Author:Georgette Heyer,Elizabeth Proud,Simon Shepherd,Simon Russell Beale,Anna Massey,Nathaniel Parker,James Fleet,Helen Baxendale,Full Cast,James Frain,Elli Garnett
BBC Radio adaptations of three of Georgette Heyer's sparkling Regency romances and a classic comedy thriller
The acknowledged 'queen of Regency romance', bestselling author Georgette Heyer, also penned a dozen delightful mystery novels. Included here are dramatisations of four of her finest stories from both genres, full of her characteristic wit, charm and period detail.
Regency Buck
Pretty but shrewd Judith Taverner gallops in from the provinces and daringly defies the gaming, drinking and brawling world of Regency London to claim her rights, her fortune - and who knows, perhaps her happiness? Starring Elizabeth Proud as Judith Taverner and Simon Shepherd as Peregrine Taverner.
Friday's Child
'I'm going back to London! And I'm going to marry the first woman I see!' is the cry of young Lord Sheringham when his proposal of marriage is rejected by Isabella, the Incomparable. True to his word, he takes the even younger Hero Wantage as his bride... Starring James Frain as Viscount Anthony Sheringham and Elli Garnett as Hero Wantage, with Simon Russell Beale as Jasper Tarleton.
Faro's Daughter
Deborah Grantham's position in a gaming house makes her utterly unsuitable as a wife for a nobleman, so Max Ravenscar determines to rescue his cousin from her clutches. But the bribe he offers does not go down well, and a battle of wits commences... Starring Sylvestre Le Touzel as Deborah Grantham and Nathaniel Parker as Max Ravenscar, with Anna Massey as Lady Bellingham.
Envious Casca
An English country Christmas in the 1930s, a Tudor manor house decked with holly, a family gathered for seasonal cheer - and a murder. Inspector Hemingway is on the case, but can he shake off amateur sleuths Toby and Jane French? Starring Peter Kelly as Inspector Hemingway, James Fleet as Toby and Helen Baxendale as Jane.
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Fiona writes with great authenticity, with meticulous research helping her capture the period and the mood between the two wars perfectly.
—— Better ReadingYou will be transported on each and every page.
—— JodiGibsson.comA charming - and sharp - love story about what it means to fall for someone who is your polar opposite
—— Sunday TelegraphFrequently funny, consistently engaging ... it has great warmth in its heart
—— ObserverHornby's hilarious and heart-wrenching new novel explores what it means to be somebody's perfect match, and why this notion of perfect compatibility is an absolute disaster when it comes to love
—— Woman and Home, Best Books to Look Forward to this SummerThe capable crackle of his dialogue - honed by a string of successful screenwriting projects - propels the domestic drama forward at an easy pace, particularly effective in the voices of the children
—— Financial TimesThe novel explores division and racism and has its share of sharp observations that help illuminate what it means to fall headlong in love with someone who is nothing like you at all
—— IndependentNick Hornby writes so well about his characters . . . his most enjoyable book for some years
—— Sunday ExpressHornby has always been a first-rate storyteller and Just Like You - just perfectly put together - sparkles with tip-top dialogue and pin-sharp comic timing
—— Daily MailTruly funny . . . the novel gallops straight into something that is immensely readable, sharp-eyed and at times hilarious
—— GuardianA brilliant read full of his trademark wit and ability to get to the heart of human nature
—— The SunComedy for our times
—— Sunday TimesExcellent
—— Irish TimesTender and timely
—— Good HousekeepingSet in 2016 against the strident backdrop of the Brexit vote, Nick Hornby's warmhearted comedy chronicles the love story between a middle-aged white woman and a young black man, suggesting that difference needn't always be divisive: sometimes it can bring us together
—— Daily MailHornby's prose is artful and effortless, his spiky wit as razored as a number-two cut
—— IndependentHornby writes with a funny, fresh voice which skewers male and female foibles with hilarious accuracy
—— GuardianA fine writer, swift and pointed, with a lighter, more mischievous heart than he lets on, and more sympathy for the devil than he admits to
—— New York MagazineDares to be witty, intelligent and emotionally generous at once
—— New York TimesDeliciously over-the-top, with a protagonist you'll never forget
—— BookpageSuperbly taps into our inner Avenger. Hugely compelling and unpredictable
—— Ruth Jones , bestselling author of Never GreenerCompelling, edgy, beautifully written
—— Daily MailIntelligent, edgy and witty
—— GlamourI LOVE her books. She always delivers a fabaliss read
—— Marian Keyes , bestselling author of Grown-UpsBarbed, twisty and full of deliciously dry wit, this is smart stuff to race through
—— Sunday MirrorThis entertainingly twisty tale is populated with some enjoyably toxic characters
—— Sunday MirrorChick lit with an edge
—— GuardianSparkling and unpredictable
—— ElleDarkly comic and addictive
—— Daily ExpressAnother sure-fire hit from Fallon
—— PlatinumSet over the course of an upstate New York summer, this shrewd, kindly tale embraces a topical spread of inter-generational challenges, yielding tart truths about love, class and family. It's spry and satisfying
—— Mail on SundayA warm, funny novel
—— SheerLuxeIf you can imagine a glorious mash-up of Elizabeth Strout and Gilmore Girls, All Adults Here is it
—— RedSet over the course of an upstate New York summer, this shrewd, kindly tale embraces a topical spread of inter-generational challenges, yielding tart truths about love, class and family. It's spry and satisfying.
—— Mail on SundayA novel full of poignant insights into family
—— Woman & HomeIf you're a fan of Anne Tyler's writing, you'll love this captivating, well-observed family drama
—— Good HousekeepingBusting with witty and poignant observations about the messiness of family
—— Jenna Bush Hager , Read with Jenna Book Club PickEmma Straub has done it again! All Adults Here introduces us to the Stricks, a delightfully flawed family, with matriarch Astrid at the centre...I know I've been having trouble adulting during this time (seriously, I have to cook, again?!), and the characters in this novel feel like they're struggling right alongside me
—— Read It ForwardAll Adults Here will make you question your entire childhood
—— Marie Claire USAll Adults Here is deliciously funny and infectiously warm - a clever blend of levity and poignant insights. Straub's flair for irony and wit shine, and she puts a fresh (and progressive) spin on the age-old multigenerational family saga
—— Washington PostThe queen of the summer novel...we have turned to Emma Straub to bring us highly enjoyable, yet still thought-provoking, tales about witty protagonists in the throes of life changes
—— Entertainment WeeklyStraub's novel takes her signature wit upstate, exploring the complexities of small-town life and what it's
like to live as an adult in the same place where you grew up
If you've spent lockdown at home with the family, this one might just ring true for you. A witty, warm and thoroughly entertaining novel. Relatable
—— LuxeIt takes rare skill to make everyday family ups and downs so pleasurable to read but Straub brings both a deceptive light touch and a flinty sense of humour to this breezy big-hearted portrait of ordinary people trying to negotiate the landscape of being a grown up. A superior slice of domestic fiction for fans of Anne Tyler and Ann Patchett
—— MetroPulsating with perceptive wit . . . entertaining
—— Sunday PostGreat for fans of Liane Moriarty
—— Harpers BazaarWhips along with feel-good momentum, driven by warmth and love
—— Press AssociationWarm, witty, perceptive. Anne Tyler on laughing gas
—— Saga MagazineWritten with true warmth and wit
—— BellaPraise for Emma Straub
—— -It's the beautifully drawn, vibrant characters that make this smart, compelling novel so irresistible
—— Liane MoriartyFunny, poignant and beautifully observed
—— Jojo MoyesStraub writes beautifully and amusingly . . . hard to beat for sheer charm and gentle wit
—— Daily MailSmart and entertaining
—— StylistHugely talented . . . intelligent holiday reading
—— Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4Warm and big-hearted . . . leaves you smiling for days
—— Maria Semple , bestselling author of Where'd You Go, BernadetteStraub writes with such verve and sympathetic understanding of her characters . . . Reading this novel has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits
—— New York TimesA funny and insightful look at love and relationships
—— Good HousekeepingWritten with true warmth and wit
—— BellaA smart, cool sensibility
—— ElleLovely, satisfying
—— EW.comSmart and fresh, offering new insights into the lives of people all around us
—— Brooklyn MagazineThoughtful and hilarious
—— Real SimpleIt would be easy to compare Straub to other masters of the genre like Meg Wolitzer or Jennifer Egan, but she's already a master in her own right
—— The MillionsWise and often hilarious
—— BuzzfeedReaders will devour this witty and warmly satisfying novel
—— Publishers WeeklyA precise and observant writer whose supple prose carries the story along without a snag. Straub's characters are a quirky and interesting bunch . . . it's a pleasure spending time with them
—— Starred Review , KirkusDevilishly observed
—— Starred Review , BooklistSprinkled with humour and insight
—— Starred Review , Library JournalStraub is consistently excellent
—— Book RiotA warm-hearted and wise tale of a family in trouble. Packed full of sharp observations and laugh-out-loud lines
—— iHer writing just gets better and better . . . Grown Ups is funny and clever in the way it tackles addiction and eating disorders and the hurly burly of family life
—— Waitrose WeekendA sharp satire of family dynamics and the trappings of wealth. It is a delicious thing - light and dark at once, full of acid observations and warmth, and fully attuned to the absurdities of familial life
—— The Gentleman's JournalAn entertaining story of family dynamics packed with vibrant characters, humour and empathy
—— The Sunday TimesA sharp, wry tale about a seemingly happy family with contemporary problems . . . despite the traumas, you'll whizz through it with a smile on your face
—— Oxfordshire Limited EditionKeyes's captivating 14th novel tackles difficult issues with a sparkling style that makes it impossible to put down
—— Daily MailMarian Keyes is the most wonderful writer. She just gets better and better. She is a writer who believes in the best of us. She shows people's foibles but she also shows the love that binds us together in a very real way
—— Richard OsmanHer novels tackle hard subjects with such humour and warmth its impossible not to be drawn in
—— Jane Harper , Daily MailAnother high-definition family comedy. An intoxicating, effervescent and warm look at modern life
—— MetroA delightful and insightful examination of the modern family
—— Holly Bourne , BeastmagLaughter and tears intertwine, as ever, in the latest from our leading chronicler of the emotional messiness of contemporary life
—— GuardianThe strength of this book lies in its relatability factor - I laughed, cried, nodded in recognition and laughed again
—— Irish NewsShines a light on the frustrations and gripes of family life, while inviting us to laugh at the petty reality of it all
—— London LivingA book to fall into and while away hours with
—— Writers OnlineFunny, thought-provoking and hitting you right in the feels, Marian Keyes does it again
—— Red OnlineI loved this complex family drama . . . Keyes nails every character she touches while keeping it all so relevant
—— Jamie Klingler , iNewsPraise for Marian Keyes
—— -Mercilessly funny
—— The TimesEverything this woman touches turns to comic gold
—— CosmopolitanComic, convincing and true. The warmth and empathy of Keyes's writing shine through this tale of family secrets revealed.
—— Katy Guest , GuardianClever, hilarious, poignant . . . Gloriously funny
—— Sunday TimesWildly funny, romantic and nearly impossible to put down
—— Daily MailHer writing is a lovely mixture of funny and perceptive and bittersweet
—— Cressida CowellFull of brilliantly funny characters, genuine emotion and heaps of charm
—— HeatHer books are humorous and have the quality of a warm bath
—— The TimesClassic Marian Keyes: a blizzard of wit and wisecracks
—— The TimesKeyes is an international treasure. The ultimate choice for a binge read
—— StylistWhen it comes to writing page-turners that put a smile on your face and make you think, Keyes is in a class of her own
—— Daily ExpressFabulously entertaining. The queen of intelligent women's fiction
—— Sunday MirrorFull of darkness and light, this is Keyes at her classic and most brilliant best
—— RedKeyes writes about women who are absolutely themselves, even when society tries to insist they are something else
—— Irish TimesGlorious, life-affirming
—— Woman & HomeMarian's glorious, warm-hearted wit is always guaranteed to make me laugh on the very first page
—— Liane MoriartyThere is no finer writer than Marian Keyes
—— Rowan ColemanShe really is unparalleled when it comes to making serious points with the lightest of touches
—— The PoolHilariously wise
—— PrimaBrutal yet endearing honesty, wonderful humour and astonishing acumen
—— Ruth HoganKeyes writes extremely well about modern women. Candid and deeply felt
—— MetroMarian Keyes has an unparalleled talent for making you howl with laughter, nod in recognition and think at the same time
—— Sam Baker , Good HousekeepingAlways brilliant - and brilliantly funny
—— BestA publishing sensation
—— Daily ExpressThere are few fiction writers today with as much verve and sense of independence as Marian Keyes
—— Daily Telegraph