The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries

4 Extra marks the 40th anniversary of the death of crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh aged 86 on 18th February 1982, with four of her dramatised thrillers about the sleuthing talents of Inspector Alleyn.

Jeremy Clyde leads a starry-cast as the gentleman detective.

It starts with a small party at a country house as they’re preparing to play a game of murder. This will involve the "victim" being given a red marker and a large Assyrian gong being sounded.

When the gong sounds, the lights go on. Then they discover the "corpse" is Charles, but he seems to be taking it a little too seriously..... In fact, he actually is dead…

It poses another baffling case for the glamorous Inspector Alleyn to solve.

With Donald Sinden, John Moffatt, Dorothy Tutin and Derek Waring

Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.

The accompanying Inspector Alleyn mysteries are A Surfeit of Lampreys, Opening Night and When in Rome.

Director: Enyd Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2001.

Publicity contact: SH2