From the Collins Crime Club archive, the forgotten second novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, once dubbed ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’ and recognised as one of the ‘big four’ Golden Age crime authors.When the body of Sir William Ponson is found in the Cranshaw River near his home of Luce Manor, it is assumed to be an accident – until the evidence points to murder. Inspector Tanner of Scotland Yard discovers that those who would benefit most from Sir William’s death seem to have...

The powerful sense of evil darkness, creepy hairy presences, cloaks, hoods, talons and tentacles pervades these classic ghost stories by M.R. James. A Cambridge scholar himself, James explored what happens when academics dabble in things they don’t understand and unleash forces of which they know nothing. The titles in Ghost Stories of an Antiquary range from witchcraft to the occult, and tap into our primal fear of things that go bump in the night. They are recognised as the best of their...

Two stunning dramatisations from one of the twentieth century’s most beloved authorsSink into the lyrical landscapes and beautifully observed lives of J. L. Carr’s finest stories, brought to life in these glorious, full-cast dramatisations starring Shaun Dingwall (Noughts and Crosses, Top Boy) and Rupert Evans (Man in the High Castle, Bridgerton).This BBC Radio collection includes the Booker nominated, A Month in the Country

From the author of the acclaimed ‘Mr. China’ comes another rollicking adventure story – part memoir, part history, part business imbroglio – that offers valuable lessons to help Westerners win in China.In the twenty-first century, the world has tilted eastwards in its orbit; China grows confident while the West seems mired in doubt. Having lived and worked in China for more than two decades, Tim Clissold explains the secrets that Westerners can use to navigate through its cultural ...

Full-cast contemporary dramatisations of Jules Verne’s best-known work, plus insight into his life and workOften referred to as the father of science fiction, Victorian author Jules Verne is renowned for his fantastical adventures imagining extraordinary voyages to strange new horizons. Prolific and prophetic, he wrote over 50 novels and numerous short stories, in which he foretold the skyscraper, the submarine, space missions and even the Internet. Featured here a...

Crime classics featuring the gentleman detective Lord Peter Wimsey and amateur sleuth Montague Egg, plus a bonus short story and two programmes about the iconic Dorothy L. SayersOne of the four Golden Age ‘Queens of Crime’, Dorothy L. Sayers is best known as the creator of Lord Peter Wimsey. Included here are dramatisations of three of her classic Wimsey novels, with full casts including Gary Bond, Simon Russell Beale, John...

The renowned masterpiece from one of the most influential writers in history, Machiavelli"It's very, very good...an engaging exploration of one of the most influential political works ever written." - Entertainment FocusThe Prince, written during the Italian Renaissance by author Niccolò Machiavelli, is an internationally renowned masterpiece about power, greed and strategy in government. Regarded by some as a manual for would-be t...

A trio of novels by the award-winning author, dramatised with full casts for BBC RadioCarlisle-born author Margaret Forster wrote over 25 acclaimed novels, as well as numerous memoirs and biographies. She was best known for her classic Georgy Girl, a zeitgeist tale of Swinging Sixties London which was adapted as a hit film and inspired a chart-topping single by The Seekers. Featured here is a 2013 radio dramatisation, together with two compelling stories o...

The first five volumes from the landmark BBC radio series This Sceptred Isle. Christopher Lee's epic history tells the story of Britain from the Romans to the death of Victoria. This collection includes the original first five volumes:55BC-1087: Julius Caesar to William the Conqueror From Britannia under the Romans to the Dark Ages and the invasions of Angles, Saxons, Danes, and Norwegians.1087-1327: The Making of the Nation The Crusades, Welsh and Scottish rebellions and t...

Full-cast dramatisations of six seminal sci-fi novels that have shaped the genreThrilling and thought-provoking, shocking and satirical; science fiction has long captivated us with its surprising scenarios and subversion of the familiar. Included here are six classics from the past 250 years, each offering a unique exploration of the genre's foundational themes. From monsters, Martians and fantastical machines to rip-roaring adventures, utopian tal...

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation by Andy Barratt of Daniel Defoe's less famous sequel to the classic adventure 'Robinson Crusoe'. After returning to England from his island home, Robinson Crusoe sets sail once more in search of adventure. Starring Tim McInnerny as Robinson Crusoe, with Jonathan Tafler, Adrian Grove, Stephen Critchlow, David Timson, Alison Pettitt and Ben Onwukwe. Directed by Peter Leslie Wild.

Julius Caesar is Shakespeare’s most political play. He examines whether political assassination can ever be justified, and the effect of this act of violence on its perpetrators. The high ideals of Brutus are tested to the full by the consequences of Julius Caesar’s murder; as is the self-interest of Cassius, whilst in the chaos that ensues, the opportunism of Mark Antony and Octavius is served rather than the cause of freedom. A classic study of power, Shakespeare shows the devastating ef...