BBC Audiobooks: Double dose of detective tales

DETECTIVE work at its best and most entertaining is revealed in two BBC audiobooks recently released.

Agatha Raisin has become a cult figure in plays and books.

Penelope Keith has appeared as the amateur sleuth in the BBC’s real-cast dramas and reads the latest release ‘As The Pig Turns’ from writer M.C. Beaton.

Agatha Raisin may sound like a modern-day Miss Marple but is, in fact, as far removed from Agatha Christie’s creation you can get, though both live in quaint villages and are extremely inquisitive.

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Agatha Raisin is blunt and has a knack for winding up her neighbours.

In this latest drama, Agatha attends a hog roast, part of a village’s winter festivities.

But, as the spit pig is carried in, it becomes obvious that it is in fact a local policeman who was not a favourite character.

With a sleuthing rival on the trail of the murderer, Agatha decides to investigate matters herself.

The latest Paul Temple mystery has also been released.

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Temple was a big radio favourite and this drama was first broadcast back in 1946, but the recording was lost.

This new version uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music.

Crawford Logan plays Temple and Gerda Stevenson is his wife Steve.

Writer Francis Durbridge, as usual, has plenty of mystery and excitement, with Temple and his wife facing all manner of unpleasant characters.

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This time the detective is on the trail of a West End drug dealer.

Both Agatha Raisin and Paul Temple are the perfect remedy for a miserable, dark autumn evening.

Forget the weather outside and let these two detective tales take you away.

Both are available via www.audiogo.co.uk.

Steve Payne

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