Each guide is written from the episode itself, sets up the story and never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: 59 episode guides
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: A Time to Kill (1952)
Barry Craig picks up a charming young woman who has been fleeing a mysterious man she calls "the dragon" from Connecticut. After a high-speed chase through New Jersey, the pursuing car crashes into a tree. Barry brings the injured driver to the hospital, where the man is identified as Ruben Clark—but the young woman reveals he may be working for her guardian, whom she is reluctant to discuss.
Barry's car, New Jersey roads, and a hospital · Barry Craig, the young woman, Ruben Clark, the dragon, Doctor
Listen for: The witty banter between Barry and the mysterious young woman as they're chased through the night, and the revelation about her guardian's involvement.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: A Very Odd Job (1952)
Barry Craig accepts an unusual job: deliver a puppet to Ann Kelly, a dancer at Easy's nightclub on the East 80s, for two hundred dollars. When Craig arrives at the club and finds Kelly unconscious in her dressing room with the puppet, he grows suspicious and questions the nightclub owner Easy about the girl's background and what has really happened.
A nightclub called Easy's open house in the East 80s, New York City, and the surrounding streets at night · Barry Craig, Ann Kelly, Easy, Osborne, the client, Hotel and Rogers
Listen for: A mysterious job involving a puppet, an unconscious dancer, evasive answers from a nightclub owner, and questions about whether things are what they seem
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Angel of Death (1955)
Barry Craig fishes a drowning man named Richie Stimson out of a canal and later meets Richie's wife Natalie, who hires Barry for a thousand dollars a week to keep watch over her accident-prone husband. Richie suffers from sudden bouts of depression and inexplicable accidents, and Natalie fears he may be harboring an unconscious death wish.
New York City, including a canal, a junk dealer's basement, Park Avenue, and an exclusive dining club called Socrates · Barry Craig, Richie Stimson, Natalie Stimson
Listen for: Barry's wisecracks about the drowning rescue and his comedic banter with the perpetually unhappy Richie; Natalie's concerns about her husband's mysterious affliction and her proposition for Barry to serve as Richie's companion.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Behold A Corpse (1953)
Barry Craig investigates when a woman named Brenda Connery suspects that the man claiming to be her husband Ralph, who disappeared five years ago and recently returned, might be an imposter. Brenda's doubts stem from his changed personality, different tastes, and unfamiliar mannerisms, but when Craig stakes out the Connery residence, he witnesses a confrontation that suggests darker complications than a simple case of mistaken identity.
New York City, including a coffee shop, a roadhouse in Queens, and the Connery townhouse residence. · Barry Craig, Brenda Connery, Ralph Connery, Man in rain slicker
Listen for: The mysterious stranger who stops Craig's car to force him to investigate Ralph Connery, and Brenda's growing hysteria as she accuses her husband of deliberately trying to drive her insane.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Beware the Walking Dog (1953)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by Doreen Dimple, a retired show business performer, to walk her dog Caesar around the neighborhood. The catch is that someone has been shooting at the dog during recent walks, and Doreen wants Craig to find out who is trying to kill her pet and why.
New York City, primarily Doreen's apartment building on East 74th Street and the surrounding streets; also Craig's office. · Barry Craig, Doreen Dimple, Caesar the dog, Jake, Corky
Listen for: The mystery of who is shooting at Caesar and whether the dog or Doreen is the real target; Craig's witty observations about his new job as a dog walker and the dangers that come with it.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Blood Money (1954)
Barry Craig is drawn into a case when fellow investigator Max Massey asks him to locate Anatol Barbour, a recluse rug dealer who disappeared fifteen years ago. Craig tracks down Barbour living under an assumed name on an island off Long Island, only to discover the man has been murdered and staged as a suicide. Back in the city, Craig realizes that Massey's own office files have been deliberately burned, suggesting that Massey's client hired him not to find Barbour, but to have him killed.
Manhattan and Sackett Bay, Long Island, 1954 · Barry Craig, Max Massey, Anatol Barbour/Belmar, Amar Surabi, Alan Merritt
Listen for: The contrast between the aging Max Massey's weariness and Craig's youthful energy; the atmospheric description of Belmar's Island and the discovery of the body; the revelation that the case was a murder setup from the start.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Confession of Murder (1955)
A teenage gang member named Spike Sanger confesses to a murder that occurred during an armed robbery at a loan association a month ago. Barry Craig, skeptical of the confession despite Spike's detailed knowledge of the crime, investigates further to uncover the truth behind the boy's admission of guilt.
A city, primarily in Barry Craig's office, police station, and the homes and streets of the slums · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Spike Sanger, teenage gang member, Sergeant Kennedy, career cop, Bernice Cannon, 17-year-old girl who keeps company with Spike, Mrs. Stella Sanger, Spike's mother
Listen for: The investigation into whether Spike's confession is genuine or a cover for something else; details about Spike's troubled past and his relationships with Bernice and his mother
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Corpse on Delivery (1951)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by bail bondsman Sam Salloway to track down Joey Florio, a racketeer who jumped bail with $50,000 of Salloway's money. After a week of fruitless surveillance at the airports, Craig abandons the case—but then discovers a murdered merchant seaman in his office building with a newspaper clipping about Craig's search for Florio in the dead man's pocket.
New York City, including a tavern downtown, the airport, and Barry Craig's office in a midtown fire trap building · Barry Craig, Sam Salloway, Joey Florio, Polly, the Polish cleaning lady
Listen for: The discovery of the corpse in Craig's office building and the mysterious phone call sending him away from his office just before the murder
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Corpse on the Town (1955)
Barry Craig investigates a Broadway producer named Stanton Bishop for a dog dentist client who suspects the producer is overselling investment shares in a musical called 2055. Craig discovers the producer has accepted $400,000 from investors for a show budgeted at only $300,000, but Bishop's sudden marriage to wealthy investor Eloise Finchley complicates the case.
New York City, including a dog dentist's office near Yonkers, a Broadway rehearsal hall, and a bridal suite near Central Park. · Barry Craig, Luther Bassett, Stanton Bishop, Eloise Finchley, Eduardo Bernard
Listen for: The unusual premise of a canine dentist hiring a detective, references to Broadway shows featuring dog actors, and the revelation that Bishop's hasty marriage is a cover-up strategy.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Crimson Queen (1953)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is having lunch at Willie's wagon when a desperate man named Peter Hanson arrives with a fatal knife wound to his chest. Before dying, Hanson clutches a crimson queen chess piece and tells Craig he wants him to find his murderer. Craig follows the only clue he has—an address—to Hanson's house, where he discovers Peter's brother Walter playing chess with a woman named Mona Bailey, and learns that Peter was the wealthy one in the family.
A diner called Willie's wagon and the study of the Hanson house · Barry Craig, Peter Hanson, Walter Hanson, Mona Bailey, Groves, Willie
Listen for: The mysterious chess piece Peter clutches as he dies, and the revelation that Peter was wealthy while his brother Walter appears to be playing games on the night of the murder
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Dead Bull in a China Shop (1954)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is asked to help Susie find her stolen bull fiddle from the 4920 Club where she performs. When Craig and his friend Willie accompany Susie to the club, a truck nearly runs them down in an alley, and they discover the truck's case on it. Inside the club, they find the bouncer Brinker knocked unconscious and the bull fiddle abandoned on the dance floor, prompting Craig to investigate the truck's ownership.
New York City, including a lunch wagon, the 4920 Club, and its surroundings · Barry Craig, Susie, Willie, Brinker, Travis
Listen for: A case of mistaken priorities when a stolen musical instrument becomes wrapped up in something more serious, and Craig's detective instincts kick in despite the seemingly simple disappearance.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Dead Loss (1952)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is hired by wealthy Jason Potter to keep his wife Gloria alive, as Potter fears she will become the target of a murderer rather than a divorcee. When Potter is found shot dead in his study despite Craig's efforts, the investigation reveals a tangled web of blackmail, financial desperation, and hidden motives among those close to the Potters.
A wealthy household and various locations in the city including a nightclub and an apartment building · Barry Craig, Jason Potter, Gloria Potter, Oswald Jones, Lieutenant Lucinda Rogers, Baker, Checkroom attendant at nightclub
Listen for: A murder mystery with multiple suspects, a bomb plot, and revelations about blackmail and financial schemes; the killer's identity becomes clear toward the end when Barry Craig gathers everyone together.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Dead on Arrival (1951)
Barry Craig is hired by Peggy Palmer to negotiate the sale of a valuable George Washington diary that her brother George has found. When George is murdered and the diary goes missing, Craig must navigate a dangerous world of rival claimants, including an eccentric descendant of Washington's circle and various criminals, all determined to obtain the precious document.
A mid-century American city with barber shops, offices, parks, and saloons. · Barry Craig, Peggy Palmer, George Palmer, Grant Tyler, Marty Willinsky, Courtney Bellows, Holland, Buster
Listen for: A complex mystery involving a valuable historical document, multiple murder suspects, and a final revelation that Peggy Palmer herself orchestrated her brother's death as part of an insurance scheme.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Death Buys a Bedroom (1954)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator traveling by train to the Adirondacks for a fishing vacation, meets an attractive woman named Claire Roberts who asks him to hold a mysterious envelope for her. When a waiter attempts to poison his drink, Craig realizes the envelope is far more dangerous than it appears, and multiple people—including an armed man named Wiley and a fake conductor—are willing to kill to obtain it.
A passenger train traveling to the Adirondacks, including the club car and sleeping car bedrooms. · Barry Craig, Claire Roberts, Wiley, James Bryan, Train conductor, Waiter, Bartender
Listen for: A tense cat-and-mouse game aboard a moving train as Craig tries to determine what the mysterious envelope contains and who is willing to kill for it.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Death and the Purple Cow (1951)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is having a late-night coffee at Willie's diner when a man with a gun forces him to stay quiet, warning him that a client is coming. Before the mysterious client arrives, the man is shot dead in the diner. Craig learns the dead man is John Largo, described as an executive from St. Louis. Later, Craig discovers that a young woman named Sally Marlin has been waiting in his office, sent by her brother Donald to hire Craig's services.
A late-night diner called Willie's wagon and Barry Craig's office building on Madison Avenue in the city. · Barry Craig, Willie, Lieutenant Rogers, Jake the elevator man, John Largo, Sally Marlin, Donald Marlin
Listen for: The mysterious circumstances surrounding John Largo's murder and what Sally Marlin's brother wants Craig to investigate.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Death of a Private Eye (1952)
Barry Craig takes a mysterious job from a man named Joe Hearn for twenty-five dollars—simply to accompany him on a visit to Staten Island. When they meet on Bay Drive, a car without license plates strikes Hearn down, leaving the confidential investigator with an unsolved murder and unanswered questions about who wanted Hearn dead and why.
Staten Island and New York City, including a confidential investigator's office, Old Tyrol restaurant, and Bay Drive near the bay · Barry Craig, Joe Hearn, Lieutenant Rogers, Gruna
Listen for: The mysterious circumstances of Joe Hearn's death and Barry Craig's investigation into why Hearn hired him and what he was about to reveal
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Death's Bargain Basement (1954)
Barry Craig is hired by Homer Dibble, a fired department store accountant, to investigate a mysterious firing connected to a $37,241 discrepancy in the company's books. When Craig and Dibble visit the store owner G.J. Thomas's home, they discover Thomas murdered with a knife in his back. They rush to the department store to find the records containing evidence of the embezzlement have been burned, along with an unconscious night watchman.
New York City (Madison Avenue, Willie's bar, G.J. Thomas's house, Thomas Department Store) · Barry Craig, Homer Dibble, G.J. Thomas, Willie, G.J.'s butler, Night watchman, Mr. Connors
Listen for: A tie-buying scene establishes Craig's character; the discovery of Thomas's body and the burned accounting records; Dibble reveals the discrepancy could have occurred in one of three departments.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Diary of Death (1952)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig travels forty miles outside his usual New York City territory to the small village of Seneca, where town supervisor Samuel begs for his help solving the murder of Dr. Duck Tyler. The killing shows signs of a violent, deranged killer, and a mysterious iron eagle paperweight that Tyler kept on his desk has gone missing from the scene.
The small village of Seneca, New York, forty miles from New York City; Miss Pringle's boarding house and surrounding areas. · Barry Craig, Samuel (town supervisor), Sheriff Burke, Dr. Daventry (called Dr. O), Miss Pringle (landlady), Harmony (mysterious driver)
Listen for: The opening school motto setting the tone for the episode, and Barry Craig's initial reluctance to leave the city for a small-town murder case.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Fatal Appointment (1952)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by a woman named Mrs. Henning to verify whether her husband is keeping a mysterious appointment at the Glamet Hotel with a girl named Muriel. Craig stakes out the hotel and discovers Muriel Jones dead in her room, shot twice. Mrs. Henning confesses to the killing, but as Craig investigates further, he uncovers a more complex story involving the victim's true identity and her connections to both the Henning household and a nightclub called the Bright Star.
A hotel room at the Glamet Hotel, Willie's diner, and the Henning home in an unnamed city. · Barry Craig, Mrs. Henning, Dan Henning, Muriel Jones, Willie, Mr. Thompson, The hotel clerk
Listen for: The clever questioning technique Barry Craig uses to expose inconsistencies in Mrs. Henning's confession, and the revelation that the dead girl's identity is far more complicated than it first appeared.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Fog Over Murder (1953)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by a psychiatrist to help restore the identity of a patient known as Clark Smith, who suffers from amnesia and refuses to remember who he really is. Following cryptic clues the doctor has uncovered—the words "Midvale" and "Pomatony"—Craig traces the man's background to Farrington, New Jersey, where he discovers that Lloyd Beamer, the owner of the Midvale bottling works, disappeared years ago under mysterious circumstances.
A beach shack on Long Island, New York; the town of Farrington, New Jersey; and the Midvale bottling works · Barry Craig, Dr. Vanner, Clark Smith, Lloyd Beamer, Sheriff/Barber, Mrs. Polly Beamer
Listen for: The psychiatrist's theory that forgotten memories can hide dark secrets; Barry Craig's methodical detective work using simple clues like place names and rivers; the revelation that the amnesiac patient may be the missing bottling works owner
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: For Love of Murder (1954)
Maxie Potter, recently bailed out by investigator Barry Craig after hitting talent agent Randy Lomax with a brick, claims he's being framed. Lomax refuses to drop charges unless Maxie leaves the country permanently, and insists that Maxie is sending him threatening cartridges. Craig must untangle whether Maxie is truly guilty or if someone else wants Lomax dead.
Jersey City and New York, including Craig's office, a diner, and Lomax's home · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Maxie Potter, a man in trouble, Randy Lomax, a talent agent, Sadie Sacks, also known as Paula Paloma, Maxie's girl, Daisy, Lomax's ex-wife
Listen for: The mystery of who is really sending the threatening cartridges to Lomax, and whether Maxie is guilty or being set up.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Ghost of A Chance (1951)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by the Trans-Southern Insurance Company to quietly investigate a $50,000 claim paid to the widow of Remo Torch, who allegedly fell to his death on a subway platform three months ago. An anonymous caller has claimed the death was fraudulent, and Craig must determine the truth—but his investigation takes a bizarre turn when the caretaker of Hillcrest Cemetery claims to have seen the supposedly dead Remo Torch rise from his grave and walk away into the night.
New York City, including the Trans-Southern Insurance Company office, Seneca Street, and Hillcrest Cemetery on Long Island · Barry Craig, Roy Brennahan, Mrs. Remo Torch, Sam Billings, Mrs. Verna Talbot, Remo Torch
Listen for: The mystery of the empty coffin and the man walking with an unusual gait; Barry's stakeout at the cemetery and pursuit of the mysterious figure making a phone call
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Ghosts Don't Die in Bed (1954)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig receives an urgent midnight call from his old acquaintance Mark Reed, who demands he travel immediately to the tower house outside Dorning. On the train, Craig encounters Ruth Adams, a terrified young woman fleeing an assassination attempt in the city, who reveals she is Mark Reed's niece and has also been summoned to the tower house. Both passengers arrive at the mysterious estate under strange circumstances, with the local cab driver ominously warning them to leave town immediately.
A train traveling at night to Dorning and the surrounding area, culminating at an old tower house outside the town. · Barry Craig, Mark Reed, Ruth Adams, The Conductor, The Cab Driver
Listen for: The developing mystery of why Mark Reed has urgently summoned both Craig and his niece Ruth to the tower house, and who is trying to kill Ruth.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Hay Is for Homicide (1954)
On a Vermont vacation, confidential investigator Barry Craig finds a dead man with a knife in his heart lying in a hay wagon on a country road. When he seeks help at a nearby farmhouse, he encounters Millie George, an elegantly dressed woman claiming to be a farmer's daughter who speaks of dead men walking the area and hints that her father died mysteriously over a year ago.
A rural Vermont farm and surrounding country roads at night · Barry Craig, Jake, Millie George
Listen for: The eerie discovery of the body in the hay wagon, Millie George's cryptic warnings about dead men, and Barry Craig's growing suspicion that she knows more than she's revealing about the death
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Kitchens Come with Knives (1953)
Private investigator Barry Craig is hired to report on Sam Jenkins's movements. When Craig spots Jenkins entering a house and confronts the woman living there, Lynn Walters, she claims Jenkins isn't there and hints at a darker conspiracy involving Jenkins's business partners. After Lynn faints from shock, Craig discovers a grim reason for her distress.
A large house on East 43rd Street in the city, late at night during a rainstorm · Barry Craig, Lynn Walters, Sam Jenkins, Griffith and Swenson, Large man (unnamed)
Listen for: The confrontation at Lynn Walters's front door, her revelation about Jenkins's jealous wife and scheming partners, and the shocking discovery in the kitchen
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Life Line (1954)
Investigator Barrie Craig is approached by Norma Baron, a frightened young woman worried about her boyfriend Chris Tchaikovsky, who carries a gun and seems headed toward self-destruction. Craig tails Chris to a movie theater where the nervous young man flees through a fire exit, and after confronting him in an alley, Craig discovers Chris is carrying an illegal gun and may be planning a robbery.
A diner called Dolan's, city streets, the Odian movie theater, an alley, and a warehouse loading platform · Barrie Craig, Norma Baron, Chris Tchaikovsky, Dolan, Maisie and Sam Guinness
Listen for: Craig's attempts to get Chris to confess details of a planned robbery, and the revelation of Chris's facial scarring from a childhood fire that has shaped his self-image and troubles
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Microfilm in the Fishtank (1951)
Barrie Craig, confidential investigator, meets tailor George who is being shaken down by a protection racket demanding $50 a week. Craig promises to alert Lieutenant Edwards to help, but that night George's shop catches fire and George is found dead inside. Craig discovers celluloid scrap at the scene—evidence of professional arson—and takes on the case, only to be hired by newspaper publisher Alfred P. Whittington to investigate the murder and protection scheme for an exclusive story.
New York City; George's tailor shop, police headquarters, insurance company office, Whittington's penthouse apartment · Barrie Craig, George the tailor, Lieutenant Edwards, Alfred P. Whittington, Arthur B. Goldsmith, Irving Turkle
Listen for: The clues involving celluloid scrap used in professional arson, the protection racket operation, and the connection between the newspaper crime series and the murder investigation.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Midsummer Lunacy (1954)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is summoned to Jubilee Villa resort by an attractive blonde guest named Linda Paris, who asks him to investigate a wealthy-seeming guest named Stuart Stoner before she agrees to marry him. Craig's investigation reveals that both Linda and Stuart are using false identities and posing as wealthy, but he uncovers a darker mystery when he confronts Stoner and discovers the man suffers from mysterious episodes of suffocation and blackouts.
Jubilee Villa, a resort hotel with tennis courts, a casino, a bar, and lawn dances under pine trees. · Barry Craig, Linda Paris (Mary Ranceroff), Stuart Stoner, Lou Latimer
Listen for: Barry Craig's hard-boiled narration as he unravels the deceptions at the resort; Stoner's mysterious affliction that causes him to blank out.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Motive for Murder (1952)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by attorney Talbot to protect young Floyd Spencer Jr., a $40 million heir returning from Portugal. Two mysterious accidents involving the young man abroad have raised suspicions, and now as Spencer arrives at the airport, someone attempts to assassinate him on the landing field.
An airport in fog, with scenes in Talbot's office and the airport administration building. · Barry Craig, Miss Briggs, Branch Talbot, Floyd Spencer Jr., Paul Shandor, Joe Potato
Listen for: The shooting on the fog-shrouded landing field and Craig's deduction about how the assassin gained access through the private door.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Murder By Threes (1952)
Barry Craig investigates the murder of Cleo Odell Caesar, a contestant in a Mrs. Apple Pie 1952 baking contest with a $20,000 prize. Cleo was beaten to death and then placed in a car with a wedged accelerator, sent down a steep incline to appear as a tragic accident. Barry must uncover which of the envious contestants or other parties wanted Cleo eliminated from the competition.
Calamity House hotel in Sheepshead Bay, a hotel hosting the Mrs. Apple Pie 1952 baking contest for married women. · Barry Craig, Julius Caesar, Cleo Odell Caesar, Lieutenant Trab Rogers, Mr. Willoughby, Dr. Conway
Listen for: The clever murder method using a pebble to wedge the gas accelerator; Julius's peculiar manner of speech and his emotional attachment to his wife Cleo; the competing bakers and their motives; Mr. Willoughby's assessment of the contestants' chances.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Murder Island (1952)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is grabbed off a Broadway street and taken to a waterfront hideout where he meets Stacy, a wanted criminal with a bad reputation who claims he didn't kill a man named Crowley whose body was found in Long Island Sound. Stacy hires Craig to find the real murderer, slips him a thousand dollars, and has him dumped on the street. Now Craig must investigate the case despite police suspicion and a mysterious boat house operator with secrets of his own.
New York City, including Broadway, the East River waterfront, and a decrepit boat house · Barry Craig, Stacy, Lieutenant Trev Rogers, Maxie, Crowley (victim), Boat house operator
Listen for: Craig's witty narration and wisecracks as he navigates the criminal underworld; the tense confrontation with Stacy at the waterfront hideout; the mysterious circumstances surrounding Crowley's brutal murder.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Murder by Error (1954)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is hired by Vera Baxter to find out why her wealthy husband JC is being blackmailed and forced to pay money. Craig tails Baxter and discovers a $10,000 payoff being made from a bridge, then stakes out the location to catch the blackmailer—only to find a small, odd man named Lou who claims he was merely hunting frogs for a laboratory and stumbled upon the money by accident.
A city during a sultry summer evening, including a cocktail lounge, city streets, a bridge over a creek, and the surrounding fringe areas of town. · Barry Craig, Vera Baxter, JC Baxter, Lou (the small man with the large head)
Listen for: The clever trap Craig sets by replacing the blackmail money with himself as bait, and the surprising revelation that the man collecting the payoff may not be the blackmailer at all.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Murder in Wax (1951)
When a murder victim's parrot is found with human blood on its feet, Barry Craig traces the bird to a dead man on the docks. The case takes a strange turn when an amusement park announces a wax exhibit depicting the very same murder—less than 24 hours after it happened. Craig investigates the museum and its new owner, uncovering connections to a decades-old robbery and blackmail scheme.
New York City, including tenement row near the docks, Starbright Park amusement museum, Scaller's sculpture studio, and various offices and streets · Barry Craig, Mona Gale, Lieutenant Trev Rogers, Vince Larimer, Dolly Flanders, Howard Crump, Fernando Scaller, Sandy Dowell
Listen for: The mysterious parrot that becomes the first clue; the rapid appearance of the wax exhibit; the revelation of Sam Tracy's hidden past; Crump's psychological breakdown when trapped in his office
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Never Murder a Mummy (1955)
Detective Barry Craig receives a mysterious mummy wrapped and delivered to his office. When an exotic woman claiming to be Princess Nefertiti arrives to collect her "sister," Craig follows her to an Egyptological museum where he makes a gruesome discovery: the mummy case contains the murdered body of wealthy archaeologist patron Osgood, not an ancient mummy.
Barry Craig's detective office on Madison Avenue, an Egyptological museum and its grounds · Barry Craig, Princess Nefertiti, Jake, the night elevator man, Osgood (deceased)
Listen for: The mysterious delivery of the mummy, Princess Nefertiti's claim that she is 5,000 years old and the sister of the mummy, the discovery of Osgood's body inside the mummy case at the museum.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Nobody Lives There Anymore (1955)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig encounters a distraught woman named Mrs. Wilson who claims she checked into the Hotel Meeker with her husband that afternoon, but the hotel staff denies any record of them. When Craig investigates the room she describes, he discovers the furnishings don't match her account—until he finds evidence that someone has deliberately altered the room's appearance. Craig takes a room at the hotel to investigate further, uncovering a dangerous conspiracy involving the clerk and a missing person.
New York City, primarily the Hotel Meeker and surrounding streets, late evening around 10:30 PM · Barry Craig, Mrs. Wilson, Willie (coffee wagon operator), Clerk Farley, Mr. Roberts (hotel manager), Penny Lane
Listen for: The mystery of the altered hotel room and Mrs. Wilson's missing husband; Barry Craig's discovery of the wallpaper evidence; the clerk's murder and the appearance of Penny Lane at a critical moment
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Scream for Murder (1953)
Barry Craig is hired by Killer Best, a former boxer turned society man, after Best is poisoned at the Cabana Adora nightclub. Though Best survives the poisoning, someone clearly wanted him dead. Craig must investigate the events surrounding the attempted murder and identify which of Best's many enemies—ex-lovers, jilted husbands, or business rivals—tried to kill him.
The Cabana Adora nightclub and Southmore Hospital in the city, with references to Killer Best's high-society circles · Barry Craig, Killer Best, Mona Best, Lieutenant Trev Rogers, Marshmallow Midas
Listen for: The philosophical discussion about life as a Persian rug from Somerset Maugham's novel, and the revelation of Killer Best's colorful but dangerous past as a home wrecker and society climber
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Song of Death (1951)
Barry Craig rescues a drowning woman named Susan Lane from the river and becomes entangled in her troubles. She claims someone tried to murder her, and the case involves a dispute over the authorship and rights to a popular song called "Sugarloaf Mama" between her employer, publisher Mr. Sampson, and songwriter Mervyn Marlow. When Barry and Susan leave her apartment together, they are held up in a taxi by a gunman who kidnaps Barry, forcing him to piece together the identity of his attacker and call for police assistance.
A city with docks and rivers, music publishing offices, city streets and taxi cabs. · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Susan Lane, Father Neptune, Mr. Sampson, music publisher, Mervyn Marlow, songwriter, Lieutenant Rogers
Listen for: The clever banter between Barry and Susan, the details of the song rights dispute, and Barry's deductions about the kidnapper's identity.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Strange Vision (1954)
Barry Craig takes an undercover job at Dexter Dean's small chemical plant in Ohio after Dean hires him to investigate a series of mysterious fires that have plagued the facility. With four fires of undetermined origin occurring since September and insurance threatened with revocation, Craig must work among the plant's limited staff while posing as a new employee to uncover whether sabotage is at play.
A small chemical plant in Greensville, Ohio, and the town surrounding it in the 1950s. · Barry Craig, Dexter Dean, Ben Marlow, Clyde Tawler, Marcia
Listen for: Tension builds as Craig observes workplace conflicts and romantic rivalries among the plant employees, setting the stage for his investigation into the sabotage mystery.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Sucker Bait (1955)
Barry Craig investigates widespread rumors of game-fixing at Blankhurst College after the basketball team loses to an inferior opponent. The dean hires Craig to look into possible bribery and dumping, especially when the team inexplicably loses again the following night to an even weaker team in front of a crowd filled with notorious gamblers and fixers.
Blankhurst College and its basketball arena, a college town · Barry Craig, Dean John, Chris Frank, Sandy Bigelow, Sophie Slater, Tony Capron, Vince Bartlett, Johnny Minton
Listen for: Barry Craig's investigation into whether players are throwing games for gamblers; the suspicious benching of star player Snovski in the second game; the tension between the dean, coach, and players as Craig questions them.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Sweet Larceny (1955)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig receives a cable from Oscar Melamed requesting an armored truck to safely transfer the priceless Barbary Tomb relics arriving Friday by ship. When Craig meets with Lisa Barnum to discuss the collection, he is attacked and knocked unconscious, and the cable gram is stolen from his pocket. Lisa reveals that the relics belonged to her uncle, an Egyptologist who vanished in Egypt two years ago, and she believes her own father was involved in his murder.
New York City, with references to a ship at sea and Egypt · Barry Craig, Lisa Barnum, Oscar Melamed, Dexter Barbary, Lisa's father
Listen for: The mystery of the vanished Egyptologist and the claim to ownership of the priceless tomb relics; Barry Craig's determination to uncover who stole the cable gram and why.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Case of the Borrowed Knife (1951)
When young Wilma Lord arrives at Barry Craig's detective office asking for protection before her marriage to wealthy philanthropist John Waring, she hints at danger but refuses to say whose murder she fears. Before Craig can learn more, a man with a knife in his back is found dead—and he turns out to be on crime boss Harry Otis's payroll, the same man who employs Wilma. As the police investigate and an alarm goes out for Wilma, she calls Craig from hiding and arranges a secret midnight meeting in the park.
A big city, primarily Craig's office in the old mercantile building, the streets at night, and various locations including a park and Willie's hot dog wagon · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Wilma Lord, a young woman, John Waring, a wealthy philanthropist, Lieutenant Rogers, homicide, Harry Otis, crime boss, Jake, building elevator operator, Willie, hot dog wagon operator
Listen for: The moment when Wilma reveals why she really needs Craig's protection, and what connection John Waring has to the dead man and the crime world around them
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Case of the Naughty Necklace (1951)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by a mysterious client to purchase a valuable pearl necklace from a woman named Wendy Harper at the Beachham Towers Hotel for five thousand dollars. When Craig arrives at Harper's apartment to negotiate the purchase, he discovers she is dead, and he becomes a suspect in what appears to be a murder frame-up.
New York City, including Barry Craig's office building, the Beachham Towers Hotel, and various city streets and locations. · Barry Craig, Wendy Harper, Jake the elevator operator, Detective Clancy, A mysterious client, John Peter Kenney
Listen for: Barry Craig's wry narration as he pieces together the mystery; the revelation of the mysterious client's identity and motive; how Craig plans to escape the police and prove his innocence.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Corpse Who Was Wrong (1954)
Barry Craig is hired by attorney W. Stubbens to locate Stella Peterson, a woman who disappeared three months ago. When Barry learns that his employer, Arthur Philip Peterson, is actually dead, the case takes on a more sinister tone. Barry begins investigating Stella's last known address and workplace, only to encounter evasive witnesses and discovers he's being followed by someone in a green car.
New York City, including a rundown boarding house at 1217 West 29th Street, the 10-20 Club nightclub, and Barry's office · Barry Craig, W. Stubbens, Arthur Philip Peterson, Stella Peterson, Mrs. Cole, Lieutenant Rogers
Listen for: The mystery of who Stella Peterson really is and why she's connected to a dead man; the significance of the green car following Barry; the connection between Stella's disappearance and Peterson's death
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Deadly Fight (1952)
Barry Craig takes a simple confidential job from a mysterious client named Mooney to bid on boxer Boxa Doyle's diamond belt at an auction. When the police take interest in the belt's sale and connect it to Doyle's disappearance years ago, Craig finds himself drawn into a dangerous investigation that his client clearly wants to keep secret.
New York City, including a Times Square penny arcade, a diner, the Phoenix Galleries auction house, a pre-bitten hotel on the East 20s, and police headquarters. · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Mooney, Craig's client, Lieutenant Trev, police officer, Tony, diner owner, Mrs. Boxa Doyle, Sam Spyro, Doyle's manager
Listen for: Craig's reflective opening about how a confidential operator's heart can compromise his objectivity, the auction bidding scene, the confrontation at Mooney's hotel where violence erupts, and the police lieutenant's proposition to solve the cold case.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Embezzler (1954)
Barry Craig, confidential investigator, arrives in the small town of Echo Corners to quietly recover embezzled bank funds stolen by Kirk Dennis, a young teller with a troubled past whom the bank manager foolishly hired despite local opposition. Craig begins interviewing the townspeople to track down Dennis and recover the money before scandal engulfs the bank.
Echo Corners, a small town of under 20,000 population, during its annual Spring Jubilee · Barry Craig, Woolsey, Kirk Dennis, Jenny Smith, Samson Kovacs
Listen for: A mysterious embezzler who may be Robin Hood-like, stealing to help others; cryptic clues about Kirk Dennis's whereabouts and motivations; conflicting accounts of his character and actions
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Girl on the Doorstep (1953)
Private investigator Barry Craig witnesses a man fall and die on the icy pavement in front of an apartment building late at night. The man turns out to be Walter Bali, a former nightclub owner from the Midwest who came to New York to collect on an unpaid debt. Craig saw a young redheaded woman with the man before his fall, but the building's superintendent insists no such woman lives there and the back door lock has been forced.
New York City, present day; an apartment building and surrounding streets on a cold night · Barry Craig, Lieutenant Rogers, Walter Bali, The Super, The Redhead
Listen for: The mystery of the redheaded woman who vanishes, the forced back door lock, and the connection to Walter Bali's unpaid debts from his nightclub business
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Judge and the Champ (1951)
Columnist Al White is murdered in his apartment after threatening to publish scandalous stories about a fixed boxing match and a corrupt political deal involving Judge Adair and nightclub owner Ace Daily. Detective Barry Craig takes on the case to find White's killer, uncovering a web of suspects who all have motives to silence the columnist.
New York City, including Al White's apartment, the Casa Daily nightclub, the Carteret Arms hotel, a pier, and Barry Craig's office. · Barry Craig, Al White, Ace Daily, Judge Adair, Louise Adair, Larry Slade, Lily Duvoir, Sergeant Marty Moran
Listen for: The solution to who really killed columnist Al White, revealed through detective work and a confrontation in Barry Craig's office where the true murderer is exposed.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Lonely Corner (1953)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, discovers a dead man in his office—a small nervous stranger who had been looking for him earlier in the day. The body has no identification, the labels stripped from his clothes, and he was killed by a knife wound to the heart. Someone is clearly anxious about Craig's involvement, and when a gunman opens fire in Craig's office, it becomes clear that whoever wants Craig dead is willing to strike again.
Barry Craig's office in a building on Madison Avenue, a diner called Willie's wagon, and the surrounding streets of the city · Barry Craig, Willie, Jake, Lieutenant Rogers, John Doe
Listen for: The opening narration about murderers and their books, Willie's banter about the food at his diner, Jake the elevator operator's dry observations, and the tense discovery of the body in Craig's lonely office corner
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Long Way Home (1952)
Barry Craig is hired by Mona Walsh, a woman fleeing her dangerous husband Ted Walsh, a known criminal who has killed and robbed his way across the country. Craig agrees to watch the Walsh house through the night to protect Mona from her husband's pursuit, and begins investigating Ted Walsh's criminal background.
New York City, including Craig's office building, a shiny car, Mona Walsh's house, and a drugstore with a phone · Barry Craig, Mona Walsh, Ted Walsh, Jake, Lieutenant Trev
Listen for: Craig's philosophical observations about people and their professions, his casual handling of danger, and his investigation into Ted Walsh's criminal past
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Lost Lady (1953)
Barry Craig is hired by Adolf Beck to protect his wife while she shops for a hat in New York. When Mrs. Beck disappears from a boutique dressing room, Craig must track her down. Beck reveals his wife was once a nightclub singer named Lyla Lorne and was previously engaged to Eddie Myron, a nightclub owner, before they married—suggesting there may be dangerous connections from her past.
New York City, including a boutique called Madame Florie's and Adolf Beck's office · Barry Craig, Adolf Beck, Mrs. Beck (Lyla Lorne), Monsieur (boutique owner), Eddie Myron
Listen for: The disappearance of Mrs. Beck from the locked dressing room and the revelation of her mysterious past connections to nightclub life and Eddie Myron.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Moving Target (1955)
Barry Craig is hired by Bertram Finley, a nervous man who has spent eight months abroad preparing hotel site reports for the Anzio Calcun Hotel Land Development Corporation. Finley claims he has survived mysterious accidents and attacks during his travels to Honduras, the Belgian Congo, and a remote village, and now fears for his safety back in New York. Craig investigates the company and its operations to determine whether Finley is genuinely in danger or caught up in something more sinister.
New York City, including the docks at Pier 82, a coffee shop, the offices of Anzio Calcun Hotel Land Development Corporation off Park Road, and the Yankee Doodle Hotel on the Lower Bowery. · Barry Craig, Bertram Finley, Cupy Marina
Listen for: The dramatic account of Finley's overseas misadventures, including his arrest as a spy and escape via tidal wave; a near-fatal encounter with a black touring car in the street; and Craig's discovery of the mysterious hotel company's true intentions.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Paper Bullets (1951)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, takes on a case to recover a stolen manuscript worth $50,000—the prize-winning novel "The Cry of the Hyena" by eccentric author Eric Trent. The manuscript vanished from publisher Hillary Grayson's office, and Craig discovers the theft may be connected to jealousy over the contest results.
A publishing office and various locations around the city, including a buttermilk bar on 8th Avenue · Barry Craig, Hillary Grayson, Eric Trent, Oscar Sachs, Trev, John, Mrs. Cora Talbot, Stanley Talbot
Listen for: The mystery of the stolen manuscript and the true identity of Eric Trent; Oscar Sachs' claim that Trent is not an American author and therefore ineligible for the prize
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Schemers (1954)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is hired by a businessman named Jip Moody to recover $200,000 stolen five years ago by Johnny Phoenix, who has just been released from Riverhead asylum as a rehabilitated man. Craig stakes out Phoenix's release and attempts to follow him, but is intercepted by state police on a mistaken identity charge involving a woman at the station.
New York City and Riverhead, upstate New York, including a bus, gymnasium, train station, and train car · Barry Craig, Jip Moody, Johnny Phoenix, Rita Pinnock, Simms
Listen for: Craig's hardboiled first-person narration as he uncovers the connection between Phoenix's release and a scheme to prevent him from being followed; the mysterious woman Rita Pinnock and her involvement in the case.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Sneak Assassin (1954)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig arrives at a Florida motel where the co-owner Harry Jollis has mysteriously disappeared. Harry's business partner Mo Birch reveals that Harry recently married a cabaret singer named Kiki Adams, began associating with dangerous characters, and withdrew his money—but the bus ticket he supposedly used to flee to Key West shows no record of him boarding. Craig stays to investigate Harry's disappearance while discovering that Kiki, Harry's wife, still remains in town rather than following her husband.
A motel called the Happy Traveler on a Florida highway about 100 miles north of Miami, and the surrounding town including a cabaret club called the Downbeat. · Barry Craig, Mo Birch, Harry Jollis, Kiki Adams, Bigelow Bernie, Tony Saxon
Listen for: The mysterious circumstances of Harry Jollis's vanishing act—a man with sudden newfound wealth, a young bride, dangerous new associates, and a bus ticket that goes unused.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: The Thirteenth Guest (1953)
Barry Craig is hired by the wealthy playboy Badger Boris to work as a discreet bouncer at an exclusive masquerade party, paid to prevent guests from becoming too rowdy or stealing from one another. When Craig meets a mysterious woman on the patio at midnight for an intimate rendezvous, he discovers she has been murdered, stabbed through the heart.
A lavish masquerade costume party at the home of wealthy playboy Badger Boris, featuring a patio with flagstone and floral displays. · Barry Craig, Badger Boris, Cora Wilmer, Mark Wilmer, Rita Romaine, a society photographer
Listen for: The distinctive narration and dialogue of William Gargan as Barry Craig, the playful banter between Craig and Boris about the terms of employment, and the atmospheric description of the discovery of the dead woman on the patio.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Tough Guy (1954)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, encounters a young woman named Angie Palmer on the subway who is being coerced by her ex-convict boyfriend Tex. Years ago, Angie held a sealed envelope for Tex containing directions to $30,000 he stole and hid before going to prison. When Tex is released and retrieves the envelope, he discovers the money is gone. Barry must help Tex track down who took the hidden loot while navigating the suspicions between Tex, his twin brother Willie, and a street thug named Nick.
New York City, including the subway, Angie's furnished room, a yard house behind the Corning Iron Works, Dunstan's chicken farm in Yonkers, and a Park Avenue duplex. · Barry Craig, confidential investigator, Angie Palmer, a waitress, Tex, ex-convict and Angie's ex-boyfriend, Willie, Tex's twin brother, Nick, a street thug with a knife, Joey Stutzal, hospital orderly and thief
Listen for: Barry Craig's detective methods as he pieces together clues from Tex's fever-induced delirium to identify the real thief; a pivotal fight between Tex and Nick that builds Tex's confidence; the revelation of how Joey systematically spent all thirty thousand dollars in a single year.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Two Dead Men (1955)
Confidential investigator Barry Craig is hired to protect wealthy socialite Hilda Hobson's quarter-million dollars in jewels at a tennis championship tournament. During the finals between Hilda's young husband Kirk Kenny and star player Bobby Blaine, Blaine suddenly collapses on the court. An autopsy reveals Blaine was poisoned with a pill slipped to him between games, and Craig must determine who wanted the tennis star dead.
A tennis championship tournament at a stadium, and the J. Creighton Memorial Club, during a summer afternoon in the 1950s. · Barry Craig, Hilda Hobson, Kirk Kenny, Bobby Blaine, Harry Benton
Listen for: The investigation into Bobby Blaine's death unfolds as Craig questions the key suspects, including Hilda Hobson and her young husband Kirk Kenny, examining their motives and relationships.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Visitor at Midnight (1955)
When a mysterious visitor climbs through Barry Craig's window at midnight, he claims to be a novelist seeking advice on an unsolvable murder plot: poisoning a heart-disease victim by replacing his medicine capsules with water. The next morning, Craig discovers that a crooked broker named James W. Baker—who suffered from heart disease—has died suddenly. Craig visits Baker's house to investigate whether the fictional murder scheme has become reality.
Barry Craig's apartment and the Baker household, in the present day. · Barry Craig, Sandra (Baker's niece), James W. Baker (deceased), Hanson (Baker's lawyer), Tommy (Baker's secretary), The midnight visitor
Listen for: The clever murder method described in the novelist's plot, and whether Craig can prove it was actually used on Baker before the murderer escapes.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator: Zero Hour (1954)
Barry Craig, a confidential investigator, is hired by Evan Parker to reinvestigate a two-year-old ski accident in which Parker's wife Jean was severely injured and paralyzed. The accident occurred when someone tampered with Jean's ski straps on a steep slope. Now, with all the suspects gathered at the ski lodge for the anniversary weekend, Craig must uncover the truth behind the sabotage while facing warnings and threats from those who want the case left buried.
A ski lodge and village in snow country during winter, two years after a ski accident that left a woman paralyzed. · Barry Craig, Evan Parker, Tom Cooper, Alan Loomis, Wilma West, Jean Parker
Listen for: A case of attempted murder disguised as an accident, with multiple suspects who have motives and reasons to want the investigation stopped. Craig faces a bullet through his window and repeated warnings to abandon the case.