Inspector Purbright cover art

Inspector Purbright

Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Crime Dramatisations from The Flaxborough Chronicles

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Inspector Purbright

By: Colin Watson
Narrated by: Peter Jeffrey, John Rowe, John Pullen, full cast
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About this listen

A collection of cosy crime dramas adapted from Colin Watson's Flaxborough Chronicles, set in a small Lincolnshire market town in the 1960s and '70s.

Inspector Purbright is a thoroughly English policeman: affable, polite, dogged and decent. Created by award-winning crime writer Colin Watson, he appeared in 12 Flaxborough mysteries, four of which were adapted for BBC TV under the title Murder Most English. These five radio dramatisations star Peter Jeffrey, John Pullen and John Rowe as Purbright.

Coffin, Scarcely Used - When newspaper proprietor Marcus Gwill is found dead under an electricity pylon, shortly after the death of his neighbour, Harold Carobleat, Inspector Purbright investigates. He soon discovers that something very odd is going on in the seemingly respectable town of Flaxborough.

Bump in the Night - Tuesday nights in Chalmsbury are becoming quite explosive: first a drinking fountain is blown to bits, then the statue of Alderman Berry is decapitated, and the following week, a giant glass eye is shattered. On loan from Flaxborough CID, can Purbright find the mystery bomber?

Lonelyheart 4122 - Two middle-aged women have gone missing in Flaxborough, and Purbright's investigations lead him to local marriage bureau Handclasp House. Meanwhile, the resourceful Miss Lucy Teatime has her own interest in the agency....

Charity Ends at Home - The kindly detective probes dark deeds in the world of small-time animal charities - and uncovers a trail of murder and sabotage.

The Naked Nuns - An intercepted telegram hints that Flaxborough is home to human traffickers - and then a tip-off arrives from America that an assassin is on the way. Soon, Inspector Purbright finds himself picking his way through a case of vice and violence....

Content warning: These programmes contain strong language, and some dated attitudes.

©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Cosy Dramatisations Mystery Police Procedurals Funny

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All stars
Most relevant
I loved this collection of stories. Totally engaging. Fun. Mysteries with a happy ending - inspector Purbright always gets his man. Ms Teatime is a fabulous character. All enjoyable puzzles & stress-free. I know Watson wrote more and I wish audible had those as well. Highly recommend.

Totally enjoyable

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I really enjoy this recording. Ironically it’s as though I’ve come home. Each story and relationship stands up, but not in a way intended to challenge the listener
/reader. And we all have times when the last thing we want is challenging..

Lincolnshire in the 70s

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First heard some of these plays on Radio 4+ & delighted the BBC put this collection together.
I wish there was more than 5! Maybe I am just being greedy :) I like these so much. Good clean old fashioned comic fun. As said per Oliver Twist.
“Please sir, I want some more”.

Good Clean Fun

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Love the Flaxborough Chronicles, full of humour and clever investigations by Inspector Purbright and Sergeant Love.

A great listen!

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I read the Purbright stories many years ago and enjoyed them greatly. Quirky and improbable though they are, they are entertaining and amusing. A spoken version can never quite recapture some of the writing style but this dramatisation does a very good job and I enjoyed listening to the exploits of the residents of Flaxborough and the inimitable Miss Lucy Teatime.

Quirky stories, enjoyable listening

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