‘The history of crime detection has produced no more famous name than that of SEXTON BLAKE…’

Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. His adventures have featured in a wide variety of British and international publications (in many languages), comprising more than 4,000 stories by some 200 different authors. Blake was also the hero of numerous silent and sound films, radio serials, and a 1960s ITV television series.

In this collection, William Franklyn stars as Sexton Blake, with David Gregory as his assistant Tinker, in fourteen original BBC Radio dramas from 1967. Lost from the BBC archives for over 40 years, these rediscovered episodes were returned by a collector and digitally restored for broadcast in 2012.

‘Lilies for the Ladies’: In the first episode of the series, Blake investigates the unexplained murders of four wealthy society women.

‘The Sin-Eater’: An old friend of Blake’s receives a series of cryptic messages written on playing cards. Featuring James Beck (Private Walker, Dad’s Army).

‘Bluebeard’s Keys’: Blake is sent a mysterious key in the post. The attached note reads: “This is Bluebeard’s first key.”

‘The Vampire Moon’: Sexton Blake and Paula Dane are out at a London restaurant, when one of their fellow diners suddenly collapses. His dying words warn of the danger of the Vampire Moon. Featuring Marjorie Westbury (Paul Temple).

‘The Fifth Dimension’: Harry Monkton wins £84,000 on the Pools. Then, one day, the phone rings and he disappears….

‘First Class Ticket to Nowhere’: Lost in the fog, Sexton Blake and his friends stumble across a deserted railway station. Then there’s a gunshot….

‘The Eight Swords’: when a woman is found dead at Paula’s hair salon, Sexton Blake is called in to investigate.

‘A Murder of Crows’: over the past six weeks, two men have been murdered. And both shared the name George Crow.

‘Double and Quit’: the top-secret Department Seven recruit Sexton Blake as a special agent.

‘You Must Be Joking’: a friend from Blake’s club dies the day after receiving a sinister limerick.

Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday nights at 7.00pm, the series of 17 programmes ran weekly from 24 August to 14 December 1967. The tales were scripted by Donald Stuart, devised for radio by Philip Ridgeway and produced by veteran BBC radio producer Alastair Scott-Johnston.

Of the 17 episodes originally produced, only 14 have been recovered. Fans continue to hunt for the missing episodes Hag’s Acre, The Beard of the Prophet and The Black Widow.

Warning: due to the age and off-air recording nature of the source material, the sound quality is variable. Also, some of the language in this collection reflects the attitudes of the era in which it was recorded.