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Charles Paris: Murder in the Title cover art

Charles Paris: Murder in the Title

By: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front
Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden, full cast
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Summary

Charles Paris is his own worst enemy, a louche lush who can resist anything except temptation - especially in the form of women and alcohol. He’s been out of work so long now he feels he may never get a job and he’s driving Frances, his semi-ex-wife, mad.

So when he’s offered a small role in a play, she nearly pushes him out of the door. But it seems that ‘The Message is Murder’ is such a terrible production that someone wants to kill off the cast. First there is a series of nasty accidents, then someone attempts to stab Charles.

Can he find the murderer before they strike again?

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in this entertaining dramatisation by Jeremy Front.

Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

©2012 AudioGO Ltd (P)2012 AudioGO Ltd

What listeners say about Charles Paris: Murder in the Title

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Always Worth a Listen

Although this story was a bit of a downer, the overall experience of listening to a Charles Paris drama is, as usual, great fun. The script and performances are pure gold.
Will continue to be an avid listener.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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very entertaining

Bill nighy lend himself naturally to these lighthearted detective stories, excellent series, first came across them on BBC4 EXTRA, collecting them all

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Thoroughly entertaining

Fun murders with Charles Paris and some hilarious dialogue with his wife and her Italian lodger... Cutting edge drama rehearsals very wry.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Another excellent adaptation!

A superb adaptation from the production team led by Jeremy Front. Nighy & Burden create a wonderful atmosphere of marital tensions as the backdrop against another thespian themed murder mystery.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

French windows and polyester costumes.

Simon Brett's amusing tales of the (usually out of work) actor, Charles Paris, and the often murderous discoveries which seem to dog his dramatic opportunities have long been favourites of this reader, but even more pleasurable are the adaptations by Jeremy Front for broadcast as drama by B.B.C. Radio 4. With a full cast and Bill Nighy magnificent in the title role as the aging, over drinking lothario with heart, in this story Charles Paris secures a minor role with a provincial rep.company in a failing small town theatre. Unsurprisingly, a couple of accidents make him suspect that something is not right.
The plot line might be fairly conventional but the production is excellent, great acting interspersed with snippets of late 60s, early 70s pop music from, amongst others, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground, The Doors, and Cream, and classics such as Je t'aime and We've Gotta Get Out of this Place. Nice little touches, too, with the cell phone ringtones: Paris' agent's being the Death March.

Not high drama but a superb piece of fun. Just hearing Bill Nighy's warmly delicious tones as dog house husband and thwarted thespian is, alone, enough to bring forth a smile.
Always recommended.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lightweight but great fun

Where does Charles Paris: Murder in the Title (BBC Radio Crimes) rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

About halfway

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I love the interaction with Frances his wife

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No -

Any additional comments?

I think it is Bill Nighy that makes this series - he just makes me laugh

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Intertaining anf funny!

Its a short detective story with lots of humor! A good light story before bedtime. Bill Nighy is just perfect being this ....most of the time unemployed actor who drinks too much!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great performance unnecessarily interrupted

Love Simon Brett and his Charles Parris character, but, oh why did the recordist not edit out every single cast list and introduction from the original BBC serial. These breaks in the story were really irritating.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great as always.

Would you listen to Charles Paris: Murder in the Title (BBC Radio Crimes) again? Why?

Definitely. The BBC dramatisation though brings the story forward to today, and with wonderful down to earth dialogue - you're in the heart of the crime, the play, the tangled personal relationships and their history before you know it.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh, smirk.

Any additional comments?

Bill Nighy is fabulous as the dissolute actor detective.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sheer pleasure

Sheer pleasure from first syllable til last. Bill Nighy is unmistakably brilliant as the redoubtable Charles Paris

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