Mark Billingham's Rule Book Of Crime

Best-selling crime writer Mark Billingham has always been obsessed with the creative criminal minds of the past.

Over three hours, Mark sets out to detect the clues dropped in the BBC archives, as he brings a flavour of the magic of his favourite crime writers:

Dame Agatha Christie

Clues that reveal why their sleuthing creations - Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Philip Marlowe, Adam Dalgliesh and Kurt Wallander - are so enduring.

Having created his own flawed crime fighter, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, Mark's wrestled with the thorny issue of inventing a distinctive new voice amongst a myriad of detecting greats. What's more important, devious plotting or debauched heroes, a killer in plain sight or rug-pulling twists?

In plundering the archive for answers, Mark has uncovered a hidden BBC radio detecting gem. Debuting in the late 1970s and running for a few seasons into the 1980s, it starred an actor who could be a lead in TV classic Cathy Come Home and voice an iconic children's cartoon. It was penned by a writer that worked on TV police dramas Z Cars and Softly Softly.

All is revealed in Mark Billingham's Rule Book of Crime.

Producer: Peter McHugh

The bestselling crime writer detects his favourite radio sleuthing stars.

Over three hours, Mark sets out to detect the clues dropped in the BBC archives, by his favourite crime writers:

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in March 2013.

Crime writer Mark Billingham detects his radio sleuthing stars.

Made for 4 Extra. The bestselling crime writer detects his favourite radio sleuthing stars

The crime writer detects his radio sleuthing stars: Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Raymond Chandler, Henning Mankell, PD James. He also unmasks a detective gem. From March 2013.

Over three hours, Mark sets out to detect the clues dropped in the BBC archives, by his favourite crime writers: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dame Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, PD James and Henning Mankell.

Having created his own flawed crime fighter, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, Mark's wrestled with the thorny issue of inventing a distinctive new voice amongst a myriad of detecting greats. What's more important, devious plotting or debauched heroes, a killer in-plain-site or rug-pulling twists?

The bestselling crime writer detects his favourite radio sleuthing stars - Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Raymond Chandler, Henning Mankell and PD James.

And listen out, as Mark unmasks a hidden detecting gem rescued from the late 1980s...

Having created his own flawed crime fighter, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, Mark’s wrestled with the thorny issue of inventing a distinctive new voice amongst a myriad of detecting greats. What’s more important, devious plotting or debauched heroes, a killer in plain sight or rug-pulling twists?

In plundering the archive for answers, Mark has uncovered a hidden BBC radio detecting gem. Debuting in the late 1970s and running for a few seasons into the 1980s, it starred an actor who could be a lead in TV classic Cathy Come Home and voice an iconic children’s cartoon. It was penned by a writer that worked on TV police dramas Z Cars and Softly Softly.

All is revealed in MARK BILLINGHAM’s Rule Book of Crime.

Having created his own flawed crime fighter, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, Mark?s wrestled with the thorny issue of inventing a distinctive new voice amongst a myriad of detecting greats. What?s more important, devious plotting or debauched heroes, a killer in plain sight or rug-pulling twists?

In plundering the archive for answers, Mark has uncovered a hidden BBC radio detecting gem. Debuting in the late 1970s and running for a few seasons into the 1980s, it starred an actor who could be a lead in TV classic Cathy Come Home and voice an iconic children?s cartoon. It was penned by a writer that worked on TV police dramas Z Cars and Softly Softly.