In the Red (novel)


In the Red is a 1989 PG Wodehouse Prize nominated black comedy-crime novel by Mark Tavener, featuring fictional BBC Reporter George Cragge and fictional Police Officer Frank Jefferson, investigating a series of murders of London bank managers, a small political party contesting a by-election, and a plan to overthrow the Director-General of the BBC.
The novel's setting in the worlds of finance, politics and media, was inspired by the writer's early experiences working for the BBC and the Liberal Party.
The novel was released following the production of a television adaptation of the same name.

Adaptations

The seven-part radio adaptation of the same name by Tavener and Peter Baynham, starring Michael Williams and Barry Foster in the lead roles, was followed by three six-part sequels.
The three-part television adaptation of the same name by Malcolm Bradbury stars Warren Clarke and Alun Armstrong in the lead roles.
The characters of Charles Prentis and Martin McCabe introduced in the novel were featured in their own spin-off series Absolute Power, which was also created and written by Tavener.