Tales of Suspense

A giant of 20th century genre fiction, Bradbury’s imaginative stories lend themselves particularly well to the audio medium.

The Veldt (dramatized by Jack Pulman)

A futuristic cautionary tale about the perils of smart technology, where danger prowls in the nursery... Ray Bradbury's gripping sci-fi story first published in 1950.

Lydia/Witch… Diana Olsson
George… John Cazabon
Peter… Jon Hewitt
Wendy/Grethel… Nina Ludlow
David… Bruce Wightman

Adapted by Jack Pulman.
Produced by Frederick Bradnum and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in March 1959

Timid commuter, Arthur Vezin becomes too enchanted with a sleepy and strange French town and its people to leave. He's slowly drawn more and more into their realm of secrets and talk of ancient memories...and is struck by how the people there resemble cats, both in looks and behavior...

Starring Kaye Brinker and Paul Frees
Story by Algernon Blackwood
Adapted by Les Crutchfield
Music by Cy Feuer
Directed by William Robson 

Born in Shooter's Hill and educated at Wellington College, Algernon Blackwood had a varied career, farming in Canada, operating a ho...

Harry Davies (Bob Peck), an explosives expert, is in the demolition business blowing up old factory chimneys. But years earlier, he was a special agent in an undercover branch of the Ministry of Defense called "The Section," where he was involved in an assassination attempt on a rising African politician. Now, another attempt on the same man's life brings Harry out of retirement. Is this coincidence, or his past catching up with him?

Harry Davies ...... Bob Peck
Jenny Brown ...... Julie Berry
Tom Crossland ...... Aubrey Woods
Colonel Travers ...... Peter Howell
Reynolds ...... Tim Reynolds
Joe ...... A...

“Easy enough to whistle, but there's no telling what will answer...”

Professor Parkins uncovers a very curious artefact. MR James’s ghostly story adapted by Michael and Mollie Hardwick.

Starring Michael Hordern as Professor Parkins
Brown ...... Earle Grey
Purdon ...... James Thomason 
Chambermaid/Small Boy ...... Sheila 
Grant Waiter ...... Anthony Hall 
Colonel Wilson ...... Austin Trevor 
Mrs Spenlow ...... Hilda Kriseman 
Rogers ...... Rolf Lefebvre 
The Thing ...... Malcolm Hayes

"A Country Doctor" (German: "Ein Landarzt") is a short story written in 1917 by Franz Kafka.

The tale follows a medical professional on an emergency visit to a sick patient on a winter night. The doctor faces absurd, surreal predicaments that pull him along and finally doom him.

August 14, 1964. KPFA/KPFK, Los Angeles/Berkeley. "A Country Doctor". Jack Nessel (creator), Larry Madin, Erik Bauersfeld (adaptor, producer, performer), Pat Franklyn, Bernard Mayes, John Whiting (technical production), Peter Winkler (composer, performer).

After a flying saucer lands in Washington, D.C., the United States Army quickly surrounds it. A humanoid emerges and announces that he comes "in peace and with good will". When he unexpectedly opens a small device, he is shot and wounded by a nervous soldier. A tall robot emerges from the saucer and quickly disintegrates the soldiers' weapons. The alien orders the robot, Gort, to desist. He explains that the now-broken device was a gift for the President of the United States that would have enabled him "to study life on the other planets".

The program was subsequ...

In this hour, we're going to MARS! Colonization rockets are leaving Earth, and headed for the wind-swept Martian deserts, and your tickets are waiting. Join us for a Martian adventure, seen through the eyes of a story called "Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed," written by Ray Bradbury and produced as a radio drama by Mike McDonough. It's part of a series of award-winning radio dramas based on Bradbury's short stories called "Bradbury 13." Rocket's leaving! Join us!

Featured in the cast were Bryce Chamberlain, Beverly Roland, Steve Densley, Jennifer Coleman Creel, Max Robinson, Jay Bernard, Nathan Hale

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It’s 109 years after the near annihilation of humanity. Just four men and one woman remain, and they have one final battle… with a psychotic computer. Starring David Soul.

Harlan Ellison’s famous sci-fi story comes to radio with the author taking the role of the psychotic computer which has prevailed in mankind's last war.

Ted .... David Soul
AM .... Harlan Ellison
Ellen .... Abi Eniola
Nimdok …. Ewan Bailey
Gorrister …. David Timson
Benny …. Jason O'Mara
Producer: Ned Chaillet

First broadcast in Chillers on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.

An old man and a hound-dog named Rip, off for an evening's pleasure in quest of raccoon. Usually, these evenings end with one tired old man, one battle-scarred hound dog, and one or more extremely dead raccoons, but as you may suspect, that will not be the case tonight. These hunters won't be coming home from the hill. They're headed for the backwoods — of The Twilight Zone.

The plot is based on a 1953 episode of The Kate Smith Hour, "The Hound of Heaven", which was written by Earl Hamner Jr.
Arthur Hunnic...

The script for this famous broadcast was authored by Robert L. Richards. It was performed only once on Suspense. Its popularity was not contemporary. Its reputation grew among classic radio fans who were able to play it again and again. It is a mainstay of radio fans and nostalgia broadcasters as part of their Halloween playlists.

The House in Cypress Canyon follows a happy young couple who realize their new house has creaks and noises and spooky sounds that make it difficult to live there. The house may even have a monster inside! The story is so strange, i...

"The War of the Worlds" was a Halloween episode of the radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air directed and narrated by Orson Welles as an adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds (1898) that was performed and broadcast live on October 30, 1938, over the CBS Radio Network.

The episode is infamous for inciting a panic by convincing some members of the listening audience that a Martian invasion was taking place, though the scale of panic is disputed, as the program had relatively few listeners.

"It was only when she got back to her cottage and the candles were lit, that she saw what a strange creature it was she'd found..."

To ease her granddaughter’s concerns over disfiguring marks on her baby’s face, Gran shares the unlikely tale of Alice Proudfoot. Stars Mary Wimbush (The Archers’ Julia Pargetter) as Gran, Rebecca Wright as Alice, and Alex Jones as Joe.

David Calcutt's play is based on the traditional story of lonely Alice Proudfoot and her curious discovery in a moonlit wood. First broadcast in Thirty-Minute Theatre on BBC Radio...

Starring Bill Nighy as the charmingly down-on-his-luck actor turned amateur sleuth.

When Charles Paris agrees to take part in an amateur theatre production, he expects missed cues and mediocre performances—not murder. But when a fellow cast member turns up dead, Charles finds himself drawn into a deadly mystery backstage.

Adapted from Simon Brett’s acclaimed novel and broadcast by the BBC, this radio drama is a delightful blend of dry wit, theatrical mischief, and a tightly-wound mystery. 🔊 A must-listen for fans of classic detective stories and British radio drama.

The ABC Murders is a gripping radio adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic detective story, where the brilliant Hercule Poirot faces one of his most baffling and chilling cases.

A serial killer, known only as "ABC," is leaving a trail of bodies across England, each victim found with a letter of the alphabet at the scene of their death. As the murders unfold in a seemingly random pattern, Poirot is called upon to unravel the twisted motives behind these horrific crimes. With his keen intellect and sharp attention to detail, Poirot must decipher the meaning behind the letters and...

Dead Room Farce is a darkly comedic radio play by Simon Brett, blending the classic elements of murder mystery and farce with a sharp, satirical twist.

Set in an old, crumbling mansion, the story follows a group of guests who have gathered for what they believe will be a simple weekend getaway. However, things quickly take a chaotic turn when a murder occurs, and secrets long buried begin to surface.As the characters scramble to solve the crime, they find themselves caught in a web of absurd misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and dark humor. Amidst the mayhem...

Step into the world of deception and intrigue with this full radio adaptation of "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," one of Agatha Christie's most famous and controversial mysteries. When the wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found murdered in his study, Hercule Poirot must unravel a web of secrets, lies, and shocking twists to uncover the truth.With unforgettable characters and a legendary ending that changed detective fiction forever, this classic radio play brings Christie's masterpiece to life in dramatic fashion.🔍 Can you solve the case before Poirot? Listen closely… the clues are all there.

Tune in for a thrilling radio play of "Death at the Desert Inn" by Marcy Kahan, a gripping tale full of suspense, mystery, and intrigue. Set against the stark backdrop of a remote desert inn, this captivating drama unfolds as guests find themselves caught in a web of deception and danger. With unexpected twists and unforgettable characters, "Death at the Desert Inn" will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Listen carefully, as secrets are uncovered and lives are forever changed in this chilling story.
enjoy via youtube!

Wilkie Collins' "The Haunted Hotel" is a tale of mystery, gothic horror, and suspense. Set in 1860, the story follows the formidable Countess Narona who marries a wealthy young aristocrat in London. Shortly after their marriage, the couple travels to Venice where the husband dies under suspicious circumstances, leaving the countess a rich widow. As the plot unfolds, guests at a Venetian hotel years later are haunted by the ghost of the murder victim seeking revenge. Central characters include the eerie Countess Narona and Henry Westwick. The novel intertwines elements of the supernatural with a detective mystery, creating a chilling narrative...

Agatha Christie’s debut novel was the first to feature Hercule Poirot, her famously eccentric Belgian detective.

A refugee of the Great War, Poirot is settling in England near Styles Court, the country estate of his wealthy benefactress, the elderly Emily Inglethorp. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled, Poirot puts his prodigious sleuthing skills to work.

Suspects are plentiful, including the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a young family friend working as a nurse, and a London specialist on poisons who just happens to be v...

Hercule Poirot's Christmas was first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 19 December 1938. It was published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in February 1939 under the title of Murder for Christmas. A paperback edition in the US by Avon books in 1947 changed the title again to A Holiday for Murder. The book features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and is a locked room mystery. The premise is a family reuniting for Christmas, and they find the host of the gathering murdered in a private room.

For many, many years BBC Radio 4 has had a regular drama slot on weekday afternoons. These afternoon dramas have ranged far and wide in what they cover, but tales of a dark kind, with or without supernatural themes, have been pretty common. This story of suburban murder is based on a story by Ruth Rendell, and features an excellent cast that includes the League of Gentlemen's Reece Shearsmith.

Credits
Arthur.....Reece Shearsmith
Gwen.....Laura Pyper
Reeve.....Michael Maloney
Actor.....Rachel Atkins
Actor.....David Holt
Director.....John Dryden
Author.....Ruth Rendell
...

A festive tale by three eminent Victorian writers working together - Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell. Distressed by an unsettling sign of life in a derelict house across from her new London home, Sophonisba relies on the competitive efforts of an elderly admirer and her manservant to unravel the secrets of the "house to let".

It all started out as a party and then there was a game of hide-and-seek and before anyone knew what was happening someone was killed. The game was over, but was there still someone out there - still playing the game?

"Evil Under the Sun" is a detective fiction novel by British author Agatha Christie, featuring her famous detective Hercule Poirot. The novel, first published in 1941, unfolds at a secluded hotel in Devon where Poirot is vacationing. The tranquility of the resort is disrupted by the presence of the flirtatious and beautiful Arlena Stuart, who captures the attention of several guests and becomes the subject of their animosity. Arlena is found murdered in a cove, strangled, setting the stage for a classic Christie mystery where everyone has motives and alibis. Poirot meticulously interviews the hotel guests, including Arlena's husband, Kenneth Marshall...

Séance on a Wet Afternoon is a 1964 British crime thriller directed by Bryan Forbes, based on the 1961 novel by Mark McShane. The film stars Kim Stanley as Myra Savage, a mentally unstable medium, and Richard Attenborough as her submissive husband, Billy. Set in London, Myra convinces Billy to kidnap a child, Amanda Clayton, aiming to use the crime to boost her clairvoyant reputation by helping the police solve it. Their scheme involves holding Amanda captive while pretending to assist in her recovery using Myra's psychic abilities, with plans to return the child unharmed after claiming a ransom. However, Myra's d...

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation starring John Moffatt as the great Belgian detective.

Hercule Poirot and his good friend Captain Hastings are enjoying a well-deserved break on the Cornish Riviera, in the idyllic village of St Loo. Wandering along the terrace of the Hotel Majestic on the first morning of their stay, Poirot literally falls at the feet of a pretty, dark-haired girl and, much to Hastings’ delight, insists that she join them for a cocktail. The girl is Nick Buckley, last in a long line of Buckleys to live at End House, an isolated old place perched on...

Mr. Williams, the curator of a university art museum (implied to be Oxford), receives a disturbing engraving in this loose adaptation of the M.R. James story of the same name.

The Colour Out Of Space is adapted from the story by H.P. Lovecraft for Atlanta Radio Theatre. Written in March 1927, tonight's tale details the misadventures of a surveyor from Boston who goes to Arkham, Massachusetts to learn the truth behind a shunned place the locals call "the blasted heath"...

Who Goes There? is a 1938 science fiction horror novella by John W. Campbell, following a group trapped in a scientific outpost in Antarctica infested by shapeshifting monsters.  Who Goes There? was first published in the August 1938 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine and was also printed as The Thing from Another World. Its extended, novel version, found in an early manuscript titled Frozen Hell, was finally published in 2019.

A clown, a hobo, a ballet dancer, a bagpipe player, and an Army major are trapped in a cylindrical room. They don't know who they are or how they got there - and their only hope for finding out is to escape.

Ladybird is an old and much-loved British children's book publisher, and their distinctive, slender hardback books covered a variety of subjects, in the fields of both education and entertainment. Among their vast catalogue they had a large library of retellings of classic novels - always told in direct language, and always beautifully illustrated. In the 1980s, the vogue for audio-books for children - 'story tapes' - led to a good many of these books being turned into rather rich and atmospheric readings, released by a company called Pickwick. Not quite radio plays, these readings nonetheless included music, sound effects...

Voice legend PAUL FREES stars along with William Conrad in this excellent story of werewolf horror! Back in the the "old country" guys are disappearing out in the woods . . . Meanwhile the "moronic son" of the local warden seems to enjoy being alone in the woods, as he explains that he feels the need to be "crouched down and ready to strike" Hmm. . Is HE a werewolf? Then the wife of a local woodsman seems to be eerily drawn into the forest. Could SHE be a "she-wolf?" Paul Frees & Conrad then begin to go hunting, long after midnight! What are they...

"Hallowe'en Party" by Agatha Christie is a gripping detective novel featuring the illustrious Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and the mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver.

During a Halloween celebration organized at Rowena Drake's home in the town of Woodleigh Common, a young girl named Joyce Reynolds shockingly claims she witnessed a murder. Although initially dismissed as fanciful, the situation takes a dire turn when Joyce is found drowned in an apple-bobbing bucket. Distraught, mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver calls upon Poirot to investigate. As Poirot delves into the case with the help of retired Superintendent Spence, they uncover not only the...

Exactly one year ago, on Halloween night, Elizabeth Bedford had been murdered in the very same room now occupied by Martha, and now, after receiving threatening phone calls, Martha is scared out of her wits.

John Moffatt stars as Hercule Poirot in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization of Agatha Christie's famous novel. Hercule Poirot is a guest at a weekend house party, given at the Cornish cliff-top home of the celebrated actor Sir Charles Cartwright. The other visitors include keen amateur detective Mr. Satterthwaite and distinguished Harley Street nerve specialist Sir Bartholomew Strange. Death visits the house soon after Poirot's arrival, the victim an elderly clergyman who's only had a sip of dry martini. Did the reverend suffer some kind of seizure or was he murdered? An analysis of the glass yields nothing suspicious, and...

1888: Fear grips London after multiple murders, as the mysterious Mr Sleuth takes lodgings with the Buntings. Stars Jon Glover.

Two men are discussing the folklore of the private schools they attended. One tells of a Latin teacher named Mr. Sampson who kept a Byzantine coin that he would show his students. Later at night the narrator's friend sees a man sitting on Sampson's window-sill, but when he returns with the narrator he's gone.
Originally aired November 28, 1980.

It's a science-fiction whodunit set 700 years in the future. In space...will anybody hear you scream? Originally aired: March 9, 1981

Enjoy a twelve hour compilation of the spookiest CBS Radio Mystery Theatre, Suspense, Luxe Radio & more! asylumbookstore.com

A very hot day finds strange predictions of the future starting to come true in August Heat, presented by Suspense on May 31, 1945. The story was subsequently produced on Suspense on March 20, 1948, The Hallmark Playhouse on September 29, 1949 and on Sleep No More on November 28, 1956.