Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Anthony Howell, Julian Wadham, Lucy Briggs-Owen, Sam Clemens, Francesca Hunt, Nigel Carrington, Nicholas Briggs, Terry Malloy, Rachel Atkins, Derek Carlyle.

The final instalment of the first volume set of stories produced by Big Finish of The Avengers: The Lost Episodes is the first to be taken out of running order from the television series and yet by the powers of great adaption and original story-telling feels naturally at home as a sequel to the preceding audio drama Square Root of Evil.

It doesn’t matter that One For The Mortuary was originally much later in the series run than the audio drama makers have placed it, for it stands out as one of the most exciting stories of the entire first series and in a way improves upon it by given the impetus of Doctor David Keel a prominent role within the story-line after the near one man show of the previous episode.

With John Steed trusting his friend with valuable information in which is paramount to the World Health Organisation, Dr. Keel finds himself immersed into espionage arena that made The Avengers so exciting and enjoyable to many of its fans. Away from illegal betting, protection rackets and forged money, this is exactly what The Avengers was all about and John Dorney’s adaption of the original script by Brian Clemens gives the series real teeth, a real sense of accomplishment. For Anthony Howell especially, One For The Mortuary will surely be seen as a great moment in his career. Already having spent much of the last decade as a lead actor alongside Michael Kitchen and Hunnysuckle Weeks in the superb Foyle’s War, these audio dramas demonstrate the sense of authority and conviction that the actor brings to each role.

With the stakes already high and Doctor Keel unaware that he is being carefully watched by all sides, Steed having lost track of his trusted friend, time may be running out for Doctor Keel. The spying game has just begun and it is too Switzerland, that age old neutral territory in which the murderer and villain will be unmasked.

One for the Mortuary is available to purchase from Worlds Apart, Liverpool as part of The Avengers: the Lost Episodes, Volume 1.

Ian D. Hall