All four series of the murder mystery game played by people whose business is murder
Chaired by Simon Brett (author of the hugely popular 'Charles Paris' series), this intriguing, interactive panel show challenges professional crime novelists to put their experience and expertise to the test as they try to unravel various mind-bending mysteries.
Each episode features a death and a denouement - with various red herrings and misdirections along the way. As the murder scenario is described and the clues laid out, our writer-detectives take turns cross-examining the suspects. After receiving the latest police updates, it's time to decide whodunit - but will the panellists pick the right perpetrator, or have they been cunningly led astray? We find out in the Foul Play 'Foul Playlet', in which the truth is revealed...
All the victims, suspects, witnesses and police officers are played by actors Lee Simpson and Maria McErlane (who part-improvise their roles based on the information they've been given), while the guest investigators include Val McDermid, Lindsey Davis, HRF Keating, PD James, Reginald Hill, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Frances Fyfield, John Harvey, Stella Duffy, Robert Barnard and Ian Rankin. Among the baffling cases they tackle are a dead Dowager Duchess, a 1930s murder at sea, a pantomime crime, a monastery mystery and an Elizabethan court killing.
Cast and credits
Devised, written and chaired by Simon Brett
Produced by Ann Jobson and Liz Anstee
Actors: Lee Simpson and Maria McErlane
Series 1 panellists: Liza Cody, Susan Moody, John Harvey, Margaret Yorke, Lindsey Davis, Val McDermid, PD James, HRF Keating, Lady Antonia Fraser, Reginald Hill, Ruth Dudley Edwards and Simon Shaw
Series 2 panellists: Tim Heald, Jessica Mann, Frances Fyfield, Minette Walters, Sarah Dunant, Keith Miles, Paula Gosling, Peter N Walker, Robert Barnard, Caroline Graham, Gavin Lyall and Anthony Price
Series 3 panellists: Lady Antonia Fraser, Anthony Price, PD James, HRF Keating, Susan Moody, Simon Shaw, Liza Cody, Reginald Hill, John Harvey, Val McDermid, Frances Fyfield and Peter N Walker
Series 4 panellists: Ruth Dudley Edwards, Robert Richardson, Jean McConnell, Keith Miles, Jessica Mann, James Melville, Tim Heald, Margaret Yorke, Robert Barnard, Lindsey Davis, Ian Rankin and Stella Duffy
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7 November-12 December 1996 (Series 1), 27 February-3 April 1997 (Series 2), 18 December 1997-22 January 1998 (Series 3), 11 September -16 October 1998 (Series 4)
- New eBook additions
- New eBook additions for Kids
- New eBook additions for Teens
- Most popular
- Most popular for Kids
- Most popular for Teens
- Available Now
- Available Now for Kids
- Available Now for Teens
- Book Club 2025-2026: Guaranteed Available : Karapu Pukapuka: Wātea Mārika 2025-2026
- Classic Literature Book Club : Guaranteed Available
- Travel Club 2025-2026: Guaranteed Available
- Reese's Pieces
- See all ebooks collections
- New eAudiobook additions
- New eAudiobook additions for Kids
- New eAudiobook additions for Teens
- Most popular eAudiobooks
- Most popular eAudiobooks for Kids
- Most popular eAudiobooks for Teens
- Available now on eAudio
- Available Now on eAudio for Kids
- Available Now on eAudio for Teens
- AudioBook Club 2025-2026: Guaranteed Available
- Classic "Reads" AudioBook Club : Guaranteed Available
- Children's AudioBook Club 2025-2026: Guaranteed Available
- See all audiobooks collections
- Ngā pukapuka i te reo Māori : Books in the Māori Language
- Tusi Samoa : Samoan Books
- Ngaahi tohi ʻi he lea faka-Tongá : Books in Tongan
- 中文书籍 Zhōngwén shūjí : Books in Chinese
- 中文杂志 Zhōngwén zázhì : Magazines in Chinese
- മലയാളത്തിലെ പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ : Books in Malayalam
- Cărți în limba română: Books in Romanian
- Книги українською мовою : Books in Ukrainian
- Książki w języku polskim : Books in Polish
- किताबें हिंदी में Kitaaben hindee mein : Books in Hindi
- Buugaag af-soomaali ku qoran : Books in Somali
- Livres en français : Books in French
- Magazines en français : Magazines in French
- See all language collections collections