Francis Durbridge (1912–1998)

First appearing in the December 20th, 1946 edition of Radio Times, this wonderful little Christmas bauble is probably more suited to Paul Temple and Steve fans than those unfamiliar with Durbridge’s wildly popular creation.

I own this in audio and in print form also, because it’s included as a bonus in one of the Paul Temple stories Durbridge adapted to paperback book, but it’s great fun to listen to as well. While this is very short either as a read or a listen, this brief little episode in the lives of our favorite martinis and mystery couple is quite enjoyable, and clever as well.

Paul Temple’s White Christmas takes place shortly after the full-length mystery, The Gregory Affair. People are still talking about the aforementioned as this story begins. There’s definitely a holiday mood as Paul’s wife Steve is itching to vacation at a certain place, while Paul is much less enthused by her choice. But when Paul suddenly needs to help identify someone for the authorities, Steve manages to get her way without even trying.

Paul’s task leads to a very brief but entertaining bit of intrigue. Then, of course, it’s off to the slopes for the mystery-solving couple, wrapping up a fun if extremely gossamer affair that’s just right for the holidays, when everyone is busy and time is precious. A wonderful bit of nostalgia recommended more for Paul Temple fans than others, who might be disappointed at the brevity.… (más)

Released in 1950, when Francis Durbridge’s Paul Temple was everywhere on BBC radio, Back Room Girl shows the writer at the zenith of his power to entertain. Those who come at this expecting a gripping spy novel in the le Carré vein are best to consider that this charming and entertaining novel has more in common with the kind of romance and spy intrigue of late-1940s films than it does some literary work, and is all the more fun for its lack of pretension or aspirations. It is, in short, a blast.

While Durbridge novelized many of his famous radio serials featuring the sophisticated Paul Temple and Steve — martinis and murder, anyone? — on occasion he also rewrote and reworked one of his wildly popular Paul Temple mysteries by replacing Paul Temple and Steve with completely different characters. While both of these are usually quite fun, Back Room Girl is something quite different. It was Durbridge’s first book which didn’t have at its center Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, nor was it based on a Paul Temple story. After reading this, I find that a real shame, because it is tremendously enjoyable on the level of entertainment.

In one minor nod to Paul Temple, crime reporter Roy Benton is a Fleet Street reporter. But that is the only similarity to the Paul Temple stories you’ll find in this novel — outside of it being great fun, just as Paul Temple was. Benton has retired to the coast of Cornwall to write his memoirs. Footprints on the beach suck both Benton and the reader into a tale of spies during the war, and derring-do. Of course there’s a girl, Karen Silvers, and of course there’s going to be some back and forth between her and our hero, which precedes their old-fashioned romance.

Plans for secret weapons, caves, kidnappings and some heroics which in another writer’s hands might have come off as lightweight at best, and cartoonish at worst, instead are brought off with charm and excitement thanks to Durbridge’s skill. His background in radio actually helped give this atmosphere and movement, and made for a quite fun and appealing read, harkening back to the era of radio and films from which it came. That’s about all one could or should ask from this book, and it succeeds in grand fashion.

As long as you don’t think of this as a modern-day novel of spies and intrigue, or even compare it to older and more serious spy novels, you’ll have great fun reading this one at the beach, or out on the terrace with a glass of iced tea. I actually own the paperback version, which has a wonderful bonus in two brief Paul Temple stories. These delightful baubles are like gold nuggets for fans of Paul Temple and his wife, Steve. There is a light and fun air to these two short mysteries which harken back to another era — one with more charm and less vulgarity, which was less crass and had better taste. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear faint strains of Vivian Ellis’ Coronation Scot playing in the background to these two fun confections as you read.

Originally released in 1950 and 1951 in Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls they were meant to broaden appeal of the wildly popular radio mystery characters Paul Temple and his wife Steve to a slightly younger adult audience. Read today, they are very fun for all ages of Paul Temple fans.

In A Present for Paul Temple, Paul and Steve uncover smugglers. Paul is aided by a delightfully precocious young boy eager to ditch class, who lends our intrepid hero a hand. The story is quite charming, and one could envision it as a single broadcast entry of the popular and enduring radio show.

In Light-Fingers, Steve and Paul are run off the road by a thief attempting to elude capture. What follows is fun for the reader, because Paul’s deductions come from out of the blue, and are only explained to the reader — not to mention Steve and the Inspector — in the final afterward. While it's the lesser of the two stories, it's still breezy fun.

Extremely short in length, rather gossamer on mystery, but long on nostalgic charm, these baubles will have you chasing after longer Paul Temple stories. These two stories are a sweet bonus to Back Room Girl, which is an entertaining showcase for the talent of Francis Durbridge, who wrote a fun and rip-roaring tale imbued with charm.… (más)

This delightful bauble is a must for fans of Paul Temple and his wife Steve. There is a light and fun air to these two short mysteries which harkens back to another era. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear faint strains of Vivian Ellis’ Coronation Scot playing in the background to these two fun confections.

Originally released in 1950 and 1951 in Daily Mail Annual for Boys and Girls they were meant to broaden appeal of the wildly popular radio mystery characters Paul Temple and his wife Steve to a slightly younger adult audience. Read today, they are very fun for all ages of Paul Temple fans.

In A Present for Paul Temple, Paul and Steve uncover smugglers. Paul is aided by a delightfully precocious young boy eager to ditch class, who lends our intrepid hero a hand. The story is quite charming, and one could envision it as a single broadcast entry of the popular and enduring radio show.

In Light-Fingers, Steve and Paul are run off the road by a thief attempting to elude capture. What follows is fun for the reader, because Paul’s deductions come from out of the blue, and are only explained to the reader — not to mention Steve and the Inspector — in the final afterward. While it's the lesser of the two stories, it's still quite breezy and fun.

Extremely short in length, rather gossamer on mystery, but long on nostalgic charm, these baubles will have you chasing after longer Paul Temple stories. Nostalgic fun for Paul Temple fans.… (más)