Radio Production

It is 1886 and the venerable publishing firm of Garnett and Son are getting by - just - when a manuscript comes in from a Mr. Conan Doyle. The manuscript divides the firm; Garnett Sr. loathes it and its hero, Sherlock Holmes, but Garnett Jr. loves it. The father and son agree to a bet: if they can solve a local murder, using Holmes' methods, they will publish. If not, Sherlock Holmes will be confined to the dustbin of history.

Cassie Trick is the ultimate femme fatale - when she falls in love with a man, he dies a hideous death. For part-time astrophysicist and gambler and full-time romantic Martin Elliott, she represents an enigma, a challenge and just the type of woman he falls for, even if it kills him. After all, life can be a ridiculously dangerous business at the best of times.

It is 1658 - the dying days of the English Republic under the Cromwells - and a down-on-his-luck publisher, Bartholomew Garnet, gets the chance to publish Paradise Lost by John Milton. But why is the office of censorship so interested in the manuscript? Why is his obliging new housekeeper asking so many questions? And will Garnet discover principles in time to get Paradise Lost published?