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Vogel & Fraser
Vogel & Fraser
Oct 9, 2024 4:22 PM

Author:Bill Lyons,Nigel Hawthorne,Full Cast,Douglas Livingstone

Vogel & Fraser

Four full-cast dramas featuring the London police duo

Sergeant Jimmy Vogel is an old-school, down-to-earth copper. Dedicated and tenacious, he's happy to work overtime to get results (to the dismay of his long-suffering wife, Mo). But after repeatedly missing out on promotion, he finds himself working under Superintendent Fraser, whose methods are alien to him. For Jimmy, policing's about understanding human nature, while his boss relies more on facts and figures. But to catch criminals, it takes both science and instinct, as the duo discover in these four stories.

Body on the Heath - A young man is found on Putney Heath, his throat cut. Who is he, and how did he come to die such a grisly death? Vogel's having trouble finding any satisfactory answers...

An Ordinary Bloke - When a woman is killed by faulty electrical wiring, it looks like murder. Her husband is the obvious suspect, but he's disappeared - and in tracking him down, Vogel and Fraser uncover unpleasant truths and secrets dating back thirty years.

Sins of the Father - Jimmy Vogel is feeling his age. He's finally managed to make Inspector, but at the expense of his home life; he's feeling out of step with the youngsters at the station; and Superintendent Fraser still criticises his lack of tact. And his current investigation isn't making life any easier...

Background - The old firm of Vogel and Fraser is in danger of breaking up. Fraser's stuck behind a desk and rarely gets out on the job, and Vogel's thinking of packing it in altogether. But neither of them can resist a challenge, and when a child is kidnapped they both get back on the case.

Created by veteran scriptwriter Bill Lyons, these thrilling detective dramas star Douglas Livingstone as Vogel and Nigel Hawthorne as Fraser, with Diana Bishop as Mo.

Cast and credits

Starring Douglas Livingstone as Vogel and Nigel Hawthorne as Fraser, with Diana Bishop as Mo

Produced and directed by Jane Morgan

Body on the Heath

Sgt Mann - Walter Hall

PC Jackson - Michael Harbour

Pathologist/Mr Simon - Bruce Purchase

Hairdresser/Waiter/Car park attendant - Alan Dudley

Laura Holland - Colette O'Neil

Edward Holland - David Graham

Annie Viccars - Valerie Murray

Eric Hills - Christopher Bidmead

David Simon - Steven Pacey

With Michael Tudor Barnes and Irene Sutcliffe

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 October 1976

An Ordinary Bloke

Jack Davis - Philip Stone

Vi Davis - Joan Matheson

Robert Davis - Gavin Campbell

Det-Sgt Burridge - Michael Goldie

Brian - Walter Hall

PC Jackson - Kenneth Shanley

Margaret Davis - Frances Jeater

Spooner - Christopher Saul

Brenda Parsons - Sheila Reid

Alan Davis - Brian Hewlett

Mrs Walters - Margot Boyd

Sheila Stewart - Nicolette McKenzie

Technical presentation by David Greenwood

Assisted by David Hitchinson, Nick Bamford and Allyson Reed

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 September 1977

Sins of the Father

Mrs Sutton - Petra Davies

Charles Sutton - Philip Voss

Jo Blackitt - Jenny Twigge

Dave Walker - Brian Carroll

Mayor - Brian Haines

Tony Sutton - Merlin Ward

Eric Roye - Fred Bryant

Gerry Marshall - Dominic Cox

Harris - Jeffrey Segal

Tina - Tina Lyons

Club Leader - David Sinclair

Mrs Marshall - Eva Stuart

Gaffer - John Bott

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 September 1979

Background

Mrs Ornum - Miranda Forbes

Mr Ornum - Michael McStay

Timothy Ornum - Rusty Livingstone

Andy - Leroi Samuels

Dave - Alex Jennings

Insp Peter Gardner - Ronald Baddiley

Rick - Michael Deeks

Chas - Simon Hewitt

Stew - Patrick Field

DC Young - Steve Hodson

Sharon Fraser - Alexandra Mathie

Mrs Fraser - Lillias Walker

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 January 1983

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Reviews

A real surprise... It is not just the descriptions of food that leave you hungry for more

—— Mark Sanderson , The Times

Thrilling... This is a terrific series, a vivid portrait of the East End where a thriving economy is overshadowed by the effects of inequality

—— Joan Smith , Sunday Times

Chowdhury's portrait of multicultural London is as effective as his portrayal of the mixed feelings of his characters, who may enjoy aspects of their lives but still long for the pleasures they have left behind

—— Natasha Cooper , Literary Review

Kamil and Anjali are a terrific team. Chowdhury makes the murder mystery feel like a brand-new invention. His second thriller is chockfull of authentic flavours and tasty surprises that will leave readers wanting more.

—— Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May Mysteries

Marvellous! A vivid romp through the Londoner's London, seen through the sharp eyes of a recent arrival. The only thing that induced me to put it down was the fact that it made me so hungry...

—— Alex Marwood

A real page-turner

—— Waitrose Weekend

The Cook is an ideal summer read... [a] dazzlingly clever plot

—— Sunday Times, *Summer Reads of 2023*

Give Unto Others is both tremendously enjoyable and deeply humane. As much about love as it is about crime, and rich with Venetian detail

—— Jessie Greengrass, Costa-shortlisted author of The High House

It may be Donna Leon's 80th birthday this year, but it is her readers who will be getting a present, in the form of a new Commissario Brunetti novel

—— Barry Forshaw , Financial Times

Give Unto Others is no less mysteriously compulsive than its 30 predecessors . . . Thanks for giving such civilised pleasure for half a lifetime

—— AN Wilson , The Tablet

A gently paced, emotionally acute story of betrayal and revenge.

—— Mail on Sunday

Sumptuous and intensely satisfying, it reminds us what an extraordinary gift Leon has given us

—— Daily Mail Ireland

Thematically, this is classic le Carré: an exploration of how people do the wrong thing for the right motive. The prose is as unshowily superb as ever

—— Sunday Telegraph

A fitting coda to the work of our greatest spy novelist

—— John Williams , Mail on Sunday

It is written with elegance and often pungency, the pitch-perfect dialogue ranging from the waggishly epigrammatic to the bluntly outraged

—— New York Times

Le Carré's ability to inhabit the deepest recesses of his characters' lives is once again on sparkling display . . . It leaves no doubt that le Carré believed good literature could help make the world a better place. His own contribution to that edifice was by no means negligible

—— FT

Textbook le Carré and a pleasing coda to a brilliant career: a short, sharp study of the human cost of espionage

—— Daily Telegraph

The first page hooks you in . . . John le Carré has lost none of his power to draw the reader straight into his world

—— The Times

There is a retro charm about proceedings . . . as well as a welcome array of familiar le Carré tropes, from sharply drawn characters to stimulating interviews and debriefings, plus a compelling denouement involving a wanted man on the run . . . a worthy coda, a commanding farewell from a much-missed master

—— Economist

Arguably the greatest English novelist of his generation

—— Guardian

Crisp prose, a precision-tooled plot, the heady sense of an inside track on a shadowy world . . . all his usual pleasures are here

—— Observer

A lyrical, poignant portrait of betrayal in a family that lives in a world submerged in subterfuge, and resonates with le Carré's exquisite genius. It is to be savoured gently rather than devoured

—— Daily Mail

A diverting if slender coda to one of the boldest writing careers of the 20th century . . . In this posthumous farewell, le Carré is still showing us how literary fiction and the spy narrative can coexist in the same book

—— i

A poignant story of love and loyalty

—— Independent

A fitting conclusion to the long career of a writer who redefined an entire genre with the deceptive easy of pure genius . . . Silverview is filled with joy in the resilience of the human spirit, and with love . . . It's also deeply thrilling, in the best way

—— Irish Times

Packed with cherishable details and intriguingly ambivalent about the role of the Secret Intelligence Service, John le Carré's last novel brings his career to a close in fine style

—— Scotsman

A very fine finale . . . for writing of subtlety, cadence and strength, with a special aptitude for the revealing particular, [le Carré] is virtually unequalled . . . Time and again, le Carré was able to weave an entrancing, haunting world of his own, a feat repeated in Silverview. There are few writers to match him, and fewer who are still alive

—— Spectator

In his trademark lucid prose, le Carré sets the scene for an atmospheric tale of betrayal, deceit and secret service malpractice . . . John le Carré, one of the great analysts of the contemporary scene, has left us a minor masterpiece of secrets and lies in spy land

—— Evening Standard

A winner with fans of the master spy-writer

—— Oldie

A piercing portrait of moral ambivalence

—— i

It is classic le Carré . . . If this is the quality le Carré was producing in the last years of his life, we can be certain there are further posthumous delights coming our way

—— Herald

I gobbled up Silverview . . . Here le Carré is on more familiar territory - what was once known as Mitteleuropa, with its shape-shifting double agents, scarred idealists on the prowl for lost causes

—— Spectator

It has often been said that le Carré is a novelist, not a mere thriller writer. Yet the thing is that, for all his protests that his creations were always more fictional than credited, what he excels at is giving us a plausible peek into the spy's world

—— The Times

[Le Carré's] prose is as quietly impressive as ever and it's a thoroughly enjoyable read. It makes for bittersweet reading - the final work of a master, on fine form

—— Daily Express

Promises to be filled with intrigue, surprises and timely meditations on the relationship between individuals and nations

—— i

One of the great moral writers of recent times

—— Metro

First-rate prose and a fascinating plot . . . a fitting coda to a remarkable career

—— Publishers Weekly

Expertly Plotted

—— Guardian

Pulls you into the heart of its story, while celebrating redemption, rehabilitation and the good in people. All set to the backdrop of a truly fascinating slice of history

—— Phase Eight Book Club

Historical events and characters are cleverly blended into a thought-provoking tale

—— Candis

Adams disguises a social-history lesson on women's rights as a gripping period drama

—— Cosmopolitan

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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