Charles Paris: A Deadly Habit

Bill Nighy's voice is so calm and soft, excellent mini drama with a cast of actors. Quite short and perhaps because i like audiobooks I was a little disappointed it was over so quickly. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

This is the latest BBC Radio adaptation of the Simon Brett series featuring the boozing and womanising actor Charles Paris. I have never read the actual novels, but I think I have listened to every Radio 4 drama adaptation because I adore Bill Nighy's sleuthing Charles Paris, no-one does louche and cynical quite like him. As usual, this is structured into 4 parts, each 30 minutes long, with a full cast, easy to listen to, with Paris once again falling into his role as detective. It all begins with Charles spending lockdown with Frances, scandalised with a quote she gets for work she wants done on the house. With no acting work in sight, Charles becomes a handyman, creating the persona of Dave to fit the role he takes to like a duck to water, so good that he is developing muscles, cutting down on the drink and the smoking.

All this comes to an end when Maurice rings him up about a West End play in which he has been offered a part by an old acquaintance, Justin Grover, whom he has never liked. Charles has a small part in the play set in a monastery, he is not keen on the script, but it is work and a regular paycheck. Falling back into bad habits, a drunk Charles falls asleep in the theatre, only to stumble over a dead body, panic and hide, and he finds himself lying to the police. It turns out that the actress, Lydia, had apparently fallen down accidentally on the stairs and died. A guilt ridden Charles investigates, unconvinced that it was an accident and before long there is another death.

With Frances carving out a new career as a writer, Maurice helping to secure a publisher, Charles does what he does best as he hunts for a killer. This is entertaining and great fun, and will be broadcast later this year on BBC Radio 4. Fans of the radio dramatisations are likely to love this, and I have no doubt for many, like me, the draw will be the great Bill Nighy. Many thanks to BBC audio for this radio drama.

Well that was a little bit different to other audiobooks that I have listened to.
It kept my attention and I was happy to listen along.
Good actors/narrators which definitely helped my interest levels

I loved this radio show. It was very funny, whilst also being a fairly twisted murder mystery. The narrators were excellent. The little jokes and asides did make me laugh out loud. The main ‘who done it’ plot was quite thin, but it didn’t matter as the story was well delivered.

Review of audiobook.. The Charles Paris mysteries are such an easy, fun listen and Bill Nigh is the perfect ‘Charles’ and narrator. This new story is no different. All the stories follow a familiar pattern; Charles is out of work, he gets a role and at least one member of the company dies. Charles then investigates and solves the murder(s). No ‘little grey cells’ necessary but a most enjoyable listen. I usually catch these on R4 so thanks to Netgalley for the advance audiobook.

Charles Paris is out of lockdown, back in rehearsals and soon investigating yet another murder. I’ve never read one of the original books but have loved these Radio 4 adaptations for years (I don’t think I’d gone to uni when the first one aired).

As ever, the murder is less of a draw than the gossipy parody of an actor’s life. It’s all affectionately done but with enough self awareness and cynicism to prevent it becoming a luv-in (Kit, the posh, chiseled, but talentless star of a hit sword and sorcery TV series is impressively close to the bone).

The odd line aside this isn’t the Charles Paris COVID tale the blurb might have you believe, but after the last 18 months it’s nice to know some things haven’t changed – least of all Charles Paris’s diet.

This is my first encounter with a Charles Paris story and the BBC full cast audio drama performance of this was absolutely amazing !

Broken up into 4 episodes, the story takes you through Charles Paris’s misfortune of falling over a dead body (literally) whilst being cast for a play after a brief dalliance as an actor out of work trying his hand at DIY. It is incredibly entertaining and really funny.

I really enjoyed listening to this and loved Charles character. He’s incredibly lovable and it was such an easy audio to slip into. One of those that your bound to like be enjoy and I could listen to them forever.

Charles as detective sleuth trying to figure out the whodunnit was great and I didn’t manage to figure out the culprit, I was kept guessing and watching the mystery unravel as Charles worked to finding out who had murdered one of his fellow actors.

Really great story!

This radio adaptation is such very easy listening that I got through all 4 episodes whilst shopping for and then cooking, dinner. Bill Nighy plays the louche luvvy, Charles Paris, a character you always feel isn’t very far from his own persona. For those familiar with the set up you will know that where Charles goes, so does trouble and sure enough, dastardly deeds are soon afoot in a new production “Faith” (no it isn’t anything to do with George Michael)!

This was great fun and the central character is much more likeable than the Feathering duo of Carole and Jude, neither of whom I’ve ever really taken to. Definitely the kind of radio drama you set aside time for - thank goodness for BBC Sounds which makes that so much easier!

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Audio for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The radio productions by the BBC of the Charles Paris series are excellent and this one is no different, Bill Nighy IS Charles Paris, and although I’ve not read the books, I would only be able to visualise Nighy as Paris if I did do so. Bill Nighy is a great talent and puts in a great performance which makes the book.

In this one Charles is in Lockdown with his wife, and is busy carrying out DIY work for her around the house, and he has cut down on his drinking. Then he is offered a part in a West End play and before long one night in the theatre discovers the body of an actress. So Charles once again plays the part of detective, partly as self-preservation to ensure he isn’t a suspect.

I love the very feel of these books and they move along at such pace. Charles is such a great, but flawed, character and we wouldn’t have him any other way. Some of the scenes with his agent are the highlight of the book. Overall I would give the book 4 stars, but the BBC productions are definitely worth five stars in anybody’s money. These are soon to be aired on the BBC and are well worth looking out for. Do yourself a favour and also search out the older productions just for Bill Nighy’s performance.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for providing a copy of this book for me, for an an open and honest review.

My thanks to Penguin Random House U.K. Audio - BBC Digital Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of ‘Charles Paris: A Deadly Habit’ by Simon Brett and adapted for radio by Jeremy Front in exchange for an honest review.

It was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2021 as a 4-episode radio dramatisation starring Bill Nighy and a full cast. Its running time is 1 hour, 51 minutes.

What an absolute delight this was from start to finish. I adore Simon Brett’s writing though this was my first encounter with his series featuring actor and amateur sleuth, Charles Paris. It is very tongue-in-cheek and Bill Nighy was the perfect choice for Charles Paris.

‘A Deadly Habit’ is Book 20 in the series, published in September 2018. In it Charles’ agent, Maurice, offers him the chance to get back on stage - in a West End play. Score! However, when he learns that the star, Justin Grover, asked for him specifically Charles has reservations. When they were both young hopefuls, Grover had been quite a handful and now he’s the star of a massive TV fantasy series. In addition, the play - a verbatim piece set in a monastery - is dire. Still, Charles says yes.

Naturally being a mystery there is a murder at the theatre and Charles goes into sleuthing mode and resolves to discover the identity of the murderer.

This was so entertaining both in the story itself and Charles’ inner monologue packed full of witty asides. It pokes fun at various subjects including massive TV fantasy series. The production values, including brief incidental music interludes, were excellent.

It certainly inspires me to seek out more of this series of books as well as available radio dramatisations.

Highly recommended.

Another great BBC radio production. Charles Paris always ends up in trouble, this story is no exception. Charles stumbles across a dead body but having lied to the police has to once again turn detective to extricate himself from a tricky situation. Bill Nighy is excellent as ever and the tale is most entertaining.

I am thrilled as always to spend time with Charles and his lovely long suffering semi- detached wife Francis.

This was a fantastic listen and I listened to the whole thing in one go.

I used to listen to radio dramas regularly, but less so now. This is a full serialised production of a Simon Brett story featuring amateur sleuth Charles Paris. It’s basically a cosy murder mystery and the drama comes largely from the interaction between the characters.

It’s an excellent production; I listened to it in the car and it helped a journey pass in no time, without proving a distraction. There are moments of humour and it’s what I’d call a comfortable listen. There’s not a great deal to excite, but it’s an engaging story with character ‘types’ well portrayed. I enjoyed it and I’d listen to another.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.