Paul Temple and the Geneva Mystery: A BBC Full-cast Radio Drama (BBC Radio Collection)

Spills and thrills come thick and fast in this case from one of the BBC's most popular and longest running series. The Temples' car is stolen, the driver is shot by someone believing it to be Paul Temple, Steve is pulled from a car seconds before it blows up, Temple narrowly avoids being shot when exploring a launch, both are dumped in a river after a car crash, and both are shot at during a sleigh ride in Switzerland. Unbelievable? Also incredible is the way characters from mainland Europe speak with correct accents but in perfect idiomatic English.
All of which might suggest that this release from the BBC radio archives is as unsophisticated as low quality pulp fiction. However there is one element that outweighs all deficiencies. Listen to Marjorie Westbury, who played Temple's wife Steve throughout almost the whole series! When she is speaking, every detail in this "Paul Temple" world and every character and situation suddenly becomes real. How could you doubt any of it, and how could you believe that this adorable creature with "the sexiest voice on radio" is actually "very short and very round" and already gray-haired and 60 years old?
Admirable work is done by other cast members also, notably Isabel Dean as the widow who is convinced her husband is still alive, and Nigel Graham as the American Danny Clayton. Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard is not involved in this case which extends to six episodes instead of the usual eight.

Spills and thrills come thick and fast in this case from one of the BBC's most popular and longest running series. The Temples' car is stolen, the driver is shot by someone believing it to be Paul Temple, Steve is pulled from a car seconds before it blows up, Temple narrowly avoids being shot when exploring a launch, both are dumped in a river after a car crash, and both are shot at during a sleigh ride in Switzerland. Unbelievable? Also incredible is the way characters from mainland Europe speak with correct accents but in perfect idiomatic English.
All of which might suggest that this release from the BBC radio archives is as unsophisticated as low quality pulp fiction. However there is one element that outweighs all deficiencies. Listen to Marjorie Westbury, who played Temple's wife Steve throughout almost the whole series! When she is speaking, every detail in this "Paul Temple" world and every character and situation suddenly becomes real. How could you doubt any of it, and how could you believe that this adorable creature with "the sexiest voice on radio" is actually "very short and very round" and already gray-haired and 60 years old?
Admirable work is done by other cast members also, notably Isabel Dean as the widow who is convinced her husband is still alive, and Nigel Graham as the American Danny Clayton. Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard is not involved in this case which extends to six episodes instead of the usual eight.