Charles Paris is a middle aged unhappily separated (but not divorced), moderately
successful British actor with a slight drinking problem(!) who gets entangled in
all sorts of crimes, and often finds himself in the role of unwilling amateur
detective. There are seventeen novels featuring this character. These recordings
are all narrations, not dramatizations.

#1. Cast in Order of Disappearance(1975). [5 hrs 50 mins] Narrated by Simon Prebble.
This is the first in a series of seventeen light frothy murder mysteries staring that
charming British actor of middle aged years, Charles Paris. In this book 47 year-old
Charles, having just finished a recording for the radio, bumps into an old flame from
their years in pantomime, an "actress-cum-dancer-cum-most things" called Jacqui.
Jacqui is most upset over her latest beau, the rich and famous theatre impresario
Marius Steen. Jacqui is convinced Marius was on the verge of asking her to marry him
and now apparently he doesn't want to see her anymore and has taken to writing hurtful
and abusive letters to keep her away. Could it be that Marius is worried about some
"risque" photos of him and Jacqui getting into the public eye? Charles, ever an easy
touch by young beautiful girls, agrees to try to arrange to see Mr Steen on Jacqui's
behalf and return the photos. An easy task made extremely difficult by the fact that
Charles discovers Marius dead in his home in Streatley.

#2. So Much Blood (1976). [5 hrs 49 mins]
Charles Paris returns again, in a fringe show at the Edinburgh Festival, with another
nubile girl to provoke him, and his accommodating wife to console him, and a gory murder
to challenge him in "So Much Blood". Edinburgh and the Festival are both background and
foreground with Charles, flitting between a re-visualized Midsummer Night's Dream,
a mixed-media satire, a late-night revue, and his own one-man show on Thomas Hood-and
with a fading pop star as the first victim, a bomb scare in Holyrood Palace, and a suicide
leap from the top of the Rock. Charles copes splendidly with the Festival, with his affair
with the girl with the black eyes, and with a most complex murder investigation.

#3. Star Trap (1977). [6 hrs 12 mins]
Charles Paris has landed a dual role in a lavish West End musical -- onstage as a bit
player, offstage as an undercover sleuth. The production's nervous backers fear that
someone is trying to kill the play. The ultimate showstopper would be to eliminate the
star.One of England's most popular comedians, the star is adored by the public, despised
in the business. The playwright wants to strangle him. The leading lady longs to stab him
in the back. The young Lothario looks at him with deadly rage. And, unless Charles turns
the spotlight on the real behind-the-scenes saboteur before opening night, murder will
take top billing.

#4. An Amateur Corpse (1978). [5 hrs 38 mins]
Poor old Charles Paris, not only is our loveable and slightly alcoholic hero approaching
his 50th birthday, but an old university chum has roped him into providing a "critics
circle" for a local amateur dramatics society, who have just put on a "performance" of
Checkov's "The Seagull". Mind you this odious task might pale into insignificance when
compared to the current dilemma Charles' university pal is facing. Hugo Mecken, now running
a voice-over company (who has pushed some work Charles' way) is in the middle of a marriage
crisis. His wife, the beautiful but much younger Charlotte is possibly having an affair and
Hugo's sullen drunken moods are becoming worse. When Charlotte is discovered murdered days
later in her coal shed, Hugo is arrested and because of his drunken condition when the crime
happened cannot provide any sort of defence to the charges. As luck would have it Hugo's
solicitor is that other old friend of Charles', Gerald Venables and Charles wastes no time
in taking advantage of Gerald's position to try to prove Hugo's innocent. (RM)

#5. A Comedian Dies (1979). [5 hrs 13 mins]
A rising young stage comedian, who is about to receive his profession's award as Most
Promising Newcomer, dies sensationally on stage at the start of his act: as he picks up
the mike, he is electrocuted. Faulty wiring seems to be the cause; no one person's to
blame; a verdict of death by misadventure is returned at the inquest. But Simon Brett's
actor/detective, Charles Paris happens to have been in the audience. And when another
member of the cast reveals the comedian checked his equipment before the performance,
Charles is launched on a further fascinating investigation.

#6. The Dead Side of the Mike (1980). [6 hrs 30 mins]
Murder at the BBC? It's almost unimaginable. When Andrea Gower, the beautiful studio
manager is murdered, the producer's only concern is the dead air emanating from the
transmitter. But Charles Paris, the now famous actor/detective has come to Broadcasting
House to give a talk, and ends up as a mystery voice on a showbiz quiz show. Paris has
to wallow through layers of BBC scandal, and uncovers a complicated fraud-with clues
concealed in seemingly innocent announcements. These clues lead to a trap that places
Charles in real danger....

#7. Situation Tragedy (1981). [5 hrs 57 mins]
The 7th instalment in the exciting career of Charles Paris we meet our 52 year old actor
on the set of a new ITV Sit-Com called "The Strutters". The new series is a spin off from
a long running show called "What'll the neighbours say" staring Charles' old colleague who
we met in the very first book, Bernard Walton. The new show is based around the married
couple of Col and Mrs Strutter played by George Birkitt and the legendary actress of stage
and film Aurelia Howarth. Charles' part in the series is more modest, appearing at the golf
club barman when needed. As usual strange accidents start to occur around the set, the stage
manager falls down the fire escape and the director is killed in a car crash. Luckily our
amateur sleuth in on hand to try to piece together the puzzle, although with Charles' usual
speed and with the fact he's chasing another girl means that another couple of "accidents"
happen.

#8. Murder Unprompted (1982). [5 hrs 14 mins]
At 54, Charles Paris is still nursing the hope that one day his acting talent will be
showcased in a brilliant West End play, The Hooded Owl. Alex Household, who wants the
leading role, and Charles are feeling more and more confident as announcements are made
that the play will have a West End run. But their hopes are dashed when they're told that
both their parts are being given to well-known television actors. Alex storms off the set
in a rage, but Charles stays on as an understudy. When the leading man is murdered on
opening night, it's up to Charles to prove Alex innocent.

#9. Murder in the Title (1983). [6 hrs 27 mins] Narrated by Simon Prebble.
Playing the dead body in a tatty murder mystery play in the run down town of Rugland Spa
certainly may not be the best job that Charles Paris has ever landed himself, but knowing
our loveable and slightly alcoholic amateur sleuth the job is not going to be as straight
forward as it seems. The Regency Theatre is going through a very very bad patch. Not only
are the plays it.s putting on of dubious quality there are serious allegations of
mismanagement being aimed at the artistic director, Tony Wensleigh, by none other than
the general manager, Donald Mason. Things start to go even worse when a series of accidents
befall the cast and it.s not long before Charles has put on his detective hat again. A near
stabbing, a near hanging and an apparent suicide all require Charles. investigation and the
threats of the Theatre being closed for redevelopment are also looming on the horizon.

#10. Not Dead, Only Resting (1984). [5 hrs 23 mins]
Tristam Gowers and Yves Lafeu have the flamboyance of stage matinee idols, but currently
they are running a very smart restaurant, Tryst, which is much patronised by top people in
the theatrical profession. Which means it's not Charles Paris's usual ambience, but this
small-part player, who's more successful as an amateur detective than as professional actor,
is the guest tonight of another fascinating duo, William Bartlemas and Kevin O'Rourke,
wealthy collectors of theatrical memorabilia. And he is in at the death: the gruesome murder
of Yves. Not Dead, Only Resting seems to be an open and shut case. Tristam caught the night
boat to France within hours of a spectacular public quarrel with Yves over a pretty youth,
and now he has disappeared. But of course there's much more to it than that, as Charles
discovers when he begins to investigate.

#11. Dead Giveaway (1987). [4 hrs 37 mins]
Poor Charles is out of work again but his ever-faithful agent Maurice has managed to get
Charles a spot on a new TV game show called .If the cap fits.. It.s a bizarre US production
that is being given its first UK pilot and all involved seem extremely concerned that
everything is to run as smoothly as possible. Charles has a very small part to play, as one
the show.s .professionals. he must simply stand there whilst the contestants and their
celebrity helpers decide what profession he is and therefore what hat he should wear.
Tragedy strikes though when comparing host of the show, Barrett Doran, takes a swig of his
glass of water and then collapses to the ground, dead. Death is confirms a couple of days
later and Chippy, an ex-girlfriend stage manager is accused of poisoning Barrett. Soon after
Charles is contacted by Sydnee Danson another stage manager from the studios claiming that
Chippy couldn.t have possibly committed the murder. Charles who was secretly drinking the
neat gin in Barrett.s glass before the show realises that Sydnee must be correct and the two
of them form a team to sleuth out the real murderer.

#12. What Bloody Man is That? (1987). [5 hrs 2 mins]
Charles Paris is on his way up again, career-wise. No longer "resting" and no longer just
a corpse in a cupboard, he blossoms in the play dreaded by superstitious theatre folk, who
will not even speak its name: "the Scottish play"- Macbeth. It's only in the provincial rep,
but you have to start (or re-start) somewhere. And his agent has promised that though what's
offered is not much of a part, "other good parts are in the offing". By which perhaps is not
meant precisely what happens: that Charles finds himself doubling almost every role in the
play that isn't held by the three principals. And as for the principals, they could hardly
be more ill sorted. Macbeth is played by George Birkitt, the TV game-show personality. Lady
Macbeth comes straight from Stratford: an intense young woman with method in her madness.
And Duncan is that notorious old ham, Warnock Belvedere, who feels that he's in the tradition
of great actor-managers. With such a cast, sparks are bound to fly. It's not long before death
strikes in the night. And Charles Paris takes on the role of private eye...

#13. A Series of Murders (1989). [5 hrs 3 mins]
Charles Paris is in clover. He has been contracted for three whole months to play brainless
bobby Sergeant Clump, foil to the charismatic amateur sleuth, Stanislas Braid, in a TV series
of that name. Recourse to the Bell's is still needed, however, to get him through a day's
filming-one made all the more arduous by the pompous posturings of the show's star, and the
constant outraged interruptions of the ancient author whose detective novels are being adapted.
Indeed, there is plenty of friction about, but when a particularly unpromising actress is killed,
crushed to death, there seems no reason to doubt it was an accident...except in Charles's mind.
Leaving behind a trail of broken resolutions and empty bottles, Charles indulges in some
sleuthing of his own. He may lack the panache of the suave Stanislas Braid, but unlike the great
detective, the danger Paris encounters is only too real!

#14. Corporate Bodies (1991). [4 hrs 28 mins]
No sooner does London actor Charles Paris land the part of a forklift operator in a corporate
video than a young woman employee named Dayna is found crushed under the same machine. Charles
is the prime suspect until the police determine that he had no motive: Dayna, who had been
sleeping her way up the corporate ladder, was too busy blackmailing her important bed-mates to
make an enemy of Paris. Investigating on his own out of curiosity, Paris learns that the victim
had filmed her trysts and that she was killed for one of the tapes. The actor narrowly escapes
becoming a victim himself when he uncovers another secret that was earning the dead woman
a profit. The killer, ferreted out by Paris, arrogantly confesses and prepares to escape, safe
in the knowledge that the minor actor-for-hire is short on credibility and evidence.

#15. A Reconstructed Corpse (1993). [5 hrs 31 mins]
If playing a dead man could be called a role, Charles Paris has sunk to new lows when he agrees
to play missing Martin Earnshaw on the true crime TV series "Public Enemies." The show has all
the hallmarks of a hit: a vulnerable, tearful wife, a sexy female detective and, best of all,
dismembered limbs probably belonging to Earnshaw, turning up each week just before airtime. As
viewers shudder gleefully and ratings soar, Paris discovers there's more to the whole production
than meets the eye... and the climax is a killer.

#16. Sicken and So Die (1995). [5 hrs 48 mins]
For actor Charles Paris, life is wonderful for a change: Frances, his wife, has let him back
into her apartment (and bed), and he has landed the splendid role of Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth
Night. Of course, none of this can last. At a publicity party, the director succumbs to abdominal
cramps severe enough to hospitalize him. Enter Alexandru Radulescu, an avant-garde director who
says Shakespeare "writes only about sex." As the provocative, spectacle-loving Radulescu slices
and dices the comedy to shreds, Charles, who clings to a traditional interpretation, becomes
increasingly resented by his colleagues, all of whom appear to be turning into Radulescu groupies.
When, following a group dinner, another member of the company falls sufficiently ill to leave the
show, Charles suspects foul play. While he sizes up who might do what to whom (and how many
additional lines they would finagle if they did it), someone else prowls behind the scenes to
stage yet another incident, this one fatal!

#17. Dead Room Farce (1997). [6 hrs 43 mins]
"Not On Your Wife!" is a poor excuse for a stage comedy, all dropped trousers and double entendres.
This latest dire dramatic vehicle is debuting in Bath, and Charles, between boozing bouts with his
beloved Bells whiskey and romantic bouts with Cookie Stone, an aging actress unaccountably smitten
with him, has landed a nice gig on the side reading books on tape. Mark Lear is in charge of the
recording facility. He's a former BBC man and a bigger and more bitter drunk than Charles. His
lover, Lisa Wilson, is concerned. Charles fancies Lisa more than poor Cookie and gets a rare chance
to act chivalrous when Mark dies and all the signs (especially a locked sound room as the likely
place of death) point to foul play. The play itself is trite and bawdy and rendered by the author
with leering panache. Charles is once again in for bloody awful reviews, but he does eventually
discover the killer...

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