Welcome to this week’s episode of “Friday Night Noir” on Vintage Classic Radio, where the shadows talk and the suspense is as thick as fog. Tonight, we delve into the eerie corners of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater with "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale of deduction. Join our insightful protagonist as he uses his exceptional powers of reasoning to unravel a Parisian mystery that baffles the police. The haunting streets of Paris come alive with the voices of our stellar cast, featuring the astute Paul Lukas as the keen-minded sleuth, with support from the talented Santos Ortega and Bryna Raeburn in pivotal roles. Following this gripping tale, we rewind time to 1942 with "Suspense" and the episode "Two Sharp Knives," which springs from the mind of the masterful Dashiell Hammett. As the clock ticks in the small town of Brentwood, we follow Scott Anderson, the diligent Chief of Police played by the commanding Lew Ayres, who, along with his wise-cracking sidekick, Wally Maher, discovers that sometimes justice can be as slippery as a greased blade. The plot thickens, and tension mounts with each passing minute, courtesy of the incredible ensemble including the versatile Jeanette Nolan and the robust Edmund MacDonald. Both stories tonight are penned by literary giants. Edgar Allan Poe, the father of the detective story, gifts us with a narrative that combines his trademark gothic atmosphere with an intellectual puzzle, while Dashiell Hammett, a former Pinkerton detective himself, offers a gritty, realistic look at crime and its consequences. So, turn down the lights, settle into your armchair, and prepare for an evening of mystery and suspense that will leave your heart racing and your mind reeling. Remember, when the truth is stranger than fiction, you're in the realm of “Friday Night Noir.” Enjoy the show.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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