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Joseph Conrad: The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness & More
Joseph Conrad: The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness & More
Oct 6, 2024 8:29 AM

Author:Joseph Conrad,Kris Marshall,Stephen Tompkinson,Ron Cook,Robert Glenister,David Calder,Bill Wallis,Full Cast

Joseph Conrad: The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness & More

Dramatisations of six of Conrad's finest novels, plus bonus material

Polish-born author and mariner Joseph Conrad is widely regarded as one of the greatest English novelists. His 16 years in the merchant navy profoundly shaped his fiction, giving him transformative experiences of adventure and exotic places, and a unique insight into the human psyche. Included here are adaptations of six of his best works, brought together for the first time and collected in chronological order, plus one fascinating bonus programmes exploring his life and art.

Heart of Darkness - Ordered to sail up the Congo River in search of enigmatic ivory trader Mr Kurtz, Marlowe's journey takes him deep into an unknown continent... David Calder,Bill Wallis and Kris Marshall star in this radio production of Conrad's controversial masterpiece.

Lord Jim - Faced with disaster, young first mate Jim abandons the sinking SS Patna. Wracked with guilt, he tries to start a new life - but can he ever escape his past? Starring Simon Treves and David March.

The Secret Agent - A terrorist bomb explodes in London, killing the bomber and threatening the authorities and anarchists alike... Ron Cook and Robert Glenister star in a 2-part dramatisation of Conrad's prescient black comedy.

Il Conde - An elderly aristocrat is traumatised by a terrifying encounter in Naples in this adaptation of Conrad's haunting short story, starring John Moffatt and John Woodvine.

The Secret Sharer - An inexperienced skipper gives sanctuary to a fugitive murderer who seems like his doppelganger: and faces his own subconscious fears. Michael Feast, Christopher Scott and Stephen Tompkinson, star in this dramatisation of one of Joseph Conrad's most popular short tales.

Victory - Set in the Far East, this 1915 novel tells of one man's struggle towards self-realisation and redemption in a hostile world. Starring David March and Patrick Barr.

Meridian: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness - Onyekachi Wambu explores Conrad's most famous novel, inspired by the brutal imperialist exploitation of the Congo during the 1880s.

First published 1899 (Heart of Darkness), 1900 (Lord Jim), 1907 (The Secret Agent), 1908 ('Il Conde'), 1910 ('The Secret Sharer'), 1915 (Victory)

Cast and credits

Written by Joseph Conrad

With thanks to Keith Wickham and the British Library

Heart of Darkness

Adapted by Jeremy Howe. Produced by Jeremy Howe and Iain Hunter. Music by David Lord

First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 13 July 2003

Lord Jim

Dramatised by Keith Darvill. Directed by Martin Jenkins and Graham Gauld

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 July-1 September 1985

The Secret Agent

Dramatised by David Napthine. Directed by Jessica Dromgoole

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1-8 October 2006

Il Conde

Dramatised by Alun Owen. Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 March 1994

The Secret Sharer

Dramatised by Robert Forrest. Directed by Patrick Rayner

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 June 1989

Victory

Other parts played by members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company

Adapted by Helena Wood. Produced by Joe Burroughs

First broadcast BBC Home Service Basic, 22 November 1965

Meridian: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

Presented by Onyekachi Wambu

With Adam Hochschild, Professor Allan H. Simmons, Michela Wrong

First broadcast BBC World Service, 20 February 2002

©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Reviews

An entertaining thriller... Kill Bill on wheels or a locked-room crime drama played out at 200mph

—— The Times

Unlike anything you're likely to have read before...white-hot with double-crosses

—— Financial Times

Entertaining...high-speed...with lots of twists and turns...it has a Tarantino-meets-the-Coen-Brothers feel to it.

—— The Times

Part high-octane thriller, part farce, this is an unusual and thoroughly enjoyable read

—— Laura Wilson , Guardian

The action accelerates up and down the ten carriages but the question is: who will get off alive?

—— Daily Mail

As the body count increases Isaka introduces new characters and juggles the survivors' storylines adroitly.

—— Sunday Times

A highly original take on the locked-room mystery: twisty, funny and horrifying in its examination of organised crime, bullying, bad luck and psychopathy

—— Natasha Cooper , Literary Review, *Books of the Year*

Breakneck pacing, masterful character development, and well-timed comic relief set Isaka's
pitch-perfect (and seamlessly translated) thriller up for blockbuster status...a twisty, darkly hilarious game of musical chairs

—— Booklist, starred review

Impressive...Isaka keeps the suspense high throughout. Fans of intricate action fiction will be enthralled

—— Publishers Weekly, starred review

Myriad twists... a high-octane dark comedy as the body count stacks up.

—— Straits Times

Isaka knows how to keep his readers on their toes. His characters are colourful, varied and morally despicable...there's much more to it than a thrill-a-minute action fix. It's dark, funny, absurd and it certainly boast the most interesting bunch of characters we've seen in a while.

—— Crime Fiction Lover

This propulsive novel tauntingly flaunts its cinematic bona fides

—— Angus Batey , Quietus

Bullet Train is a knockabout black comedy with a plot as fast-moving as the express train from Tokyo to Morioka on which the action takes place

—— Christina Hardyment , The Times, *Audiobooks of the Year*

Stylish and darkly comic

—— Fraser Massey , ASLEF Journal

It's about time . . . Wrong Place Wrong Time will be your crime novel of the year . . . and the year before, and the year before that. A gripping thriller that plays with every expectation. An absolutely riveting read!

—— Janice Hallett

Epic and so so clever

—— Bryony Gordon

A brilliantly genre-bending, mind-twisting answer to the question, how far would you go to save your child?

—— Ruth Ware

For those who enjoyed this year's TV adaptation of Kate Atkinson's novel Life After Life, Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister is the thriller equivalent. A phenomenally clever brain teaser with a lot of heart

—— Ian Rankin

Genre-bending and totally original, I loved Wrong Place, Wrong Time. Convincing, heartbreaking and wonderfully written with a twist that made me gasp out loud. This is a tour de force!

—— Claire Douglas, bestselling author of The Couple At No 9

This audacious, jaw-on-the-floor novel will be the best thriller you read all year

—— Red

Amazing. Wow. Can't imagine it not being my book of the year. So, so clever, exciting and gripping. The very last twist made me gasp out loud. Deserves to be a No. 1 bestseller and major Netflix drama or Hollywood movie!

—— Sophie Hannah

Daring, inventive, exhilarating, twisted. It reminded me of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP and MEMENTO. Dive in

—— A.J. Finn

Mindblowingly good. I'm in awe

—— Jane Fallon

A masterfully plotted and ingenious psychological thriller told in reverse. Gripping and full of surprises. One of the best books I've read this year

—— DAILY RECORD

Mind-bendingly-twisty thriller

—— iNews

A clever, sinister take on 'deja vu' which gives a whole new perspective to psychological suspense. A modern 'Time-Traveller's Mum'. I was gripped

—— Jane Corry

A work of such genius it leaves you in awe. Wrong Place, Wrong Time is impossibly clever, daringly original and heart-rending. Exceptional

—— Chris Whitaker

Fiendishly clever and flawlessly executed, WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME is a staggering achievement. I could not put this novel down - it's just dazzling

—— Rosie Walsh

Smart, addictive and ingeniously plotted - this is a stunning high-concept thriller

—— T.M Logan

I am totally in awe . . . This is one story I will not forget

—— Heidi Perks

A breathtaking must-read book that ticks every possible box. Wrong Place Wrong Time runs the whole gamut of emotions with perfectly paced twists and turns that leave you utterly spent and completely satisfied. I gasped, I laughed, I sobbed, I screamed - I loved it

—— Lindsey Kelk

Brilliantly original, so tense and so moving

—— Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of The Castaways

Ingenious. Criminal mastermind. Twists and misdirections are embedded in Wrong Place Wrong Time's clever narrative

—— Writing Magazine

McAllister has always been a plot master, but with Wrong Place, Wrong Time she's surpassed herself. So riveting you'll pull a sickie and ignore all family and friends until the breath-taking final page

—— Celia Walden

A tightly crafted plot from a great thriller writer

—— Prima

A genre-defining masterpiece that turns everything you think you know about crime, family and memory on its head. I'm so jealous of everybody who gets to read this for the first time. An instant classic

—— Holly Seddon

An extraordinary novel. Intricately plotted, beautifully written and impossible to put down. This is a Groundhog Day thriller lived and told backwards, which is such an incredibly smart concept - but Wrong Place, Wrong Time is not just clever, it's heart-wrenching and full of emotion too. McAllister is a writer at the absolute top of her game

—— Beth O'Leary

Unquestionably her best book yet. Mind bending and extraordinary. What an amazing achievement. All the stars!

—— Jill Mansell

A genuine premise, compelling characters, and an absolute masterclass in plotting

—— Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of The Castaways

The latest novel from Gillian McAllister is perfect in every way. Pretty sure she's going to take over the world with that book

—— Imran Mahmood

McAllister is . . . at the top of her game. Revelations come at a satisfying pace in this smart, compelling thriller . . . It's the book we'll all be talking about this summer, so you might as well get ahead of the game and read it now

—— S.J. Watson , Perspective Magazine, 'Thriller of the Month'

Mindblowingly brilliant, it's a cracker - everyone should preorder IMMEDIATELY

—— Lisa Hall

Wrong Place Wrong Time is an astonishingly accomplished psychological thriller that pinpoints the ferocious love between mother and son, and the lengths we go to for that love. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I was entertained, but more than that: I was moved

—— Laura Jane Williams

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is an intricately plotted, highly original thriller full of heart, layers and jaw-dropping twists. Gillian McAllister is one of the finest suspense writers in the market today and this outstanding novel deserves every success

—— Phoebe Morgan

The most inventive thriller of the year

—— Daily Express

The next I Let You Go, the next Gone Girl, the next Girl on the Train . . . Wrong Place, Wrong Time will be a huge hit, deservedly so

—— Sarah Turner, Costa Book Awards Judge

Ambitious, menacing and shocking - a brilliant concept and her best book yet

—— Woman & Home, 'BOOK CLUB AWARDS'

McAllister pulls off this adventure with aplomb. Tightly plotted. Couldn't put it down . . . Don't miss it

—— Guardian

Wrong Place Wrong Time contains layers of intrigue and secrecy . . . You'll turn each page of Jen's story, eager to find out - as she did - what secrets have been hiding in plain sight all along. You'll recommend this book to everyone you know

—— Herald

Masterfully crafted in every way, this novel races along-backward-for a reading experience so intriguing and immersive that you'll only pause to wonder how McAllister has done it. An original and emotional thriller that nails the tender moments of a mother's love as much as the big, impressive twists. A total stand-out and great fun to read-I loved it

—— Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of THE PUSH

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME is the spellbinding story of a mother going back in time to try to prevent her son from committing a murder. Masterfully plotted and wholly original, McAllister keeps the surprises coming until the very last page, with an ending as satisfying as it is haunting.

—— Stephanie Wrobel

Page-turning time-loop thriller . . . An intelligent puzzle full of heart and good sense

—— Guardian, '50 hottest new books for a great escape'

It's extraordinary, just One of Those Books. She's carved through time, and created something three dimensional. It's like peering into the interior of a beautiful twisty shell. I absolutely loved it.

—— Eve Chase

Clever, original, and so addictive it should come with a warning. I loved it!

—— Alice Feeney

Gillian McAllister takes detective fiction in a new direction with this novel. Convincingly portrayed, and the criminal plot is cleverly designed

—— Literary Review

Tense . . . an affecting portrayal of a family careening toward crisis. [A] twisty book by a writer with a fine grasp of the subtleties of familial dysfunction. Unexpectedly tender

—— New York Times

This book is clever, clever, clever. Tightly plotted with a great cast of characters and tension in every line, I lived it and loved it

—— Fiona Barton

A super-clever, belter of a book that will stay with you long after you finish it

—— Sun

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a mind-bending, time-twisting knockout of a book. Genius plotting and pacing easily make this one of my favourite reads this year. Gillian McAllister is a rare talent

—— Samantha Downing

Once I started reading I whizzed through the book in a couple of sittings. Such deft crafting! It would make great TV

—— Clare Chambers

This unique, riveting novel is best described as Groundhog Day meets crime drama

—— Yours Magazine

A game-changer. What an amazing book

—— Phil Williams , Times Radio

Brilliant. A genre defining book. So clever. It's going to be huge

—— Hannah Beckerman , Times Radio

Channels Groundhog Day with an endlessly replayed murder, as a woman's unassuming son kills a stranger - over and over again. The familiar plot motif is given an unguessable reset, and McAllister ensures that characterisation is as central to the novel's success as the plotting

—— Financial Times

It's terrific. It's ingenious. A GREAT concept

—— David Koepp

Full of originality, this is a memorable thriller that will stay with readers long after the last page

—— The Upcoming
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