On a winter's night in 1974, a crime took place that would obsess the nation.

It was an extraordinary news story.

The story of an aristocrat, Lord Lucan, who's said to have killed the family Nanny,

mistaking her for his wife, then somehow just disappeared.

One of the great mysteries in English criminal history. We're still looking for Lucan.

It's honestly one of the most powerful stories of my lifetime.

I'm Alex Fondunzelman.

This is The Lucan Obsession.

Listen on BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.

Hello. Hello.

I'm Elizabeth Day.

And I'm Johnny Pitts.

I always struggle saying hello at the top of the program, Johnny.

It's one of the many little radio four skills I think we've had to learn since starting the job.

I still don't think I've got it to be honest, but we're here.

And today, as you tuck into your leftover turkey sandwiches

and look ahead to what will hopefully be a cheerier 2022, we're inviting you on a very special

journey through our literary highlights of the year.

Yeah, and our tough times can encourage great literature and what a year it's been. We both started this job in January, recording remotely during a national pandemic.

And now we're ending the year, well, recording remotely during a national pandemic.

But don't worry, because even if we're housebound, our imaginative flights of fancy have no limits.

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