Bøger af Simon Brett

The first ever book about the famed illustrator and wood engraver, by the wood engraver Simon Brett. This new biography showcases much of Clifford Webb's surviving work, and will do much to revive interest in him.

Ellen Curtis - professional declutterer, amateur sleuth and woman of a certain age - investigates the puzzling death of a TV personality who's past his prime Professional declutterer Ellen Curtis doesn't need to like her clients to help them sort their homes out. Aging TV personality and curmudgeon Humphrey Carter might have a chip on his shoulder the size of England about the decline of his career, but a job's a job. But when Ellen arrives the morning after Humph's eightieth birthday party, primed and ready to tackle his study - no matter his protests - she gets the shock of her life. Humph's dead . . . and all signs point to him having taken his own life. Did the egotistical chat show host really die by suicide? His wife is adamant he's been murdered, and the more Ellen looks, the more dirt on Humph she digs up . . . and the more suspects she uncovers. Can she track down a killer - if there even is one? And, just as importantly, can she keep herself from killing not only her own infuriating mother, but also her two grown-up children, who all seem determined to destroy her peace of mind? This thoroughly engaging contemporary mystery is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and M.C. Beaton.

A Christmas production of Cinderella is marred by a series of killings in the waspishly funny new Charles Paris mystery Landing a minor part in the Empire Theatre Eastbourne's Christmas production of Cinderella, Charles Paris soon discovers that his main role is to gently introduce the show's baffled American star, famous sitcom actor Kenny Polizzi, to the bizarre customs of English pantomime. During their convivial sessions in the local pub, Charles finds himself increasingly caught up in Polizzi's tangled affairs as the American fends off a vengeful soon-to-be-ex-wife, an obsessed groupie, and a barely-controlled drink problem. But Charles is about to be far more involved than he might wish when he stumbles across a body beneath Eastbourne Pier, a neat bullet hole in the centre of the forehead. As the world's press descends on Eastbourne, the pantomime rehearsals descend into chaos and he himself comes under suspicion, it's up to Charles to put his renowned sleuthing skills to the test to find out who really killed his fellow cast member - and why.Simon Brett is the winner of The CWA Diamond Dagger 2014.

A cozy featuring the return of Mrs Pargeter For Mrs Pargeter, it is a matter of principle that she should complete any of her late husband's unfinished business. Amongst the many bequests he made to her, perhaps the most valuable is his little black book, in which he listed all the people who ever worked for him, with details of their particular skill sets. This means that whenever Mrs P has a crime to solve she can readily contact someone with the relevant expertise to help in her enquiries. Attending the funeral of the rich and respected Sir Normington Winthrop, because his is one of the names in the little black book, Mrs Pargeter sets out to discover the connection between Sir Normington and her late husband. Her investigations will draw her into a shady world of gun-runners, shifty politicians - and a kidnapped vicar.

A brand new full-cast BBC radio dramatisation, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris'Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It's the role he was born to play.' The TelegraphAugust in Edinburgh, and thousands of performers of all stripes have flocked to the Fringe Festival. Among them is Charles Paris filling in at the last minute after a student actress breaks a leg and has to drop out. Showcasing an earnest one-man show in a sea of stand-up comics is a bit of a gamble, but at least he's acting, and with a Charles Paris production, what could possibly go wrong?Charles is sharing a venue with a group of student actors, but when one of the performers dies in a freak stabbing, the actor-cum-amateur sleuth smells a murderous rat and decides to investigate. When the killer sets his sights on him, Charles realises that he must be getting close to the truth - despite not having a clue what's going on... Help arrives in the form of his agent, Maurice, in town scouting for talent, and Charles' 'semi-detached' wife, Frances, who inadvertently finds herself directing Charles' show. The three become drawn into the mystery, and find themselves playing detectives. This unlikely trio are way out of their depth, but when has that ever stopped Charles Paris?Jeremy Front's witty drama stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. Written by Jeremy FrontBased on the novel by Simon BrettProduced and directed by Sally AvensCastCharles Paris - Bill NighyFrances - Suzanne BurdenMaurice - Jon GloverJames - Roger RingroseAnna - Natasha K StoneMartin - Connor CurrenLaura - Chloe SommerAngus/Sam - Tom KiteleyTessa - Joanna MonroEilish - Catriona StirlingSophie - Fiona SkinnerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9th-30th June 2023©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jude's decision to redecorate her cottage leads to a meeting with a local decorator and a surprising discovery behind a wall panel in a Victorian building: a woman's handbag! The discovery becomes serious when the police identify the handbag's owner as Anita Garner, a young woman who vanished in suspicious circumstances twenty years earlier.

Blotto and Twinks travel to America! Specifically, they travel to Chicago (and this would be during the Prohibition years) in the hopes of marrying Blotto off to an American heiress and thus saving Tawcester Towers from financial ruin. Thankfully, Twinks is around to nose out the dirty undertakings of the heiress's father, a meat-packing magnate and Chicago mob associate.

Someone has stolen valuable paintings from Tawcester Towers, ancestral home of Blotto and his sister, Twinks. Twinks tracks the thieves to France and she and Blotto go zipping off to Paris--where they have rather a jolly time with the Left Bank bohemian set--but before the hangovers can take hold Twinks has redirected the search to the Riviera, headquarters of that dastardly criminal mastermind, la Puce! Will the noble Blotto and the brilliant Twinks recover their paintings, vanquish la Puce, and rescue the kidnapped film star we neglected to mention?

Bill Nighy stars as the suave thespian sleuth in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisationLife is good for Charles Paris. He's moved back in with his estranged wife, and has landed a plum stage role as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. But it can't last. First his attempts to woo Frances fall flat, then the play's director is taken ill with gastric trouble. His replacement, Romanian wunderkind Alex Radelescu, is determined to take the play in a radical new direction - with or without Charles. When a second member of the company falls sick, Charles begins to suspect a poisoner is on the loose - and the next victim could be him. Can he unmask the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy?Adapted by Jeremy Front, this engaging dramatisation stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, Jon Glover as Maurice and Julian Rhind-Tutt as Alex Radelescu. 'Always a treat' Gillian Reynolds, Sunday TimesProduction creditsWritten by Simon BrettAdapted by Jeremy FrontProduced and directed by Sally AvensFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 August-20 September 2006CastCharles Paris - Bill NighyFrances - Suzanne BurdenMaurice - Jon GloverKen Carter - Peter WightAlex Radelescu - Julian Rhind-TuttVivienne Marlin - Elizabeth BellGavin Scholes - Thomas WheatleyJack Bradley - John CumminsSally Luther - Tracy WilesBen Ritson - Tom LawrenceVasile Bogdan/Scott - Ryan McCluskeyTalya Northcott - Alex TregearInspector Dewar - Kim Wall© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The latest hair-raising adventure featuring the aristocratic brother and sister sleuthing duo!

Carole Seddon treasures her trusty Renault, and when it is vandalised, there's only one person she will entrust with its repair: Bill Shefford. But then a note is shoved under Carole's kitchen door: Watch out. The car window was just the start. And matters take an even more disturbing turn when a body is discovered at Shefford's Garage . . .

The ninth thrilling adventure featuring the aristocratic brother and sister sleuthing duo, by accalimed crime writer Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy stars as actor and amateur sleuth Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's novelCharles' career is on the up. He's starring in a revival of a popular (though hackneyed) 70's farce - and while his fellow actors aren't exactly who you'd want to find yourself in bed with, he's happy to be in work. But while there may be comedy on stage, offstage it's rapidly turning into a whodunnit. First the director drops dead, then another premature death follows soon after when an audio producer doing a promo for the show dies in suspicious circumstances. The cast are hiding some shady secrets, and have plenty of skeletons in their cupboards which they don't want rattled, but would anyone go as far as murder to protect themselves? Charles is determined to find out, and turns detective in an attempt to find out if foul play is afoot... This witty, stylish dramatisation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his long-suffering wife Frances. Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor-cum-amateur detective Charles Paris Charles Paris is in Oxford, appearing in a re-imagining of Hamlet by a high-concept drama company. No fan of immersive theatre, he’s unimpressed with the director’s vision and less than thrilled to be rehearsing alongside puppeteers and mime artists.But he soon finds himself back on familiar territory when the actress playing Ophelia goes missing, only to turn up dead. Did she take her own life, or was there foul play? As he amasses a list of suspects who might have wished her harm, Charles takes on the mantle of detective once more to decide if this is to be or not to be a murder case…Scripted for radio by Jeremy Front from a story by Simon Brett, A Doubtful Death stars Bill Nighy (Emma, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice.Also included is an exclusive 18-minute afterword in which Jeremy Front discusses his experience of adapting an unproduced screenplay, reveals what it’s like to work with recurring characters and actors, and explains the mechanics of recording for radio.CreditsWritten by Jeremy FrontFrom a story by Simon BrettProduced and directed by Sally AvensProduction Coordinator: Cynthia FaganStudio Managers: Anne Bunting, Keith Graham and Jenni BurnettAfterword produced by Ania Duggan and Roshni RadiaFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 May-12 June 2020CastCharles Paris……………………Bill NighyFrances……………………Suzanne BurdenMaurice……………………Jon GloverVicky……………………Jessica TurnerJenny……………………Scarlett CourtneyTomasz……………………Ian ConninghamTour Guide/Dan……………………Will KirkWaitress/Izzy……………………Lucy ReynoldsZoe……………………Laura ChristySiriol……………………Sinead MacInnesPete/Player King……………………Neil McCaulTim ……………………Greg JonesCanon Park/Director……………………Clive HaywardPassenger……………………Adam CourtingWaitress/Sat Nav. ……………………Amy Bentley-KleinCassie……………………Heather CraneyCheckout/Fortinbras……………………Ikky Elyas Continuity R4/WS Announcer……………………Jeremy Front