Showing results by narrator "Iain Batchelor" in All Categories

A brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of a classic Raymond Chandler mystery featuring private eye, Philip Marlowe. Los Angeles PI Philip Marlowe is working for the Sternwood family. Old man Sternwood, crippled and wheelchair-bound, is being given the squeeze by a blackmailer and he wants Marlowe to make the problem go away.

The first novel from American literary great John Steinbeck (Grapes of Wrath) tells the fictionalized story of the illustrious 17th century pirate Captain Henry Morgan. Henry Morgan is a young boy growing up in a small town in Wales. One day, a sailor returns to regale Henry with tales of the West Indies, and the glory that awaits those adventuresome enough to go. Henry, dazzled, quickly finds a place aboard a ship heading to the islands, thus setting himself on the path to becoming the brutal and fearsome pirate Captain Morgan.

The German Army lost two consecutive wars and the conclusion is often drawn that it simply wasn't able to cope with its opponents. This image is constantly reinforced in literature and in the media, where seemingly brainless operating German units led by fanatical officers predominate. Nothing was as far from the truth. The records show that the Germans consistently outfought the far more numerous Allied armies that eventually defeated them: their relative battlefield performance was at least 1.5 and in most cases three times as high as that of its opponents.

When a local sex offender Albie Woodville is killed, it puts DI Harry Powell and DC Hazel Hamilton at the East Rise incident room under immense pressure. They must treat this case the same as any other murder, but they know better than anyone, the bad things Albie did when he was alive…But as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear this isn’t just a one-off killing —someone is out for revenge…

After the Morrigan revealed themselves and her true nature became known, Adeline Colton is on the run. Seeking revenge for their fallen sister, they will hunt her to the end of the world. But there is another who pursues Adeline—the man with golden eyes and dangerous power, the one who betrayed her with the parallel bond and has the means to be her ruin—Jack Warren. But the past holds secrets of its own, revealed to her through Jack’s memories.

Toby Stephens stars in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Raymond Chandler’s second Philip Marlowe mystery.Fast-talking, trouble-seeking private eye Philip Marlowe is a different kind of detective: a moral man in an amoral world. California in the ’40s and ’50s is as beautiful as a ripe fruit and rotten to the core, and Marlowe must struggle to retain his integrity amidst the corruption he encounters daily.In ‘Farewell My Lovely’, Marlowe has a chance encounter with a not-so-gentle giant outside Florian’s nightclub.

Evie, a phenomenally bright but socially marginalised fifteen year-old, has had it with Western Civilization. Self-educated in the ideas of the Luddites, Mao and T.E. Lawrence, she wants to launch a mission against technology and the damage she believes it has wrought on the human race. She's taken a look at human history and decided it's time things changed. For good. But can she get her mobile-addicted classmates to join with her? Written by Philip de Gouveia.

Toby Stephens stars in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Raymond Chandler’s final completed Philip Marlowe mystery.Fast-talking, trouble-seeking private eye Philip Marlowe is a different kind of detective: a moral man in an amoral world. California in the ’40s and ’50s is as beautiful as a ripe fruit and rotten to the core, and Marlowe must struggle to retain his integrity amidst the corruption he encounters daily.In ‘Playback’, Marlowe is awakened early in the morning by a phone call from a lawyer.

Anna thought coming to the UK would be the start of a new life for her and her daughter. But what greets her is a nightmare far beyond anything she could have imagined… DI Harry Powell is investigating a shooting, but the victim is too terrified to talk. With no leads, and mounting pressure, Harry stumbles upon a deadly operation that threatens to put countless lives at risk. As Anna's world becomes more treacherous by the day, Harry is forced to push his team to their very limit to find the answers. But as time runs out, one of them may already be paying the ultimate price…

Detective Inspector Milton Bowman seems to have the perfect life, but some secrets refuse to stay buried. His Monday morning takes a tragic turn when he’s involved in a serious car accident on his way to the incident room. DI Harry Powell, a close friend and colleague, is tasked with breaking the news to Bowman’s wife, Linda—only to discover that she’s been murdered.

Barry White Jr. is a self-professed man-child, and he likes it that way. He’s also a content creator for a logistics firm. No one in his Welsh village really knows what that means—least of all Barry. To add a little spice to his life, Barry places bets here and there. Then, one day, he wins big and is burdened with a mammoth sum of money. But the harder Barry tries to get rid of his winnings, the more he seems to accumulate. It’s like a real-life game of Go for Broke! Then it dawns on him. Perhaps there’s a way of turning this windfall to his advantage.