Showing results by narrator "Luke Francis" in All Categories

Two series of the BBC Radio 4 sitcom about an alien invasion of a small village, starring Hattie Morahan and Julian Rhind-Tutt with Peter Davison and Jan Francis. When the small Buckinghamshire village of Cresdon Green is invaded by an alien race called the Geonin, the local residents come up against Uljabaan, the smooth-talking leader of the aliens.

Gina's body has floated down the River Esk. She was a farmer's wife. And it looks like an accident. But Michael Brady has his doubts. Brady's back in the police–and he needs to prove himself. Is it murder? Or does Brady need it to be murder? It's a year since his wife died. He's feeling lonely. And he's still trying to balance being a single dad and being a Detective Chief Inspector.

When Zara brings an injured owl to Owl's Lodge, its frosty, reclusive owner is far from welcoming. Despite hostilities, there's a connection that neither could ever have prepared themselves for. As they discover a shared passion, a new friendship blossoms, but both Zara and Snowy are used to shutting people out. Can they both find the courage to open up and the strength to move on from their pasts? And what could this mean for their future happiness?

Orphaned at 18, a naïve and solitary Chris Pritchard joins the Metropolitan Police in search of a family, friends and a regular income. He is posted to Stoke Newington police station in London’s tough East End. Despite barely concealed contempt for her hapless new charge, his experienced instructor, WPC Dawn Matthews, puppy walks him through a journey, which is regularly amusing, frequently sad and occasionally bizarre. You will not listen to a more accurate account of how London was policed a generation ago.

Single dad, Joel Grainger, is devoted to his little girl, Imogen, doing all he can to be a key part of her life. But with Imogen’s mum being ever more difficult and Joel’s job suddenly in doubt, he’s worried that everything is about to change. Joel has given everything to Imogen, and he doesn’t regret it, but maybe he’s lost himself along the way… Since her dad’s heart-breaking dementia diagnosis, Poppy Wells has been struggling and desperately needs a break. An opportunity to stay in gorgeous Whisperwood Farmhouse couldn’t be more perfect.

Her body is found on Wednesday morning. Hanging from a tree. Halfway between May Beck and Falling Foss. Brady’s got one clue. And only one clue. Five tarot cards. But are they a message for him? A warning for the dead woman? Or a reading for a client? Is the answer in her past? Or in someone else’s future?

Michael Brady was a high-flying detective, working on a high-profile case. And much too close to the truth. Someone arranged a hit-and-run. But they missed Brady. And hit his wife. And after six months sitting by her bed, he took the only decision he could take. He turned the machine off. Now he's back home in Whitby. Trying to rebuild his life. And be a good dad to his teenage daughter. But when his best friend is murdered Brady–unwillingly at first–is drawn into the investigation.

In Robbie Fowler: My Life in Football, Robbie takes us on a journey through the games that have shaped his career and thinking about football, from Hillsborough to Istanbul, via the cup treble, that celebration, all those goals, Houllier, Benitiez, Klopp and the rest. Personal and revealing, Robbie's stories come from a life spent inside the game. He invites us inside the dressing room, sharing stories of legendary teammates like Rush, Owen and Gerrard, his love of the Kop, his greatest achievements and his regrets - as well as the money, fame and hoopla that surround the game.

Nestled amongst the comforting shelves of her beloved Bay Books, Lily Appleton finds the peace and quiet she needs. But with Christmas just around the corner, Lily has to find an extra pair of hands to help her share the bookish magic. After selling his business, Lars Jóhannsson is feeling lost. A job at Bay Books would give him the space he needs to contemplate his next move, but returning would mean confronting a painful past he's been avoiding. He’s also fairly sure he’s the one person Lily would never want to see again.

*THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* This is the remarkable story of a local lad who grew up in the shadow of Upton Park and became ‘Mr West Ham’: a one-club man who lived the dream. A modern footballing legend, Mark Noble is the embodiment of what it means to be a Hammer, pouring his heart and...

Laura is married, she has a good home, and she is due to give birth to her first child any day now. But her perfect world is shattered when her husband comes home flustered and afraid. He's made a terrible mistake. He's done a bad thing. And now the police are going to be looking for him. There's only one way out of this. He wants to run. But he won't go without his wife. Laura knows it is wrong. They should stay and face the music. But she doesn't want to lose her man. She can't raise this baby alone. So she agrees to go with him.

Ancient woods are Britain's richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. They live in our collective imagination as quiet places, best left pristine and untouched. But their story has always been one of interdependence with people. Now, as ever...

Max Best is not living his—ahem—best life. His job's a drag, his home's a shooting gallery, his hopes are nil, and lately, even his beloved game of football has devolved from a chaotic, ecstatic delight into a cold, calculating equation complete with stats, tech terms, and mindless lingo. But then Max rescues a mysterious old man from a mugging. "Nick" seems friendly enough . . . until he innocently asks his savior, "Would you sell your soul to be a top football manager?" Naturally, Max says yes, and in that instant, everything changes.

Recovered from a near-fatal assault and rearmed with his embedded football scouting skills, former nobody Max Best has led his Chester men's team up in the rankings and ratings both on the pitch and in the front office. But there's no rest to be had with what's ahead: the FA Cup. Now, they're playing against big-money teams with big talent and even bigger attitudes. And the elite aren't about to let some smart-aleck, fast-talking upstart and his underdog lads make the powerhouse clubs look like fools. Unfortunately for them, that's precisely what Max lives for.

I was the other woman. The mistress. Everyone blamed Doctor Drew Devlin’s death on me. And I’ve paid the price for loving the wrong man. Now, I have dark circles under my eyes because I can’t sleep at night. I lost everything–friends, family, my home and even my freedom. Drew’s devious wife Fern tore my whole world apart. And she thinks she’s got away with murder.

George and Lucas can't stand each other - which makes it very awkward being on the same Cambridge University rowing team. After all, they are polar opposites. The uber-charming, womanising George got parachuted into Cambridge from America for his sporting prowess, not his subpar grades. Economics whizz and sarcasm expert Lucas, meanwhile, worked for everything he's got, which sadly does not include a boyfriend. When George's secret leaks to the press, he is told that this year, he'll have to sit his exams fair and square - Cambridge's reputation is on the line.

Michael Brady is back. The Edge of Truth is the fifth book in the series. And there’s a ghost from Brady’s past....

When football fanatic and loveable loser Max Best saved an old codger from a mugging, he never expected to be rewarded with the ability to immediately pinpoint a player's specific skills—and use that knowledge to up his own levels. Ever since that fateful night, Max has devoted himself to the game far more than any mere fan, becoming not only a serious footballer in his own right but a leader both on and off the pitch.

I loved my husband, Doctor Drew Devlin, but he betrayed me. And now he’s dead. As I put the key in the lock and open the door to the luxurious new home I’ve purchased with Drew’s life insurance money, I’m certain the worst days are behind me. My secret is safe, and I can’t wait to enjoy my new wealth and freedom.

It’s 20 years since Alice went missing. There’s never been any trace. Until now. Until some bones are found in a shallow grave on the cold, bleak North York Moors. But is it Alice? Or Becky? The other girl–who disappeared a month earlier…