New radio novel at the BBC

When British High Commissioner Edward Clay launched a tirade against corruption in Kenya, he used a curious metaphor involving fruits and nuts. The BBC got the bright idea to fashion a mystery novel around it and recruited the likes of Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin and Jasper Fforde to write chapters. The radio novel is now up to chapter five (William Boyd) and you can listen to all the installments here. It’s always great fun to hear authors read their work on the radio because there’s such difference. Rankin’s a longtime vet and modulates his voice just so and keeps things fairly deliberate and slow; McCall Smith pitches his voice low, but Jasper Fforde’s voice goes higher and progresses more quickly. And I wonder how the story’s going to continue…?

(Thanks to AC for the link)