Charles Paris: The Dead Side of the Mic

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

De: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front

Narrado por: Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden, Charlotte Green, full cast

Actor and reluctant sleuth Charles Paris is facing chaos on the domestic front. He’s lodging with his ex-wife Frances, and now their pregnant daughter has moved in as well. It’s all a bit much....

So he is over the moon when he lands a job on the BBC Radio Rep - but the ink is barely dry on his contract when a murder takes place in Broadcasting House. A young female studio manager is found dead in an editing suite, and Charles steps in to investigate.

With a distinguished cast including Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances, and featuring Charlotte Green as herself, this four-part drama, adapted by Jeremy Front, is sheer listening pleasure.

Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

©2010 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2010 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Bill Nighy on tip, top form

There's an excellent cast in this audio drama, which helps whisk you along the nearly two hours of drama in and out of BBC Broadcasting House. The plot loses quite a bit from the novel, as often happens with radio dramatisations but Bill Nighy is really perfectly cast as Simon Brett's morose amateur sleuth - and there's a wonderful cameo by Charlotte Green which will bring a smile to the most intense Radio 4 listener!

Although based on a novel written in 1980, this Charles Paris outing has production values, a soundtrack and pace that ensure you're whisked through the two hours of old-fashioned sleuthing with a wonderful modern twist.

Trouble Keeps Finding Him

Charles has the worst luck. Just lay back and listen to a really great series. Truly wish there were more. Enjoy!!

We need more of this type of radio drama!

I'm greatly enjoying the Charles Paris BBC dramas - the music alone is a blast from the past; the actors are pitch-perfect; and the stories a lot of fun. I know Charles would not be much fun to know or live with, in reality, but he is such a wonderful scoundrel to hear from as he continues to live in a state of scotch-fueled non-divorce with his long-suffering wife Frances. The scene where he's a stand-in in his daughter's prenatal class is particularly memorable; as is the anniversary scene in "A Reconstructed Corpse." If you like radio drama with a sense of humor, these are for you.

Funny and Bill Nigh is great

Loved it. Bill Nigh is wonderful as the lead character. Great fun to listen about the main character trying to make it as an actor.

Loved it.

Bill Nighy is a delight to listen to. I laughed so many times. The story is uncomplicated, but because of the great writing this does not matter at all.
I have all the dramatisations and hope there will be more, with Bill acting as Charles of course.

Great listen

I have been a fan of Charles Pairs. I'm looking forward to the Next BBC radio series.

Radio drama

I love these audiobooks that are like the old-time radio shows with different readers for each role. It's much more absorbing than a single reader. The Charles Paris character seems a little dated, but the story moved along quickly and the dialog was witty. I wish there was a greater variety of BBC Radio Crimes.

I like it, I like it, I like it!

I love the timing, the verbage, and how the story is delivered. I find myself looking up phrases that are used. Highly Recommended