Detective and Mystery – Retro Radio Podcast

All week long,, the football team has been preparing for the big game. A rival, and a bully from their past has just enrolled at Yale. Will he mean trouble for Frank? Rearranging his schedule, Frank clears it so he can miss debate practice to go to football practice instead. On the football field, Frank gets in a good workout, but unknown to him, his rival has pulled strings to switch the debate to its original time. To miss one is to be ineligible for the other. What will Frank do now! Will scholastic duties take presidence over athletics? There's still hope, when Frank should be able to make the game by the second half. Does rival, Billy, still have something up his sleeve to challenge Frank? Delays set in when the captain of the Amhurst team is missing. Meanwhile on the football field, the team hold their own, barely.. Using his head, Frank finds a message that helps locate the missing debate team captain. The race is on to make it to the football game in time for a double win.

Henry Hutton is a man with three women in love with him, and all are different. Henry was a prosperous businessman, and in his chauffeur driven car we find him with his young, trophy girlfriend. Would the cute friend of his wife go as far as to kill Mrs Hutton so she could be with Henry? At his country cottage Henry drops in on another woman, also a friend of his wife Emilie. The old maid, Janet, seems comfortable in her role as the other woman in Henry's second life. At home, the sickly Emilie has needs that cramp the active life of a busy, world traveling executive like Henry. Is she as sick as she makes out to be? The ladies all know each other, and the mild mannered Janet has tea with Emilie, who is grateful for her company. Henry pops in and the crucial moment lays possible blame at the feet at any of our players when Emilie takes a permanent nap. Was it a poisoned cup of tea or coffee? Maybe tainted medicine that killed, rather than cure? Henry seems to have had cold feet, and when the doctor and young Anna find the body, both seem genuinely surprised at Emilie's death. Which one could it have been? The family doctor initially diagnosed heart failure, and Henry has to make a decision. Who will he break it off with, and who will he choose to be with? Will people begin to talk at marrying Dorothy so soon after the death of Emilie? The law takes a second look at the cause of death, and when arsenic is found, Henry is on the hot seat. Will the court find Henry innocent? Newspapers have a field day with the high profile crime, but if more convincing evidence isn't forthcoming, Henry may spend his final days on death row. It was Henry, wasn't it?

A son drops his father off for a fishing excursion, but the only boat captain on the dock refuses to be hired. The wealthy man doesn't take no for an answer, but little does he know the fishermen are actually racketeers, and this may just be his last boat ride. Back in town, Philo Vance has hit on a dry spell in helping the District Attorney, until the case of the missing Mr Case enters his office. Elsewhere, the racketeers make the expected punny jokes about the fisherman being caught by his own fishes, as they rendezvous with their connection. Meanwhile, Philo asks about what boats are usually for hire at the last time Mr Case was last seen. Might it be possible the son is the contact for a jewel smuggling ring? By now, Philo has a good idea the missing persons case is actually murder, and who is behind it, and why. You know what that means... some overly confident gangsters are about to be set up for a trap of the detective's expert doing. Philo shares what he knows with DA Markham as he lets the mystery unravel. Ride back out to sea as the hard evidence is gathered to catch the bad guys red handed. Justice is sure as Philo lays out all the clues.

Riley helps investigate a mystery at a museum exhibit of an Egyptian crypt. Not only is there a problem, but a body is soon uncovered that is a lot more fresh than a mummy. Is there a curse on the artifacts? Nick smells a rat, and sets up a trap to lure a killer out. Was there any treasure in the crypt? Will the spooky warnings surround the crypt never end? Do the perpetrators think they can pull a fast one with Nick, Patsy, and Riley? Nick is playing his cards close to the vest, and letting the crooks run with their schemes. Nick has all he needs, and a final trap is set. Riley and Patsy won’t be in danger will they? Where did Nick go? Stand by for gun play, and a full explanation of the strange events.

Homicide Detail. There’s suspicion of foul play in a murder of an upscale woman. The account of a missing woman who hasn’t been seen for two months seems strange to the police detectives, Joe Friday, and Ben Romero. Why did her doctor husband wait so long before reporting her absence? He claims its her wealthy family trying to meddle in his affairs, and interfere with his money. Why would his wife decide to up and leave at an important time like this? Plans on a 12 story professional building are about to be finalized. Checking with the wife’s family, a different story of money, and who is trying to tap into whose cash is revealed. With the wife caught in the middle, either side might have motive to do her in. Who is telling the truth? Which side has their alibis straight? Facts need to be checked to uncover a web of lies. As soon as Joe uncovers the truth from a well intended, but duped secretary, the house of cards come falling down, and the legacy of a huge office building with your own name on it will forever be out of the reach of a killer.

Frank and Bart are spending their summer working as lifeguards at Coney Island. The amusement park attractions feature a human cannonball, and Frank needs to stay in the water as lifeguard to keep people back. Will a stunt help with publicity for the act? When the girl overshoots the net, Frank thinks she’ll drown and goes to rescue her… despite her objections. Is she delirious? Frank gets the cold shoulder from his girlfriend, Insa, for rescuing the pretty girl, who didn’t need saving. Will she forgive him? At any rate, publicity is booming for the cannon attraction. The girl, Lola, explains the act to Frank and Bart. Is there going to be more pranks afoot? The cannon continues to be a success, so Frank and his friends enjoy the other attractions on the boardwalk. At the shooting gallery, Frank asks if there are guns that aren’t so worn out. Has he just uncovered a smuggling ring of military grade rifles? The guys are shanghaied and packed into a crate bound for South America. Can Frank think fast and have Insa and Lola rescue them? Time to make short work of the gun runners.

A burglary call mobilizes the cops into action. Though their response time is within minutes, the crooks are gone, and Philo Vance is on hand to review the meager clues with the District Attorney. Timing seems crucial as the cops follow the trail through street thug types, and even dancers in a theater. The backer, Mr Carter has a special recommendation, to elevate a no talent show girl into a leading star. Miss Evans is at least willing to come to Philo, even if her clue is a flimsy one. Watch out, danger, and a thump on the head could be in someone’s future. Simple minded thugs are no match for Philo to outsmart, and escape. Back on the chase, Philo confronts Carter, but will a confession come so easily? The tables are turned, and Philo has all the information he needs to crack the case of the safe robbery, and murder of the racketeer. Stay tuned to see how all the pieces fit together.

An early morning phone call gets Johnny started on his way to the city, the Equitable building, and the scene of emergency vehicles. Was the victim a jumper, or was he pushed? A string of carbides to boost his expense account and questioning, lands Johnny at the feet of a distraught wife. Her tears are calmed, but she becomes upset when she begins to believe Johnny’s investigation will only serve to keep her parted with insurance money that’s due to her. It’s off to the rural cops to find out what they know about the recent death. The relaxing hunting lodge seems pleasant enough, but Johnny needs to get more details from the country doctor. How did he identify the badly burned body? Discrepancies soon appear. Was it really George Farmer who died? Putting on the pressure, and along with the cops, Johnny lays out all the details. Is it going to be enough to force a confession from a killer?

Juvenile Bureau. A ten year old boy is missing, and its up to Joe Friday to find him. The investigation begins with Miss Keller, the homemaker for an elderly man. When was the last time she saw little Jimmy? Is there any reason a boy might run away from the care of his grandpa? Mr Sherman feels something is wrong, but can’t figure why his grandson would just disappear. A search party has been sent out in an area where Jimmy likes to hike. In voiceover, Joe recounts the procedures used to continue the search, and keep other departments notified. A hot tip comes in from a neighbor, Mr Grady. Old man Gilbert is said to be a grumpy old gent who hates everybody, especially kids. The tip turns out to go nowhere, as Joe explains about the countless other fruitless tips ,in voiceover. These are the kind of days that make Ben just want to go home and relax in a pool… if he had one. Back in headquarters, Joe has to report on the lack of results. False leads, time marches on, holidays come and go, but it takes nine months to discover Jimmy, and that he’s safe. In voiceover, Joe tells about the kidnapping ordeal, and after returning Jimmy safely to his grandpa, the cops once again visit Mr Sherman. What’s the trouble this time? It’s not Jimmy. the boy looks like Jimmy. All the folks in the neighborhood say it looks like Jimmy. Then why would the grandpa say he’s different somehow? Catching Miss Keller doing dishes, the cops ask, and she thinks the old man’s mind may be slipping. Interviewing Jimmy in the backyard workshop, what will Jimmy have to say as he saws on a block of wood with a hacksaw? Donald Rush, a run away from Ohio, managed to fit Jimmy’s description, and fed with information by over eager police, and searchers, willingly went along. He didn’t mean any harm, but it doesn’t get Mr Sherman any closer to having Jimmy back. What will the outcome be? Is there hope to locate the real Jimmy? What will happen to young Donald? Find out how justice was served in the final moments in the show.

Political scandal threatens a candidate to drop out of the race. A woman claiming to be Mrs Boston Blackie is behind the blackmail scam. The story is that the man was involved as an innocent party in a scandal that Blackie promised he would keep silent about. If so, then how did the news leak out? How did Mrs Blackie find out about it? For that matter, is her claim to have been wed to Blackie true at all? Even Blackie is surprised to find his marriage license was properly registered, just as the woman claims. How did that happen? How will Blackie deal with a jealous Mary. Plenty of questions, and a huge mess for Boston Blackie. Can it get worse? Inspector Farraday arrives on the scene, and claims that Mrs Blackie is dead, and he thinks Blackie did it. Or maybe Mary did it out of jealousy. Solution time. Blackie makes up with Mary, and puts her under wraps to keep her from being blamed by Farraday. Next it’s off to confront the political players. A gangster is connected with the events, andBlackie begins to put the pieces together. Now he just has to convince Farraday, and deliver the killer. Get ready for the big explanation, and learn how Blackie has fit all his clues together as the killer is handed over to the cops.

Paul tells his story as we go into flashback. He has taken up residence in a mansion, and is enjoying his little corner of it. A little handle reveals a hidden box with a secret in it. He’s there to write his novel, but his girlfriend is disappointed by his lack of progress. What does she think about his lavish surroundings? She prophesy’s that he’ll never finish his novel if he stays. Strange music is heard that gets into Paul’s head, and as his love for his new place grows, Elsie becomes more remote. . What’s wrong with the place? Why does Elsie seem so accident prone when she visits? Ghostly apparitions make Paul almost believe in Elsie’s concerns. After being troubled and walking the streets all night, Paul returns home to find his bed slept in… could it be Goldilocks? I wonder if he’s also missing any porridge, or has a broken chair. His concerns make him ask about what happened to the previous resident. An artist who was found dead of starvation, but with a large sum in his bank account. A supernatural hold takes control of Paul, and he begins to look for the ghostly appearance of his beckoning fair one to appear to him again. Can anyone break the spell, and take him out of his inward spiral into the realm of the house, his novel, and his beckoning fair one?? What will happen to Paul if nobody intervenes to get him out? What’ll happen to him if they try?

As Casey and Ann fight the crowds, he spots a pickpocket at work. When reporting the incident to. The floorwawalker, Casey seems to get the brush off, but is Fingers really involved with the kidnapping that made headlines? He knows what he saw, but for now its time to retreat to Ethylbert’s tavern. Ethylbert has his own tale to pass on about a guy who was caught passing bogus bills to other bartenders, in other saloons. How does it connect with the experience Casey had? Casey presents his theory to the cops, regarding the bills, and a kidnapper. Has Fingers, the pickpocket just been a patsy to take the fall for the real kidnapper? Now its time to figure out who the fat guy is that Casey identified in his original sighting. Known gangsters one to light, but it may just be a hunch that sets Casey on the right trail. When Gus arrives, Casey has found his man, but he’s now on the business end of a pistol. This could be the end of Casey and Ann as they get wrapped up, and locked in a garage full of carbon monoxide. A few gunshots, and car crash later, and our hero’s can return to Ethylbert’s to tell him all about their discovery. Bonus Tracks * Keith is helped by the Retrobots to introduce the show, and background on Casey, Crime Photographer. * After a phone call interrupts, the Retrobots get to take over, and play a few songs. * Louie Armssrong – Whadda Ya Gonnna Do. * PhilHarris – That’s What I Like About the South. (1946 version).

To keep his gold digging girlfriend in goodies, a thug hits the streets with mask and gun in hand. The brutal shooting and robbery has the attention of both the cops, and Philo Vance. The two killers make their escape, pursued by a prowler car that inches ever closer. But when Mike crashes the car on the winding roads, his pal slinks away unseen.. The cops are willing to call it a day, and pin it on the dead thug left in the car, but Philo isn’t convinced. He’s certain there were two crooks in the car, not one. His best clue is a cheesecake left in the seat of the wreck. Combined with subtle observations, Philo soon has enough to go on to locate his man. As the cops close in, Philo explains how he put the clues together. Get ready for a confrontation, and some just desserts for an exposed killer. Still need clarification on the clues?don’t worry, Vance goes over the whole thing, just to make sure.

Narcotics Detail. A drug ring is operating, and it’s up to Joe Friday to bring it down. Arriving at the felony section of the county jail, Joe and Ben sign in. Monte is transferred from cell to interview room, and tells about the stuff he had been on. Will he talk about where he had been trafficking the high grade heroine? Will his answers shed new light on the ring, or just confirm what cops already know? In voiceover, Joe describes the investigation, and the information they just gleaned. The smooth running racket won’t be a push over to take down. Joe steps into position to go undercover. In voiceover, Joe fills in details of switching to his new identity, and posing as a long time drug trafficker from Phoenix. Checking into the plaza hotel, Joe has his first brushes with the drug ring with the bellboy. In voiceover, Joe describes the patient wait before his next contact. Has the criminals taken the bait? In more voiceover, Joe tells how deeply he has been able to infiltrate the ring. The big night arrives, but danger is in store for Joe. A tip off comes that Joe is targeted to be killed, but will he be able to rely on Ben as a safety net? Cars converge in the thick fog. The deal goes down in the hail of flying fists and bullets. Who will end up as the last man standing?

Forgery Detail. Someone is stealing letters from the postal delivery, and checks they contain. The rainy day is the topic as Ben and Joe compare raincoats, the latest in compact plastic rain protection. But how does it fold up to fit back in that tiny little pouch? Ben may have trouble with it on his hands. The case of mail theft is discussed. Just how profitable is swiping packages from the sidewalk drop boxes? Checks, bank statements, and a delay in reporting missing checks all work in favor for a thief. The methods of forging, and charming the bank tellers is described, but is there a way to pin him down to a certain area of operation? As the detectives walk to the next department, the development of the case is described. With different departments hard at work, our local forgery department gets the luck of reaping the glory of picking up their man, complete with a confession. Joe sits in on the interrogation as the postal department, and others who did most of the ingestion work extract information from the young crook. The transplant from Ohio tells how he found and cashed checks. Too easy, the young man isn’t their man, and in voiceover, Joe tells how the cake ignited anew. The complex case takes months, and a tip from the postal service leads to finding their crook, and catching him red handed.