Charles Paris: Cast in Order of Disappearance: A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation (Charles Paris Mysteries) Audio CD – CD, 5 May 2011

If you like cosy style murders with a hint of humour this is an excellent choice of book. The first in series and probably worth reading more

I have long enjoyed Brett's work ,particularly on BBC Radio 4. A skilful and versatile writer . It was no surprise to have a very readable and well paced crime novel . Of course Charles Paris is a big character ,but I found much to enjoy here with the minor players .Maybe at times the plot was swamped by outside detail or ribaldry and I guess that would work very well on broadcast . I was going to say I am looking forward to reading more books in the series BUT not at these prices. I wish Severn House would take a reality check . They have some good authors on their backlist ,but their e book prices are way out of step compared to Dean Street/British Library/Ipso books etc etc.

Charles Paris is bored with what he's doing and when an old friend of his - Jacqui - asks for his help he decides helping her might stop the boredom. Jacqui is the long term lover of theatrical impresario Marcus Steen who is being blackmailed by Bill Sweet. Jacqui has paid for the compromising photographs but she needs to get the negatives from Bill Sweet and find out why she suddenly seems to have had the brush off from Marcus.When first Bill Sweet and then Marcus Steen are found dead Charles wonders whether he's bitten off more than he can chew. I am a fan of Simon Brett's two other series - Mrs Pargeter and the The Fethering mysteries and I hope I would enjoy Charles Paris too. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I had previously listened to a dramatisation of a later story in this series and didn't particularly enjoy it and I wondered whether it was just the format I didn't like so I gave the series another try with this first episode.The plot is fine and I liked many of the characters and thought they were well drawn but I find I really do not like Charles himself. I don't like his constant drinking and I don't like his whole attitude to life. He just doesn't gel with me though others obviously will like him. Overall then - not one for me I'm afraid and I shan't be reading any more of the series. I'll stick to Mrs Pargeter and the Fethering Mysteries.

As always an enjoyable Charles Paris book. Bill Nighy and Suzanne Burden are a class act, he never disappoints and Suzanne Burden strikes just the right note as the long-suffering (nearly ex-wife but not quite), she is droll, sarcastic and witty in equal measure and Jon Glover is a hoot as Maurice - the agent you love to hate! I really enjoy the Charles Paris audio cds.

An engaging protagonist in the form of a once-great actor now reduced, by age and alcohol, to bit part roles, but retaining his charm and resilience, is drawn rather against his will to investigating the circumstances around the death of a famous theatrical impresario.Theatrical characters abound and the contemporary setting of the 1970s three-day week and petrol shortages give depth as well as feeding into the plot.This plot is teasingly unguessable till the very end where what might initially seem a rather weak part of it is neatly seen in to make a finally solid whole.Altogether a great introduction to the long series of Charles Parish books by Simon Brett which was to follow. If you like a well-drawn background world, great puzzles and a believably amateur sleuth whose sf-awareness overrides his weaknesses then the whole series is a nostalgic treat, even for those of us who had to endure living through the 70s.Read this, then read the rest.

These Beeb full cast productions are, as I've said before, simply excellent, with great adaptations by Jeremy Front ( who surely deserves a cover credit!) from the terrific series of Charles Paris books by Simon Brett. The casting is quite on the money, with Mr N well supported by all. I've noted that some purists don't like the "liberties" taken with the original books- Frances is a main character in the radio series (beautifully played by Suzanne Burden), but is peripheral in the books. Maurice, Charles' agent, is much more to the front on radio too. Enjoy these plays, then seek out the original books. PS please Beeb, can you do the same with Mr B's Mrs Pargeter novels?

I like the character of Charles Paris, an amusing and interesting rake and the very easy reading from Simon Brett.

Enjoyable. I liked the characters and the story line was interesting and engaging

Simon Brett is a great writer to begin with, and he’s created Charles Paris as a roguish, fun, man about town, loveable cad. I wish this book series had been televised!

It’s not a MUST read in my mind but then again it’s a well written novel and I do recommend it

Simon Brett always writes an interesting book---ALWAYS---his writing is the very best and the characters are always colorful---one of his books will make an interesting day especially if the weather is cold and snowy

In modern literature, or indeed in modern entertainments, every hero must have a flaw. Charles Paris' flaw is alcoholism. Because this hits close to home, it is hard for me to think of his flaw as humorous. On the other hand, Simon Brett's greatest strength as an author is that he can make humiliation, disastrous choices and violence very funny. Cast in Order of Disappearance was Brett's first work featuring the Charles Paris, an occasionally successful actor and it is one of the best in the long-running series, all of which feature an insider's view of life (and death) in the British theater (theatre).

Fun story. The type of mystery that keeps you entertained and engaged without bringing on the clouds of doom. No gore. Good quality writing that doesn't make you wince... which is too common a feature in the mystery genre.