Michael Beard, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, has covered up the accidental death of his young colleague Tom Aldous and planted evidence to frame his wife's lover, Rodney Tarpin. Show more

Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Michael Beard has just been told by his girlfriend, Melissa, that she is pregnant. This is not the news he wanted to hear. Show more

Professor Michael Beard is driving with his business partner, Toby Hammer, to the official opening of their new solar energy plant. But events are about to conspire against them. Show more

Michael Beard is being pursued by a lawyer from Albuquerque and, to make matters worse, his American girlfriend has just told his English girlfriend that they are getting married. Show more

After the accidental death of a colleague, Michael Beard has stolen the young scientist's files on solar energy and framed his ex-wife's lover for murder. It's now five years later. Show more

After divorcing his fifth wife, Professor Michael Beard has a new girlfriend, Melissa, but she is behaving differently towards him. Then he receives some unwelcome news. Show more

Prof Michael Beard has been away for a week on a climate change expedition in the Arctic Circle. He returns home early to find an unexpected visitor - with shocking consequences. Show more

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Michael Beard has been humiliated to discover that his fifth wife, Patrice, is having an affair with their builder, Rodney Tarpin. Show more

Michael Beard, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, finds that his fifth marriage is floundering. But this time it is different - she is having the affair. Show more

Four more years have passed, and Professor Beard is travelling to New Mexico for the launch of his new solar energy plant. But his plans - and his personal life - begin to unravel. Show more