The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

It’s out penultimate episode dedicated to “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” from I Love a Mystery! In parts 11 and 12, a body has been buried and we now know the real crime motivating all these mysteries. For the moment no one can leave this strange little town, but for Jack, Doc, and Reggie, time is running out to find out who is responsible for everything that has happened! Can the Maestro summon girls out of the air? What’s Jumpin’ Dick really up to? How many times can you get hit in the head before it starts to do some real damage? Listen for yourself and find out!

This week, we’ve traveled deep into enigma that is “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” from I Love a Mystery! In parts 9 and 10, Doc and Reggie reunite with Jack after several events that took place sometime between the end of the last episode and the beginning of this one. After reviewing all the facts, Jack leaves his two partners behind so they can keep an eye on the Maestro. Should they do as he asked or follow Jack to keep him safe? How did the Maestro get the supplies to assemble his project? Are people really terrified by beards? Listen for yourself and find out! 

We’re halfway through our ongoing exploration of “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” from I Love a Mystery! In parts 7 and 8 Jack, Reggie, and Doc are searching the Arizona desert at night, despite the sounds of screams, wolves, and gunshots! And we finally get to meet Jumpin’ Dick’s daughter! Is she lying about him or is her father the liar? What does the Maestro have planned for the next night? Will someone finally explain what greasewood is? Listen for yourself and find out!

Our exploration of “Bury Your Dead, Arizona” from I Love a Mystery continues! In parts 5 and 6 Jack, Reggie, and Doc make their way to Dry Gulch Mary’s boarding house and arrange room and board for themselves as well as The Maestro and Nasha! Soon they discover that Mary herself can be very intrusive and the Maestro still plans on calling forth wolves to carry out the curse he placed on the town! Will Doc ever meet his potential bride, Laura? How does Mary keep her prices so low? What important Minneapolis-based trivia vaguely applies to this plot? Listen for yourself and find out!

We continue our journey through “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” from I Love a Mystery! In parts 3 and 4 Jack, Reggie, and Doc are still travelling by box car and undergoing strange and inexplicable experiences, all apparently orchestrated by the strange man known as “The Maestro”! But even as bodies disappear and reappear, things grow even more bizarre when they find themselves abandoned in the middle of a desert! How is The Maestro manifesting these apparent miracles? Can he really curse a whole town? What sort of community only has two women but everyone has a hilarious nickname? Listen for yourself and find out!

Our Mysterious Patron Mark suggested we dive into “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” one of two stories that survive in their entirety from I Love a Mystery. And we are up for the challenge! The series begins with Jack, Reggie, and Doc hopping a train to avoid both the police and thugs who want the trio’s $25,000! But on the train the discover an even stranger mystery in the form of “The Maestro” and his vaguely-but-not-quite Russian assistant! Who are these strange travelling companions? Was there really a murder or was it an illusion? Should we stick a knife in this series? Listen for yourself and find out!

It’s time for us to listen to “The Judas Clock” from Inner Sanctum Mystery! It’s the story of a man hunting for a cursed clock, an Italian antique that only runs when the silver coins of Judas are placed inside. But his own obsession with this relic is more than historic interest, it is a quest for revenge! Why does the history of this clock include so many deaths? What is the secret of its inner workings? Will the Mr. Host and Mary the Lipton Tea Lady commercials overwhelm the story itself? Listen for yourself and find out!

We’re paying our first visit to Casey, Crime Photographer with “The Twenty Minute Alibi”! The story features a man who apparently shot himself while on the phone with his insurance provider, confirming that his policy had not yet expired. But when Casey arrives to photograph the body, he suspects that the victim may have been murdered. If it was homicide, who was responsible? How will Casey explain why all the suspects have alibis during a crucial twenty minute window of time? What exactly is a Rathboner? Listen for yourself and find out!

Our Mysterious Listener Mark recommended we check out the X Minus One adaptation of William Tenn’s short story, “The Discovery of Morniel Mathaway“! A struggling poet tells the story of his unscrupulous friend, a terrible visual artist named Morniel Mathaway. But unexpectedly, a stranger arrives hoping to meet the famous and influential icon named Morniel Mathaway! Why would this stranger be so excited about such an untalented artist? What gives art value and meaning? If Eric doesn’t care for modern art, will he remember having performed this script before? Listen for yourself and find out!

We’re taking a little summer break, but we want to share a sneak peek at what awaits listeners when they become one of our Patreon supporters! Here is a pilot for a potential Columbo podcast called A Podcast Named Dog. If you’re not familiar with Columbo, it’s a beloved 1970s (and late 80s, early 90s) television mystery series starring the great Peter Falk. One of Columbo’s many quirks was his best friend: a dog named Dog. And if you’ve never seen Columbo or don’t remember the episode we’re discussing, here is a link to an online version of “Etude in Black”.