Radio 4’s BBC Drama department has notched up another winner with the Inspector Baldi series. Written by Barry Devlin, these audiobooks for MP3 downloads chart the adventures of Franciscan Priest Father Paolo Baldi. This series has already become something of a cult and is achieving a wider audience, in part thanks to the stellar performance by Shameless-star David Threlfall as the central character.

If the idea of a Franciscan priest turning detective sounds implausible, think again. Paolo Baldi began working with the police as a translator for an Italian witness to a crime. Once he realised that he had the capacity to help others in this fashion, Baldi took a sabbatical from the church and decided to immerse himself in the world of amateur crime-solving. However, what makes this character so particularly interesting is that his faith is often at odds with the decisions he has to make in the throes of a case. Being compassionate and non-judgemental, Baldi often sympathises with the very people he is supposed to be hunting down, leading him to have to make some very tough choices.

Testament to the show’s popularity is the list of well-respected actors queuing up to take part. Alongside Threlfall you’ll find names such as Martin Clunes, Bill Nighy, Stephen Moore and Victoria Smurfit. Perfect audio entertainment, expertly delivered, and available as MP3 downloads or as audiobooks on CD format.