Detective and Mystery – Retro Radio Podcast

Valuable pearls are missing, and Inspector Farraday thinks his favorite suspect did it. He's out to prove that Blackie did it with a vengeance. If Blackie didn't steal the pearls, then why does he have them on his person? Shorty has some explaining to do. A gangster named Duke comes around looking for the pearls, and isn't opposed to taking them by force. Evading the thug, blackie is soon picked up by Farraday, this time for murder. Blackie makes a break from the cops, and right into the hands of more gangsters. All Blackie has to do is hand the pearls over, and he's free to go. Too bad he hid them. Now the criminal has to visit the police station to swipe the pearls from under the nose of Farraday. It all plays together to deliver the bad guys into the hands of the cops and solve Farraday's mystery for him.

News flash from CBS news: Peace talks may be coming for the fighting in Korea. Audio in today's show is excellent. Meeting a sea captain, Marlowe learns his services won't be needed after all. Getting paid for the job he didn't do, Philip intends to enjoy some time doing nothing. A call for help alerts Marlowe that something fishy is going on that could be a matter of life or death. It's head thumping time for Marlowe. Shaking the fuzziness from his head, Marlowe meets yet another person named Higgins. Who is this odd family that includes a strong sea captain, frightened fawn of a girl, and motherly woman? Philip is still locked away, and trying to regain all his senses. Dale Higgins is back, but who is more confused? The girl, or Marlowe. Captain Higgins is back with explanations. Will Marlowe buy the story? Who was it who hit him hard enough to still have a swimming head? Feeling well enough to leave the strange Higgins family, Philip is too intrigued to leave this chapter of his life behind him. Can he learn what he needs to know without rocking the boat? If he isn't careful, somebody could end up dead. With the help of informants, a priest, and nuns, Philip may have this case in contrasts cracked. Now he has to bring it to justice.

When other investigators have been driven away, it's time to get Nick Carter on the job. Things get interesting pretty quick, as he mobilizes his team. Stubby and Patsy keep watch, as Nick thrusts himself into checking out the mining operation. Special lead lined caskets are brought in to handle the bodies from the previously killed detectives. Hey, what's the third one for? Stubby needs to be careful, or it might be for him. Nick suspects there's more to the caskets, and hides out in one to go for a ride. The crooks think they're in the clear, until Nick makes his move. Has he thought of everything, or will Nick have the tables turned on him? Help comes from an unexpected direction. Has Nick finally blown the lid off the mystery at the Flying Duck Mine?

An episode for parents, not your children. Homicide Detail. A woman with a 2 year old child have disappeared, and there's no reason for it. It's up to Joe Friday to find them. Stepping into the halls of the homicide detail, Joe learns that a fellow detective is about to marry off his daughter, Alice, to a nice accountant. As Ben Romero enters, he refreshes the case of the disappearance of just a couple days ago. What is the interesting part he has on Mrs Gorman? Ralph Kane is also missing from his printshop job. Joe describes mundane procedure in voiceover, as he returns to interview Mr Pierson who busies himself with feeding his cats. The checks flow over to neighbor, Thelma White, and the voiceover continues to describe more footwork. The crowd roars at the baseball game where Gorman is playing, but can he offer more insight on why his wife may have disappeared? Stepping into the relative calm of the locker room, the word of a possible scandal emerges. Weeks pass with nothing but blind leads. A break finally reveals a trace of the missing girl, but the blood stains aren't hopeful. The only good news is that Kane and Mrs Gorman have been found, and are being staked out. Detectives converge on the suspects to question them on the missing Nancy. Why did they even take the child? Did the girl really run away? How will mom explain the blood stains? What about Kane's side of the story? Will it serve to cause mom to crack? A suicide pact is behind the sad tale, but with ever changing stories, the police manage to get to the truth when Nancy is found.

Audio is good, but muffled a little. After a shooting in Los Angeles, Johnny Dollar is on the job to interview the girl who is being held as a material witness. Might there be a jealous lover who didn't want Norma dating Alonzo? Johnny thinks Norma may know more than she's letting on, but is she holding back on purpose? At the hotel lounge, Johnny talks to the bartender to get a feel for what went down. Meanwhile, the police check up on Norma's story with her friends. Alonzo's wife claims that there could be other enemies who would want her husband dead. The cops think they may have a man who had motive, and knew how to find his mark. The trail leads back to Mrs Chapman. Did she set a killer onto her husband? The mystery is baffling as Johnny and the cops think it over. When bodies of suspects show up, it changes the playing field for Johnny. Norma holds the key, but will another round of interviews with her turn up the answer?

A blind man finds a disturbing message, and when a friend read Dan Holiday's ad in the paper, it's the beginning of a new adventure. The investigation begins by checking at the front desk to see who the last people were who checked out the braille book. Dan takes his blind client along, and describes the events that unfold for him. The trail leads to a doctor who seems to have something to hide. Bluffing his way through, Dan returns to the first address he went to, and under the guise of a building inspector, he finds something fishy going on with a locked door in the house. Dan arranges a distraction and hits paydirt. He breaks into the house to find the blind woman who left the note in the library book. She tells a story of her oppressive nephew and being forced to sign a will. Suddenly Dan's plan falls through, and he's caught. The nephew is going to take Dan for a ride, if you know what I mean, and it looks like it's going to be curtains for him. Then the blind man comes to the rescue. How can a blind guy get Dan out of this jam? Listen to find out.

Is Blackie on the outs with his gal Mary? Even Shorty seems to hold secrets from Mary. The break up has to do with some nasty racketeers who Blackie is entangled with, and finds himself being kidnapped. Will he be set up to take the fall for a robbery and murder? Is there anything Blackie can do to stop the ruthless thugs? Will the gang believe that Mary is actually no longer Blackie's girlfriend? If not, she might be in danger. Inspector Farraday has Blackie in custody, and isn't inclined to believe his story. Still, will he stand by and let Mary suffer at the hands of the gangsters? Blackie has to put his skills at opening locks to work so he can escape, and see that justice is done. as Blackid faces off with the bad guys, he's sure to ensure justice is done on his own terms. listen to learn how he makes it happen, and delivers the culprits over to the cops.

A friendly skeet shooting match pits the skills of Philo Vance against DA Markham. The challenge is interrupted only when Ellen, Philo's secretary, enters the shooting range with the next case of murder. There seems to be no motive, no clues, and the reporters have a field day with the crime. The locked door mystery involves a piano, a dead woman, and sheet music with mysterious blue ink. Is the song in the sheet music actually a hit, or just one of those things that gets hyped, but nobody is buying? The music printer is Philo's only clue, and he has just found the kind of shady printinghouse that seems to have the racket down to a science. Will his nosey nature land him in danger? Will the great detective actually bend to a blackmail demand? In his absence, Ellen Dearing takes up the slack in questioning suspects. The job is one that could lead to a cat fight, as she goes on the prowl for her missing boss. What is the instructions she was left to follow in Philo's absence? With DA Markham at her side, will it change things when they revisit the printshop? Will the racketeers be so desperate to kill them both? A rescue is made, with fists flying when Philo returns. With the tables turned, we find ourselves where we came in, and now Ellen joins the skeet challenge. Stay tuned and listen to Philo's reason for leaving town, and the clues that sealed this case for him.

It's the morning of the big game with Rutgers. As Frank, Bart, and Insa look at the trophy case, a young fan is thrilled to meet a football hero.. even if the kid will be cheering for the other team. Andy takes our heroes on a tour of the campus. Time for the kickoff, and Andy joins Insa to cheer in the stands. Rutgers is playing tough in the first half. Is there a problem with the game ball? It comes down to seconds on the clock, and one touchdown to win. Yale pulls it off, but the problem with the game ball is that it was a trophy ball from a win the previous week for Rutgers. A mystery shows itself when the winning kick for the extra point caused the ball to disappear. An angry crowd mobs outside the Yale locker room,, demanding the ball back. How can Frank oblige if he doesn't know where it went? Frank promises to deliver on the ball, but does he know how to locate it? Was the ball stolen to embarrass Frank?

Juvenile Bureau. Reports of children going door to door, begging for food, despite being from a well to do family crosses the path of Joe Friday. Working the day watch, Joe Friday and Ben Romero walk the halls of headquarters when they learn of the half starved kids. The laundress and cook in a colonial style mansion tells what she knows of the kids. She doesn't mind giving out food, and though she feels its not her place, something needs to be done about the missing parents, and other kids who are in a bind in the house. In voiceover, Joe describes the unkempt condition of the mansion where the kids are fending for themselves. Alone for at least four days, young Robert explains that his mom hasn't left before... um... well OK, not very often, or... well a few times. There's a lot for such a young boy to take care of, including a sick baby. Joe reports in voiceover how the kids were given attention by the juvenile departments, and the comatose baby taken to medical care. The search begins for the missing mother. Will her body turn up in the morgue? The matter turns serious when the baby dies. The only lead is a blood stained coat of the missing woman. A meeting with Mrs Macintosh who is on an outing with her kids at the zoo. Joe and Ben learn of an ex-husband, Richard. Who is Larry, and what's his connection to the missing mother? The trail leads to a hotel room where the loveless mother feels that kids, and her life have become too much of a drag on her. Joe has the news that her life is about to become even more of a drag.

Answering the call, Johnny responds to a jewel theft in England. The historic establishment, Hachett House, is the focal point of where the tourists lost their diamonds. Maids, gardeners, ivy covered cottages, and butlers all portray a pastoral setting, but a tale of unhappiness and rivalry is soon to emerge. The dirt is dished out for Johnny, complete with slimy leeches, and drunken parties. Hatred, envy, broken friendships, and betrayal. What does it all mean for the stolen jewels? Is it connected at all? How about a marriage for money and not love? With all those suspicious characters, the situation is ripe to step the crime up a notch. Juicy scandal, but very stupid, especially when its right under the noses of Scotland Yard, and Johnny Dollar. A body is found, but will there be more before Johnny can guess who it is?

Before leaving town, Larry Brown pays off a debt he owes to Boston Blackie. Shorty is sent to the bank, but manages to get sidetracked. He has to let Blackie know he never quite made it. Still using errand boys to do his bidding, Blackie sends another to pick up that envelope from the hotel where Larry left it for him. This time murder is involved, and Faraday has another chance to twist the details in the crime to pin it on his favorite pal, Blackie. Blackie faces the business end of Faraday’s pistol but escapes once his opening arrives. Down at the waterfront, Blackie has trouble with a nervous informant, and the body count rises. Still in hiding, Blackie believes he knows who the killer is, but will Faraday catch up to Blackie to take him in? Will Faraday believe him when Blackie presents all the clues to him? Not entirely trusting him, at least Faraday gives Blackie some room to lay a trap for the killer. I think Faraday only went for it since Blackie put his life in the balance as bait. After the trap is sprung, Blackie still has trouble with Shorty, and getting side tracked on his errands.

A gangland execution goes down, as payback for one thug crossing another over a dame. The matter enters the office of DA Markham, when Miss Belmonte reports her murdering boyfriend. To steer clear of the ruthless gang activity, she intends to hide out in South America for the indefinite future. Will Philo get the chance to ask her for more information before her disappearance? While Philo and Markham stake out the house of Miss Bellmonte, an explosion seems to signal the next round of gang retaliations. The chase could take Philo all the way to South America to get to the elusive girlfriend. Before he goes, he confronts the thugs left standing to let them know their partying may be jumping the gun. After fists have flown, and thumps to the head administered, Philo lets Markham know he's OK. Finding Miss Bellmonte already back in town (wow, that was a quick trip for a 5000 mile return... only on radio), our heroes meet at the location of her damaged home. Time to start drawing the strings to this case tightly around the bad guys to trap the one behind it all. All the players are rounded up, taken to the station, and Philo explains all. There's one last twist in the tale, but it shouldn't be all that difficult to keep up as Philo ensures he has all the crooks in his net.

A robbery investigation quickly turns into murder. A movie producer tells how he has been plagued with disasters that keep actors and others away with superstitious beliefs. Assessing the clues brings a more sane direction to the investigation, at least for Nic. Still, the weird accidents keep happening. Props from a voodoo picture keep showing up in the scenes, and even another murder. Riley is beginning to crack, and believe the studio just might be haunted. Nick knows the answers to all his questions lie in that old movie. What will our heroes find when they review the movie? Special affects, a voice that rings familiar, and new clues to move things along. Riley goes to stand guard at the new movie being shot, while Nick keeps up the snooping with Patsy. A major clue shows up, but it'll have to wait. Someone just entered the room. Quick! Hide! What ever you don't anybody sneeze... uh-oh... you know what somebody's sure to do. With their cover blown, Nick and Patsy are in trouble, and could be the next victims of the killer. Back at the movie shoot, things begin to go wrong. Can Riley handle the matter single handedly? Just then an amazing thing happens! After a shoot out, Nick tells all about how he got away, and how he thwarted the plans of the criminals.

Accident Investigation,, Traffic Detail. Two elderly women are the victims of a hit and run , and it's up to Joe Friday to find the driver. Act home, Joe is greeted by his doting mother. She remembers times past when the elder Mr Friday was alive. Other youthful times sharing picnic baskets are shared as well. The soft memories are only disturbed by the call to report to work, and the investigation of the hit and run of the two elderly women. On the scene, Joe is joined by partner, Ben Romero. They review clues, and interview witnesses. The car is identified as a Ford, with a young driver Joe offers voiceover to move details of the case along, but there isn't much else to go on. A lab technician reports on the forensics, and backs up what the witnesses claim. When one of the ladies dies, the stakes have just been bumped up from a felony to manslaughter. The voiceover continues as reports are typed up and filed, and bulletins are prepared to print. Weeks pass, leads checked out, repair shops are checked, all with no luck. Finally, a break comes in when a teenager pulls his car into a shop, needing body work matching the kind of damage matching the bulletins. What makes the garage owner feel the kid will come back to have the work done? Checks are run on the kid, and a record is on file. Is there a chance that Joe will find him before he returns to the garage? Though he has moved, he still might be tracked through the DMV. In voiceover, Joe gives the mundane details of finding the residence. A confrontation with the kid turns up holes in his story. Why did he do it? Why did he flee the scene? Somehow just saying you're sorry isn't going to be enough.