Lady Molly and Mary take on the Mafia to try and prove the innocence of a young man accused of murder.

Read by Sophie Thompson.

The Lady Molly of Scotland Yard stories by Baroness Orczy feature Molly Robertson-Kirk, one of the first female detectives in literature. Originally published in 1910, Lady Molly pre-dates her real-life counterparts by almost a decade.

Relying on brains rather than brawn to solve crimes, she and her faithful assistant, Mary Granard, take on the cases of The Ninescore Mystery, The Irish-Tweed Coat and A Day's Folly, applying feminine tact and intellect to catch the culprits.

Orczy's characters The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Old Man in the Corner are literary classics, but the lesser-known Lady Molly stories are some of the first to feature a female detective as the main protagonist.

Abridger: Libby Spurrier
Producer: Jo Green
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by Greenlit Productions. Show less