Author:Mick Collins,Neil Stuke,John MacMillan,Amy Wren,Theo Barklem-Biggs,Full Cast
A spin-off of the award-winning TV series Silk, following the adventures, mishaps and dilemmas of the clerks at Shoe Lane chambers
Inspired by Peter Moffat's popular BBC One show, Silk, this compelling courtroom drama returns to Shoe Lane Chambers, but from a different perspective. Rather than focussing on the lawyers, it centres on the people who can make or break their careers - their clerks.
As Head Clerk Billy Lamb knows, the clerks' room is the beating heart of a successful chambers. It's the clerks who get the cases, distribute the work, and keep everything running smoothly. But all is not well in Billy's little kingdom. When junior clerk Jake goes behind Billy's back, he finds himself in the firing line, and his colleague, Bethany, also gets in hot water after unknowingly giving a must-win case to an under-performing barrister. And as Billy and Practice Manager Harriet Hammond conspire to oust each other, his deputy John is caught in the crossfire...
With pressure mounting following cuts to Legal Aid, Billy realises that the chambers is on the brink of financial collapse. But his wheeler-dealing creates unease, and before long he's at loggerheads with his star-performing barrister and vying for control of the clerks' room. Running out of options, he turns to an unscrupulous solicitor to secure a guaranteed income - but time is running out to save Shoe Lane...
Written by Mick Collins, who was series consultant for Season 2 of Silk, and award-winning playwright Janice Okoh, these captivating dramas feature the same core characters from the TV show's clerks' room: Billy (Neil Stuke), Jake (Theo Barklem-Biggs), Bethany (Amy Wren), John (John Macmillan) and Amy (Jessica Henwick).
Production credits
Written by Mick Collins and Janice Okoh
From an original idea by Mick Collins and Janice Okoh
Inspired by the BBC One series Silk, created by Peter Moffat
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko
Executive producer: Hilary Salmon
Cast
Jake - Theo Barklem-Biggs
Billy - Neil Stuke
Amy - Jessica Henwick
John - John Macmillan
Bethany - Amy Wren
Chris - Anthony Welsh
Jury Forewoman/Rebecca - Carolyn Pickles
Tannoy/Lisa - Priyanga Burford
Mr Lewis - Charles Edwards
Harriet - Miranda Raison
Mrs Adjoran - Flaminia Cinque
Ms Spoons - Tracy Wiles
Official - Matthew Watson
Sara - Jeany Spark
Neville - Sean Murray
Rose - Alex Tregear
Anthony - Mark Edel-Hunt
Ray/Usher - David Hounslow
Lee - Josef Altin
Lucy - Amelia Lowdell
Paul - Chris Pavlo
Judge/Stephen/Shop Owner - David Acton
Judges - Michael Bertenshaw, Steve Toussaint, Jessica Turner, Stephen Critchlow
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1-15 April 2014 (Series 1), 3-5 August 2015 (Series 2)
Fast-paced, gripping and intense - A Stranger on Board is going to make some serious waves this summer
—— T.M. LoganAgatha Christie meets Die Hard on water. A fantastic, full throttle thriller that never takes its foot off the accelerator
—— John MarrsA fabulous, action-packed adventure. The superyacht is a genius premise and, mixed with Sarah's grit, it was an absolute joy to read
—— Jo SpainA Stranger On Board is a taut and thrilling ride. Pure escapist pleasure!
—— Victoria SelmanA fast-paced thriller that reminds me of a Hollywood blockbuster transferred to the page, full of intrigue and depth of knowledge and vibrant characters who are realised to maximum effect with a plot that sizzles with numerous twists and turns and had me on the edge of my seat!
—— James DelargyPraise for the author
—— :Twisty, compelling and incredibly pacy...will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last
—— Phoebe MorganA hugely enjoyable and original thriller. Cameron's going to be one to watch
—— Simon KernickA fascinating and unputdownable thriller with a devious twist
—— John MarrsI tore through this perfectly plotted tale of secrets and lies
—— Victoria SelmanJames Patterson is The Boss. End of.
—— IAN RANKIN, bestselling author of the Inspector Rebus seriesPatterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination.
—— NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWPatterson is in a class by himself.
—— VANITY FAIRA chilling, whirlwind thriller
—— Woman's OwnThis thriller has a premise that will pique any mystery-loving traveler's interest: two best friends embark on their annual reunion trip, only to have it go murderously awry. Bartz's evocative descriptions of destinations as varied as Chile and Cambodia pulled me in immediately, but it was the way she ratcheted up the tension by dropping clues about the duo's murky past that kept me rapt until the end
—— Travel + LeisureThis smartly written psychological thriller will leave you all tingly
—— Reader's DigestBartz, once again, creates a thrilling tale about a friend group in flux
—— OprahDaily.comThe ultimate story of toxic female friendships, a theme Andi Bartz pulls off exquisitely her previous novels. This one is pulse-pounding with secrets, lies, and friends who trust too much
—— CrimeReads.comSustains its thriller atmosphere with a well-drawn dynamic between co-dependent friends who alternate from deep trust to vicious suspicion
—— Milwaukee MagazineWe Were Never Here is an observant, suspenseful, and deeply scary novel, a psychological thriller that looks at the tight bonds of friendship and asks where they strangle, where they break
—— Steph Cha, author of Your House Will PayWe Were Never Here is somehow both cinematic in scope and also claustrophobic and unnerving. It's a novel that explores the dangers that lurk in beautiful places, the manipulation of memories, and the friendship ties that don't just bind us, but can strangle us
—— Tara Laskowski, award-winning author of One Night Gone and The Mother Next DoorI absolutely loved We Were Never Here ... chock-full of twists and turns that surprise and titillate. I was so enthralled, I carried the book around the house, reading as I walked to the kitchen to make some tea and even while folding the laundry. It's been years since I last read-walked!
—— Daniela Petrova, author of Her Daughter’s Mother[Bartz] has an incredible talent for writing complicated characters, complex relationships, unnerving situations, and palpable tension-and making them all work together
—— HelloGiggles.com'Thrilling, dark and full of suspense, The Retreat is a must for crime fans - you won't be able to put it down.'
—— Pick Me Up'Sarah Pearse has done it again! The Retreat is a heart-pounding, adrenaline-soaked thrill ride. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.'
—— Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here'Be careful who you root for, as no character is safe in Sarah Pearse's new novel The Retreat. In the spirit of a true thriller, the tension is taut and the suspense is real as the pace builds to a heart stopping finale. A triumphant second novel, which is no mean feat.'
—— Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman'Sarah Pearse is an expert at building tension and then holding us suspended until we're on our last nerve. The Retreat is utterly thrilling and destined to be yet another must-read from the queen of the murderous holiday read.'
—— Jo Spain, bestselling author of Dirty Little SecretsWonderfully atmospheric, frequently surprising and cleverly plotted. If you loved The Sanatorium, you'll never want to leave The Retreat.'
—— B. P. Walter, author of The Dinner GuestA story as unsettling as the island that serves as its setting. Don't trust anyone at The Retreat.
—— Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the DarkDeliciously paced with rich worldbuilding, The Retreat teems with questionable motives, unspoken frustrations, and hair-raising cliffhangers. I absolutely could not put this book down!
—— Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary'Dazzling and inventive, like an Agatha Christie mystery split open by a heatwave. The Retreat is transporting, with an unforgettable setting and a complex web of secrets. I didn't want it to end.'
—— Flynn Berry, New York Times bestselling author of Northern Spy'The Retreat is a delightfully creepy thriller set in a fantastic gothic location. I loved it!'
—— G. R. Halliday, author of From The ShadowsThis tense and irresistible read is best binged in one sitting
—— HeatIntricately interwoven plots and subplots, propulsive twists and a neat finale, a deliciously easy psycho drama to hungrily tear through.
—— Evening StandardA brilliant read
—— Bella magazineA psychological thriller that begins with a death on a canal boat and involves a cadre of shifty, damaged characters.
—— The i PaperA multi-layered mystery simmering with secrets, resentments and griefs.
—— WOMAN