Francis Durbridge Books

Dr Belasco is Scotland Yard's top target and the Temples go incognito to meet Belasco's right-hand man Ross Hunter on the Harwich boat train but circumstances overtake them and Temple is faced with the murder of a private detective, cigarette lighters with a distinctive acorn motif and more murders before Belasco is finally unmasked. Francis Durbridge is one of the finest manufacturers of red herrings in the whodunnit business. News of the World

A plane crash on Dulworth Bay and the disappearance of two schoolboys are linked when Temple pursues the shadowy Curzon, whose name is inscribed on a cricket bat owned by one of the boys. "Francis Durbridge is one of the finest manufacturers of red herrings in the whodunnit business" News of the World

A series of eight murders, with in each case a card bearing the inscription "The Marquis", brings Temple into the hunt for a ruthless master criminal . Suspicion falls on an eminent Egyptologist, but there are other suspects and further murders before the Marquis is identified.

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Flying home from America, Temple is asked by Mike Langdon to persuade his employer's daughter Julia Kelburn to give up her boyfriend, pop singer Tony Wyman. Arriving to meet Temple at the airport, Steve is drugged and kidnapped - but released unharmed, she unaccountably finds herself in possession of a coat bearing the label "Margo".

Iris Archer agrees to appear in one of Paul Temple's plays, but then disappears until he sees her in a Scottish hotel when she is supposed to be in France. But how is this connected with a letter passed to Temple with a plea to deliver it to a Mr Richmond, and a network of spies with a shadowy leader called Z4?

The Temples meet the Fergusons when travelling home from New York, but are later told that the Fergusons' son Richard has been murdered at his university. The only leads are a postcard signed "Jonathan" and Richard's missing signet ring.

The original scripts of the six part television serial by Francis Durbridge. Fay Collins is strangled in a farm tractor trailer, and suspicion falls on publisher Clifton Morris. As the evidence against Morris accumulates, Det. Insp. Yates does not favour the obvious solution and has several other suspects. "Francis Durbridge is one of the finest manufacturers of red herrings in the whodunnit business." News of the World

Major robberies with violence have been puzzling the police, until they receive information that implicates Harry Denver. So Harry, having retired to an idyllic lifestyle in rural Kent, has no option but to fight back and investigate for himself.

While serving his notice, Det. Supt. Sam Harvey is sent to Market Cross, to be faced with conflicting information about a body found in a wood. He finds that this is far from a one-off murder, but is part of a complex web of blackmail.

Tim Frazer's third and final assignment is to investigate the murder of a British agent near a guest house in Wales, and the link between this death and the disappearance of a German scientist.

What was schoolmaster David Henderson doing on the houseboat before the body of Paul Rocello was found? Det. Insp. Ford knows Henderson well, as his son is one of Henderson's pupil's, but he has to investigate the schoolmaster's suspicious behaviour as the evidence mounts up and another murder occurs.

American gang-buster Johnny Cordell helps Scotland Yard to smash a dope-smuggling ring, with one gangster biting the dust in each interlinked episode.

Publisher Peter Matty meets the widowed Phyllis du Salle, who tells him that her late husband collected dolls in national costumes and that soon after his death she found one of them in her bathroom. Matty later finds a Tyrolean doll where he least expects it, then learns that a friend of Phyllis has been murdered. Francis Durbridge is to tv and radio what Agatha Christie is to the novel - the master of the unexpected twist. Malcolm Moore

A baby and her baby-sitter have disappeared, and the only clue is a note reading "A Mr Vandyke telephoned. He left no message." In seeking to identify Vandyke, Temple must unravel the significance of a doll, the murder of a man impersonating a police officer, the safe return of the baby, and several other murders.

Sir Graham Forbes seeks Paul Temple's assistance in investigating the murder of a young woman, found in the sea off the Yorkshire coast. Temple is reluctant to become involved until he finds the body of another young woman in his garage, and linking the two murders is the message "With the Compliments of Mr Gregory." Francis Durbridge is to tv and radio what Agatha Christie is to the novel - the master of the unexpected twist. Malcolm Moore

Estate agent Mike Hilton meets a girl in a Chelsea pub, but soon her murder makes it vital to find the only person who can give him an alibi. As that person seems to have vanished, Mike remains the prime suspect.

Anthony Sherwood. although described as a gentleman crook with the nickname The Prince of Rogues, is really a later day Robin Hood. His charitable occupation is to rob the rich, always targeting the top dogs in the criminal world, while they in turn simply want to eliminate him.

A follow-up volume to Murder at the Weekend, this book publishes more lost Francis Durbridge newspaper serials and stories. Deadline For Harry (a serial story in six episodes) Lady At The Villa (a serial story in nine episodes) Right Into The Heart (a serial in nine episodes published in English for the first time) Coffee Break (a short story)

Carol Vyner meets travel agent Harry Brent, and although she knows little about him she breaks off her engagement to Det. Insp. Alan Milton. When someone close to Carol is murdered, not only does it appear to Milton that Carol and Brent are implicated but there is a key puzzle to be resolved - who exactly is Harry Brent? Also included is the alternative ending written especially for German television. Francis Durbridge is to tv and radio what Agatha Christie is to the novel - the master of the unexpected twist. Malcolm Moore

Francis Durbridge was the twentieth century's foremost writer of thrillers for radio and television creating, among many others, amateur sleuths Paul Temple and Tim Frrazer. But there was another side to Francis Durbridge's writing - a much lighter side which included musical comedies and sketches. This book publishes for the first time ever a selecdtion of these works. Titles included are: Stranger, Beware The House on the Corner Cocktails With Cupid We Were Strangers Mary Ann Worth Taking Excuses The Knave The Ace Paul Jones In Training The Customer Is Always Right Parents The Daily Dodge (6 episodes)

Tim Forester is commissioned to paint a portrait from a photograph of Alison Ford who was killed with his brother in a car crash in Italy. Then a model wearing Alison's dress is found murdered in his studio.

Toymaker David Walker gives a lift to a young woman, but he runs out of petrol and when he returns to the car she has disappeared. She is later found strangled, and Det. Insp. Martin Denson's investigation becomes even more complex when Walker himself appears to have committed suicide.

Suspected of murder. metallurgical chemist Geoffrey Ryder has to explain how he came to be occupying a London flat following his chance encounter with the leaseholder in Paris - and how a dead body was later found there. And how significant is the place described as being twenty minutes from Rome?

Returning from America by ocean liner, the Temples meet wealthy Sam Portland whose UK agent Hubert Greene has received messages about Portland's past from a private detective called Madison. But Portland dies on board, and Temple is left to unravel a case involving international counterfeiters and the clue of a coin on a watch-chain.

Wilfrid Stirling asks Paul Temple to investigate the murer of his daughter, for which her boyfriend Howard Gilbert has already been convicted and sentenced to hang. As Temple races against time there are more murders, but why has a shoe been taken from each victim?

On a boat trip from the fishing village of Downburgh, Paul and Steve Temple are shot at and later the boatman dies in a cliff-top fall. Back in London, the daughter of the head of M.I.5. has disappeared and it soon transpires there is a connection.

Paul Temple is asked to investigate the disappearance of Betty Conrad from her finishing school in Bavaria, and he has to clutch at the clue of an unusual cocktail stick.

La Boutique is the chic London dress shop owned by Eve. ex-wife of internationally acclaimed songwriter Lewis Bristol. Lewis returns from Los Angeles to London with important information for his brother Supt. Robert Bristol of Scotland Yard, but soon Durbridge-like things begin to happen. "Francis Durbridge is one of the finest manufacturers of red herrings in the whodunnit business." News of the World "Francis Durbridge is an international figure in the world of television - possibly a unique one. His immaculately written thrillers are created with such skill that listeners and viewers in a score of countries wait on tenterhooks for the answer to the key question: "Who killed -?" Scarborough Evening News

The investigation centers on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Carl Milbourne's supposed death, leading Paul Temple to Switzerland. As he delves deeper, the phrase "too young to die" emerges as a crucial clue, hinting at hidden truths and unresolved tensions. The plot unfolds with twists that challenge Temple to uncover the real story behind Milbourne's fate, intertwining themes of deception and the quest for truth.

Set against the backdrop of Wales, the story follows secret agent Jim Ellis as he delves into a string of murders that carry significant security risks. The narrative unfolds with suspense and intrigue, highlighting Ellis's skills in navigating dangerous situations while uncovering the truth behind the killings. This translation brings to life the tension and complexity of espionage, making it a captivating read for fans of mystery and thriller genres.

Republished for the first time since 1951, Beware of Johnny Washington is Francis Durbridge's clever reworking of the very first Paul Temple radio serial using his new characters, the amiable Johnny Washington and newspaper columnist Verity Glyn. Includes as a bonus the first Paul Temple short story, 'A Present for Paul'.

With Temple and Steve pursuing the murderous REX, this film script finally appeared in UK cinemas in 1948 under the title Calling Paul Temple.

Detective Inspector Mike Houston, investigating the kidnapping of a five year old girl, is soon faced with several murders all connected with a toy windmill.

Research scientist Clive Freeman and his wife Lucy are on the brink of divorce when their daughter is kidnapped, but they need to work together to fathom the cryptic words in her exercise book. This leads them to a duplicitous photographer, and Clive's involvement in the death of the mysterious Mr Nelson. "Francis Durbridge is one of the finest manufacturers of red herrings in the whodunnit business" News of the World "Durbridge has a mind like an elegant corkscrew!" South West Echo & Evening Express "Mr Durbridge has whetted my appetite like a dry sherry!" Ramsden Greig

Harley Street doctor Howard Latimer meets an actress from London Airport as a favour for his friend Charles Kaufmann. This leads to him being framed for murder and in seeking to clear himself he becomes increasinly ensnared in a complex web.

The apparent murder of estate agent Geoffrey Stewart by his wife Diana and her lover Mark Paxton is not all it seems, as the body disappears and Diana then receives a telephone call from the deceased. Mark and Diana find they have to deal with blackmail and further murders, with Det Insp Clay in close pursuit.

Zwei Kult-Krimis in einem Band§Francis Durbridge ist der unumstrittene Großmeister des Kriminalromans. Seine Bücher und Hörspiele fesselten ein Millionenpublikum. Mit dem eleganten Paul Temple schuf er einen unvergleichlich scharfsinnigen Detektiv. Ob es um die Entführung seiner Frau geht oder um den§mysteriösen Tod eines Multimillionärs - Paul Temple ist immer Herr der Lage.

Kriminalinspektor Harry Dawson von Scotland Yard macht Urlaub - und dennoch wird er in einen mysteriösen Mordfall verwickelt! Sein Vater stirbt bei einem fragwürdigen "Golfunfall". Wer war der junge Mann, der zur Todeszeit von Tom Dawson auf dem Golfplatz gesehen wurde? Warum interessieren sich so viele Leute für ein Hundehalsband?

Erstmals erscheint die deutsche Fassung von Francis Durbridges erstem Roman, in dem der Detektiv Paul Temple seinen ersten Fall löst und seine zukünftige Frau Steve trifft. Die Geschichte ist stark von Edgar Wallace beeinflusst und enthält viele spannende Elemente. Ein Vorwort von Nicholas Durbridge sowie Anmerkungen des Übersetzers bieten zusätzliche Einblicke.

Zwei hochkarätige Krimi-Klassiker§Francis Durbridge erweist sich einmal mehr als Meister der Hochspannung: Erst läßt er sich einen Schriftsteller so heillos verstricken, daß er wie der sichere Mörder seiner schönen Frau Melissa aussieht. Dann erzählt er die Geschichte eines Mannes, der sich in eine Frau verliebt, ohne zu wissen, daß sie ein tödliches Geheimnis umgibt. §Krimi-Kunst auf feine britische Art.

Zusammenfassung: Die bildschöne Fay Collins wird das Opfer eines Mordanschlags. Man entdeckt sie auf einer Farm in ihrem englischen Heimatort Littleshaw - erdrosselt mit einem Halstuch. Das Tuch selbst findet sich kurze Zeit später im Geigenkasten eines jungen Mannes, der aber mit dem Mord nichts zu tun haben scheint. Inspektor Yates macht scih auf die Suche nach dem wahren Besitzer und wird fündig...

Je to zaujímavý román zo súčasného Anglicka. Po smrti známeho politika dostane londýnsky vydavateľ denník jeho tajomníčky, obsahujúci rozličné odhalenia a tajomstvá. Vydavateľ ho dá posúdiť historikovi a toho čoskoro nájdu zavraždeného...