Charles Paris: An Amateur Corpse cover art

Charles Paris: An Amateur Corpse

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

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Charles Paris: An Amateur Corpse

By: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front
Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden, Geraldine McEwan, full cast
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About this listen

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic crime novel An Amateur Corpse.

Charles is out of work again, and to make matters worse his mother has come to stay and he's no way of escaping her. So when he's offered some voiceover work by old friend, Hugo, he's delighted to get out of the house. But Hugo's marriage is in trouble: his much younger wife, Ellie, spends all her time at her Amateur Dramatic Group, and Hugo is drinking too much.

When Ellie is found drowned in their swimming pool, it seems Hugo is guilty of murder. It's up to Charles to prove his friend's innocence....

Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden, and Geraldine McEwan are among the star cast in this entertaining mystery, dramatised by Jeremy Front.

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

©2012 Simon Brett (P)2013 BBC Worldwide Limited Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Adaptation Crime Fiction Marriage Witty Amateur Radio

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All stars
Most relevant  
I love Charles paris. he is so witty, down to earth. great songs. great story

Fanastic whodunit!

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As Charles' mother she steals the show. As usual Bill Nighy gives Charles his usual charm and Suzanne Burden is driven to despair but for real laughs it's McEwan's show...especially in the bathroom!

0ne of Geraldine McEwan's best

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This version is the (almost) two hour adaptation by Jeremy Front, from a novel by Simon Brett, as a serialized play for BBC Radio 4, all of which is contained in this book, with a full cast and starring Bill Nighy as the troubled thespian, Charles Paris.
Charles constantly has problems with his agent - at least, he would if he ever heard from him - so when he accidentally meets up with an old friend who offers him work in his voice over business, Charles is delighted. But not all is well in friend Hugo's life, despite the affluent !ifestyle, and Charles finds himself caught right in the middle. As usual!

Simon Brett's series of novels, set in the 1970s, about the actor who rarely gets his hopes for a starring role fulfilled, but does get the ladies and unsought sleuthing, are all enjoyable fun. But when adapted for radio with Nighy as lead character, they are a sheer delight of first person angst, comedic occurrences and the joy of the combination of theatrical flair and Paris' home life with his erstwhile wife, Frances. The mystery murder story is okay, but it is the characters and witty dialogue which reign supreme.

Highly recommended for a great comedic two hour escape, complete with snatches of music from the late '60s and early 70s. Simply delicious.

Survival of the bloodyminded.

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Just brilliant.
Love the garage attendant
Fantastic script, plenty of tongue in cheek.
A who-dunnit that oozes wit

Great story, Great cast

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Geraldine Mcewan is just superb, very funny indeed and they all work perfectly together. highly recommended

great fun

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How does Jeremy Front write such superb scripts his imagination and comic timing together with others Bill Nye and Susanna and of course the amazing agent Maurice what a team. Love them all

Brilliant

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Absolutely loved this. so much better to hear a cast version. onto the next one.

brilliant!

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What did you like most about Charles Paris: An Amateur Corpse (Dramatised)?

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.

What about Bill Nighy’s performance did you like?

Perfectly poised - captures the dissolute, curious, intelligent Charles Paris bringing him to life with gusto.

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

Yes.

Great fun.

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I am a fan of the Charles Paris stories brought so fabulously to life by Bill Nighy, with the consummate skill of Jeremy Front, and have bought all the series they have done over the last 5 years or so. This one is still very much worth listening to but a little disappointing in a few ways. First it is quite short, at under 2 hours. Second, though it was good to meet his off-beat Mum, the part needed to be taken by someone who's voice was not so obviously famous and so with her face and character coming thriough all the time - she was Miss Marple not Mrs Paris Snr! Thirdly, the music was not taking enough of a role - just about there and not the essential, delightful part of the whole that has become a trade mark of Mr Front's wonderful re-write of Simon Brett's novels. Having said that it is well worth listening to - I recommend it because even with faults, it's good.

WONDERFUL, WITH A FEW RESERVATIONS!

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A good Audible book, great to set and lessen to with a coffee and your feet up

An amateur corpse

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