Lighting the Pipes

What do you get when you mix a fractured and vulnerable post-war society with a master criminal bent on mind-control and an altruistic state prosecutor desperate to clean up the streets? Norbert Jacques' "Dr Mabuse", that's what! The psychological thriller that took Germany by storm in the early 20th century is up for discussion in this episode. First translated into English by Lilian Claire in 1923, our review concentrates on the Carrier translation from 2026. From sweeping set-pieces to convoluted fever-dream prose, we ponder all the mysteries here in our first Autumn read of the season.

FastFacts@11:00; Summary@30:30; PIPES@58:30

British Industrialist Hugo Drax is cheating at cards at M's private club. James Bond is recruited to play the player but what starts as a lesson in humility soon evolves into a more dangerous game masking darker threats. Fleming's "Moonraker" is his third 007 novel and held by many fans as the author's best outing. Originally recorded in March of 2016, this conversation secures all the gyroscopic settings and launches listeners straight into the face of this contentious James Bond adventure. We're pleased to finally share this episode, the third chat from our original Bond series.

Intro&Publication@3:00; Summary@26:00; Discussion&Review@40:25.

In this episode we return to Leslie Charteris's singular Saint for a lightly linked trio of narrative rides from 1932. First published in the pages of Thriller magazine in April, June and August of that year, these three novellas once more pit Simon Templar against London's criminal underground. First up, "The Inland Revenue" sees The Saint take on a master blackmailer. Next, Templar faces a mystery of international extortion with "The Million Pound Day". Finally, "The Melancholy Journey of Inspector Teal" has our hero chasing down a diamond-smuggling assassin. All three deliver high stakes hijinks, Saintly resourcefulness and glimpses into the evolving relationship between Simon Templar and the chief detective of Scotland Yard.

"The Inland Revenue"@13:45; "The Million Pound Day"@53:50; "The Melancholy Journey of Inspector Teal"@1:36:15

Our Fleming series refurb continues with this review of 1954's "Live and Let Die", originally produced back in February of 2026. Our discussion goes deep the into inspirations and publication history behind Fleming's second novel before taking on the text itself. In order to separate hazard from hokum within Mr Big's criminal enterprise, James Bond must handle the streets of Harlem, travel south on the Silver Phantom with a voodoo mystic and neutralise a handful of colourful henchmen. From hotel bombs to subterranean lairs, biting sharks to keel-haul executions, "Live and Let Die" feels like adventure-Bond's coming out party!

Context@5:30; Summary@31:20; Review@45:00; Scoring@1:37:30

Another Simenon mystery means another chance to chat with our buddy Nick Anderson from The Book Graveyard. This episode looks at the "Maigret and the Burglar's Wife" from 1951. This case sees Maigret negotiate a Paris heatwave and the neighbourhood of Neuilly in following a dangerous lead brought to him by an unlikely source. A dentist and his mother fall under suspicion as the plot thickens around a missing body, family secrets and a twice-broken pane of glass. So open your windows and catch a breeze with us and Nick - "The Burglar's Wife" is blowing through with a strong scent of Simenon supremacy!

ParisFF@20:45; Plot Summary@44:00; PIPESreview@1:20:00

Check out this episode and all of Nick's other offerings at The Book Graveyard on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheBookGraveyard

We return to Wilkie Collins and early detective writing with a study of this comic story, originally published in the Atlantic Monthly back in April of 1858. Mr Yatman, a hard-working SoHo stationer, has been robbed at home and now faces financial ruin. Conditions and suspects in the crime point to a "closed circle" mystery. When the veteran Sergeant Bulmer is taken off the case, a young upstart named Matthew Sharpin takes over the investigation... in a manner of speaking. Sharpin is well-connected but absurdly self-confident and Collins leans into the popular form of epistolary writing to chart this young man's (not-so-tragic) fall.

Summary@7:50; PIPES@28:40.

For more on Wilkie Collins, check out our episode on "The Moonstone" from March 2022.

Fifteen years after the publication of "The Talented Mr Ripley", Patricia Highsmith returns her ambitious con-man to readers in "Ripley Underground", the first of four follow-up mysteries. Tom is married and living outside of Paris now, six years following the events of the first novel, and enjoying the quiet life of a wealthy man. His criminality has mellowed since escaping to Greece in the wake of the Dickie Greenleaf affair, characterised by some art forgery and a minor role in a fencing scheme. However, problems ensue for Tom when an American collector hollers "fake!" and starts an investigation. Lies need covered and bodies need buried as Tom is thrown back into the disguise game.

PlotSummary@05:00; PIPES@42:00

Check out our earlier episode on "The Talented Mr Ripley" (04/03/2022) for full author bio and publication history.

Ian Fleming's 007 novels changed the terrain of popular spy fiction for ever and gave birth to an empire of legacy for actors, artists, creatives and enthusiasts the world over. In 2015 we set up a recorder, arranged some Skype calls and trialled this podcast gig a little for posterity. By leaning into conversations around Fleming's work, our appreciation for something like LTP emerged.

Our initial Bond project took us a calendar year and change and it's taken us ten more just to get these older episodes cut, reconditioned and up to snuff. We think we've made the mark but you can be the judge! Starting here, with 1953's pulp thriller "Casino Royale", we are proud to present our original Fleming discussions, never before released, into the LTP 007 pipeline.

AuthorBio@12:45; PublicationInfo@44:00; Discussion@54:45; Scoring@1:39:15

In July of 1943, as Allied forces planned desperately for Mediterranean access into Europe, Britain's Naval Intelligence were spearheading an intrepid operation, a bait-and-switch of colossal consequence. Commander Ian Fleming, serving as personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence, helped to encourage the intricate planning for what would soon become Operation Mincemeat.

This episode is a special Summer treat, recut and newly presented from a July 2022 episode on Bond by Numbers. Jeff Chapman, our resident military expert, cracks cover and leads us through a tour of this remarkable operation and features of Ben McIntyre's 2010 book. We also offer our thoughts on the 2021 film adaption, directed by John Madden.

History&Operation@04:30; FilmReview@1:16:00

Faster than your Keurig, LTP is back and brewing up another rich blend of Film Noir analysis with the big reveal on Fritz Lang's 1953 classic, "The Big Heat", starring Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame. Beginning with its origins as a popular serial by crime fiction author, William P McGivern, and the real-life case that inspired the film, Josh goes deep cover into the life of the enigmatic Lang himself, his influence on the genre and on the film's production. What's with all the coffee talk? Check out the episode and see for yourself!

PlotSummary@11:00; Context&Production@34:00; Review@1:29:30