John Masters

John Masters was a soldier before he became a bestselling novelist. He joined a Gurhka regiment on receiving his commission, and his depiction of garrison life and campaigning on the North-West Frontier is a matchless evocation of the British Army in India on the eve of the Second World War. Still very much the army depicted by Kipling, it stands on the threshold of a war that will transform the world.

In 1825 William Savage, an official in the East India Company, witnesses a terrible mass murder, which will lead him into the darkest depths of human nature. Finding the murderers is his highest priority, but this is bigger than he at first suspected. If he wants to find justice, he must first go amongst the murderers, and become one of them.

An 18-part serialisation of John Masters' chronicles of the Savage family, spanning the years 1825-1946 and set against the backdrop of British rule in India

Based on the hugely popular novels of John Masters, this landmark BBC Radio adaptation charts the history of the British in India through the perspective of one family over several generations. Ranging over more than 120 years, these thrilling tales of love, murder and espionage take us from the expansion of the East India Company to the last days of the Raj and the approach of Independence.

The Deceivers - 1825. When Company official William Savage witnesses a brutal double murder and uncovers grisly evidence of mass ritual sacrifice, he is drawn into the dark world of the thuggee and their murderous, Kali-worshipping cult. Can he escape with his honour - and his soul - intact? Starring David Collings, Saeed Jaffrey, and Terence Alexander.

Night Runners of Bengal - 1856, and William's son Rodney is an officer in the Bengal Army. His life is one of security and privilege - but a guru's prophecy, and disturbing events surrounding the Rani of Kishanpur, are harbingers of seismic change to come. Across India, the Great Rebellion is rising... Starring Michael Cochrane, Eva Haddon, Carole Boyd and Renu Setna.

The Lotus and the Wind - 1879. Britain and Russia are deadly rivals in the 'Great Game'. At the centre of the conflict is Afghanistan, where soldier-turned-spy Lt Robin Savage is attempting to thwart Russian intelligence. Meanwhile, the woman he loves, Anne Hildreth, witnesses a murder en route to Peshawar... Starring Bill Nighy, Juliet Stevenson, John Rowe.

Bhowani Junction - 1946, and India is heading for self-rule. But when Independence comes, what will happen to Anglo-Indians Patrick Taylor and Victoria Jones? As they search for their true identity amidst Britain's turbulent withdrawal, Colonel Rodney Savage hunts for saboteurs seeking to blow up Bhowani's railway... Starring Gary Bond, Sean Barrett and Shireen Shah.

As Captain Rodney Savage of the 13th Rifles, Bengal Native Infantry, celebrates the start of 1857 with his wife and friends in the isolated cantonment of Bhowani, news comes of a crisis that will have terrifying and widespread repercussions. As tension erupts, the British begin to wonder whether even their closest servents are trustworthy.