Benedict Cumberbatch reads five stories featuring the famous vegetarian railway detective Thorpe Hazell, as heard on BBC Radio 4.

In "The Affair of the German Dispatch-Box", Hazell hatches a daring plan to retrieve a highly sensitive government document before it reaches the German Ambassador. In "Sir Gilbert Murrell's Picture", when an entire wagon containing valuable paintings disappears from a goods train, Hazell's skill is needed. In "The Affair of the Corridor Express", a multimillionaire's son disappears from a moving train. Hazell must find the kidnappers before the boy is lost forever. In "The Stolen Necklace" a lady begs Hazell to help when the diamond necklace that she borrowed is stolen from her suitcase. In "The Affair of the Birmingham Bank", customers keep drawing money from a Midlands bank, so gold reserves are sent by train. Hazell must guard against train robbery.