A Charles Paris Mystery is a series of detective novels by Simon Brett, about actor Charles Paris, who solves murders he encounters in his theatrical and film jobs.
The novels have been adapted by Jeremy Front into a comedy-drama series for BBC Radio, starring Bill Nighy.
Brett was inspired to write the Charles Paris series after working on the BBC radio adaptations of Lord Peter Wimsey:[1] "I realised that plot is really important but character and dialogue were actually just as important."[2]
Charles Paris is an unhappily separated (but not divorced, more than 30 years on), moderately successful character actor[Note 1] with a slight drinking problem who gets entangled in various crimes, and finds himself unwillingly in the role of amateur detective.
Bill Nighy describes Paris as "an actor sleuth, who drinks too much and smokes too much and doesn't work very much. But every time he does go to work, somebody gets murdered."[3]
ReceptionEdit
The radio adaptations have been described by The Guardian as "languid, restful fun",[4] and by The Times as "always a treat... Paris is an ingenious confection... The joy for listeners comes from how Nighy makes almost tangible every observation in Front’s pithy script."[5]
A review of So Much Blood (2023) in The Daily Telegraph described the series as cozy crime, and wrote "The first reason to tune in is that Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It's the role he was born to play." The reviewer also praised Suzanne Burden's comic timing.[6]
NovelsEdit
Cast, In Order of Disappearance (1975)
So Much Blood (1976)
Star Trap (1977)
An Amateur Corpse (1978)
A Comedian Dies (1979)
The Dead Side of the Mic (1980)
Situation Tragedy (1981)
Murder Unprompted (1982)
Murder in the Title (1983)
Not Dead, Only Resting (1984)
Dead Giveaway (1985)
What Bloody Man Is That? (1987)
A Series of Murders (1989)
Corporate Bodies (1991)
A Reconstructed Corpse (1993)
Sicken and So Die (1995)
Dead Room Farce (1998)
A Decent Interval (2013)
The Cinderella Killer (2014)
A Deadly Habit (2018)
AdaptationsEdit
Cast, In Order of Disappearance (June 1984) and So Much Blood (August 1985) were both adapted by Simon Brett as serials for BBC Radio 2 with Francis Matthews in the lead role.
Bill Nighy has played Paris in a series of BBC Radio productions. The first, an adaptation of So Much Blood for The Saturday Play in 1999, was dramatised by Bert Coules. It was recorded on location at its Edinburgh Fringe setting. A Series of Murders followed as another Saturday Play in 2004, adapted by Jeremy Front. Since then, they have been adapted by Jeremy Front into number of four-episode half-hour serials. As of 2023 there have been 15 series. These serials have all been updated from the novels, and adapted to deal with continuity problems caused by the adaptations being made out of order in relation to the books, with later adaptations featuring more far-reaching changes to the central mysteries.
Recurring cast members include Jon Glover as Charles's agent Maurice, and Suzanne Burden as his estranged wife Frances.
List of radio adaptations with Bill Nighy as CharlesEdit
Saturday plays
So Much Blood (recorded on location at Edinburgh Fringe), 1999.
A Series of Murders, 2004
4-part half-hour serials
Sicken and So Die, 2006
Murder Unprompted, 2007
The Dead Side of the Mic, 2008
Cast in Order of Disappearance, began 29 January 2010
Murder in the Title, began 22 November 2010
A Reconstructed Corpse, March 2012
An Amateur Corpse, began 5 December 2012
Corporate Bodies, began 25 June 2014
A Decent Interval, 9–30 March 2016
The Cinderella Killer, began 2 December 2016
Dead Room Farce, 23 February to 16 March 2018
Star Trap, 6 March 2019
A Doubtful Death, 22 May to 12 June 2020
A Deadly Habit, 3 to 24 September 2021
So Much Blood, June 2023
NotesEdit
^In Not Dead, Only Resting (Chapter Seven), Charles Paris is categorized as a character actor by the Spotlight directory.
ReferencesEdit
^"Meet the Author: Simon Brett". www.suffolklibraries.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
^McGovern, Joe (15 January 2016). ""Norm of the North's" Bill Nighy talks about his love for talking animals". EW.com. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
^Ferguson, Euan (28 June 2014). "The Special Relationship: Uncovered; Charles Paris Mystery; The First Time With… Jimmy Page – radio review". The Observer. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
^Reynolds, Gillian. "Radio review: A Charles Paris Mystery: A Doubtful Death; Agatha Raisin; Julie Enfield Investigates — The Smithfield Murders; Eric the Skull; The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show". Retrieved 2 May 2023.
^Saunders, Tristram Fane (2023-06-21). "Thank heavens Bill Nighy isn't too grand to grace our airwaves". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
October 28, 2023
charles, paris, mystery, series, detective, novels, simon, brett, about, actor, charles, paris, solves, murders, encounters, theatrical, film, jobs, charles, parisfirst, appearancecast, order, disappearancecreated, bysimon, brettportrayed, byfrancis, matthewsb. A Charles Paris Mystery is a series of detective novels by Simon Brett about actor Charles Paris who solves murders he encounters in his theatrical and film jobs Charles ParisFirst appearanceCast In Order of DisappearanceCreated bySimon BrettPortrayed byFrancis MatthewsBill NighyIn universe informationGenderMaleOccupationActor amateur sleuthNationalityBritishThe novels have been adapted by Jeremy Front into a comedy drama series for BBC Radio starring Bill Nighy Brett was inspired to write the Charles Paris series after working on the BBC radio adaptations of Lord Peter Wimsey 1 I realised that plot is really important but character and dialogue were actually just as important 2 Contents 1 Character 2 Reception 3 Novels 4 Adaptations 4 1 List of radio adaptations with Bill Nighy as Charles 5 Notes 6 ReferencesCharacter EditCharles Paris is an unhappily separated but not divorced more than 30 years on moderately successful character actor Note 1 with a slight drinking problem who gets entangled in various crimes and finds himself unwillingly in the role of amateur detective Bill Nighy describes Paris as an actor sleuth who drinks too much and smokes too much and doesn t work very much But every time he does go to work somebody gets murdered 3 Reception EditThe radio adaptations have been described by The Guardian as languid restful fun 4 and by The Times as always a treat Paris is an ingenious confection The joy for listeners comes from how Nighy makes almost tangible every observation in Front s pithy script 5 A review of So Much Blood 2023 in The Daily Telegraph described the series as cozy crime and wrote The first reason to tune in is that Charles Paris is Bill Nighy It s the role he was born to play The reviewer also praised Suzanne Burden s comic timing 6 Novels EditCast In Order of Disappearance 1975 So Much Blood 1976 Star Trap 1977 An Amateur Corpse 1978 A Comedian Dies 1979 The Dead Side of the Mic 1980 Situation Tragedy 1981 Murder Unprompted 1982 Murder in the Title 1983 Not Dead Only Resting 1984 Dead Giveaway 1985 What Bloody Man Is That 1987 A Series of Murders 1989 Corporate Bodies 1991 A Reconstructed Corpse 1993 Sicken and So Die 1995 Dead Room Farce 1998 A Decent Interval 2013 The Cinderella Killer 2014 A Deadly Habit 2018 Adaptations EditCast In Order of Disappearance June 1984 and So Much Blood August 1985 were both adapted by Simon Brett as serials for BBC Radio 2 with Francis Matthews in the lead role Bill Nighy has played Paris in a series of BBC Radio productions The first an adaptation of So Much Blood for The Saturday Play in 1999 was dramatised by Bert Coules It was recorded on location at its Edinburgh Fringe setting A Series of Murders followed as another Saturday Play in 2004 adapted by Jeremy Front Since then they have been adapted by Jeremy Front into number of four episode half hour serials As of 2023 there have been 15 series These serials have all been updated from the novels and adapted to deal with continuity problems caused by the adaptations being made out of order in relation to the books with later adaptations featuring more far reaching changes to the central mysteries Recurring cast members include Jon Glover as Charles s agent Maurice and Suzanne Burden as his estranged wife Frances List of radio adaptations with Bill Nighy as Charles Edit Saturday plays So Much Blood recorded on location at Edinburgh Fringe 1999 A Series of Murders 20044 part half hour serials Sicken and So Die 2006 Murder Unprompted 2007 The Dead Side of the Mic 2008 Cast in Order of Disappearance began 29 January 2010 Murder in the Title began 22 November 2010 A Reconstructed Corpse March 2012 An Amateur Corpse began 5 December 2012 Corporate Bodies began 25 June 2014 A Decent Interval 9 30 March 2016 The Cinderella Killer began 2 December 2016 Dead Room Farce 23 February to 16 March 2018 Star Trap 6 March 2019 A Doubtful Death 22 May to 12 June 2020 A Deadly Habit 3 to 24 September 2021 So Much Blood June 2023Notes Edit In Not Dead Only Resting Chapter Seven Charles Paris is categorized as a character actor by the Spotlight directory References Edit Meet the Author Simon Brett www suffolklibraries co uk Retrieved 2023 08 22 https www sussexexpress co uk news people author simon brett around 115 books so far and counting 4181431 McGovern Joe 15 January 2016 Norm of the North s Bill Nighy talks about his love for talking animals EW com Retrieved 5 June 2023 Ferguson Euan 28 June 2014 The Special Relationship Uncovered Charles Paris Mystery The First Time With Jimmy Page radio review The Observer Retrieved 2 May 2023 Reynolds Gillian Radio review A Charles Paris Mystery A Doubtful Death Agatha Raisin Julie Enfield Investigates The Smithfield Murders Eric the Skull The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show Retrieved 2 May 2023 Saunders Tristram Fane 2023 06 21 Thank heavens Bill Nighy isn t too grand to grace our airwaves The Telegraph ISSN 0307 1235 Retrieved 2023 08 22 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Charles Paris Mystery amp oldid 1171644348, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
