Tales of Suspense

Black Plumes is a mystery/detective drama based on a 1940 novel by famed Golden Age crime writer Margery Allingham. The story unfolds mainly around the Ivory family, proprietors of an art gallery in London, and centres on a series of sinister events that embroil Frances Ivory and the people around her... including unexpected deaths, secrets from a disastrous trip to Tibet, and suspicion that draws...

When the Countess of Morcar's priceless blue carbuncle is stolen, a reformed thief is charged with the crime. But a strange thing happens. Holmes tells Watson about Commissionaire Peterson's report of seeing a little knot of roughs assault a man carrying a Christmas goose home for the family. They all ran, leaving both the goose and the hat. No one could locate the man, so Peterson took possession...

Settle in for a night where DECKING THE HALLS meets DANGER and DARK SECRETS... Our special Christmas Suspense & Mystery Marathon brings together classic tales of deception, redemption, and unexpected twists - perfect for listeners who like a little chill with their cheer. From Agatha Christie’s brilliant Poirot’s Christmas , to chilling radio thrillers from Suspense like Back for Christmas and...

First broadcast in 1938, Campbell Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol stands as one of the most iconic radio interpretations of Dickens’ classic. Directed and narrated by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore in one of his most memorable roles, the production transports listeners to Victorian London through expressive performances, atmospheric orchestration, and masterful audio craftsmanship. This...

“Holiday Story” is a lesser-known but compelling entry in the Suspense anthology series. It follows a family preparing for the holidays, only to find themselves caught in a web of emotional strain, looming conflict, and unexpected danger. The episode explores how the pressure of the season can expose hidden fears and force critical decisions. A layered, atmospheric story perfect for holiday-themed...

Set in San Francisco in the late 1920s, The Maltese Falcon follows hard-boiled private detective Sam Spade, whose life is upended after a mysterious woman hires his agency and his partner is soon murdered. Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett Original Broadcast: BBC Radio 4, 29 December 1984 Cast Sam Spade — Tom Wilkinson Brigid O’Shaughnessy — Jane Lapotaire Kasper Gutman — Peter Vaughan Joel C...

A poignant holiday tale from the classic radio series Suspense, “Christmas for Carol” follows a desperate young husband who turns to crime in hopes of giving his wife and unborn child a better life. This moving episode blends crime, compassion, and Christmas spirit into a tightly crafted dramatic story. Broadcast: December 21, 1944 Main Cast • Dennis O’Keefe — Perry • Cathy Lewis — Carol • Elliott...

“Back for Christmas” is one of the most celebrated episodes of the iconic radio anthology Suspense. The story centers on Dr. Hermant, a man determined to free himself from his wife before their planned Christmas trip. But as he sets his scheme in motion, unexpected twists—and an ironic fate—await him. A perfect blend of holiday cheer and noir tension. The cast: PETER LORRE (Professor Hubert Schuma...

Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. STARRING Christopher Eccleston, Tim Pigott Smith and Pippa Nixon  Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster and the Thought Police uncover each act of betrayal. When W...

In exchange for eternal youth, a man makes a deal with the devil and gives up his soul. As he is consumed by evil, his portrait changes to mirror the abomination he has become.  STARRING:   Nick Pryor  Norman Rose  Roger DeKoven Adapted by George Lowther First Run - August 7, 1974

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson investigate the legend of a supernatural hound, a beast that may be stalking a young heir on the fog-shrouded moorland that makes up his estate. Cast: Clive Merrison as Sherlock Holmes Michael Williams as Dr John Watson Dame Judi Dench as Mrs Hudson Donald Sinden as Sir Charles Baskerville Mark Leake as Sir Henry Baskerville Ian Masters as Sir Hugo Baskerville Roger M...

Raoul de Chagny falls for the stunning Christine Daae as he he watches her perform in Paris Opera House. But he must pursue her through its backdoors and stage rooms while he his heart becomes heavy with the presence of a disfigured spirit. The spirit wields unimaginable power over the singer and Raoul must compete with him to win her heart and overcome her fears.      Starring: Court Benson Gordo...

The Baker Street sleuth probes a case of revenge and treachery linking a country home with 1890s American secret societies.   Sherlock Holmes ...... Clive Merrison Dr John Watson ...... Michael Williams John McMurdo ...... Iain Glen Inspector Alec MacDonald ...... Mark Bonner White Mason ...... Timothy Bateson Jack McGinty ...... Constantine Gregory Ettie Shafter ...... Amanda Gordon Ted Baldwin ....

What evil influences the two beautiful children at Bly? A governess is sent to care for two orphaned children in a remote country estate. She soon becomes convinced that forces of evil want to take possession of the children but her struggle to protect them from harm leads to a devastating conclusion in this classic Victorian tale of horror.  Governess: Charlotte Attenborough Mrs Grose: Rosemary L...

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein explores the nature of human life and man’s control over it. The living monster he creates awes and frightens him. The story was first presented in 1952 with Herbert Marshall in the lead role.  The 1952 broadcast might be preferred by many because the role seems suited to Marshall’s often pained delivery, which adds to the moral dilemma of the story, and Joe Kearns exce...

A vanished father. A trail of priceless pearls. And a mystery that refuses to stay buried. In this 1963 radio adaptation of The Sign of Four, Sherlock Holmes (played by Carleton Hobbs) is drawn into a baffling case when a young woman receives a cryptic note years after her father’s disappearance, following a strange annual delivery of valuable pearls. With Norman Shelley as Dr. Watson, the investi...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is set circa 1790 in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (based on Tarrytown, New York), in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow. It tells the story of Ichabod Crane, a lean, lanky, and extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with the town rowdy for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a wealthy farmerl. As Crane leaves the Van Tass...

The Man in the Brown Suit (1988) is a thrilling adaptation of Agatha Christie's globe-trotting mystery. After witnessing a suspicious death at a London train station, amateur sleuth Anne Beddingfeld is pulled into a deadly plot involving stolen diamonds, espionage, and the elusive “man in the brown suit.” Starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Rue McClanahan, this adaptation combines adventure, romance,...

Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale, dramatised by Stephen Sheridan. The year is 1841 and two grotesque murders have horrified the whole of Paris. Elderly widow, Madame L'Espanaye, has been found with her throat cut, while her daughter Camille has been strangled and her body pushed up a chimney. Can eccentric amateur detective Auguste Dupin solve the riddle of these crimes? Cast:  Auguste Dupin: Malcol...

Witness the moment Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Baker Street sleuth Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson meet for the first time! When an American is found dead with no apparent injury inside an empty house, Inspector Gregson is puzzled. He consults a young gentleman with a brilliant mind - Mr Sherlock Holmes. Michael Hardwick's dramatisation of the detective mystery novel published in 1887 stars Robert Powe...

Step into the shadowed corridors of wartime London with “The Demon Lover”, a spine-tingling radio adaptation of Elizabeth Bowen’s classic ghost story, presented by BBC Radio Drama. Follow Mrs Kathleen Drover (Jenny Howe) as she returns to her family home amidst the blitz-scarred streets, only to discover a mysterious letter bearing a promise she thought long buried. Narrated by Maggie Steed as Eli...

Desperate for cash, screenwriter Joe Gillis (Wiliam Holden) has a chance meeting with a faded silent film star. Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) has become a sad recluse who lives in her crumbling Sunset Boulevard mansion with only her butler to keep her company. Convinced that the outside world is clamoring for her dramatic return, Desmond invites Gillis to stay in her mansion to complete the scrip...

Mysterious events in a house turn frightening in a gripping reworking of the Welsh Blodeuwedd myth. Stars Siriol Jenkins. When Alison Bradley uncovers a set of mysterious dinner plates marked with an intricate floral motif, she and local boy Gwyn inadvertently awaken an ancient legend. As Alison traces paper owls from the plate’s design, parts of her reality begin to vanish. Joined by her stepbrot...

A famous American film star consults Poirot about a series of letters threatening that her celebrated diamond ' The Western Star ' will be stolen on "the night of the full moon." Narrated by Paul Lawley Jones The Adventure of 'The Western Star'  is a short story written by  Agatha Christie  which was first published in  The Sketch  in April 1923 in the U.K. The story was published in the U.S. in ...

Season of Disbelief and Hail And Farewell are two unusual and provocative character studies by Ray Bradbury who also hosts and narrates the program. The first story follows a kind old lady who is reluctant to accept that she is aging... until three little kids force her to face the harsh reality. Then, a 12-year-old boy discovers that he can't grow up, and spins his bizarre affliction into a money...