10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classics from Radio's Preeminent Drama Series, May 10, 2001
This review is from: Tales Well Calculated to Keep You In Suspense (Audio Cassette)
Radio drama (or any other kind of drama) just doesn't get any better than "Suspense", a series which ran for decades but maintained its quality high from start to finish.
The stories run the gamut: [1] Stories drawn from true life ("Around the World", "Dutch Schultz", "The Wreck of the Maid of Athens", and "The Bertillion Method"). [2] Fanciful speculations drawn on true life events ("The Queen's Ring", "The Mystery of the Marie Celeste" and "Goodbye, Miss Lizzie Borden"). [3] Classic literature ("The Signalman" by Charles Dickens, and "The Mystery of Marie Roget" by Edgar Allan Poe). [4] Crime and detective stories ("St. James Infirmary Blues", "The Great Train Robbery", "The Face is Familiar", "Want Ad", "Murder by Jury", and "The Cave In"). [5] Westerns ("The Spencer Brothers" and "Ordeal in Donner Pass"). [6] High adventure ("Action", "Hellfire", and "Lily and the Colonel"). [7] Suspense ("Pigeon in a Cage", "Never Follow a Banjo Act", and "Parole to Panic"). [8] Science fiction ("Plan X", and "Heavens to Betsy").
The collection features some classic stories and big stars (for example, Ronald Reagan, Agnes Moorhead, and Van Heflin). Some of the real gems, however, are little known stories featuring people you never heard of. "Public Defender" tells the story of a lawyer who performed far above and beyond the call of duty. "Sequel to Murder" features a man who makes up for a lack of creativity with a talent for imitation. In "The Cave In", a policeman risks his life in an attempt to solve the murder of a man everyone hated.
It's difficult to collect sixty stories from one series without getting some clunkers. "Over the Bounding Main" made no sense whatsoever. "The Empty Chair" was just a little too preachy. "The Game" wasn't any fun at all. And "Premonition" was predictable.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Entertaining, June 10, 2001
This review is from: Tales Well Calculated to Keep You In Suspense (Audio Cassette)
I bought this book off Amazon last year and it took me a while to get through all sixty shows. On the whole, this box set is great. Most stories are well acted and of course have suspense! One anoying thing about this collection is the inclusion of the dumb autolight commercial between shows but by the tenth cassette the comercial is gone. Like the reviewer below me, a collection of this size is bound to carry a few duds but I would say that there are only three or four in this entire collection. Most are quite intriguing and well written. Its worth mentioning that comparing these stories with today's pop culture and morals is amusing though I was rather surprised that they tackled themes like divorce, adultery and even alcoholism; pretty progressive stuff for those days. For the price, you can't go wrong. If you are a lover of classic radio drama or audiobooks in general its worth every penny and they will give you hours of enjoyment. Highly recommended.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
great suspense and mystery collection, June 4, 2009
This review is from: Tales Well Calculated to Keep You In Suspense (Audio Cassette)
This was a terrific collection to enjoy. The CBS radio series was just ending it's run on the radio network by the time I entered high school.
In listening, I was reminded how much I loved listening to the great acting, stories and sound effects. There is also a wide range of stories to enjoy, unlike television which is essentially the same thing every week
with rare exception. Discover old time radio shows like Suspense for great entertainment the entire family can enjoy.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
