Jack Frost

Detective Inspector Jack Edward Frost, GC is a fictional detective created by R. D. Wingfield - characterised as sloppy, untidy, hopeless with paperwork - but unmatched at solving mysteries. The character has appeared in two radio plays, six published novels, and an ongoing television series. In the TV series his name is given as William Edward Frost, with "Jack" being a nickname.

Radio plays

The character first appeared in a radio play entitled Three Days of Frost first transmitted on BBC Radio 4 on 12 February 1977. He was portrayed by Leslie Sands. The character's second appearance was also on BBC Radio 4, in a play entitled A Touch of Frost, transmitted on 6 February 1982. In the second radio play the character was portrayed by Derek Martin.

Novels

Wingfield has published six novels about D. I. Frost:

• Frost at Christmas (1984 / 1995, Bantam Crimeline, New York), ISBN 0-553-57168-0 (U.S. mass market paperback edition)
• A Touch of Frost (1987 / 1995 Bantam Crimeline, New York), ISBN 0-553-57169-9 (U.S. mass market paperback edition)
• Night Frost (1992, Constable, London / 1995, Bantam Crimeline, New York), ISBN 0-553-57167-2 (U.S. mass market paperback edition)
• Hard Frost (1995 UK & U.S.) ISBN 0-553-57170-2 (U.S. mass market paperback edition)
• Winter Frost (1999, Constable, London / 2000 Corgi Books, London) ISBN 0-552-14778-8 (Corgi Books paperback)
• A Killing Frost (2008, Bantam Press / Corgi Books, London) ISBN 0-552-15689-2 (Corgi Books paperback)

Television series

Beginning in 1992, television adaptations of the novels, and further stories based on the characters have been transmitted on ITV in the UK. The series stars David Jason as Jack Frost. This series has been broadcast under the umbrella title A Touch of Frost. To date, there have been thirty-seven stories broadcast (forty if two-part stories are counted individually). These have been released on VHS and DVD internationally.

References

• Fan page about the radio plays of R. D. Wingfield, by Alison and Nigel Deacon.