Books by Derek Benfield

A pathetic Yorkshire greengrocer flees to Europe in defiance of his domineering wife where he is both mistaken for an Olympic athlete from whom big things are expected in the 5,000 meters and entangled in espionage. A wild comedy appropriate for all groups.|4 women, 5 men

Chester Dreadnought has bought a lovely country cottage, dreaming of idyllic peace, but is he able to enjoy it? Not with Abel Bounty, the local unhandyman, always around, and not with Carol, an attractive girl who seems to have mysteriously moved in. Those who have met Chester already in Wild Goose Chase and Post Horn Gallop know his aptitude for social and anti-social blunders, and Lord and Lady Elrood and scatty Miss Partridge also make a reappearance.5 women, 4 men

Set in the romantic atmosphere of a sun-drenched hotel on the Italian Riviera, the peace of the holiday makers is shattered by the arrival of a determinedly outspoken widow, Agatha Hepworth and her timid spinster sister, Fiona Francis. Agatha crushes all protests as she rounds up the hotel guests in communal games and other healthy pursuits. Her unflagging spirit of togetherness invades the private lives of all the characters with riotous results.5 women, 4 men

Mr Franklyn offers Henry Scrubb £3,000 to murder him. Understandably Henry refuses, but that night Franklyn is murdered - and if Henry did not do it, who did?|3 women, 4 men

Bernard and Marion haven't seen each other in over twenty years when they meet by accident and get together to talk over old times and catch up on what has happened since they parted. And so begins a journey of memories: their first meeting, their love for each other, their marriages and children. All is underscored by a nagging question: why have they remained strangers for so long? Two actors portray Bernard and Marion at fifty and as younger people, as well as others from the past.1 woman, 1 man

Chester Dreadnought bluffs his way into the crumbling stately home of an impecunious aristocratic family, and even a trigger-happy belted Earl suffering from hallucinations cannot keep at bay the enterprising pair of jewel thieves who are pursuing their loot - not to mention Chester - round the castle. Suits of armour and secret doors, mistaken identities and dotty servants all help to provide the variety of fare that goes to the making of this wild goose chase.5 women, 5 men

When Harold Spooks is sprung from prison in order to tell the gang where in the hotel he stashed the loot, it seems that everything is going to plan. Unfortunately, he's the wrong Harold Spooks and this Harold has no idea where the money is hidden. He's also a bit of an idiot and liable to give the game away at any moment.-3 women, 3 men

Returning home unexpectedly early from a rendezvous with her lover, Sophie Fontaineau finds that her husband Etienne is absent and immediately suspects him of philandering. She accidentally spills brandy on her porter''s trousers; the poor man soon finds himself trouserless behind a screen, desperately worried by the return of Etienne, who is disguised as The Hunchback of Notre Dame.|3 women, 2 men

The peaceful atmosphere of a hotel on the Italian Riviera is shattered by the arrival of Agatha, an outspoken widow, and her timid sister, Fiona. Agatha crushes all protests as she rounds up the guests into communal games, her unflagging spirit of togetherness invading the private lives of the other characters. All the ingredients of package holidays, late flights, double bookings, foreign food etc. - provide an evening of uproarious and innocent fun.4 women, 3 men

Following his wife's recent death, Gerald hopes to spend the rest of his days alone with his memories. Without his late wife's "forward planning", a series of unexpected events occur that Gerald had not anticipated. This is a comedy from the author of "Look Who's Talking", "Beyond a Joke", and "Bedside Manners".

The highly moral Mr Potter presides over a health farm and prides himself on his high standards of decency and decorum. But when Gerald Corby, arrives in search of peace and tranquility - only to be followed by a trio of ladies - the resulting misunderstandings prove more than a headache.

When Sylvia''s boyfriend Robin walks out on her she decides on a rather unconventional method of finding a replacement. Determined not to be let down a second time, she has carefully arranged a timetable in order to "try out" various assorted lovers and assess their suitability before making her final choice of a potential husband. But timetables have a way of going wrong...|2 women, 3 men

Veteran TV talk-show host Patrick Sumner is desperate to impress his new producer Reg Godfrey, who visits Patrick's smart London flat for drinks. But Patrick reckons without the intervention of Jenny, a pretty girl who arrives on the same evening as Reg, intent upon infiltrating Patrick's private life and even passing herself off as his wife. When Patrick's real wife returns unexpectedly from a Paris trip, Patrick is forced into a spiralling series of lies and subterfuge.-3 women, 3 men

When Rachel takes up rowing as a hobby, her husband Victor never suspects that she is meeting another man in her friend, Georgina's house. Why should he? He is himself secretly meeting Georgina, while her husband, Henry, an actor, is at the theatre. But one day Henry returns home unexpectedly.

Seeking peace and tranquility, Gerald goes to spend a few days in a health farm, presided over by the highly moral Mr Potter. But his hopes are soon dashed by the arrival of his secretary (declaring her undying passion for him), his daughter (intent upon naughty assignations with her boyfriend), and his wife.-3 women, 3 men

When two unexpected guests, Jane and Brian, drop in on Sheila and Andrew, a devoted middle-age couple, what ensues is a complicated and hilarious series of misunderstandings and mistaken identities as Sheila and Andrew begin to weave an elaborate web of lies and half-truths to hide their own possible infidelities.|3 women, 2 men

When Ferris agrees to look after his sister's seedy hotel during her temporary absence in Benidorm he does not anticipate the arrival of a notorious journalist who writes a critical column about hotels in a Sunday newspaper.

When Chief Constable Henry Potterton and his sister arrive at the peaceful country house of their late, lamented brother Bernard, they are astonished to find several scantily clad ladies wandering about. During Bernard''s visit to a religious commune, his housekeeper turned the place into a "house of sin" and now she hastily tries to hide the truth. This leads to hilarious comings and goings, and when Bernard turns up alive, the household is thrown into further chaos.|6 women, 3 men

When Brian takes up jogging, his wife Hilary is not surprised. She has often told him he should exercise more after all the business lunches he consumes. But when Brian is ostensibly running round the park, he is, in fact, spending a couple of hours with his girlfriend, Wendy, in his good friend George's flat. The arrangement works well for some time, for while Brian is visiting Wendy, helpful George knows that there is no danger of his own dalliance being discovered; for the object of his affection is Brian's wife, Hilary! It is all plain sailing until George's wife Jessica returns too soon from a business trip to America and puts the cat among the pigeons.-3 women, 2 men

In this merry comedy of marital mishaps the, scene is set for an evening and morning of riotous misunderstandings and mistaken identities as the guilty parties in question try desperately to keep their romantic secrets secret!|3 women, 3 men

Why sould Ron Corley MP, the Minister for the environment, be searching for the seaside bungalow of his ex-mistress Donna on a Friday afternoon in the summer? And where does the pizza boy fit in? All is explained in this farcical drama.

A sequel to Wild Goose Chase. In the ancestral home the nerve-shattered Chester is again menaced by his old enemies Capone and Wedgwood. In the flower beds Lord Elrood lurks with his shotgun ready to repel attacks by the butcher's boy, the postman and other desperate characters. Through the ancestral living-room wander Maggie and Bert, come for two-and-sixpence-worth of gawp and suitably awestruck by the goings-on of the country-house set.|5 women, 6 men

When Paula answers the doorbell, it is not her lover Mark but a stranger who claims to be her husband James' friend. The visitor seems to suggest they murder James. A death does occur: Mark - not James - dies in an automobile accident that soon is discovered to be murder. The ever increasing tangle of lies and suspicions soon involves Paula's step-daughter. Was Mark the intended victim? Accusations and unexpected revelations culminate in a surprising climax.|2 women, 3 men

Jane and Andrew's pleasant country house is accident prone. Six people have already died there in unfortunate and embarrassing accidents. When daughter Sally's young man Geoff arrives for the weekend unaware of the house's reputation, he mistakenly deduces from conversational confusion that the deaths were due to sinister circumstances.4 women, 4 men