madison/DC Novak - Sacha Parkinson 
Layla/DS Novak - Sade Malone 
Phil Simpson/Dougie - Rupert Hill 
Solicitor - Darren Kuppan 
Written by Vivienne Harvey (Episode 1), Carol Russell (Episodes 2 &amp; 3) and Martin Jameson (Episodes 4 &amp; 5) 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1-5 February 2021 
 
 
? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Stone: The Complete Series 8 and 9

BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Crime Dramas

Matthew Broughton

The final series of the conspiracy thriller 
 
Dr Helen Ash is coming to terms with the fact she has just 9 months to live, when she's emailed a video of a boat mysteriously sinking in stormy seas. And the email is from her dead father. 
 
As she and Freddy try to find out whether the sunken ship really exists, they realise that they are being followed. And disaster awaits... 
 
A gripping thriller, Tracks has won multiple awards including Best Sound (BBC Audio Drama Awards) and Best Fiction (British Podcast Awards). Now Tracks is back with a fifth and final nine-part series. 
 
Cast 
Helen... Olivia Poulet 
Freddy.... Jonathan Forbes 
Eddy.... Mark Bonnar 
Lucy.... Kiran Sonia Sawar 
Yvonne.... Bettrys Jones 
Cancer Specialist.... Finlay Robertson 
Amina.... Emma Fryer 
Rebecca.... Carys Eleri 
Frances.... Juno Robinson 
Joanna.... Beatrice Engel 
Naani... Sindhu Vee 
Oskar ... David Menkin 
Farouk... Amir El-Masry 
Henning/Tec... Dino Kelly 
Valerie Peluso.... Juliet Cowan 
Barbara.... Barbara Flynn 
Linda... Maria Pride 
Irene... Heather Craney 
The Assistant...Tom Mumford 
Older Frances.... Scarlett Courtney 
Professor Manuel.... Peter Marinker 
The Architect.... Siân Phillips 
The Reporter.... Kathy Clugston 
The Medic.... Stefan Adegbola 
 
Directed by James Robinson 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production

Tracks: Series 5

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast thriller

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

Josephine Tey

Dramatisations and readings of five of Josephine Tey's classic mystery novels 
 
Scottish novelist and playwright Josephine Tey was one of the greatest Golden Age crime writers and the author of eight mysteries, including six featuring Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant. The most famous of these, The Daughter of Time, was acclaimed the greatest crime novel of all time by the Crime Writers' Association. A full-cast dramatisation of this iconic story is included here, along with adaptations of four of her other much-loved mystery novels. 
 
A Shilling for Candles 
An independent-minded chief constable's daughter meets a suspected killer in this re-imagining of Josephine Tey's 1936 comedy thriller featuring Inspector Grant, starring Giles Fagan and Tilly Gaunt. 
 
Miss Pym Disposes 
Invited by her friend Henrietta to lecture at a physical education colllege, expert psychologist Miss Lucy Pym little suspects that among the healthy young women is someone with a mind sick enough to commit murder... Julia Foster stars as Miss Pym, with Joan Sims as Henrietta. 
 
The Franchise Affair 
A 15-year-old schoolgirl accuses Marion Sharpe and her mother of kidnapping and beating her. Can solicitor Robert Blair prove the women's innocence? An abridged reading by Edward Petherbridge. 
 
The Daughter of Time 
In hospital with a broken leg, Inspector Grant is bored. To pass the time, he decides to try and solve one of history's most famous puzzles: did Richard II really kill the Princes in the Tower? Peter Gilmore stars as Alan Grant. 
 
The Singing Sands 
Travelling to the Highlands by train, Inspector Grant ends up investigating the mysterious death of the man in compartment B7. An abridged reading by Paul Young of Tey's final novel, published posthumously in 1952. 
 
Also included is a Woman's Hour discussion of the life of Josephine Tey, with Andrew Taylor and fellow author Nicola Upson, whose bestselling crime novels feature Tey as the detective heroine. 
 
 
A Shilling for Candles 
Tisdall - Giles Fagan 
Erica - Tilly Gaunt 
Pottinger - Steve Hodson 
Bergoine - Stephen Thorne 
Grant - Ben Crowe 
Albert Clay - Harry Myers 
Hopgood - Geoffrey Whitehead 
Martha - Frances Jeater 
Dramatised by John Fletcher 
Directed by Tabitha Potts 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 December 1998 
 
Miss Pym Disposes 
Lucy Pym - Julia Foster 
Henrietta Hodge - Joan Sims 
Teresa Desterro - Julia Swift 
Miss Lux - Polly James 
Miss Wragg - Zelah Clarke 
Madame Lefevre - Margaret Robertson 
Fröken Gustavson - Diana Olsson 
Miss Meek - Eva Stuart 
Miss Nash - Deborah Makepeace 
Miss Innes - Moir Leslie 
Miss Rouse - Susan Sheridan 
Miss O'Donnell - Felicity Hayes-McCoy 
Miss Dakers - Denica Fairman 
Miss Gage - Caroline Gruber 
Mr Nash - Michael Deacon 
Mrs Nash - Eva Stuart 
Rick - Paul Sirr 
Dramatised by Elizabeth Proud 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1987 
 
The Franchise Affair 
Read by Edward Petherbridge 
Abridged by Pat McLoughlin 
Editor: Sally Feldman 
Music: Bush's Music for Orchestra 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7-23 May 1991 
 
The Daughter of Time 
Alan Grant - Peter Gilmore 
Nurse Ingham - Frances Jeater 
Nurse Darroll - Jill Lidstone 
Marta Hallard - Rosalind Shanks 
Brent Carradine - Simon Hewitt 
Richard - Steve Hodson 
Tyrrel - Nigel Lambert 
Brackenbury - Lewis Stringer 
Lady Paston - Miranda Forbes 
Edward - Graham Faulkner 
Matron - Katherine Parr 
Williams - Stuart Organ 
Morton - Peter Tuddenham 
Buckingham - Alex Jennings 
Stillington - James Thomason 
Sir John - Alaric Cotter 
Dramatised by Neville Teller 
Directed by Graham Gauld 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 August 1982 
 
The Singing Sands 
Read by Paul Young 
Produced by Eilidh McCreadie 
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 17-20 March 2008 
 
Woman's Hour discussion 
Presented by Jane Garvey 
With Nicola Upson and Andrew Taylor 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 February 2008

Josephine Tey: The Daughter of Time & other mysteries

A BBC Radio crime collection

Chris Boucher

A five-part vintage crime drama about a mysterious death on an ocean liner 
 
Aboard the Carthena, on its way from Sydney to Southampton, a passenger walks on the dark deck, unaware his death is only seconds away. It's a death which will set in motion a criminal investigation stretching from England to Australia. 
 
In London, Ruth Cobb receives a visit from the Southampton police, informing her that the dead man was her brother, Stuart. DC 'Birdie' Partridge and his sergeant believe it was an accident, or suicide, but the feisty Ms Cobb is adamant that it was murder. The official report suggests her brother was drunk and depressed after a row with his girlfriend - but the Stuart she knew was gay, and teetotal... 
 
Sensing a conspiracy, Birdie disobeys orders and starts probing further - and he soon finds that in Ruth, he has an amateur sidekick who is equally keen to uncover the truth. But the more she pursues her enquiries, the more she puts herself in danger. Can Birdie stop Ruth from becoming the next victim? 
 
Created by screenwriter and script editor Chris Boucher, whose TV credits include Shoestring, Juliet Bravo and Bergerac, this absorbing thriller stars Patrick Mower (Emmerdale) as Birdie and Helen Atkinson Wood (Blackadder the Third) as Ruth. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Chris Boucher 
Directed and produced by Gerry Jones 
 
NB: Due to its age, this serial contains some dated attitudes and language 
 
Cast 
DC 'Birdie' Partridge - Patrick Mower 
DS Dunne - Geoffrey Matthews 
Ruth Cobb - Helen Atkinson Wood 
Martin Lennister - David McAlister 
Captain of the Carthena - Nicholas Courtney 
Australian driver - Anthony Jackson 
Daryl Kennedy - John Rowe 
Server in chip shop - John Warner 
Hotel receptionist - John Hollis 
Superintendent - Alan Dudley 
Mrs Flanders - Heather Bell 
Detective - Crawford Logan 
Jones - Derek Pollitt 
Minicab driver - Martin Friend 
Hotel landlord - Peter Tuddenham 
Garvey - Gregory de Polnay 
Inspector - Michael Godley 
Mr Dibley - Michael Tudor Barnes 
Shop assistant - Patience Tomlinson 
Bank clerk - Gary Cady 
Stuart Cobb - David Timson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 November-20 December 1981

A Walk in the Dark

BBC Drama mystery thriller

BBC Audio

The godfather of the hard-boiled detective novel, Dashiell Hammett is widely acknowledged as one of America's greatest mystery writers. This collection brings together the BBC radio adaptations of his works for the first time, including the iconic The Maltese Falcon featuring his most famous character: Sam Spade. 
 
The Maltese Falcon 
San Francisco, 1928. When his partner is murdered on an assignment, private detective Sam Spade is drawn into a dangerous case involving a treacherous femme fatale and the priceless black statuette of a falcon... Tom Wilkinson and Jane Lapotaire star in this thrilling dramatisation of Hammett's most famous novel. 
 
Secret Agent X-9 
New York, 1934, and Secret Agent X-9 is about to embark on his most deadly mission yet. Falsely accused of murder, he struggles to stay one step ahead of the law in his relentless pursuit of his arch enemy, 'The Top'. Dramatised from a comic strip co-created by Dashiell Hammett, this tale of mystery, murder and mayhem stars Stuart Milligan, Connie Booth and William Hootkins. 
 
Nightmare Town 
Arriving in the desert boom town of Izzard, Arizona, sharp-edged tough guy Steve Threefall meets the beautiful, terrified Nova Vallance - and encounters danger, intrigue and a dark mystery... Read by Stuart Milligan. 
 
The Man Who Killed Dan Odams 
An escaped killer fleeing cross-country stumbles upon an isolated farm in Montana, inhabited by a woman and her young son... This mysterious and brooding noir western is read by Stuart Milligan. 
 
 
The Maltese Falcon 
Sam Spade - Tom Wilkinson 
Brigid O'Shaughnessy - Jane Lapotaire 
Mr Gutman - Peter Vaughan 
Joel Cairo - Nickolas Grace 
Effie - Mia Soteriou 
Miles Archer - William Hope 
Iva - Liza Ross 
Wilmer - Peter Acre 
Tom Polhaus - Norman Jones 
Lt Dundy - Harry Towb 
DA Bryan - Don Fellows 
Newspaperman - Robin Summers 
Taxi driver - Keith Edwards 
Man with key - Arnold Diamond 
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell 
Directed by Jane Morgan 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 December 1984 
 
Secret Agent X-9 
X-9 - Stuart Milligan 
Grace Powers - Connie Booth 
The Top - William Hootkins 
Evelyn Powers - Rachel Power 
Deacon/Alden Powers - Peter Marinker 
Matthew/Steward/Luke - Michael John Paliotti 
Captain Brady/Bartholomew - John Guerrasio 
Jude - Bruce McGregor 
Cop 1 - Clive Rowe 
Harper-Carp - Kerry Shale 
Waitress/Sister Agnes - Miranda Pleasance 
Other parts played by the cast 
Dramatised by Mark Brisenden from the comic strip created by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond 
Produced by Chris Wallis 
First broadcast BBC Radio 5 Live, 1-22 January 1994 
 
Nightmare Town 
Read by Stuart Milligan 
Abridged by Neville Teller 
Produced by Elizabeth Allard 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-8 November 2001 
 
The Man Who Killed Dan Odams 
Read by Stuart Milligan 
Abridged by Neville Teller 
Produced by Elizabeth Allard 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 November 2001

Dashiell Hammett: The Maltese Falcon & other adventures

A BBC Radio Collection

Timothy X Atack

Forest 404: 9-part thriller, 9-part talk, 9-part soundscape and exclusive bonus documentary 
 
Can you feel loss for something you've never known? 
 
Meet Pan. She lives a few centuries from now, in a future beyond a data crash that wiped out most records of life from before the 23rd century: The Cataclysm. Her job is to sort through the old sound recordings that survived from before the crash - from The Slow Times. When winters were still cold. When the USA still had people in it. 
 
All day she listens to sounds from The Slow Times, and she decides which noises live, and which can just...finally die. Deleted to make space. Because data costs. 
 
But when she finds an old recording of a rainforest, she has no idea what it is. Because forests no longer exist. And the sound of it haunts her - she is compelled to hunt down the truth about how the forests of the old world died. But the agents of new world have other ideas... 
 
A sci-fi thriller starring Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who), Tanya Moodie (Sherlock, Motherland) and Pippa Haywood (Green Wing, Bodyguard). 
 
Each episode is accompanied by a talk which looks at the issues raised by the drama, featuring a diverse range of speakers: musicians, bio-futurists, anthropologists and tree-climbers. They explore questions ranging from 'Why should I listen to trees?' to 'Would you vote for an AI government?' and 'What is death in the digital age?' 
 
Each episode also comes with an immersive soundscape of natural world environments, mixed in binaural sound for a 3D headphone experience. You can hear the sound of the Sumatran rainforest, the songs of whales, a chorus of frogs, and a full playout of Bonobo's specially-composed theme music. 
 
Lastly, this release includes an exclusive bonus documentary episode, which looks at the making of the series, featuring interviews with writer Timothy X Atack and director Becky Ripley. It also shares the findings of The Forest 404 Experiment: a related project in collaboration with Exeter University and the Open University, about the effects that different natural sounds have on our moods and mental health. 
 
Credits: 
Pan - Pearl Mackie 
Daria - Tanya Moodie 
Theia - Pippa Haywood 
With theme music by Bonobo 
Directed by Becky Ripley 
 
Track listing: 
1. Episode 1: Life in the Fast Times 
2. Talk 1: Why should I listen to trees? 
3. Soundscape 1: Rainforest Symphony 
4. Episode 2: The Fumetown Priest 
5. Talk 2: How is the sound of the world changing? 
6. Soundscape 2: Frog Chorus 
7. Episode 3: Into the Inner 
8. Talk 3: Could I live in darkness? 
9. Soundscape 3: Whale Songs 
10. Episode 4: Of Earthly Delights 
11. Talk 4: Why do trees live so long 
12. Soundscape 4: Woodland Walk 
13. Episode 5: Last Days of the Slow World 
14. Talk 5: Will we all become cyborgs? 
15. Soundscape 5: Theia's Hometown 
16. Episode 6: A New Leaf 
17. Talk 6: What is death in the digital age? 
18. Soundscape 6: Pan's Dwindling 
19. Episode 7: Dreams of the Autopilot 
20. Talk 7: Would you vote for an AI government? 
21. Soundscape 7: Daria's Nightmare 
22. Episode 8: Future Conditional 
23. Talk 8: How will humans die out? 
24. Soundscape 8: The Memory Transfer 
25. Episode 9: Enigmata 
26. Talk 9: Love Letter to the Forest... 
27. Soundscape 9: Bonobo's Theme 
28. Exclusive bonus 'making of' documentary

Forest 404

A BBC sci-fi thriller

Edward Boyd

Teddy Johnson stars in this atmospheric six-part radio thriller 
 
Korean War veteran and hip Londoner Steve Gardiner arrives in a small Scottish seaside resort, looking for his old friend Jimmy Morton. But he's picked the wrong time for a reunion. The sleepy town is being terrorised by a homicidal maniac dubbed 'the Kind Man', and panic stalks the streets. 
 
Stepping off the train after dark, Steve is almost lynched by a terrified crowd, and at the gloomy Morton house he finds Jimmy and his father Wilfred behaving strangely. Then, waking in the night, he hears a voice whispering verses in his ear... 
 
Jimmy's heard the voice too. He claims it belongs to a dead man: Francis Lennox. A local poet and his close friend, they were in the same prison camp in Korea - but only Jimmy made it home. But what really happened there, and could it be linked to the killings? 
 
Can the Kind Man be caught before he strikes again? 
 
First broadcast in 1954, this Chandleresque mystery was written by Edward Boyd, whose radio credits include Castles in Spain and The Same River Twice. Singer Teddy Johnson stars as Steve Gardiner, with Jimmy Logan as Jimmy Morton. 
 
Produced by Eddie Fraser 
 
Cast 
Steve Gardiner - Teddy Johnson 
Mrs McGann - Helen Norman 
Stella - Isobel Gardner 
Albert - Paul Young 
Railway porter - Eric Wightman 
Miss Wylie - Marjorie Dalziel 
PC Mackenzie - John Young 
Police Sergeant/PC Robertson - Kalman Glass 
Detective Inspector Gordon - Moultrie R Kelsall 
Tramp/Romilly Foster - Douglas Murchie 
Delia Dewar - Effie Morrison 
Wilfred Morton - Leonard Maguire 
Jimmy Morton - Jimmy Logan 
Librarian - Leslie Blackater 
Lindy Marshall - Hannah Gordon 
Old lady - Jean Taylor-Smith 
Drunk - Phil McCall 
Bill Williams - Glenn Michael 
Diana Wheeler-Sproat - Eileen McCallum 
Mr Dunnsmuir - Michael Elder 
Louisa Matthews - Nancy Mitchell 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29 March-3 May 1954

The Candle of Darkness

A classic BBC Radio full-cast thriller

Bruce Bedford

Robert Glenister stars in this time-hopping supernatural thriller set in (and under) Bath 
 
1999, and aspiring poet Saul Judd is living quietly in Bath with his wife Elise and son Thomas. But when he wins a competition he never intended to enter, he is drawn into a web of dark forces and mysterious events. 
 
What is the link between leprous Prince Bladud, founder of Bath; a Dark Ages scribe's prophetic chronicle; a geriatric nursing home resident's warnings and a toddler's terror of 'the Gibson room'? Why is someone sending Saul threatening messages attached to assegais? And who are the Guardians - and what do they want? 
 
As Saul struggles to put the pieces together, he unwittingly puts himself and his family in great danger. For unbeknownst to him, an ancient power source is buried under a hill outside Bath, and two rival factions have been battling for millennia to control it. As the city gears up to celebrate the opening of the Bath Festival, Saul must prepare for the endgame - and for the fight of his life... 
 
Created by award-winning scriptwriter Bruce Bedford, this gripping science fiction series stars Robert Glenister as Saul, with Sharon Duce, Freddie Jones, John Telfer and Timothy West. 
 
 
Directed by Andy Jordan 
Original music composed by Thomas Johnson 
Music realised by Robin Lever 
Special effects: Dick Mills (BBC Radiophonic Workshop) 
 
Cast 
Saul Judd - Robert Glenister 
Elise Judd - Sharon Duce 
Scribe - Freddie Jones 
Scribe's Wife/Thomas - Kate Binchy 
Haensel Sethria - Constance Chapman 
Prince Bladud - John Telfer 
Rough Peasant - Trevor Cooper 
Karim el Hatel - Sam Dastor 
Chairwoman - June Barrie 
Northern Man - Geoff Serle 
Guardian/Optician/Narrator - Jonathan Adams 
Selwyn Fist - Timothy West 
Rita - Liz Goulding 
Priscus - Gordon Reid 
Roman Stranger - Michael Stroud 
Landlord/Alan- Jonathan Tafler 
Roman Officer - John Abineri 
Miss Dewhurst - Zoe Hicks 
Martin - Steve Woodward 
Tracey - Katy Carmichael 
Newsreader/Writer - Cornelius Garrett 
Leaflet Man/Guardian - Bill Bellamy 
Patricia Gwent/Brownie - Melanie Hudson 
Control/Link Man - Geoffrey Collins 
Punch/CBS Reporter - Philip Manikum 
John/Foil Leader - Paul Cresswell 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 July-6 August 1992

The Gibson

A BBC Radio 4 supernatural thriller

Gordon Jackson stars in this classic noir thriller, with the music of Miles Davis 
 
A man named Johnny Maxen reluctantly walks through the Gare du Nord on his way back to a life he thought he'd left behind. Summoned by a letter from his sometime mother-in-law, Helen Duncan, he returns to Glasgow and the news that his estranged wife has been missing for three months. 
 
As far as Johnny's concerned, his dealings with Julia ended five years ago. He's paid his dues and knows he should cut and run. But for Helen's sake, he agrees to find her - alive or dead. 
 
Asking around, he gets some strange reactions to his enquiries. And when his search turns up the body of a girl, who has committed suicide in Julia's flat, he faces his own deadly threat. Then the police start to take an interest in the case. It seems that wherever Johnny goes, violence follows - and as the corpses pile up, suspicion swirls around him. 
 
His attempts to clear his name lead him to a lochside cottage and a meeting with an old flame. Can Johnny find out the truth about Julia - and uncover the secret behind his daughter Sarah's death? 
 
Created by Edward Boyd, whose credits include Castles in Spain and Z-Cars, this suspenseful crime drama was first broadcast on the Light Programme in 1966 before being adapted as a novel and BBC TV series under the title The Dark Number. It stars Gordon Jackson as Johnny Maxen, with Roddy McMillan as Inspector Wardlaw. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Edward Boyd 
Produced by Eddie Fraser 
Musical score by Miles Davis

The Same River Twice

David Ellis

Noel Johnson, the radio voice of Dick Barton - Special Agent, stars in this 1969 thriller about a second-hand car dealer caught up in fraud and murder 
 
When Andrew Marsh takes a young woman out for dinner while his wife is away, he soon finds himself in big trouble. He falls under police suspicion when cheques from his missing cheque book start turning up in shops, signed with a false name. 
 
Suspected of fraud, Andrew decides to take action. Convinced that the cheque book was stolen by his dinner companion, Sheila Ramsey, he tries desperately to trace her - but she's gone... 
 
Things go from bad to worse, and Andrew is soon suspected of murder after his car is involved in a hit-and-run. Is he being framed? Determined to clear his name, his investigations lead him to the shady Excelsior Club, a mysterious woman named Margaret Everard, and a ruthless criminal gang. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more he puts his own life in jeopardy... 
 
Created by David Ellis, whose scriptwriting credits include Paul Temple, Z-Cars and Dixon of Dock Green, this exciting, fast-paced serial stars Noel Johnson as Andrew Marsh, with Douglas Blackwell, Maddi Hedd and Eva Haddon. 
 
 
 Cast 
Andrew Marsh - Noel Johnson 
Roger Sherwin/The Boss - Douglas Blackwell 
Detective Sergeant Rankin - Henry Stamper 
Joyce Marsh - Madi Hedd 
George - John Baddeley 
Peter Lloyd - Michael Deacon 
Carol Ransome - Jenny McCracken 
Doctor - David Brierley 
Constable - Peter Baldwin 
Harry Yates - Leonard Fenton 
Salesman - Rolf Lefebvre 
Margaret Everard/Judy Randall - Eva Haddon 
Bill Rodney - Wilfred Carter 
Joe - Antony Viccars 
Max Freeman - Francis de Wolff 
Shirley - Kathleen Helme 
Alf Jenkins - Brian Haines 
Sheila Ramsey - Jan Edwards 
Detective Inspector Adams - John Bentley 
Dr Fergus - Malcolm Hayes 
Constable - Nicholas Edmett 
Girl at the Station - Gretta Gouriet 
 
Produced by Betty Davies 
First broadcast BBC Radio 2, 30 January-20 February 1969

Find the Lady

A BBC Radio thriller

London, 2049. 
 
Full body transplants on sale here: the more you pay, the better the body. But can an expensive upgrade really fulfil the life-changing expectations of demoralised mortician Caroline McAleese? 
 
Caroline is desperate to be promoted to the sales team - but she's overweight and over 40, and in a world where attractiveness is prioritised ahead of intelligence, her prospects are slim. Then she hits the jackpot in the Citizens' Lottery, and gets the chance to trade up to the perfect new body: one that's young, lithe and beautiful. 
 
It's a dream come true for Caroline - until she starts to experience teething problems. Her behaviours begin to change, and she is haunted by violent dreams. She's not alone in her new body, and no longer in control. What shadows have been left by her body's former inhabitant? And whose voice is it she hears in her head? 
 
Developed through the Wellcome Trust Experimental Stories scheme, this dark, futuristic series was written by award-winning dramatist Lucy Catherine, whose credits include Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, Gudrun and The Master and Margarita. It stars Jill Halfpenny as Caroline, with Shelley Conn, Samantha Dakin and Chetna Pandya. 
 
Cast 
Caroline - Jill Halfpenny 
Gloria - Shelley Conn 
Rowan/Benefits Office Computer - Adam Courting 
Anastasia - Samantha Dakin 
Tom/Car Salesman - Ian Conningham 
Waiter/Security Guard - Greg Jones 
Bar Guy/Che - Ikky Elyas 
Virtual James - Will Kirk 
Government Computer/Stan - Neil McCaul 
Work Computer/Library Computer - Sinead MacInnes 
Lift Voice/Young Mum - Lucy Reynolds 
Paulina - Chetna Pandya 
Mel - Liza Sadovy 
Trevor - Clive Hayward 
Karina - Heather Craney 
BodyEx Computer - Scarlett Courtney 
Hotel Computer - Laura Christy 
 
Directed by Toby Swift 
Developed through the Wellcome Trust Experimental Stories scheme 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11-13 March 2020

Body Horror

A BBC Radio dystopian thriller

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

Nick Perry

Babelsberg Film Studios, 1929. 
 
A major new movie is in production when its star Krista Wolff suddenly disappears. The head of the studio and the film's writer are desperate to find her. Each have their own reasons. 
 
 Nick Perry's suspenseful drama is set amid the creative ferment of 1920s Berlin, centred around Babelsberg Film Studio, the world's oldest large-scale film studio. Out of the darkness of military defeat, political chaos, poverty and hyperinflation springs the phenomenon of Weimar culture, a defiant celebration of humanity and artistic expression in all its diverse forms. 
 
People flock to Berlin to be a part of the cultural explosion. Writer Jonas Beck, actress Krista Wolff and war veteran Peter X are among them. 
 
 Jonas Beck . . . . . Paul Chahidi 
 Otto Lenz . . . . . Anton Lesser 
 Lottie . . . . . Clare Corbett 
 Peter X . . . . . Carl Prekopp 
Fischer . . . . . Michael Jibson 
 Krista . . . . . Cassie Layton 
 
 The songs are written by Nick Perry, Nathan Perry and Maureen Glackin, and the music is arranged and performed by Peter Ringrose. 
 
 Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko

Babelsberg Babylon

Oliver Emanuel

In a world without antibiotics, an everyday scratch turns a family’s world upside down in this dystopian BBC radio drama 
 
It is the near-future, and drug resistance has taken hold. Antibiotics are no longer available, and in the war between humanity and bacteria, one little girl is in the front line... 
 
Ten-year-old Sarah is not allowed to play outside. But one day, she and her brother break the rules and go into the nearby woods, where she scratches her knee. The wound gets infected, and soon becomes life-threatening. 
 
Now Sarah’s in a coma, in an isolated room in hospital. Her family and medical team are hoping this will stop the infection – but they’re running out of time. While Sarah’s imagination drifts to Hawaii, her parents are left to make an unbearable choice for their daughter… 
 
Winner of the 2019 BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Original Series, this potent, playful drama was written by acclaimed dramatist Oliver Emanuel, and stars Jocelyn Brassington, Christine Bottomley, Roderick Gilkison and Robin Laing. 
 
Written by Oliver Emanuel 
Produced and directed by Kirsty Williams 
Consultants: Prof Joanna Coast and Dr Adam Roberts 
The Truth About Hawaii was developed through Wellcome Experimental Stories in consultation with Prof Joanna Coast (Professor in the Economics of Health &amp; Care, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol) and Dr Adam Roberts (Senior Lecturer in Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Resistance at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) 
 
Cast 
Sarah……………………Jocelyn Brassington 
Lizzie……………………Christine Bottomley 
Paul……………………Roderick Gilkison 
David/Woolfson……………………Robin Laing 
GP/Elvis Presley/Leo/Minister for Health ……………………Kevin Mains 
Doctor/Journalist/UN Secretary General/Headmistress……………………Anita Vettesse 
Kylie……………………Dani Heron 
Congolese Ambassador/Matron……………………Adura Onashile 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 January-2 February 2018

The Truth About Hawaii

A full-cast BBC radio drama

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

When Jasper finds his father dead, a dark mystery begins to unfold. His dad kept a secret: Jasper has a twin brother, Eddie, whom he's never met. This new discovery offers a temptation - what if they swapped lives? 
 
As Jasper escapes the confines of his faltering marriage and attempts to track down his father's killer, he soon discovers that with his new found freedom comes the threat of extreme danger. And Eddie finds that life in his brother’s shoes is something he may not be willing to give up. 
 
A dark thriller in two parts that reflect each other: The first tells Jasper's story. The second tells Eddie's. 
 
Shaun Dingwall (New Tricks, Young Victoria, Doctor Who) stars opposite himself as the two brothers, Jasper and Eddie. Valene Kane (The Fall) makes her radio debut as Jasper's wife Caitlin. With supporting performances from Vera Filatova (Peep Show) and Kenneth Cranham (Made in Dagenham, Layer Cake, Shine on Harvey Moon). 
 
Jasper/Eddie - Shaun Dingwall 
Caitlin - Valene Kane 
Ricky Paggett - Kenneth Cranham 
Nancy - Vera Filatova 
Terry - Simon Ludders 
Doctor/Policeman/Prison Warder/Waiter - John Norton 
Directed by James Robinson

Demon Brother

Matt Hartley

Caroline Horton

'One of the best dramas - on television or radio - currently on offer' Radio Times 
'The most brilliant drama' and 'really, really well produced' Dolly Alderton 
 
Tracks: Chimera 
 
A tower block collapses in London. Hundreds are killed. 
Except a man standing alone on the roof, who walks out of the rubble unscathed. 
 
And things are about to get stranger, because Dr Helen Ash is pregnant. But she hasn't had sex since her husband died 18 months ago. 
 
What connects her unexplained pregnancy, a mysterious phone message from a woman who died in the building collapse, and the man on the roof of the high-rise? 
 
The gripping conspiracy thriller and winner of Best Sound (BBC Audio Drama Awards) and Best Fiction (British Podcast Awards) returns for a third series. 
 
 
Tracks: Indigo 
 
Dr Helen Ash is involved in a road accident. But where was she going in such a hurry? And why can't she remember? 
 
The answer lies in the riddle of Helen's daughter, Frances, who's older than she should be. And a mysterious 'child-mother', who's younger than she should be... 
 
Romola Garai returns as Helen Ash in the compelling fourth series of Tracks. 
 
 
Cast of Tracks: Chimera 
Helen.... Hattie Morahan 
Freddy..... Jonathan Forbes 
Rachel.... Fiona O'Shaughnessy 
Other parts played by Rhodri Meilir, Eiry Thomas, Zahra Ahmadi, Clare Cage, Marc Danbury, Stewart Wright, Richard Elfyn, Kerry Shale, Elina Alminas, Carys Eleri, Morgan Watkins, Jeanette Percival, Matthew Gravelle, Richard Nichols, Amerah Saleh, Adam Deacon, Bijan Daneshmand, Emma Handy, Lea Mornar, Francois Pandolfo, Simon Armstrong, Saffron Coomber and Sean Murray 
 
Lead writer.... Matthew Broughton 
Episodes written by Matthew Broughton, Matt Hartley, Lucy Catherine, Caroline Horton and Timothy X Atack 
Directed by James Robinson, Rebecca Lloyd-Evans and Carl Prekopp 
Produced by James Robinson 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
Cast of Tracks: Indigo 
Helen.... Romola Garai 
Freddy.... Jonathan Forbes 
Other parts played by Andrew Gower, Georgia Henshaw, Sally Orrock, Carys Eleri, Sion Pritchard, Joanna van Kampen, Scarlett Courtney, Adam Courting, Lucy Reynolds, Ashleigh Hadadd, David Hounslow, Sinead MacInnes, Juliet Cowan and Marc Danbury 
 
Written by Matthew Broughton 
Produced and Directed by James Robinson 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production

Tracks: Series 3 and 4

Two BBC Radio 4 full-cast thrillers

Robert Barr

All four radio series of Robert Barr’s gripping London-based police drama 
 
Originally broadcast as Detective: Stories of Crime and Detection in London, this BBC radio drama ran for four series between 1980 and 1985. Written by the award-winning creator of Z Cars and Softly Softly, Robert Barr, it comprised 39 thrilling stories set in London’s criminal underworld, all of which are collected here for the first time. 
 
DS Dave Brook is a long-serving, ducking-and-diving police officer who takes armed robberies and violent crime in his stride. But then he is teamed up with young 'grammar school boy' DC Blair Maxton from sleepy Epsom. How will Max cope with the mean streets of his new patch? 
 
Among the thrilling cases in these four series, the detectives tackle an armed gang, confront a notorious crime family, search for a missing wife, investigate a gruesome axe murder and the death of a reclusive young woman, and assist ‘The Sweeney’ flying squad. It’s all in a day’s work for Brook and his team... 
 
Ray Brooks stars as DS Brook, with Christopher Blake as DC Maxton, David Daker as Chief Inspector Roach, Peter Cleall as DC Harrison, Jacqueline Tong as Judy and Stephen Garlick as DC Tully. 
 
Written by Robert Barr 
Produced and directed by Martin Fisher 
Starring Ray Brooks as DS Dave Brook 
First broadcast 3 January-27 March 1980, BBC Radio 4 (Series 1), 16 March-18 May 1982, BBC Radio 4, (Series 2), 27 June-15 August 1984, BBC Radio 2 (Series 3), 24 June-12 August 1985, BBC Radio 2 (Series 4)

Detective

The complete BBC Radio 4 crime drama

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.

John Mortimer

Three thrilling full-cast dramas starring Julian Rhind-Tutt as the irrepressible Horace Rumpole 
 
Rumpole and the Golden Thread 
In Africa defending an old pupil in a murder trial, Rumpole is arrested. When Phillida arrives to bail him out, a spark between them is rekindled... 
 
Rumpole and the Official Secret 
Rumpole defends a civil servant accused of selling secrets and is embroiled in a wine fraud. Meanwhile, Phillida tells Rumpole she plans to leave her husband and asks him to keep it a secret, and Horace considers what that might mean. 
 
Rumpole and the Quality of Life 
Ballard’s wedding looms and Rumpole faces a life-changing decision about his own marriage. Hilda expects him to join her in Cornwall, but Phillida hopes he will leave to be with her at last… 
 
For fifteen years, Rumpole has fought, won and occasionally lost myriad cases – and fallen in and out of love with both wife Hilda and ‘the Portia of our Chambers’, Phillida Erskine-Brown. These three episodes leave us guessing until the very end – will Rumpole finally leave ‘She Who Must be Obeyed’ for Phillida? 
 
Julian Rhind-Tutt stars as Rumpole, with Jasmine Hyde as Hilda, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown and Cathy Sara as Phillida.

Rumpole: The Golden Thread & other stories

Three BBC Radio 4 dramatisations

A sixth collection of captivating courtroom dramas, starring Julian Rhind-Tutt as Horace Rumpole 
 
Rumpole and the Way Through the Woods 
Rumpole makes friends with a dog named Sir Lancelot, and finds himself defending a hunt saboteur who claims to be guilty of murder. But Horace is convinced that the true culprit is among the hunting fraternity. 
 
Rumpole for the Prosecution 
Rumpole’s personal commandment is ‘Thou Shalt Not Prosecute’ – but he breaks this rule to take on a private prosecution brought by a dead girl’s father. However, an obscure literary reference and a piece of evidence that doesn’t fit bring his defender’s instincts to the fore... 
 
Rumpole and the Quacks 
Temporarily indisposed, Rumpole consults a charming Indian doctor who later asks for Horace’s help when he is accused of molesting a patient. Meanwhile, Rumpole’s friendship with Phillida Erskine-Brown deepens as both their marriages hit a tricky patch. 
 
Julian Rhind-Tutt stars as Rumpole, with Jasmine Hyde as Hilda, Nigel Anthony as Claude Erskine-Brown and Cathy Sara as Phillida.

Rumpole: The Way Through the Woods & other stories

Martin Jameson

It started with a bit of politics in the news. Nothing out of the ordinary. 
 
But then the Scottish border closed. 
 
Manchester was besieged by rival forces. 
 
The bombs started to fall. 
 
The Fletcher family doesn't have time for politics; they are just trying to love and look after each other. But as the UK dissolves into conflict, they find themselves in danger. Not just from dodgy neighbours with brand new machine guns, but from inside their own family. 
 
What would happen if the UK broke apart? One family faces Britain's next civil war. 
 
Produced and directed by Jonquil Panting.

First World Problems

A BBC Radio full-cast dystopian thriller

Ruth Rendell

Full-cast dramatisations of seven of Ruth Rendell's tense psychological thrillers. 
 
This collection includes: 
 
Tracks 1-2 - The Bridesmaid: A beautiful stone statue and her living double lead Philip into a nightmare of obsession and murder. 
 
Tracks 3-4 - Going Wrong: Besotted with his childhood sweetheart, Leonora, psychopathic Guy Curran will do anything to make her his. 
 
Tracks 5 - 8 King Solomon’s Carpet: London’s Underground links a group of misfit housemates and is the catalyst for a devastating crime in this compelling tale, written under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. 
 
Track 9 - People Don’t Do Such Things: A suburban couple befriend a charismatic novelist, but their relationship soon slips into sinister territory. 
 
Track 10 - The Fever Tree: On safari in South Africa, Ford and Tricia find the tensions in their marriage exacerbated by the unforgiving wilderness. 
 
Track 11 - The Dreadful Day of Judgment: Clearing up an abandoned cemetery, John, Gilly and Marlon’s personal demons come to the fore. 
 
Track 12 - Thornapple: Poison enthusiast James becomes captivated by the ruthless Meribel on a visit to her wealthy aunt. 
 
Among the casts of these seven suspenseful adaptations are Jamie Glover, Mark Strong, Reece Shearsmith, Paul Rhys, Danny Sapani and Juliet Aubrey.

The Ruth Rendell BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven full-cast dramatisations

Jonathan Myerson

The truth won’t stay hidden forever. 
 
Twenty years after a murder, the convicted man walks free. His supporters claim a victory for justice, but for the murdered man’s friends, life implodes. Old lies re-surface, and new questions haunt them. 
 
What really happened back then, in the student house they all shared? The house where Ben died? 
 
Anna was one of the victim’s housemates, back when they were students. Now she is a vicar, but back then she did media studies. When the case opens up again she finds all her old student films in the loft – films about her housemates – and she watches them with new eyes. Covertly recording on her phone, she starts to unravel what really happened. 
 
Starring Rosie Cavaliero, best known as DS Susan Reinhardt in Prey, and Marion in Unforgotten. 
 
This collection also includes a 10-minute behind-the-scenes feature: ‘The Making of That Was Then’. 
 
Produced and directed by Jonquil Panting.

That Was Then: Series 1 and 2

A BBC Radio 4 thriller

'One of the best dramas - on television or radio - currently on offer' Radio Times 
 
 'The most brilliant drama' and 'really, really well produced' Dolly Alderton 
 
'instantly compelling' The Guardian 
 
Tracks 
 
A plane crash. 
A dead father. 
A buried secret. 
A passenger with a missing heart. 
 
When Dr Helen Ash witnesses the brutal and disturbing crash of the plane that is carrying her father, the incident sets her on an investigation into a dark conspiracy. Florian Chauvin was flying to Wales to tell his daughter something important, but his plane fell out of the sky. In the aftermath of the crash, Helen discovers that one of the passengers doesn't seem to have a heart. 
 
What was Florian coming to tell Helen? Who was he travelling with? And why did his plane crash? 
 
A major conspiracy thriller about life, death and the human brain, starring Romola Garai. Tracks became the most successful drama series launched by Radio 4 in 2016. 
 
Tracks: Strata 
 
Snowdonia, 1980. 
It's the dawn of a new decade and the future is coming. 
But in the wilds of Snowdonia, the ancient history of the landscape is hard to escape. 
 
Rachel Turner is looking for fossils with her four year-old son, Joe. But when a freak earthquake shakes the land beneath their feet, Joe vanishes. With the help of two locals, Rachel embarks on a desperate search to find her son. But as darkness descends, the secrets hidden in the ancient forests of the mountain are uncovered. 
 
A prequel to the first series, Series 2 is set 36 years before the events that rocked the life of Helen Ash. 
 
Cast of Tracks 
Helen....................Romola Garai 
Freddy...................Jonathan Forbes 
Michael..................Alex Beckett 
Rosie....................Susan Jameson 
Florian...................Sean Baker 
K...........................Rafay Asfi 
Fisker Lee..............Kenneth Cranham 
Other parts played by Suzanne Packer, Richard Nichols, Caroline Berry, Alexandria Riley, Matthew Gravelle, Claire Cage, Richard Mitchley, Pauline McLynn, Paul Courtenay Hyu, Leo Wan, Ruth Lloyd, Tristan Sturrock, Jaimi Barbakoff, John Norton, Paul Copley, Rhodri Meilir, Sam Rix, Nabil Elouahabi, Liz Sutherland and Matilda le Fleming. 
 
Written by Matthew Broughton 
Directed by James Robinson, Helen Perry and Abigail le Fleming. 
Original music by Stu Barker 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
Cast of Tracks: Strata 
Rachel ..................Fiona O'Shaughnessy 
Ifan........................Kai Owen 
Sam......................Robert Pugh 
Afa........................Betsan Llwyd 
Charlotte................Shelly Rees 
Ronny.....................Dafydd Emyr 
 
Written by Matthew Broughton 
Directed by James Robinson 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production

Tracks: Series 1 and 2

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

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

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