Suspense - Radio’s Outstanding Theater of Thrills

The Man Who Knew How: Death in the Bath and the Perfect Crime

Originally Aired: August 10, 1944
In Suspense #104, “The Man Who Knew How,” a chance conversation on a train plunges the unassuming Mr. Pender into a nightmare of suspicion and obsession. When a stranger boasts of knowing the perfect, undetectable way to murder—by poisoning with a compound triggered by a hot bath—Pender brushes it off as a morbid joke. But as deaths-by-bath mount in his neighborhood, he becomes convinced he’s stumbled upon a real-life killer who’s quietly getting away with murder. Paranoia mounts, loyalties shift, and justice grows murky in this ingenious psychological thriller about trust, guilt, and the seductive appeal of the “perfect” crime.
Cast:
Charles Laughton, Hans Conried
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, psychological, perfectcrime, CharlesLaughton, HansConried, oldtimeradio, mystery, murder, poison, bath, paranoia, classicdrama, 1940sradio, detective, suspensepodcast

Banquo’s Chair: Ghosts, Guilt, and a Deadly Dinner

Originally Aired: August 3, 1944
In Suspense #103, “Banquo’s Chair,” retired detective Sir William Brent stages a dinner party at a gloomy English mansion to unmask a murderer who’s slipped through the law. With the help of a crime writer, a loyal friend, and an actress hired to impersonate the murder victim’s ghost, Brent creates an atmosphere of terror and psychological warfare to break the killer’s composure. But when the spectral plan goes too well, the line between trickery and true haunting blurs, leading to a chilling confession—and a final twist that suggests some spirits are not so easily dismissed. A classic tale of psychological suspense, pride, and the cost of playing God.
Cast:
Donald Crisp, John Loder
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, psychological, ghoststory, BanquosChair, DonaldCrisp, JohnLoder, oldtimeradio, mystery, confession, hauntedhouse, classicdrama, vintagecrime, 1940sradio, dinnerparty, twistending, suspensepodcast

The Black Shawl: A Mother’s Madness and a Captive’s Escape

Originally Aired: July 27, 1944
 
In Suspense #102, “The Black Shawl,” a young woman named Susan Appleby accepts what seems like a simple live-in companionship job for a grieving widow—but soon finds herself trapped in a house of secrets, madness, and menace. Her new employer, Mrs. Masters, speaks tenderly of her lost son, a once-promising sculptor—until Susan discovers he’s not dead at all, but hidden upstairs, broken in body and mind. As Susan pieces together the disturbing truth about past companions who never left, she realizes she may not survive to tell her tale. A gothic psychological thriller that builds slowly toward a harrowing finale.
 
Cast:
Maureen O’Sullivan, Dame May Whitty
 
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, psychological, gothic, captivity, MaureenOSullivan, DameMayWhitty, blackshawl, oldtimeradio, mystery, gaslight, madness, escape, vintagehorror, 1940sradio, classicdrama, femmehorror, suspensepodcast

Of Maestro and Man: A Contract, A Steamroom, A Finale

In Suspense #101, “Of Maestro and Man,” a former impresario turned boxing manager spirals into obsession after gambling debts force him to sell his only fighter, Ricky Martin, to a crooked promoter. But when Ricky announces he’s quitting the ring to marry and start a new life, the Maestro’s grip on reality begins to slip. What follows is a tense, steam-filled descent into betrayal and madness, as the Maestro hatches a chilling plan to ensure Ricky’s career—and life—end on his terms. A brooding tale of control, loss, and one man’s tragic finale.
Originally aired: July 20, 1944
Cast:
Peter Lorre, Richard Conte, Wally Maher
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, boxing, noir, psychological, 1940s, PeterLorre, oldtimeradio, betrayal, obsession, revenge, crime, drama, tragicfinale, fightgame, steamroom, manipulation, classic
 

The Beast Must Die: A Hunter’s Revenge

In Suspense #100, “The Beast Must Die,” a grieving crime writer named Frank Hargrove embarks on a chilling journey of vengeance after the hit-and-run death of his young son. Determined to find the killer, Frank assumes a false identity and infiltrates the suspect’s circle, meticulously documenting his intentions in a diary. As he plays a dangerous game of deception, the lines between justice and obsession blur, culminating in a deadly confrontation. This psychological thriller explores grief, guilt, and the human capacity for retribution. Originally aired: July 13, 1944.
 
Cast:
Herbert Marshall, Lurene Tuttle, William Johnstone, Wally Maher, Joseph Kearns
 
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, revenge, drama, crime, mystery, psychological, noir, radio, 1940s, detective, HerbertMarshall, oldtimeradio, hitandrun, grief, murder, identity, deception, retribution, classic

The Search for Henri Lefebvre: A Melody from the Mind’s Abyss

Originally Aired: July 6, 1944
The Search for Henri Lefebvre: A Melody from the Mind’s Abyss
A composer named Adolphus Flynn finishes a new orchestral work—only to hear it broadcast over the radio that very evening, credited to a long-dead composer he’s never heard of. Convinced he’s being plagiarized or haunted, Flynn launches a desperate investigation to find the mysterious Henri Lefebvre. But the truth is far more disturbing: the music is real, the composer is real, and Flynn may not be who he thinks he is. As memories of a past life unravel, the lines blur between genius and madness in this haunting psychological mystery.
Keywords: “Suspense Henri Lefebvre episode,” “Paul Muni radio drama,” “Lucille Fletcher suspense play,” “composer psychological thriller,” “July 1944 Suspense CBS,” “Roma Wines mystery episode,” “musical identity mystery”
Cast: Paul Muni (Adolphus Flynn / Henri Lefebvre), with supporting cast from the Suspense radio company. Written by Lucille Fletcher. Produced and directed by William Spier.

The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Bibles, Blood, and a Buried Masterpiece

Originally Aired: June 29, 1944
The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Bibles, Blood, and a Buried Masterpiece
When gossip columnist Patrick Darcy receives a cryptic visit from an old priest, he’s drawn into a deadly mystery involving a pair of Bibles marked “E.B.,” a murdered clergyman, and the long-lost final mural of a forgotten artist. With the help of a frightened young woman and a trail of coded scripture, Darcy uncovers the truth hidden beneath layers of lies, greed, and betrayal. From a graveyard clue to a Greenwich Village tenement, the search for the “walls of Jericho” becomes a race against time—and a murderer who will kill again to possess the priceless secret.
Keywords: “Suspense The Walls Came Tumbling Down,” “June 29 1944 Suspense episode,” “Keenan Wynn Suspense radio,” “lost mural mystery thriller,” “Father Walsh murder story,” “rare Bibles radio drama,” “Roma Wines classic broadcast”
Cast: Keenan Wynn (Patrick Darcy), with supporting performances by the Suspense radio company. Directed by William Spier.

The Ten Grand: A Chorus Girl's Close Call

Episode Title: The Ten Grand: A Chorus Girl's Close CallOriginally Aired: June 22, 1944
The Ten Grand: A Chorus Girl's Close Call
Down-on-her-luck dancer Gigi Lewis is scrounging for a meal when fate hands her a mysterious bankroll—possibly $10,000 in cash—stuffed into her returned purse after a snatching attempt. But with the money comes danger, cryptic messages, and suspicious strangers following her through the New York City subway. As she navigates the late-night shadows, she's not sure who to trust: the strange man who returned her purse, the kindly old lady with secrets of her own, or the pair of ominous men on her trail. With danger closing in, Gigi is forced to decide whether to run, fight, or place her trust in a cause much bigger than herself.
Keywords: "Lucille Ball Suspense radio," "The Ten Grand 1944 episode," "Suspense CBS noir drama," "chorus girl thriller," "Roma Wines suspense stories," "New York subway mystery," "Lucille Ball thriller radio episode"
Cast: Lucille Ball (Gigi Lewis), supporting cast uncredited.

A Friend to Alexander: A Duel Beyond the Grave

Originally Aired: June 15, 1944
A Friend to Alexander: A Duel Beyond the Grave
In this haunting and psychologically rich episode of Suspense, based on the short story by James Thurber, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Richard Whorf star in a tale where history, dreams, and reality fatally collide.
Harry Andrews is a happy, easygoing man—until he starts having recurring dreams about Aaron Burr. Night after night, Harry sees Burr insult, provoke, and ultimately murder Alexander Hamilton in a dreamscape that feels chillingly real. The dreams begin to take over Harry’s waking life, infecting his work, his marriage, and his peace of mind.
Though his wife Bess tries desperately to save him—urging him to leave town, seek medical help, and even take a vacation—the ghost of Burr follows Harry wherever he goes. In the countryside, during target practice, Harry rehearses for a duel he believes he must fight. In the middle of the night, he marches off the paces, reenacting the fatal confrontation at Weehawken.
Finally, in the early morning hours, Harry faces his imaginary adversary. With a steady hand and a determined heart, he "duels" Aaron Burr—and collapses, dead, as though shot through the heart.
A chilling meditation on obsession, honor, and the deadly grip of unresolved grudges, A Friend to Alexander is a masterpiece of psychological suspense that leaves listeners questioning where dreams end and destiny begins.
Keywords: "Suspense A Friend to Alexander episode," "June 1944 Suspense radio drama," "James Thurber psychological story," "Aaron Burr duel dream," "Alexander Hamilton radio thriller," "Geraldine Fitzgerald Suspense," "Richard Whorf radio performance."
Cast: Geraldine Fitzgerald (Bess Andrews), Richard Whorf (Harry Andrews), produced and directed by William Spier, adapted from the story by James Thurber.

Case History on Edgar Lowndes: The Train That Never Stopped

Originally Aired: June 8, 1944
Case History on Edgar Lowndes: The Train That Never Stopped
In this darkly psychological episode of Suspense, two of Hollywood’s most iconic actors—Thomas Mitchell and Donald Crisp—deliver powerhouse performances in a tale that unravels the twisted mind of a man haunted by death, guilt, and memory.
Edgar Lowndes is a powerful railroad tycoon tormented by debilitating headaches. Seeking help from psychiatrist Dr. Aronson, Lowndes confesses a series of troubling events: the accidental death of his ailing wife due to a medicine mix-up, and a childhood friend lost in a train wreck. But as Dr. Aronson probes deeper, it becomes clear these events are linked not by misfortune, but by motive.
As memories flood back, Lowndes recounts a chilling childhood trauma—watching his paralyzed father die on train tracks, a death he could have prevented but chose not to. His subconscious guilt has spiraled into a need to relive and repeat the act of killing. With each victim—a friend, a wife, a stranger on a train—Lowndes is symbolically murdering his father all over again.
When the truth surfaces, so does the danger. Lowndes pulls a gun, ready to silence the man who knows too much. But Dr. Aronson turns Lowndes’ mind against itself—using a recorded voice from a previous session to replay the cries of his dying father. The mental break is instant. Lowndes flees—and leaps to his death, believing he’s boarding the train that haunted his dreams.
A chilling masterpiece of psychological drama, Case History on Edgar Lowndes explores inherited trauma, subconscious vengeance, and the fragile boundary between guilt and madness.
Keywords: "Suspense Case History Edgar Lowndes," "Thomas Mitchell Donald Crisp radio drama," "June 1944 Suspense episode," "psychological murder radio story," "Roma Wines suspense classic," "railroad symbolism murder plot," "train trauma and subconscious guilt."
Cast: Thomas Mitchell (Edgar Lowndes), Donald Crisp (Dr. Aronson), with supporting performances by the Suspense radio company. Written by Robert Tallman. Produced and directed by William Spier.