A collection of suspenseful standalone radio thrillers by Edward Boyd

Scottish writer Edward Boyd was well known for his TV and radio plays, including The Corridor People and The View from Daniel Pike, and he also penned several episodes of Z-Cars. He specialised in the thriller genre, and this collection showcases six of his best radio crime dramas.

The Wolf Far Hence – Steve Gardiner heads to the Highlands to try and locate his ex and her new fortune-hunting lover – only to find himself investigating a series of murders in a hotel beside a lonely Scottish loch. Teddy Johnson stars in this gripping serial, which won Edward Boyd a Writers’ Guild Award.

The Candle of Darkness – Hardnosed investigator Steve Gardiner returns for another adventure, in which he goes looking for an old friend in a small Scottish seaside resort, but finds the town under threat from a serial killer dubbed ‘The Kind Man’. Starring Teddy Johnson as Steve, with Moultrie Kelsall as DI Gordon.

The Same River Twice – Johnny Maxen reluctantly walks through the Gare du Nord on his way back to a life he thought he’d left behind. He’s looking for his missing wife – but is soon under suspicion for her murder… Gordon Jackson stars as Johnny Maxen, with Roddy McMillan as Inspector Wardlaw.

Badger by Owl-Light – When a bomb explodes in the middle of London, Peter Talion is hired to uncover the secret cult responsible – and eliminate its leader. Starring Edward Judd as Peter Talion, with Tony Robinson as Simon.

Curlew in Autumn – A small town in Galloway, Scotland. A cottage unchanged since 1941. A dead nurse. And a lawyer with one million pounds in his bank account, and no idea how it got there… These puzzling facts and events are explored in this atmospheric mystery, starring McLevy creator David Ashton.

Castles in Spain – Grahame Mayer is a bookseller, not a private eye. Nonetheless, he's being asked to investigate a military mystery connected to the Spanish Civil War – a mystery that almost every major intelligence agency in Great Britain and America wants solved. Starring Ray Brooks and Garard Green.

NB: These vintage recordings contain language and attitudes from the time in which they were first broadcast. Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may vary.

Production credits

Written by Edward Boyd

Produced by Eddie Fraser (The Wolf Far Hence, The Candle of Darkness, The Same River Twice), Stewart Conn (Badger by Owl-Light) and Patrick Rayner (Curlew in Autumn, Castles in Spain)

The Wolf Far Hence

First broadcast BBC Home Service, 20 November-25 December 1953

The Candle of Darkness

First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29 March-3 May 1954

The Same River Twice

First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 2 October-20 November 1966

Badger by Owl-Light

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 October 1975

Curlew in Autumn

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 April-13 May 1984

Castles in Spain

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 October-20 November 1987