The Price of Silence: A BBC Radio 4 Cold War Sci-Fi Thriller

Stephen Barlay's gripping Cold War drama about the threat of nuclear war

Laid up in a CIA hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound, British agent Maxon is about to have his peaceful convalescence shattered. As the radio DJ introduces In the Mood, the swinging sound of Glenn Miller is cut off by a shrill, insistent alarm - one signalling imminent, universal death. America's brand new Global Early Warning System has detected an approaching nuclear missile from outer space...

But the attack never takes place. The weapon, launched from an unmanned Soviet space vehicle, was destroyed seconds later - so how did the public alert come to be broadcast? As a member of the elite team responsible for safeguarding GLEW, Maxon is assigned to investigate. Meanwhile, he takes on a second, parallel mission - helping his ex-lover, Jacqueline, prove her scientist husband Kowalski has not turned traitor and leaked GLEW secrets to the Russians.

Searching for answers, Maxon travels to Toronto, where he is framed for murder and forced to go on the run. And when he finally uncovers the shocking truth, he finds himself mired in deceit and treason - and caught up in a deadly game of nuclear poker. With the doomsday clock pointing to two minutes to midnight, can Maxon and Jacqueline avert disaster?

Written by acclaimed novelist Stephen Barlay, this tense espionage thriller stars Ian Hendry as Maxon and Toby Robins as Jacqueline.

Production credits Written by Stephen Barlay Directed by Peter King Music composed and played by Ed Welch (piano) with Ron Aspery (saxophone)

Cast Maxon - Ian Hendry Jacqueline - Toby Robins Disc Jockey/Announcer/MP/Gloucester/Wennstrom - Nigel Graham Inspector Wells/President/Doomsday Man - Bob Sherman Interviewer/Reporter - Madi Hedd Captain - Stuart Milligan Guard - Ian Tyler Nurse/Nadia- Zhivila Roche Reporter/MP/Announcer/Stewardess - Alex Marshall Beryov - Peter Gale Petrushka - Richard Marner Ellsberg - George Coulouris The Nachalnik - Paul Hardwick Locke - Alan Tilvern Kowalski - Carl Duering Cabbie - Peter Whitman Hostess - Gay Baynes Papa Mike - Errol MacKinnon Minister/Sandy - Peter Tuddenham Call Girl/Operator - Carole Boyd Chuck - Bruce Boa Inspector - Peter Marinker Fergus - James Bryce Aram Sarian - Vladek Sheybal Saul - Blain Fairman Girl - Mary Cornford Winston - Stuart Organ Tucker - Norman Jones Sleet/Reporter - Brett Usher

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 24 April-19 June 1983

©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

© 2022 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529188271

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Lydbog: 21. april 2022