Harry Houdini's story is the classic American tale of an immigrant who from impoverished beginnings made it big in the United States. Born in Hungary as Erik Weisz, he was brought up in Wisconsin, USA and first developed his acts at the age of 17 after a childhood in poverty. Captivated by magic shows, he began performing tricks on stage with one of his brothers, and then with his wife. From being bound in chains to massive locks and straight jackets, Houdini found fame with his dramatic escapes.

A prolific writer for radio and TV, Philip Levene scripted numerous crime dramas and serials for the BBC in the 1960s. One of the most popular was Destination – Fire!, inspired by his fascination with the varied motivations of those who commit arson. Intrigued by ‘the puzzle of the charred remains of a burnt out building,’ he came up with the idea of an investigator who would work out how a fire was started, by whom, and why.

This curated collection travels through the beginnings of the Gothic Imagination, showcases the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, before unveiling the male gothic in Matthew Lewis’s The Monk and the dawn of the female gothic in Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho. Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey showcases the Gothic Satire, and the collection concludes with Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time episode exploring the history of the genre and Gothic Legacy.

Edgar Wallace was a bestselling author, journalist, playwright and film director, and the creator of King Kong. A prolific writer and celebrity superstar, he was thought to be responsible for a quarter of all new books read in Britain by the late 1920s. Presented here are full-cast adaptations of four of his classic crime novels, readings of four short detective stories, and vintage recording of Wallace reading one of his own stories. Tying them all together is linking commentary from Edgar Wallace: The Man Who Wrote Too Much?, a documentary celebration of his life.

Lecky Ferguson is growing up in a penniless but close-knit family in Jarrow. He relies on his imaginative Uncle Freddie for explanations of the world’s many mysteries. Packed with humour and adventure, this award-winning full-cast drama tells the life of a young man that is far from ordinary.

When a high-profile public figure fights a libel case, it becomes clear to the jury members that the trial will have an impact on their own lives ... Full of love, scandal, intrigue and lies and that's just in the jury! This drama explores how 12 people brought together can work together to find justice, will the truth win?

A super spy, a mysterious death and a world of yachts, private planes and underground bases - but only one question – who really is Aldrich Kemp? Enjoy this fast-paced, action-packed series, available for the first time as a complete download. Featuring a stellar cast including Phoebe Fox, Tim McInnery and Nicola Walker.

Award-winning author Dame Susan Hill is best known for her hit ghost story The Woman in Black and her popular ‘Simon Serailler’ detective series, but she has also written extensively for radio. This audio anthology includes full-cast adaptations of two of her early novels, plus an additional 12 BBC Radio plays, many of them available for the very first time since their original broadcasts.

Sir Lenny Henry has had a long and successful career as a comedian, impressionist, actor and presenter. Having starred in several plays in the West End and on radio, he was inspired to complete an MA in screenwriting and in 2011 penned his first radio drama, Corrinne Come Back and Gone, which opens this collection. He continued his writing career with three more Radio 4 plays and nine episodes of his comic monologue series Lenny Henry’s Rogues Gallery. Collected here for the first time, listen to these poignant and humorous original dramas.

An acclaimed crime novelist and dramatist, Alison Joseph has scripted over 25 plays for BBC Radio. This collection showcases four of her original crime dramas, all specially written for Radio 4 – beginning with an apparently open-and-shut case for Sister Agnes that turns out to be anything but...