A CASE FOR PAUL TEMPLE

Writer-detective Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, characters in BBC Radio dramas from the 1930s to the 1960s, are the leads in this modern re-creation of a lost series originally broadcast in 1946. The period imitation is excellent, with much of the original music and vintage sound effects but modern sound quality. The acting is polished and adept, with just enough of an old-fashioned touch to fit the illusion. The program’s few flaws lie in the script, which at times is convoluted and implausible, and occasionally burdened with artificial pauses and delays. These are meant to increase suspense but are merely annoying. However, with allowances made for the period, the program is entertaining, at times even absorbing. W.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2012]