Strands of Murder: Nick Carter, Master Detective (December 17, 1944)

“Strands of Murder” is an episode of Nick Carter, Master Detective, the old-time radio show, first broadcast December 17, 1944. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Nick Carter arrives at a theater in the West 40s where producer Riley is rehearsing a new play called "The Sacrifice." When Nick insists on entering despite Riley's orders to keep people out, he discovers that Leo Brane, one of the play's stars, has been murdered backstage—stabbed with a Grecian dagger. With only seven people in the theater at the time, Nick must determine which of the three leading women or four men committed the crime.

A theater in the West 40s of New York City, in the heart of the theater district, during a rehearsal for a new theatrical production.

Characters: Nick Carter, Patsy, Riley, Leo Brane, Della Claire, Mara de Brea, Leader Limman, Bellac Lass

Listen for: Nick investigates the murder using clues from black hairs found on the dagger handle and the discovery that the murder weapon came from the costume daggers worn by the female cast members. He notes the layout of the theater and learns that the killer could have accessed the murder scene from multiple directions.

Written from the episode itself; it 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.