Audiobooks narrated by Sheila Reid

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Black Hearts in Battersea & The Story of Is: Three BBC Radio Childre

BBC Radio full-cast dramatisations of three of the classic novels from Joan Aiken's 'Wolves Chronicles' One of the finest storytellers of her time, Joan Aiken wrote over 100 books for both adults and children. Among her best-known works are the 'Wolves Chronicles', a sequence of novels set in an alternate 19th century England ruled by Stuart kings. Included here are three tales from that magical, wolf-infested world - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Black Hearts in Battersea and The Story of Is. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Winter, 1832. The great manor of Willoughby Chase lies blanketed by snow, and predators lurk in the darkness. With the opening of the Channel Tunnel, ravenous wolves have overrun the country, and young Bonnie Green can hear their hideous howling. But she and her cousin Sylvia soon find themselves facing an even greater danger, in the shape of their devious governess, Miss Slighcarp. Aided by their friend Simon, can they foil her evil plan? Black Hearts in Battersea - Determined to become a painter, Simon sets off to London - but no sooner has he arrived than he becomes caught up in a fiendish Hanoverian plot to overthrow the King. Kidnapped and sent away to sea, he faces shipwreck, assassination plots, attacks by wolves and a hair-raising hot air balloon escape. With the help of fellow orphan Sophie, and the resourceful Dido Twite, will he save the day? The Story of Is - Sent by King Richard IV to search for his missing son, Dido Twite's sister Isabett takes the Playland Express to the north of a divided England. There, she finds an underground city where children work as slaves in vast coal mines. This is the domain of Gold Kingy, a man who will stop at nothing in his pursuit of power - but he has reckoned without Is and her newfound friends... These spellbinding adventures feature a star cast, including Gosford Park's Emily Watson, Game of Thrones' Joe Dempsie and legendary actor and comedian Rik Mayall. Text copyright © Joan Aiken 1962 (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase), 1964 (Black Hearts in Battersea), 1992 (Is) Production credits Written by Joan Aiken The Wolves of Willoughby Chase Cast: Jane Lapotaire, Emily Watson, Abigail Docherty, John Rowe, John Turner, Gavin Muir, Kristen Milward, Tom Bevan, Jilly Bond, Eva Stuart, David Antrobus, Ian Masters, Derek Waring, George Parsons, Elaine Claxton, Natasha Pyne, Becky Hindley Dramatised by Eric Pringle Directed by Cherry Cookson First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1994 Black Hearts in Battersea Cast: Joe Dempsie, Nicola Miles-Wildin, Emerald O'Hanrahan, John Rowe, Sheila Reid, Ben Crowe, Annabelle Dowler, Rhys Jennings, Tessa Nicholson, Sam Pamphilon, Nigel Hastings, Bruce Alexander, Joseph Cohen Cole, Piers Wehner, Kate Layden, John Biggins, Ewan Hooper Dramatised by Lin Coghlan. Directed by Marc Beeby First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23-24 December 1999 The Story of Is Cast: John Rowe, Alison Pettitt, Rik Mayall, Freddie Jones With John Hartley, Gordon Reid, Rachel Atkins, Alastair Danson, Robert Harper, Gerard McDermott, Anthony Ofoegbu, Leila Campbell, George Maguire, Jenny Lee, Stephen Thorne, Carolyn Jones, Iwan Thomas, Christopher Scott, Richard Pearce, Tom Bevan, Brian Parr and children from the Italia Conti School Dramatised by Eric Pringle. Directed by David Blount. Music by Neil Brand First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 March-5 April 1998 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Joan Aiken (Author), Alison Pettitt, Emily Watson, Full Cast, Joe Dempsie, John Rowe, Rik Mayall, Sheila Reid (Narrator)

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The House: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Political Drama

All six series of Christopher Lee's enthralling parliamentary drama - plus Christmas Special Suave, unflappable and ambitious, veteran politician Charles Bannister knows his way around the corridors of power. As Chief Whip, he's adept at keeping MPs in line and squashing potential scandals - aided by his brother-in-law, MI6 agent Henry Colvil, who whispers useful titbits of information in his ear. His position seems invincible - but nothing is forever, and when the tides of politics turn, Charles finds himself under threat... In these six series, we follow his fortunes and those of his close friend, Home Secretary Dougal Baxter. Together, the duo rise, fall and rise again, as they fight off plots, counter-plots and conspiracies while struggling to secure their political futures. Promoted to Party Chairman, Charles finds himself beset by domestic dramas, dogged by rumours of an affair with glamorous Opposition MP Juliet Cameron, and under increasing pressure at Westminster. Will he stick it out and run for the top job - or decide to spend more time with his family? Meanwhile, Dougal makes no secret of his desire to become PM - but will his potentially explosive relationship with his mistress, Kay, put an end to his dreams of advancement? Written by award-winning author and historian Christopher Lee, this captivating tale of ministerial manoeuvring and machinations was adapted as a bestselling novel and spawned the spin-off mystery series Colvil & Soames. Julian Glover stars as Charles Bannister, with Timothy West as Dougal Baxter and Christopher Benjamin as Henry Colvil. Production credits Written by Christopher Lee Produced by Pete Atkin and Neil Cargill Cast Charles Bannister - Julian Glover Dougal Baxter - Timothy West/Peter Kelly Mary Bannister - Sarah Badel/Isla Blair Henry Colvil - Christopher Benjamin Denis Wigton - David Ryall/Trevor Peacock Juliet Cameron - Siobhan Redmond Rose - Sheila Reid Arthur - James Garbutt Polly Bannister - Ruth Gemmell Gerald Mossman - David Neville Merffyn Edwards - Ray Smith/Douglas Blackwell Kay Bennett - Jane Booker Nick - Julian Dutton Eamon - Shaun Prendergast Alex - Caroline Bliss Sharp - Norman Bird With Brian Redhead, Laurie Macmillan, Stuart Organ, Graham Blockey, Rupert Baker, Joan Matheson, Ken Cumberlidge, Danny Schiller, John Fortune, Iain Cuthbertson, Dennis Ramsden, Charles Simpson, Christopher Scott, Michael Kilgarriff, Ian Targett, David Goudge, John Bull, David King, Brian Miller, David McAlister, Terence Edmonds, Brett Usher, John Grieve, Richard Caldicot, Bill Wallis, Stephen Greif First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 August-7 October 1989 (Series 1), 25 December 1989 (Christmas Special), 17 September-5 November 1991 (Series 2), 16 March-20 April 1992 (Series 3), 28 October-2 December 1992 (Series 4), 17 June-22 July 1993 (Series 5), 9 June-14 July 1994 (Series 6) © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Christopher Lee (Author), Christopher Benjamin, David Ryall, Isla Blair, Julian Glover, Peter Kelly, Sarah Badel, Sheila Reid, Timothy West, Trevor Peacock (Narrator)

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Hotel World

Brought to you by Penguin. SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE and the ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION A masterful, exuberant novel from the acclaimed author of How to be both and the ongoing Seasonal quartet Five people: four are living, three are strangers, two are sisters, one is dead. In her highly acclaimed and most ambitious book to date, the brilliant young Scottish writer Ali Smith brings alive five unforgettable characters and traces their intersecting lives. This is a short novel with big themes (time, chance, money, death) but an eye for tiny detail: the taste of dust, the weight of a few coins in the hand, the pleasurable pain of a stone in one's shoe . . . 'Ali Smith has got style, ideas and punch. Read her' Jeanette Winterson 'As infectious as a pop song, the story bursts open from the very first page and demands to be read in one sitting' The Times 'Hotel World is essential reading from a major talent' Independent © Ali Smith 2001 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Ali Smith (Author), Katie Leung, Kristin Atherton, Lois Chimimba, Roy Mcmillan, Sheila Reid, Siobhan Redmond (Narrator)

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The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: Perfect for fans of uplifting book club fiction

Brought to you by Penguin. An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories. Their last one begins here. Life is short - no one knows that better than seventeen year-old Lenni Petterssen. On the Terminal Ward, the nurses are offering their condolences already, but Lenni still has plenty of living to do. When she meets 83-year-old Margot Macrae, a fellow patient offering new friendship and enviable artistic skills, Lenni's life begins to soar in ways she'd never imagined. As their bond deepens, a world of stories opens up: of wartime love and loss, of misunderstanding and reconciliation, of courage, kindness and joy. Stories that have led Lenni and Margot to the end of their days. Fiercely alive, disarmingly funny, and brimming with tenderness, THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOT unwraps the extraordinary gift of life even when it is about to be taken away, and revels in our infinite capacity for friendship and love when we need it most. 'Emotional, involving, witth and sad. All my favourite things. Everyone is going to love LENNI AND MARGOT' JILL MANSELL 'Full of wisdom and kindness. It is just the kind of book I adore' JOANNA CANNON 'Touching and honest and funny. I completely and wholeheartedly fell for Lenni and Margot' NINA POTTELL © Marianne Cronin 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Marianne Cronin (Author), Rebecca Benson, Sheila Reid (Narrator)

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Dewey Eyed: A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Philippa is a librarian from a long line of librarians. When her father dies and her mother loses her wits, Philippa tries the only language Vera understands, that of the Dewey cataloguing system, to guide her back to sanity. Starring Olivia Colman as Philippa, Sheila Reid as Vera, Caroline Guthrie as Sheila and Paul Rider as Alistair. Written by Sarah Naomi Lee. Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

Sarah Naomi Lee (Author), Caroline Guthrie, Olivia Colman, Paul Rider, Sheila Reid (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Sheila Reid