Part of Series
Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury star in another suspenseful case for BBC radio’s smoothest sleuth and his glamorous wife. From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio’s most popular serials. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats – a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul’s help with his latest tricky case. This time, the case involves the Fergusons, who Paul and Steve meet while on the way home from New York. They are flying to England to visit their son Richard, a student at Oxford University. But at the airport, there is shocking news: Richard has been murdered, found shot dead in his room. The only clues are a postcard from Harrogate signed ‘Jonathan’, and Richard’s missing gold signet ring. But who is Jonathan, and what is his connection to the dead man? It is up to Paul to find the answer... 01/08 The Fergusons: After meeting some Americans on a plane, the suave sleuth faces a fresh murder. 02/08 That Good Old Intuition: Investigating the 'murder' of a student, the smooth sleuth starts wondering if the victim really is dead. 03/08 The Ring: The suave sleuth meets an author suspected of the murder, but what does she know about a vital clue? 04/08 The Encounter: The suave sleuth makes a vital discovery in the murder investigation. 05/08 Concerning Richard Ferguson: When another body is found, the sleuth's investigation takes a dramatic turn. 06/08 A Surprise For Mavis Russell: The suave private investigator gets one step closer to finding out the identity of the mysterious Jonathan. 07/08 An Invitation For Mr Elliott: Another murder brings the sleuth a step closer to solving the mystery. 08/08 Jonathan: Debonair private detective Paul Temple reveals the truth behind the Jonathan mystery. Paul Temple and the Jonathan Mystery was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme from 14 October to 2 December 1963.
Author
Francis Henry Durbridge was an English playwright and author born in Hull. In 1938, he created the character Paul Temple for the BBC radio serial Send for Paul Temple. A crime novelist and detective, the gentlemanly Temple solved numerous crimes with the help of Steve Trent, a Fleet Street journalist who later became his wife. The character proved enormously popular and appeared in 16 radio serials and later spawned a 64-part big-budget television series (1969-71) and radio productions, as well as a number of comic strips, four feature films and various foreign radio productions. Francis Durbridge also had a successful career as a writer for the stage and screen. His most successful play, Suddenly at Home, ran in London’s West End for over a year.
