Case Closed! – Episode Summary (Feb 4, 2026)

Featuring: "Murder Clinic: The Holloway Flat Tragedy" (Aug 18, 1942) & "The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Mexican Boat Ride" (Jul 30, 1949)
Theme: Classic Golden Age crime and mystery—blind detective work and noir private-eye intrigue.

Episode Overview

This episode of Case Closed! revisits two gripping radio mysteries from the golden era:

• Murder Clinic: Max Carrados, the blind detective, unravels “The Holloway Flat Tragedy,” where sighted witnesses are misled, but the truth emerges from less obvious cues.
• Philip Marlowe: In “The Mexican Boat Ride,” Marlowe heads south of the border to uncover the secret behind a boat-hating woman caught in a web of murder and smuggling.

Part One: Murder Clinic

Story: "The Holloway Flat Tragedy"
Lead Detective: Max Carrados
[01:05–30:30]

Key Discussion Points & Plot

• Carrados’ Unique Ability:

  • Despite blindness, Carrados’ sharp senses and intellect expose what the sighted miss.
  • “On the contrary, it prevents me from being deceived by the obvious. I must rely on my other senses, which are more reliable, I assure you.” (Max Carrados, 01:32)

• The Case Arrives:

  • Louis Carlyle, Carrados’ friend, presents a peculiar letter from Albert Henry Polish, a nervous man claiming someone—Peter, a jealous foreigner—tried to murder him.
  • Polish staged his bed to fool his insomniac wife but returned to find the "dummy" in his bed stabbed.

• The Set-Up:

  • Polish wants help but refuses police involvement to avoid scandal and to protect his wife’s nerves.
  • Carrados and Parkinson observe him, noting details Louis overlooks—such as his distinctive glove and physical nervousness.

• Murder is Committed:

  • Days later, Polish is found dead, face slashed horrifically.
  • Mrs. Polish was out of town “on her sister’s insistence,” and the police focus on Peter, the foreign lover.

• Carrados’ Doubt:

  • Early skepticism prompts Carrados to ask about fingerprint verification, as the victim is barely recognizable except for a missing finger.
  • Search uncovers the damning bolster and sheet with knife marks, supposedly hidden after the initial attack.

• Red Herrings and Critical Senses:

  • The “sheet and bolster” reveal a crucial sensory clue:
    • “They were perfumed, my friend. They had been taken from her bed, not his. A small mistake, but a fatal.” (Carrados, 29:03)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Carrados Schools the Sighted:
  • “Medium average. A perfect picture… And what would you say, Parkinson?” (Carrados teasing Louis’ vague description vs. Parkinson’s detailed one, 09:57)
• The Blind Advantage:
  • “You forget, Mr. Knight, in the dark, it is I who can see. Without lights, they were playing in my backyard.” (Carrados, 27:25)

The Reveal

• Carrados lures the wife and her lover (posing as Polish) to a public place, arranges a blackout, and prevents a murder-suicide cover-up:
  • “If I hadn’t prevented it by catching her wrist, we’d have found the gun in his hand and the verdict might have been suicide. Resourceful, young lady, our Mrs. Polish.” (27:10)

Part Two: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe

Story: "The Mexican Boat Ride"
[30:30–57:39]

Key Discussion Points & Plot

• Classic Marlowe Intro:

  • “Get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker’s road…” (30:30)

• Client with Shadows:

  • Carl Estabrook, bedridden, hires Marlowe to find out why his wife, Ona, with a known boat phobia, was seen on a fishing boat in Ensenada, Mexico (33:04).
  • Marlowe’s fee: $50/day + expenses, grudgingly accepted.

• On the Trail in Mexico:

  • Marlowe tracks Ona to her hotel patio; their encounter is tense and suspicious (37:19–37:49).
  • An attempt to tail her is interrupted by a threatening local, “Haiba the Crab,” (38:47), who warns Marlowe to leave town—hinting at a larger criminal operation.
  • Marlowe is roughed up, rescued by Lou Roman, an affable American fisherman.

• Deadly Complications:

  • Marlowe discovers Haiba the Crab stabbed with his own knife (44:31), indicating betrayal and shifting allegiances.
  • Tracking Ona, Marlowe is stymied by a language barrier with a hotel doorman before learning she’s headed to a fishing pier (46:48–47:40).
  • Marlowe has a violent confrontation with “Popeyes,” who turns out to be a Mexican customs captain undercover (49:52–51:32).

• Climax at the Pier:

  • Rushing to the fishing pier, Marlowe finds both Ona and Roman/Bentley about to escape by boat (54:09).
  • Ona confesses the chaos began with a swapped suitcase at customs; she was coerced, and Roman/Bentley killed the real Roman and forced her to act as if all was normal.

• Resolution:

  • Mexican Captain Descados reveals himself and arrests Bentley (55:32).
  • Ona is finally safe and plans to reconcile with her husband.
  • Marlowe reflects on mishaps, swapped luggage, and a close brush with international crime.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Marlowe’s Noir Monologue:
  • “It was a rare morning, clear and clean…the kind that knocks 10 years off your age…” (30:43)
• Foreshadowing Danger:
  • “You’re a reputable man. Just see that I get my money’s worth, Marlow, and you can keep the change.” (35:36)
• Humor amid Tension:
  • “I needed new huaraches.” (Marlowe’s wisecrack, 40:10)
• Twist and Reveal:
  • “On a hunch, Captain, and by positive identification—from you, Ona, when we were on the boat.” (57:02)
• Bittersweet Exit:
  • “Oh yes, I’d had just about enough for a while.” (Marlowe, 57:39)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• “I must rely on my other senses, which are more reliable, I assure you.” — Max Carrados (01:32)
• “If I hadn’t prevented it by catching her wrist, we’d have found the gun in his hand and the verdict might have been suicide.” — Max Carrados (27:10)
• “Crime is a sucker’s road and those who travel it wind up in the gutter, the prison, or the grave.” — Philip Marlowe (30:30)
• “It was a day to be spent on an old open road to someplace new…But a phone call I received reduced my open road to Carmelita Avenue and nothing more exciting than Beverly Hills.” — Philip Marlowe (30:44)
• “Oh yes, I’d had just about enough for a while.” — Philip Marlowe (57:39)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:05] - Carrados explains his methods and introduces the Holloway case.
• [14:57] - Carrados calls for fingerprint verification, casting doubt on the supposed victim.
• [27:00] - The blackout sting at the Peacock Club reveals the true murderers.
• [30:30] - Philip Marlowe’s signature opening and introduction to the Mexican case.
• [38:47] - Marlowe’s confrontation with Haiba the Crab.
• [44:31] - Discovery of Haiba the Crab’s murder.
• [49:52] - Showdown with "Dolph Bentley," really a Mexican customs agent.
• [54:09] - Climax at the pier—truth about Ona and the criminal plot revealed.
• [57:02] - Marlowe explains to Descados how he identified Bentley.

Episode Takeaways

This double-feature exemplifies the golden age of radio crime:

• Carrados’ intuition as a blind detective uncovers what would be invisible to the ordinary person, subverting expectations.
• Marlowe’s relentless pursuit mixes hard-boiled style with international intrigue, mistaken identity, and classic noir motifs.

Both tales showcase how paying attention—whether to a nervous voice, a perfumed bedsheet, or a missing suitcase—can mean the difference between justice served and villainy concealed.

For Listeners

If you love classic detective logic and razor-sharp banter, this episode is a showcase of timeless genre mastery—where the twists are as sharp as the dialogue, and darkness always harbors the truth, waiting for someone to see.