Audiobooks narrated by Holli Dempsey

The Guy de Maupassant BBC Radio Drama Collection: Full-cast dramatisations of Un Vie, Bel Ami & more

BBC Radio adaptations of selected novels and short stories by the great 19th century French writer - plus bonus programmes Guy de Maupassant is renowned as one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protégé of Flaubert, he was celebrated for his naturalistic fiction, and wrote over 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books and one volume of verse in his short but highly productive lifetime. He died in an asylum aged just 43. This collection brings together dramatisations of some of his finest works. Adapted by Sony Award-winning dramatist Frances Byrnes, Bel Ami chronicles the corrupt rise of charming, ruthless journalist Georges Duroy (Jonathan Slinger). It is followed by Maupassant's most famous short story, 'The Dumpling', a satirical tale of a group of coach travellers fleeing occupied Rouen during the Franco-Prussian war. Dramatised for the first time on radio, it stars Miriam Margolyes. Set in Le Havre, Pierre et Jean centres around the jealousy that springs up between two brothers when a family secret is uncovered. Benedict Sandiford stars as Pierre, with Tim Treloar as Jean. Maupassant's tragicomic debut novel, Une Vie, starring Aimee Ffion Edwards, tells the story of Jeanne, a naive convent-educated aristocrat who dreams of romance, but finds marriage and adulthood treacherous and rotten. The haunting wintry tale 'The Inn' is next, in which young mountain guide Ulrich (Robin Laing) finds himself in sole charge of a remote Alpine hotel. A hidden past is also at the heart of 'Mademoiselle Pearl', a poignant love story starring Claire Neilson and Frank Middlemass. Alongside it is 'The Hand', the macabre supernatural tale of an English aristocrat, his gruesome trophy and his vengeful nemesis. Denis Quilley stars as Sir John Rowell. Also featured are two bonus dramas and a documentary about the great author. Confessions of a Hedonist is a phantasmagorical journey through five of Maupassant's most personal stories: 'A Strange Night Out', 'Mouche', 'Laid To Rest', 'Cockcrow' and 'Le Horla'. Adapted and translated by Simon Scardifield, it stars Elliot Cowan and Holli Dempsey. How an Umbrella Changed Everything, written by Shirley Cooklin and based on an idea by Maupassant, tells of a childless couple whose obsessive frugality has fateful repercussions. Nigel Lambert and Sheila Grant star as Charles and Clothilde Oreille. Finally, Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story explores Maupassant's life, work and lasting legacy. First published 1880 ('The Dumpling'), 1883 (Une Vie, 'The Hand'), 1885 (Bel-Ami), 1886 ('The Inn', 'Mademoiselle Pearl'), 1887 (Pierre et Jean, 'Le Horla'), c1890 ('Mouche', 'A Queer Night in Paris', 'Laid to Rest', 'Cockcrow') Production credits Written by Guy de Maupassant Contents: Bel Ami The Dumpling Pierre and Jean Une Vie The Inn Mademoiselle Pearl The Hand Maupassant's Confessions of a Hedonist How an Umbrella Changed Everything Meridian: Guy de Maupassant - Master of the Short Story © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Guy De Maupassant (Author), Adam Nagaitis, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Denis Quilley, Elliot Cowan, Frank Middlemass, Full Cast, Holli Dempsey, Miriam Margolyes, Robin Laing (Narrator)

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People Like Us

Leipzig, 1930's Germany. Hetty Heinrich is a young girl growing up under Nazi rule. With an SS officer father, a brother in the Luftwaffe and a member of the BDM, Hetty is the epitome of a perfect German child. But Walter changes everything. Blond haired, blue-eyed, perfect in every way Walter. The boy who saved her life. A Jew. As she falls more and more in love with a man who is against all she has been taught, Hetty begins to question everything. Will the steady march of dark forces destroy their world, or can love ultimately triumph? Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief and Kate Furnivall.

Louise Fein (Author), Holli Dempsey (Narrator)

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Never Look Back

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Never Look Back by Lesley Pearse, read by Holli Dempsey. One good deed takes her into another world . . . Sixteen-year-old Matilda is a poor Covent Garden flower girl until the day she saves the life of Tabitha, a minister's daughter. Welcomed into Tabitha's family, Matilda is offered the chance of a lifetime. She leaves behind London's slums and enters the darkest corners of New York. From there she travels across the plains to the Wild West, where San Francisco is in the grip of the gold rush. Streetwise and strong-willed, Matilda forges a new life for herself and Tabitha among pioneers like Captain James Russell - a man to whom she is deeply attracted. Yet a civil war will soon rip apart this new nation. Can Matilda and those she loves brave separation and carry on, never looking back? 'With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best'Daily Mail 'Heart-warming and evocative . . . a real delight to read' Sun 'Lose yourself in this epic saga' Bella

Lesley Pearse (Author), Holli Dempsey (Narrator)

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Story of a Rude Gal (BBC Radio 3: The Wire)

A frank and uncompromising BBC Radio 3 drama about a young woman in prison. Originally broadcast on 5 February 2011 as part of 'The Wire', a showcase for works that push the boundaries of drama and narrative. Tomorrow 23-year-old Ronia will have the most important conversation of her life - her parole hearing. Ronia has been serving an 'Imprisonment for Public Protection' sentence ever since she was eighteen. With an IPP sentence there is no automatic release date: once a prisoner has served their full tariff, they still have to convince a parole board that they've changed. And that's what Ronia must do. After five years, Ronia has long served her tariff, and is ready to persuade the parole board that she's no longer a danger to the public. As the night passes, Ronia takes us back to her younger self, having fun with her friend Tyson, hanging out on London streets, and trying to steer clear of violent girl gang, the Sykes Crew. Starring Sophie Cosson and Holli Dempsey as the older and younger Ronia, Zaraah Abrahams as Tyson and Marian Kemmer as the Parole Judge. Also featured in the cast are Ben Crowe and Lloyd Thomas.

Charlotte Thompson (Author), A Full Cast, Holli Dempsey, Sophie Cosson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Holli Dempsey