Suspense Sundays (158) Summer Night

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.

"Summer Night"

Air date: July 15, 1948
Starring Ida Lupino

>>Episodes here<<

Anna's father has just passed away, and while trying to call her friend Helen, the telephone switch operator casually talks about a serial killer, known as The Lipstick Killer, who is going around town.  But Anna is preoccupied now that she mysteriously wants Helen to come to her house and stay for awhile - this Helen who stole away the man she loved many years ago.

Wow, this episode had no end of twists.  This is a very well constructed story, with Anna keeping her secrets until it's revealed that she has an ulterior motive for asking Helen to come stay with her.  And the reveal about The Lipstick Killer was even more of a shocker - especially when it seemed that Anna was the killer.  I enjoyed how this was told almost exclusively by Anna, it made for an interesting twist on a serial killer loose story, when it seemed like the narrator might be the culprit.