Adapted from the play by Charles Osborne. Sir Claud Amory has discovered the formula for a new powerful explosive, which is stolen by one of the large household of relatives and friends. Locking everyone in the library, Sir Claud switches off the lights to allow the thief to replace the formula on the table, no questions asked. When the lights come on, however, he is dead, and Hercule Poirot – with assistance from Hastings and Inspector Japp – has to unravel a tangle of family feuds, old flames and suspicious foreigners to find the killer and prevent a global catastrophe.

Hercule Poirot Mysteries

Black Coffee

Here are some of the finest narrative poems in the English language, dating from an age of rich inspiration: the nineteenth century. All tell powerful stories of human passion and endeavour, often reflected in vivid evocations of the medieval world. Includes ‘The Eve of St Agnes’ Le Morte d’Arthur and ‘Peter Grimes’

Great Narrative Poems of the Romantic Age

The mice of Brambly Hedge have been delighting adults and children alike for more than forty years. This delightful collection contains the first four classic picture books. The mice of Brambly Hedge have many adventures but they always have time for fun too. All through the year, they mark the seasons with feasts and festivities and, of course, the mice never miss an opportunity to meet and celebrate. This collection contains four classic stories following their adventures throughout the year. In Winter Story a heavy snowfall means the mice can hold a Snow Ball for the first time in years. In Autumn Story Primrose makes friends with the harvest mice before losing her way in the chestnut woods. Wilfred gets a birthday surprise in Spring Story, when all the mice club together to organise a fantastic picnic for him; and in Summer Story, Poppy Eyebright and Dusty Dogwood get engaged and a wonderful wedding is planned by all the mice of Brambly Hedge. Contains: Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story, Winter Story.

Brambly Hedge

A Year in Brambly Hedge

Step into the exquisite, miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. It is the very end of autumn and Flax and Lily are busy making blankets for the voles in the High Hills. Mr Apple has to deliver the blankets to them before the cold weather sets in and Wilfred Toadflax is eager to go along. He is convinced there is gold to be found in the hills beyond Brambly Hedge and this is his chance to discover it. Everything goes to plan until Wilfred scrambles up a rock face and can’t get down. The mist begins to rise and soon Mr Apple and Wilfred are engulfed in a thick white fog, unable to find their way home…

The High Hills

Step into the exquisite, miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. It is Midwinter’s Eve and the mice of Brambly Hedge are very busy. This evening, after dark, they will all be gathering round a blazing fire for the traditional midwinter celebrations. A grand entertainment is planned and Primrose and Wilfred have chosen to recite a poem. They go up to the attics to rehearse in pace and quiet but there are so many things to look at and places to explore, it is hard to concentrate. And when they stumble upon a dusty staircase, all thoughts of practising are put aside…

The Secret Staircase

Tristram Shandy is an ironic masterpiece, a work of extraordinary originality, wit and learning. It is a work of considerable philosophical complexity but at the same time it is just a piece of flim-flam: it has been called the longest shaggy dog story in English literature. It is both a classic novel and an anti-novel. It includes passages of seemingly serious theology – but it can also be read as an elaborate bawdy joke.

Tristram Shandy : Abridged

Step into the miniature world of the hedgerow in this beautiful new edition of this classic picture book, following a summer in the lives of the mice of Brambly Hedge. It was such a hot summer. They sky was deep blue and the sun never faltered. All along Brambly Hedge, the mice did their best to keep cool. Poppy Eyebright sought refuge in the mossy shadows of the mill wheel; Dusty Dogwood took to walking by the banks of the cooling stream. Dusty and Poppy spent more and more time together, so no one was at all surprised when they announced their engagement. They decided on a very unusual setting for the wedding ceremony, but even they didn’t realise just how unusual it was prove to be!

Summer Story

Step into the exquisite miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. It was summer and Primrose woke knowing that it was going to be a very special day. The sun was already warm and a light breeze stirred the leaves and branches of Brambly Hedge. It was a perfect day for an adventure. Leaving the hedge behind, Dusty, Poppy, Primrose and Wilfred set off downstream in Dusty’s boat the Periwinkle, on a journey that would take them all the way down to the sea. But it wasn’t all plain sailing, and the mice had an important mission to fulfil before they could return to Brambly Hedge…

Sea Story

Step into the exquisite miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. Bad weather is on the way and the autumn stores are still not gathered in! Quickly, all the mice of Brambly Hedge set to work to finish the harvesting before the rain begins. Primrose, Lord Woodmouse's daughter, meant to help, but somehow she daydreamed her way over the cornfield and into the Chestnut Woods, and before she knew it, she was lost. The sun went down, the wind rose and it began to rain. Primrose was all alone in the dark and she was frightened. Poor Primrose, would she find her way home again?

Autumn Story

Step into the exquisite, miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. Wilfred woke early. It was his birthday. He had lots of lovely presents, but the best one was a surprise… Mr Apple had organised a secret celebration picnic and all the mice of Brambly Hedge were invited. There was so much to carry. Poor Wilfred got very tired as he lurched and bumped his way along the grassy track. What was it Mrs Apple had said was in his hamper? Knives? Sandwiches? They were certainly heavy! When they finally arrived, Wilfred was allowed to open up the hamper and there he found the best treat of all…

Spring Story

Step into the exquisite miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge in this beautiful new edition of the classic picture book. It was the middle of winter and very, very cold. The mice of Brambly Hedge forecasted snow. And they were right. In the morning they awoke to find their doors and windows hidden behind deep drifts. There hadn't been snow like this for years. "There's enough for a Snow Ball!" cried the mice with glee, and set to work in the time-honoured way to make an Ice Hall for the festivities. The little mice watched wide-eyed as all the preparations were made. Then at last everything was ready, and the Ball could begin…

Winter Story

Sir Claud Amory's formula for a powerful new explosive has been stolen, presumably by a member of his large household. Sir Claud assembles his suspects in the library and locks the door, instructing them that the when the lights go out, the formula must be replaced on the table -- and no questions will be asked. But when the lights come on, Sir Claud is dead. Now Hercule Poirot, assisted by Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp, must unravel a tangle of family feuds, old flames, and suspicious foreigners to find the killer and prevent a global catastrophe.

Enduringly popular since its publication over forty years ago, celebrate the enchanting miniature world of the hedgerow with these four charming stories read by John Moffatt and Harriet Carmichael. The mice of Brambly Hedge have many adventures but they always have time for fun too. All through the year, they mark the seasons with feasts and festivities and, of course, the mice never miss an opportunity to meet and celebrate. These four classic stories, read by John Moffatt and Harriet Carmichael, follow the mice’s adventures throughout the year. In THE HIGH HILLS, Wilfred goes on an exciting expedition. There is a wonderful surprise for a growing family of mice in POPPY’S BABIES. The mice celebrate Midwinter’s Eve in style in THE SECRET STAIRCASE, and in SEA STORY, the mice set sail for Sandy Bay on an important mission.

Adventures in Brambly Hedge

This remarkable poem, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, was Spenser’s finest achievement: the first epic poem in modern English, The Faerie Queene combines dramatic narratives of chivalrous adventure with exquisite and picturesque episodes of pageantry. At the same time, Spenser is expounding a deeply-felt allegory of the eternal struggle between Truth and Error…

Selections from The Faerie Queene

Hear the best stories ever written with Puffin Classics on audio. The Happy Prince and Other Stories is a haunting, magical fairy tale collection, in which Oscar Wilde beautifully evokes (amongst others) The Happy Prince, who was not so happy after all, The Selfish Giant who learned to love little children and The Star Child who did not love his parents as much as he should. The downloadable audiobook edition of this magical story for young and old, unabridged and read by John Moffatt.

Puffin Classics

The Happy Prince And Other Stories

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

A BBC radio celebration of the works of Oscar Wilde, including energetic adaptations of his best-known plays, short stories, and original dramas about the man himself Long before he'd produced any of his great works, Oscar Wilde was already famous for being famous. Armed only with some witty epigrams, a carefully crafted persona and his genius for self-promotion, he had conquered America and transformed himself from nobody to star. This radio collection opens with four plays from Radio 4's Born to be Wilde season, offering a 21st Century perspective on the making of one of the first true celebrities. First up are two sparkling and surprising productions of his two most popular comedies, marking the peak of his theatrical career. The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband feature stellar casts including Mathew Baynton, Jeany Spark, John Heffernan and Miranda Raison, with the latter also featuring music by Steppenwolf, Taylor Swift and Amy Winehouse. Next, two plays by Marcy Kahan and Lavinia Murray explore aspects of Wilde's life. The Warhol Years charts his astonishing rise, as he embarks on his US tour determined to be famous for 15 minutes - and then some. Oscar and Constancy portrays a celebrity marriage in crisis, as Wilde's domestic and creative lives vie for supremacy. Both dramas star Max Bennett as the young Wilde, with Dervla Kirwan as his mother, Speranza. Also included in this collection are nine of Wilde's classic short stories. The deliciously satirical 'Lord Arthur Savile's Crime' is dramatised with a full cast including Rupert Penry-Jones and Gillian Kearney. His humorous supernatural story 'The Canterville Ghost' is read by Alistair McGowan, and Joseph Ayre narrates two delightful stories with a twist: 'The Sphinx Without a Secret' and 'The Model Millionaire'. Wilde's dazzling fairytales - 'The Happy Prince', 'The Nightingale and the Rose', 'The Selfish Giant', 'The Remarkable Rocket' and 'The Birthday of the Infanta' - are read by Joseph Fiennes, Joseph Ayre, Sam Dale, John Moffatt and Paul McGann. Track listing: An Ideal Husband The Importance of Being Earnest The Warhol Years Oscar and Constancy Lord Arthur Savile's Crime 'The Canterville Ghost' 'The Sphinx Without a Secret' 'The Model Millionaire' 'The Happy Prince' 'The Nightingale and the Rose' 'The Selfish Giant' 'The Remarkable Rocket' 'The Birthday of the Infanta'

Born to be Wilde

'Monsieur Poirot, somehow or other I've just got to get rid of my husband!'   No sooner had she uttered the words than Lady Edgware's husband was dead, brutally stabbed in the neck. The evidence against her is overwhelming, the case cut and dried.   But what is the truth behind it all? What enemies lurked in the background of the victim's life? Hercule Poirot is on the case, intrigued once more, ready to investigate murder in the library...   John Moffatt stars as the great Belgian detective in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation.

Lord Edgware Dies

This is the story that made Agatha Christie famous, and which was also one of her own favourites.   It begins when the wealthy Mrs Farrars is found dead of an apparent overdose, one year after the death of her husband. The villagers of King's Abbot are suspicious, for local rumour has it that she poisoned her husband and was in love with Roger Ackroyd. Was it suicide, brought on by a guilty conscience, or could she have been murdered?   When Ackroyd is found stabbed to death the following day, there is little to go on. Anyone in the house could be the culprit - Ackroyd's niece, Flora; Raymond, Ackroyd's secretary; or even Parker, the butler. The prime suspect, however, is Roger Ackroyd's stepson, Paton, who has disappeared and is known to have gambling debts.   Luckily, one of the newest residents of King's Abbott, who has retired to the village to cultivate marrows, is none other than the redoubtable Monsieur Hercule Poirot...   This ingenious mystery is brought to life with a full cast including John Woodvine, Diana Olsson and Deryck Guyler.

The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd

The gruesome death of Mrs McGinty provokes Superintendent Spence to seek the help of his old ally Hercule Poirot. The victim's young lodger has been found guilty and is due to hang. But Spence is not convinced by the circumstantial evidence which influenced the verdict.   So, at considerable personal discomfort, Poirot goes down to the sleepy village where the old lady lived and where, by chance, his good friend Ariadne Oliver is also staying. There he alights upon his first and most crucial clue - a newspaper article on the present whereabouts of women implicated in notorious murder cases.   Did Mrs McGinty have to die because she had identified one of her neighbours as a brutal killer? Is that killer still at large, and can Poirot and Ariadne act swiftly enough to save an innocent man from the gallows?   Agatha Christie's intriguing mystery is dramatised with a full cast including Julia McKenzie and George Baker. John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot.

Mrs McGinty's Dead

Hercule Poirot and his good friend Captain Hastings are enjoying a well-deserved break on the Cornish Riviera. Wandering along the terrace of the Hotel Majestic on the first morning of their stay, Poirot literally falls at the feet of a pretty, dark-haired girl and, much to Hastings' delight, insists that she join them for a cocktail. The girl is Nick Buckley, last in a long line of Buckleys to live at End House, an isolated old place perched on the end of a rocky outcrop. As she chats to them, Poirot's ears prick up - Nick mentions that she has had several near-fatal accidents in the past few days. First the brakes on her car failed, then as she was going down to the beach to bathe, a boulder came crashing downhill, just missing her. To Poirot, that is more than coincidence. And when Nick jerks away from a passing bee that turns out to be a bullet, he knows there is work ahead for his little grey cells. The perpetrator of these 'accidents' may well be endlessly inventive and diabolically clever, but is he or she a match for the meticulous M. Poirot? This full-cast dramatisation of Agatha Christie's absorbing mystery stars John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot, with Simon Williams, Gemma Saunders and Suzanna Hamilton.

Peril At End House

Carla Lemarchant was a child of five when her mother was accused and convicted of poisoning her father, the famous painter Amyas Crale. After Caroline Crale dies in prison, Carla is sent to live with her uncle and aunt in Canada. Only on her twenty-first birthday does Carla learn of her family history when she reads a letter written by Caroline before her death, in which she denies murdering her husband.   But if her mother didn't kill Amyas Crale, who did? Carla needs to know, because she is planning to get married and wishes to start her new life without this terrible shadow hanging over her. Desperate to find out the truth, she consults the best detective money can buy.   With nothing to go on except five suspects who fit strangely into the pattern of a child's nursery rhyme, Hercule Poirot is faced with a formidable challenge to find the real killer...

Five Little Pigs

When Poirot arrives in France, following an urgent appeal for help, he finds he is too late. His client, a South American millionaire, has been stabbed to death and his body flung into a freshly dug open grave on the golf course adjoining the property.   Meanwhile the millionaire's wife is found bound and gagged in her room. Her wrists are badly cut and she seems to be in shock, but she agrees to speak to Poirot. She tells him that they were attacked by thugs who tied her up and forced her husband to leave the house, dressed only in his underwear, before brutally killing him.   Poirot is not sure whether to believe her story. Did she, as the sole beneficiary of her millionaire husband's estate, set the whole thing up? And if not, who did kill M. Renauld?   The suspects include the mysterious Dulcie Duveen and Renauld's son Jack, who had quarrelled violenty with his father. As Poirot investigates, the mystery begins to unfold - but not before another murder occurs...   John Moffatt stars as Poirot, with Jeremy Clyde as Captain Hastings, Madeline Smith as Dulcie Duveen and Stephen Tompkinson as Jack.

Murder On The Links

Hercule Poirot is a guest at a weekend house party, given at the Cornish cliff top home of the celebrated actor Sir Charles Cartwright. The other visitors include keen amateur detective Mr Satterthwaite and distinguished Harley Street nerve specialist Sir Bartholomew Strange.   Death visits the house soon after Poirot's arrival, the victim an elderly clergyman who's only had a sip of dry martini. What else was in the glass? Are natural causes to blame... or murder?   In Monte Carlo a short time later, Poirot and his acquaintances hear of another, similar death. Is this a mere coincidence - and can Poirot resist further investigation? Everyone concerned will be much relieved if he does. Meanwhile, a third tragedy is waiting in the wings...   George Cole, Michael Cochrane and Clive Merrison are amongst the cast in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's intriguing mystery.

Three Act Tragedy

It is 1916. Captain Hastings has been invalided out of the Great War and goes to convalesce at Styles Court, the family home of his great friend, John Cavendish. By an extraordinary coincidence, billeted in the village is a brilliant little retired detective with an egg-shaped head, who made a considerable impression on the Captain when he was in Belgium.   Styles is not a happy household and in the blistering summer heat, tensions mount. Even so, the tragic murder which occurs is not expected. The entire family is drawn into the case but with their reluctant permission, Hastings calls upon the services of the diminutive Belgian. Thus begins one of the great partnerships and friendships in the history of crime.   A fragment of a burnt will, a false black beard and an empty packet of bromide powders - such are the seemingly unrelated details surrounding the murder. With a thoroughness that is to become legendary, Poirot commences his first investigation in England.   John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, Simon Williams as Captain Hastings and Philip Jackson as Detective Inspector Japp, who already has reason to be indebted to the distinguished and unique hero of so many mysteries.

The Mysterious Affair At Styles

A blizzard has hit England. In the tiny village of Sittaford, on the fringes of Dartmoor, a party of six is gathered in Sittaford House, home of Captain Trevelyan. He has rented the house out for the winter and is staying in a nearby village.   As evening draws in, a seance is proposed. The lights are lowered and the table turning begins: various questions are asked, and the guests are delighted when the table jerks and rocks, revealing the answers.   But the game turns sour when the board spells out a terrible message - TREVELYAN DEAD. As the horrified participants look on, the table begins to rock again, and fear grips the party as the sinister word appears - MURDER.   Is it a macabre joke, black magic or the truth? And who would kill a man who doesn't have an enemy in the world?

The Sittaford Mystery

Just as Amy Leatheran is about to return to England, she is hired by celebrated archaeologist Dr Leidner to work as a nurse/companion for his wife, who is subject to fits of nervous terrors. As they travel to an ancient site in the Iraqi desert, Amy finds herself in a situation stranger than she could ever have imagined, whilst Mrs Leidner proves to be a demanding yet fascinating woman. Gradually Mrs Leidner warms to Amy and, taking her into her confidence, she reveals the source of her terror. But as the oppressive tension in the air thickens, events come to a terrible climax and result in murder. With just one spot of blood as his only clue, Hercule Poirot must embark on a journey not just across the desert but into the darkest crevices of the human soul. There he hopes to unravel a mystery which taxes even his remarkable powers. 2 CDs. 2 hrs 20 mins.

Murder In Mesopotamia

In 1940s London, Hercule Poirot is cornered by the club bore and learns of a mysterious death - one which sets him off on one of his most intriguing cases.   When Gordon Cloade is killed in a London air raid his vast fortune passes to his young wife Rosaleen. Cloade's relatives are desperate to get their hands on his money, and Rosaleen begins to fear for her life.   The prospects for the Cloade relatives improve when they discover that Rosaleen had a previous husband who had perished mysteriously in Africa. Then a mysterious stranger appears in the village, saying that he has something to communicate to her, but the following morning he is found dead.   Was the murdered man in fact Rosalind's first husband? Who murdered him - and why?

Taken At The Flood

Poirot has always hated visiting the dentist, but this time his check-up is painless and soon over. As he leaves Mr Morley's surgery, he observes a woman wearing patent leather shoes with large buckles. She catches one of the buckles on the taxi door and wrenches it off, and as Poirot hands it back, he is reminded of the children's rhyme 'One, two, buckle my shoe'.   Back home, Poirot is astonished to receive a call from Chief Inspector Japp, informing him that Mr Morley has shot himself. There was no reason for him to commit suicide, and Poirot believes he was murdered, but who would want to kill an inoffensive dentist? To find out, Poirot must pick up sticks and lay them straight...   As Poirot starts to dig and delve, the solution seems apparent. But with so many suspects, and a wealth of motives to digest, he has a long way to go before his plate's empty...

One, Two Buckle My Shoe

Following an otherwise-enjoyable literary luncheon, the celebrated crime novelist Ariadne Oliver is accosted by a particularly formidable woman who engages her in conversation about one of her many god-daughters, whom Ariadne hasn’t seen since she was a child. She lands a bombshell with the question ‘What I want to know is this: did her mother kill her father, or was it the father who killed the mother?’   Affronted and bewildered by the assertiveness of this pushy busybody, Ariadne is nevertheless intrigued. There’s only one thing for it. She must contact her old friend Hercule Poirot.   Together they set about unravelling the mystery of a tragedy from the distant past – provoked in equal measure by hate and love.   As always, John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, while Julia McKenzie stars as Ariadne Oliver – whom Agatha Christie based on herself.

Elephants Can Remember

Famous crime novelist Ariadne Oliver, visiting her friend Judith Butler in the little town of Woodleigh Common, is invited to a Hallowe'en Party put on by society hostess Mrs Rowena Drake for the local teenagers.   During her preparations for the party, the conversation turns to Ariadne's grisly novels. One of the teenagers, Joyce Reynolds, boasts that she once witnessed a murder, although she didn't realise at the time what she'd seen.   Convinced that she is just trying to attract attention, no-one believes her - but later she is found tragically drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. Distraught, Ariadne decides to call upon the services of her old friend Hercule Poirot to solve the case.   Assuming that Joyce was killed because of what she said, Poirot knows he must find out if the teenager was telling the truth. If so, there is not just one death for him to investigate, but two...  Starring John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot, with Stephanie Cole as Ariadne Oliver.

Hallowe'en Party

Alice Ascher, a poor, elderly shopkeeper, is murdered in Andover. Betty Barnard, a young waitress, is strangled with her own belt at Bexhill-on-Sea. Next comes Carmichael Clarke, collector of Chinese art, clubbed to death in Churston. Only in Doncaster does the pattern vary: the man found stabbed in the Regal Cinema is called George Earsfield.   But each time, an ABC railway guide is found by the dead bodies, and each time, Poirot is warned in advance by a taunting letter from someone signed 'ABC'. Who is ABC? And can Poirot find out in time to prevent the death of a whole alphabet of victims?   The police doubt him and the public are in a state of panic, but Poirot is convinced that the murderer's luck will turn, and sooner or later he will make a crucial mistake. And Poirot will be there when he does...   This full-cast dramatisation of one of Agatha Christie's most imaginative mysteries stars John Moffatt as the great Belgian detective, Simon Williams as his faithful sidekick Captain Hastings and Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp.

The ABC Murders

This Happy Breed opens in 1919, when the Gibbons family have just moved to their smart new home in the suburbs of South London. Against a background of social change and national upheaval spanning twenty years, the family celebrate their own triumphs and deal with their personal traumas.   Coward’s moving and humourous production, showing what life was like for a typical suburban family between the wars, was a huge hit and was adapted into a famous 1944 film starring John Mills and Celia Johnson.   Among the distinguished cast in this 1989 BBC Radio 4 production are John Moffatt, Rosemary Leach, Anna Cropper and Doris Hare.

This Happy Breed (Classic Radio Theatre)

In this delightful tale, an Eastern Prince arrives in England with some family jewels which he's having reset as a gift for his fianceé. However, the Prince also has a mistress. She asks to wear one particularly enchanting piece that features a huge ruby, and then promptly disappears with it.   Poirot discovers a connection with a house party at the home of Colonel and Mrs Lacey and, in order to pursue his investigation, an invitation is procured for him to the Laceys', ostensibly to enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas.   With deft skill and the workings of his little grey cells, Poirot brings this case to a satisfying and festive conclusion.   Starring John Moffat as Hercule Poirot, with Donald Sinden and Sian Phillips as Colonel and Mrs Lacey.

The Adventure Of Christmas Pudding

An exclusive hotel on a tiny picturesque island seems to be the ideal retreat from the stresses of criminal detection for Hercule Poirot. But with the appearance of the beautiful Arlena Stuart, the quiet and peaceful atmosphere becomes charged with an indefinable erotic tension. And when she is found viciously strangled in a secluded cove, there are few, especially among the women, who seem to feel either surprise or regret.   As Poirot follows a twisting path of bizarre and bewildering clues, his only certainties are that the solution lies within Arlena herself, and that there is evil under the sun.   John Moffat as Hercule Poirot heads an all-star cast which includes Iain Glen, Fiona Fullerton, Robin Ellis, Wendy Craig, George Baker and Joan Littlewood.

Evil Under The Sun

Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman are the model English couple, perfect companions set for a life of ease when they inherit Aunt Laura's considerable fortune. But a poison pen letter begins a chain of events which is to end in tragedy.   Convinced that Mary Gerrard, a childhood playmate of Elinor's, is attempting to ingratiate herself with her aunt for financial gain, the pair travel to the family home to investigate. They find no evidence but Roddy falls desperately in love with the beautiful Mary, little realising that beneath Elinor's restrained and unemotional exterior lies an almost obsessive passion for him.   Elinor obeys her aunt's deathbed wish despite her heartbreak, and gives Mary a large bequest from the estate. But when Mary is found poisoned, the evidence against Elinor is damning. It's up to Hercule Poirot to find out if the case is as simple as it seems...

Sad Cypress

Two classic tales from acclaimed British science fiction writer John Wyndham.   In The Chrysalids, ten-year-old David is a happy, ordinary boy, untroubled except for occasional strange dreams about a mysterious city – until he befriends Sophie, who is unlike anybody he has met before: she has six toes. But, in the ultra-religious village of Waknut, all abnormality is abhorred as an offence against God, and he must keep her secret to himself. When he learns that he, too, is ‘deviant’, he realises that differences can be very dangerous indeed...   Survival, set in the future, concerns the first auto-piloted space flight. When the ship meets with an accident, one of the passengers is killed and the others are cast adrift into space. They have enough supplies to last for three months – but the only woman on board, Alice Morgan, is pregnant, and needs extra rations. Then, food starts to go missing from the larder. What lengths will the passengers go to in order to survive?   Stephen Garlick, Susan Sheridan, John Moffatt and Nicholas Courtney star in these two disturbing stories about the darker side of human nature.   This CD release also includes a detailed sleeve note recounting the making of the radio adaptations, written by Andrew Pixley.

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

The Chrysalids & Survival

A collection of thrilling radio dramas from the celebrated novelist and playwright Patrick Hamilton is renowned for his gritty, slice-of-life tales chronicling the hopes, dreams and obsessions of London's working class in the inter-war years. This collection brings together his key pieces, together with some lesser-known classics and a bonus 2004 documentary exploring his achievements and legacy. Hangover Square - Earl's Court, 1939. With war looming, everyone is frantically pursuing a good time. But when composer George Bone becomes obsessed with beautiful, fast-living actress Netta, murder and madness ensue... This brooding adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's masterpiece stars Nicholas Farrell and Amanda Redman. Rope - Believing they have committed the perfect murder, two students throw a macabre dinner party, where the guests include the victim's father. Will anyone see through their terrible vanity? Alan Rickman and Adam Baring star in this electrifying drama, famously adapted as an Alfred Hitchcock film. Gaslight - A husband commits to driving his wealthy young wife insane in order to steal from her in this psychological drama which originated the term 'gaslighting'. Starring Barbara Jefford and Michael Kilgarriff. Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky - Patrick Hamilton's semi-autobiographical trilogy tells a story of unrequited love amid the hardship of 1920s London, and comprises The Midnight Bell, The Siege of Pleasure and The Plains of Cement. Steven Pacey, Annette Badland, John Moffatt and Emily Morgan star. The Governess - Ethel Fry takes a position as a governess in the Drew household, but when the family discovers their baby son has been abducted, the entire house is thrown under suspicion. Starring Margaret Wolfit and Helen Worth To The Public Danger - A young couple fall into the company of two reckless motorists, whose drunk-driving has fatal consequences. Ivan Samson and Arthur Young star. The Duke in Darkness - Set in the Chateau Lamorre during the 16th-century French Civil Wars, this stirring tale of imprisonment and escape stars Alec Clunes and John Moffatt. A Portrait in Black - Biographer Nigel Jones celebrates the centenary of Hamilton's birth and his skill at conjuring up a lost world of seedy boarding-houses, third-class railway compartments, dance halls and fleapit cinemas. Text copyright © Patrick Hamilton 1929 (Rope), 1935 (Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky), 1938 (Gas Light), 1939 (To the Public Danger), 1941 (Hangover Square), 1943 (The Duke in Darkness), 1946 (The Governess) Cast and credits Written by Patrick Hamilton Hangover Square Rope Gaslight Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky The Governess To The Public Danger The Duke in Darkness Extra Content: A Portrait in Black 'If you were looking to fly from Dickens to Martin Amis with just one overnight stop, then Hamilton is your man' Nick Hornby © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Patrick Hamilton: Rope, Gaslight, Hangover Square and more

Linnet Ridgeway has led a charmed life. Blessed with beauty, enormous wealth and a devoted husband, she has everything anyone could wish for. But as the happy couple set out on an idyllic honeymoon cruise on the Nile, storm clouds are gathering...   Linnet's former friend, Jacqueline de Bellefort, follows her and Simon wherever they go and Linnet senses she is in danger. At first her fears seem groundless. But an attempt is made first on her life and then on her husband's. Eventually the killer is successful, and Linnet is found horribly murdered.   With an obvious suspect who cannot possibly have committed the crime, it is up to Hercule Poirot to probe the depths of a remarkable criminal mind and discover the dark secret behind what is only the first in a series of inexplicable deaths.

Death On The Nile

An international cast of suspects, all passengers on the crowded train, are speeding through the snowy European landscape when a bizarre and terrible murder brings them to an abrupt halt. One of their glittering number lies dead in his cabin, stabbed a mysterious twelve times. There is no lack of clues for Poirot - but which clue is real and which is a clever plant? Poirot realises that this time he is dealing with a murderer of enormous cunning and that in a case frought with fear and inconstencies only one thing is certain - the murderer is still aboard the train waiting to strike again... John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, with a stellar cast including Joss Ackland, Sylvia Syms, Francesca Annis, and Siân Phillips. Soon to be released as a film, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Penelope Cruz, Olivia Coleman, Dame Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Derek Jacobi, and Michele Pfeiffer, The Murder on the Orient Express is a perennial classic.

Murder On The Orient Express

As Hercule Poirot sifts through his post one particular morning, he alights upon a letter from an elderly and (as it transpires), exceedingly rich spinster - Miss Emily Arundell. She is clearly in great distress and seeking his help, but doesn't say why. Her only specific mention is 'the incident of the dog's ball'. However, what intrigues Poirot is the date of the communication - it was written two months ago. He persuades Captain Hastings that they must visit the lady with all haste.   On arrival they discover that she has died, apparently of natural causes. But Bob, Miss Arundell's devoted wire-haired terrier, knows better. And so, soon, does Poirot.   John Moffatt, as ever, stars as Hercule Poirot with Simon Williams as Captain Hastings.   With music specially composed by Tom Smail.

Dumb Witness

'You do see, don't you, that she's got to be killed? It's the only solution.'   Even when on holiday in Jerusalem - the so-called City of Peace - Hercule Poirot can't seem to escape the strains of death and murder. His first evening at the King Solomon Hotel finds the above phrase floating into his room from outside. What does it mean? Who is the speaker, and just how seriously should it be considered? Whilst Poirot struggles to resist the lure of a fresh mystery, he cannot suppress the foreboding in his heart.   Also in residence at the hotel are the Boyntons, a nervous American family held tightly in the grip of their matriarch. Then there is the young medic Sarah King, plus Dr Theodore Gerard, an expert in the subject of schizophrenia. These and other guests are thrown together on an organised trip to the ancient city of Petra.   Whilst love apparently blossoms for Miss King, death visits another member of the party. It is clearly murder, and there are a number of likely suspects. Only one man has the skill to distinguish between them: Hercule Poirot.   Agatha Christie's exotic mystery is dramatised with a full cast including Jill Balcon and Miriam Karlin.

Appointment With Death

Hercule Poirot, along with three other luminaries from the world of crime detection, is invited to dinner by the renowned London socialite Dr Shaitana. Also on the guest list are four members of what Shaitana calls his Black Museum - a collection of murderers who have each succeeded in 'getting away with it'.   An elegant dinner is followed by a game of bridge, in which Shaitana himself does not participated. But just after midnight, when the guests prepare to leave, they make a terrible discovery. Their host is dead in his armchair, stabbed in the chest.   The four sleuths are thus faced with one murder and a quartet of likely suspects. Working both together and independently, they investigate the pasts of the Black Museum's finest in order to determine the most likely killer.   Poirot finds that many hindrances and distractions are thrown in his way, as he attempts to read the meaning of the cards which each suspect has placed on the table.   Agatha Christie's intriguing mystery is dramatised with a full cast including Stephanie Cole and Donald Sinden.

Cards On The Table

Ariadne Oliver, Queen of Crime Fiction, has been asked to devise a Murder Hunt for a fate at Nasse House, the home of Sir George Stubbs. But she begins to suspect that someone is manipulating the scenario of her game and fears that something very sinister is being planned.   She sends for her old friend Hercule Poirot. At first he is not inclined to take her very seriously but soon a series of events propels him to change his mind.   Then suddenly all Ariadne's worst fears are realised when the girl playing the part of the murder victim is found strangled in the boat-house. For Hercule Poirot, the Murder Hunt has become a grim reality.   John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot, with Julia McKenzie as Ariadne Oliver.

Dead Man's Folly

To distract himself from his fear of flying, Hercule Poirot observes his fellow passengers on the noon flight from Le Bourget to Croydon. On his right sits a pretty young woman, clearly very aware of the handsome man opposite her; ahead of him is a nervous aristocrat and her maid; and across the aisle is a writer of detective novels, troubled by an aggressive wasp. Lulled into drowsiness by a sedative he has taken, Poirot abruptly awakens when the woman behind him is found dead. A reaction to a wasp-sting is suggested, but Poirot discovers that a poisoned dart is the real cause - and a blow pipe is discovered stuffed down the back of his own seat.   The murderer can only be one of the eleven passengers in the rear of the plane, or one of the stewards. The dead woman was a moneylender to the upper classes, so the Countess, addicted to cocaine and gambling, is an obvious suspect. Or could it be the detective writer, trying out a plot for his new book? No-one is above suspicion: not even Poirot himself. He must unravel this baffling mystery - if only to clear his own name...   John Moffatt stars as the great Belgian detective, with Philip Jackson as Inspector Japp.

Death In The Clouds

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