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McLevy: The Collected Series 1-6
- A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Crime Drama
- Narrated by: Brian Cox, Siobhan Redmond, full cast
- Length: 19 hrs and 25 mins
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McLevy: The Collected Series 1-6
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Summary
The first six series of the Victorian detective drama starring Brian Cox and Siobhan Redmond
Based on the real-life memoirs of the 19th Century investigator who inspired Sherlock Holmes, Inspector James McLevy, this atmospheric mystery series features the fictional casebook of Edinburgh's finest thief-taker. Accompanied by his loyal partner, Constable Mulholland, McLevy prowls the murky streets of 1840s Leith bringing criminals to justice—assisted by the madam of Edinburgh's finest bawdy-house, the deliciously immoral Jean Brash.
In this collection of thrilling episodes, he goes on the trail of an ingenious cat burglar; contemplates a game of golf with desperate stakes; and joins Her Majesty's protection squad to hunt down a deadly assassin. He also faces trouble in the shape of a runaway bridegroom and a blackmailer; probes a judge's murder as his allegedly cheating wife claims her innocence; and looks into the curious case of the Italian aristocrat found dead at Waverley station. Meanwhile, Jean Brash plans revenge on a sadistic client—but her deadly battle with the malign Caleb Grant has heartbreaking consequences...
Also included is the original pilot show, introducing us to the dour detective; and a Christmas Special, in which McLevy forswears Yuletide revelry to hunt for a supernatural thief...
Brian Cox stars as McLevy, with Siobhan Redmond as Jean Brash, Michael Perceval-Maxwell as Constable Mulholland, David Ashton as Lieutenant Roach and Colette O'Neill as Hannah.
Produced and directed by Patrick Rayner
Image credit: © Pete Hambling/BBC
Cast
Inspector McLevy - Brian Cox
Jean Brash - Siobhan Redmond
Constable Mulholland - Michael Perceval-Maxwell
Lieutenant Roach - David Ashton
Maguire - Stuart McQuarrie
With Irene Allan, Steven Atholl, David Bannerman, Maureen Beattie, John Bett, Paul Blair, Kenny Blyth, Mark Bonnar, Carolyn Bonnyman, Ewen Bremner, Liam Brennan, Tam Dean Burn, James Bryce, Jimmy Chisholm, Andrew Clark, Sandra Clark, Tom Cotcher, Alan Cox, Susan Coyle, Carol Ann Crawford, Graham Crowden, Emma Currie, Ron Donachie, Sheila Donald, Simon Donaldson, Tom Fleming, Monica Gibb, Tom Goodman-Hill, Stella Gonet, Sandy Grierson, Shirley Henderson, Lewis Howden, Jenny Hulse, John-Paul Hurley, Molly Innes, John Kielty, Kananu Kirimi, Claire Knight, Robin Laing, Eliza Langland, Vicki Liddelle, Phyllis Logan, Bryan Lowe, Angus MacInnes, Patrick Malahide, Forbes Masson, Helen McAlpine, Clare McCarron, Mark McDonnell, John McGlynn, Robert McIntosh, David McKall, Jayne McKenna, Steven McNicoll, Anna McPhail, Andrew Neil, Jamie Newall, Colette O'Neil, James Anthony Pearson, Matthew Pidgeon, Gabriel Quigley, Malcolm Rennie, Ralph Riach, David Robb, Struan Rodger, Dominic Di Rollo, Wendy Seager, Sean Scanlan, Laura Smales, Tom Smith, John Stahl, Simon Tait, Robin Thomson, Frances Thorburn, Joanna Tope, Jim Webster-Stewart, Finlay Welsh, Tracy Wiles, Jordan Young, Paul Young, Jimmy Yuill
First broadcast BBC Radio 4: 26 July 1999 (Pilot), 21 December 2000-11 January 2001 (Series 1), 19 June-10 July 2002 (Series 2), 1-22 December 2003 (Series 3), 3-24 April 2006 (Series 4), 25 December 2006 (Christmas Special), 27 January-17 February 2009 (Series 5), 21 December 2009-11 January 2010 (Series 6)
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"Evokes Auld Reekie so vividly that you can feel the cold in your bones and the menace of the Old Town's dark corners." (Financial Times)
What listeners say about McLevy: The Collected Series 1-6
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Morag Potter
- 04-02-24
Fantastic voices
Such a great series that I listened to a few times on the radio.
Wonderful to hear so many hours of adventures in Victorian Edinburgh.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- T A Waldron
- 23-02-23
Brilliant a radio classic
You can listen this over and over a real classic surely will make the leap to screen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss Kay Rowley
- 30-08-23
Loved it!
Great actors playing great characters. Stories are engaging but play second fiddle to the excellent character development. Mclevy's rivalry with Brash would be wonderful to see on screen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Blue_23
- 16-01-24
What a find. Auld Leith & crimes of the times!
Somehow missed this atmospheric, well cast Radio 4 series when it was broadcast, but the recent 2 for 1 Credit Sale fortunately brought both collections to my attention.
James McLevy, Inspector of Police and Jean Brash, Madam extraordinaire, are engaging characters and wonderfully brought to life by Brian Cox & Siobhan Redmond. The individual tales of crimes solved by Edinburgh's prime thief taker are an entertaining peak into Victorian policing & society; was particularly amused by the Christmas special.
It all makes for enjoyable listening for anyone with a taste for period drama, a bit of good old fashioned detection and a love of auld Edinburgh, Leith & surrounds.
The second collection - series 7 -12 's episodes await ...
It's rare when a series finally draws to a close, however satisfactorily, that one feels sorry but that's the case with the McLevy dramas. The second collection as with the first, has been a real pleasure to listen too.
Each episode was mostly self-contained with interesting crimes befitting the setting of Leith & Victorian times. While the entertaining, symbiotic relationship between Inspector James Charles McLevy and bawdy-house madam Jean Brash simmered away, there being so much more than just a love of good coffee between. Charlie is her darlin'!
Full credit goes to the actors Brian Cox, Siobhan Redmond & the cast of this fine production.
Unlike the fictional Inspector McLevy, the real life James McLevy, didn't sail away in his prime, but stayed in Edinburgh his entire police career. As one of cities first detectives, he earnt a reputation for almost aways securing a conviction. After thirty years service he retired in 1860, and wrote several books, including Curiosities of Crime in Edinburgh & The Disclosures of a Detective, based on his old cases.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian Gregg
- 22-03-24
Fabulous stuff
Excellent short stories with a lovely line in witticisms. The cast is excellent with the main actors performing so well. A real pleasure.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kiff
- 03-03-23
Makes being stuck in traffic worthwhile
Really enjoyed this series. Four fantastic main characters and wonderful supporting cast. Absolutely fantastic
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alan
- 23-01-24
The stories, humor and performances
I loved the humor in these stories, the setting in old Edinburgh is done really well, and performances are excellent
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- dmc
- 21-03-23
Brilliant
Fantastic listen, wonderful performances, engaging, atmospheric and evocative storylines. Can’t wait to start listening to episodes 7-12
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mello
- 29-04-24
Unexpected Treasure.
What a find this was for me, I'd never heard of it and it was so beautifully written and acted. A witty, literary and sensitive imagining of the real life inspiration for Sherlock Holmes, a tough man harbouring a warm humanity in a sometimes cold world.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lesley Goodman
- 09-12-22
EXCELLENT
What's not to like, Brian Cox Siobhan Redmond and auld Edinburgh. My home City, so a delight to listen to familiar accents and old Scottish expressions. Michty me!! I'm aboot tae start series 7. I can't recommend highly enough. The will they, won't they aspect will keep you listening if nothing else.
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8 people found this helpful