George Smiley is one of the most brilliantly realised characters in British fiction. Bespectacled, tubby, eternally middle-aged and deceptively ordinary, he has a mind like a steel trap and is said to possess ‘the cunning of Satan and the conscience of a virgin’. The Berlin Wall is down, the Cold War is over, but the world’s second oldest profession is very much alive. Smiley accepts an invitation to dine with the eager young men and women of the Circus’ latest intake; and over coffee and ...

Penguin presents, the downloadable audiobook edition of Goodnight Mr Tom, read by Patrick Malahide.Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of WW2. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London...Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

BBC Radio productions of the first seven books in Patrick O'Brian's hugely popular Napoleonic naval series - plus bonus materialWidely regarded as the most engaging historical novels ever written, the 21 books in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series have garnered millions of fans since the publication of the first volume over 50 years ago. Included here are BBC radio adaptations of the first seven thrilling stories.Master and Commander

Two new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of Roald Dahl's gripping autobiographical stories.These two compelling adaptations, based on Roald Dahl’s real-life tales of his of his boyhood and youthful overseas adventures, celebrate his remarkable life and commemorate his genius.Boy Dahl’s childhood was one of excitement, wonder, terror and sadness. From his fascination with the local sweetshop to the Great Mouse Plot, the horrors of boarding school, the obnoxious ...

Five BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of John Buchan's espionage thrillers featuring gentleman spy Richard HannayThe forerunner to James Bond, secret agent Richard Hannay is a thoroughly British action hero, pursuing ruthless villains, foiling deadly plans and risking life and limb for his country. This gripping collection encompasses all five of Hannay's adventures, adapted for radio with superb casts including Tom Baker, Clive Merrison, Stuart Milligan, Jasmine...

A collection of full-cast dramas and readings from the giant of travel writing – plus a bonus documentaryAuthor and adventurer Bruce Chatwin was one of the 20th Century’s most charismatic writers. His first book, In Patagonia, changed the face of travel writing and made him a literary sensation. Collected here are dramatisations and readings of some of his best-known work, as well as a bonus programme shedding light on his relationships an...

This collection comprises the best of classic horror writing, with the atmospheric genius of Edgar Allan Poe, the invention and eeriness of Bram Stoker, and the suspense of Wilkie Collins amongst the terrifying gems contained. A veritable schooling in the origins of modern-day horror and fantasy, some of the best minds in the history of English literature take on the world of vampires, werewolves and the supernatural.Authors: Edgar Allen Poe / WW Jacobs / Bram Stoker / E.F. Benson ...

"Bluebeard's Bathtub" by Margery Allingham read by Derek Jacobi. Ronald Torbay has his eye set on Edith, a former teacher whose father has recently died leaving her a tidy sum."Who Killed Zebedee?" by Wilkie Collins read by Patrick Malahide. Priscilla, the cook at a Lodging House reports the murder of one of the lodgers, John Zebedee, although the lodger's wife confesses to the murder, all is not quite so straightforward."An Alpine Divorce" by Robert Barr read by Brian Cox....

Story Listings: The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs / Timber by John Galsworthy / The Mask Of The Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe / The Squaw by Bram Stoker / Martin's Close by M.R. James / The Man In The Bell by W.E. Aytoun / Caterpillars by E.F. Benson / A Tale Of Terror by Thomas HoodRead by Patrick Malahide

Discover a world of heroes and villains, suspense and intrigue. This riveting and comprehensive collection brings together some of the best crime writing of all time. Ruth Rendell and Frances Hegarty speahead the modern genre, moving through the popular and rarely recorded Graham Greene, to Edgar Wallace and G.K. Chesterton and his master detective Father Brown. A real treat for anyone who enjoys great stories of deceit, revenge and even murder . . .TITLESLoopy by Ruth Rendel...

An original and entertaining selection of crime stories all committed on the railways. Authors include Baroness Orczy (most famous for The Scarlet Pimpernel) and Maurice Leblanc (most famous for Arsene Lupin.)

Le Carré's manifold skills at scene-setting and creating a range of fearsomely convincing English characters, from the bluffly absurd to the irredeemably corrupt, are at their smooth peak here.—Publishers WeeklyWhen Tessa Quayle is murdered in northern Kenya, it leaves her husband, career diplomat Justin, searching for answers. Over the course of investigating the circumstances and causes behind her murder, he discovers a drug testing and experimentation s...