Fire, Burn! by John Dickson Carr

Posted by Riklaa on September 10, 2012 at 9:18pm

Fire, Burn!
by John Dickson Carr
SNT 1963-27-04
128K

London was wrapped in fog when Inspector John Cheviot got into a twentieth century taxi. The city was still fogbound when he got out - but the cab was a hackney coach, the year was 1829, and murder was a safe and profitable business. There were things Cheviot remembered but couldn't use - like how to analyze fingerprints; and things he didn't know that he could have used - like how advanced his romance with the luscious Lady Flora really was. And there wasn't time to learn, because Cheviot suddenly found himself pitted against the cleverest murderer of his career.

 It's a meld of mystery with touches of supernatural or sci-fi, as Scotland Yard officer John Cheviot stepped into a cab in 1957 and stepped out in 1829, stunned and bewildered. We're never told how or why he traveled back in time, or even if it's really happening or some sort of hallucination. It just happens.

Everyone recognizes Cheviot, even his lady-love, so he plays along, feigning a sudden illness sometimes to cover up his lapses in knowledge. Luckily, he's an amateur historian so he understands the Regency and its mores, which gives him an occasional advantage.

He ends up investigating some historical crimes using future knowledge and techniques. It starts off with a noblewoman complaining of stolen birdseed, but then leads into a full-throttle murder investigation when a woman is shot to death in front of a group of people, but no one had a gun nor can one be found that actually fired the bullet.

In between there's romance, ruminations on the period, duels, confrontations, and all sorts of fun.

My profound Thanks to Roadcone and Usenet for these wonderful Gems..

Fire, Burn! Link

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Tags: BBC, Dramatisation, Full-Cast, Mystery, SNT, Scifi-Paranormal, Whodunit
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Replies

  • Julia S September 24, 2012 at 8:46pm

    Random BBC radio drama trivia: Timothy West and Andrew Sachs, both later to become Very Big Deals in the BBC radio drama world*, had minor roles in this production per the announcer's reading of the credits.

    *and in movies, on stage, and on TV

  • AK September 18, 2012 at 12:39pm

    thanks, once again, for sharing a wonderful mystery!

  • Robert Flood September 11, 2012 at 11:07am

    Rick -

    Thanks again for another great mystery offering.  I really appreciate them.

    Bob

  • cath bailey September 11, 2012 at 6:42am

    Thank you

    • semoshorts > cath bailey September 11, 2012 at 8:26am

      Thanks for sharing.

This reply was deleted.