Case Closed! Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Philip Marlowe and The Sounds Of Darkness
Date: November 26, 2025
Podcast: Case Closed! (old time radio)
Host: RelicRadio.com

Episode Overview

This episode features two classic crime dramas from the golden age of radio:

1. Philip Marlowe: The Hiding Place – The hardboiled detective takes on a missing persons case that spirals into murder, theft, and dark secrets.
2. Sounds of Darkness: The Smell of Death – Blind detective Lee Masters investigates the suspicious murder of a narcotics agent, unraveling a case of obsession and psychological tragedy.

Both stories reflect the atmospheric, morally complex world of mid-20th-century radio crime fiction, engaging listeners with tough dialogue, intricate plots, and character-driven mysteries.

1. Philip Marlowe: "The Hiding Place"

Starts at 00:10

Main Theme

A woman hires private detective Philip Marlowe to find her missing son, Chip. The investigation reveals lost love, betrayal, murder, and the aftermath of a jewel heist, all centering around a mysterious "house with the big wheel."

Key Plot Points & Insights

• The Case Begins

  • [01:47] Mrs. Bryant asks Marlowe to find her missing son, Chip, who vanished six months prior.

  • Chip's only recent contact is a cryptic letter mentioning a meeting at the "house with the big wheel" from a glamorously troubled woman, Toby Packler.

    "His name is Chip, Mr. Marlow, or rather Chip now that he’s a grown man. He left suddenly without a word six months ago. I’ve heard nothing until this morning..." — Mrs. Bryant [02:51]

• Small Town Trail

  • Marlowe traces the lead to San Luis Obispo, questioning locals at motels and bars.

  • He notices someone tailing him: Lou Race, a menacing figure with connections to Bryant and the elusive jewels.

    "I've been tailing you every inch of the way since old lady Bryant went to see you this morning. What's the connection?" — Lou Race [07:49]

• Twists and False Leads

  • A woman with a severely scarred face and an anklet, identified as Ms. Palmer, hints at a deeper story.

  • Marlowe learns from newspaper archives about a car crash (involving Toby) and a $110,000 jewelry heist linked to two men and a woman—suspecting these crimes are interconnected.

    "A woman identified as Toby Packler of Los Angeles suffered severe injuries to head and face today when a car she was driving skidded into a bridge abutment two miles north of here. So that’s how come the face..." — Philip Marlowe [12:42]

• The Escobar Mansion

  • Marlowe visits the decaying home of Adam Escobar, where he suspects the jewels could be hidden.

  • As midnight approaches, Marlowe warns Escobar to stay out of danger, but Escobar insists on confronting crime as a matter of principle.

    "Every honest man has something to do with every criminal—his duty." — Adam Escobar [17:34]

• Revelations and Showdown

  • At the water wheel, Toby tries to recover the hidden jewels, only to find the stash missing.

  • Escobar reveals he killed Chip Bryant after the latter found the jewels and that he buried both body and diamonds.

    "I think, Toby, that he killed Chip Bryant almost six months ago...and that he buried him here on these grounds without knowing that Chip had already found the jewels." — Philip Marlowe [24:33]

    "Quite dead. I killed him. Two days after your accident. I found him searching for the jewel." — Adam Escobar [24:45]

  • A deadly confrontation is averted by Marlowe's intervention; tragedy and loss linger.

• Compassionate Lie & Closure

  • Marlowe spares Mrs. Bryant the brutal truth, telling her Chip died at sea on his way to a new life, maintaining her memory of him.

    "It's a funny thing. Lies can cause more trouble in this world than almost anything else...and at the same time can sometimes bring the most happiness." — Philip Marlowe [27:39]

2. Sounds of Darkness: "The Smell of Death"

Begins at 30:13

Main Theme

Lee Masters, a blind but brilliant detective, investigates fellow narcotics agent Tony Carpetti’s murder, which may be linked to a serial killer terrorizing New York. The tightly woven plot explores guilt, dual identities, and the dangers of obsession.

Key Plot Points & Insights

• Tony Carpetti’s Murder

  • [33:45] Tony is found dead behind a speakeasy, apparently killed by someone he knew. The death deeply affects his colleagues, especially Sam and Johnny.

    "He was out on a case, as you know. Either a junkie or a wheeler got him. Broken neck outside a small speakeasy about an hour back." — Johnny Bridges [34:04]

• Crime Scene Analysis

  • Masters deduces from footprints and evidence that the killer was familiar to Tony and used the element of surprise.

    "They walk together, then stop here...the larger print circle round behind. That’s how he was chopped down. By someone he knew..." — Lee Masters [38:34]

• Building Deductions

  • A diary hidden behind a painting in Tony’s apartment points to connections between Tony and the fearsome serial “Strangler” plaguing the city.

    "He always kept a diary. Take a well-known date attached to it, something you’ve read about. Think of someone who attracts to himself that which he fears most..." — Lee Masters [46:00]

• Suspects and Tensions

  • Neil Bates, Narcotics head and Tony’s close collaborator, becomes increasingly agitated and defensive.

  • Johnny suspects Neil, but Masters encourages him to look “within a dead man.”

    "Tension, irrationality, psychopathic mania...It all points to one man, Sam. The man who shouldn’t be suspected. The man who killed those people and Tony Carpetti. Neil Bates." — Johnny [51:58]

• Showdown & Twist

  • In a dramatic confrontation, Lee Masters reveals that Tony himself was the Strangler, his diary pointing to a split personality. His murder, thus, was perhaps an act of mercy by McDonald, Tony’s half-brother, driven by fear of future killings.

    "Tony Carpetti...Tony was the killer. But who killed Tony? The diary, the evidence, Neil here. Sometimes a psychopathic personality knows what he's done, though he feels no guilt." — Lee Masters [55:13]

    "Tony was the killer. But who killed Tony?...Maybe he killed in self defense. It was the 24th, remember. Maybe a mercy killing, I believe." — Lee Masters [55:13]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Atmospheric Observations

  "You want to know something, Johnny? Something worth remembering? Death smells before it happens, as it's happening, after it's happened. Smells like burnt milk..." — Lee Masters [36:17]

• Masters's Calm Analysis

  "Think about that, Johnny. A psychopathic killer may attract to himself what he fears most: being found out." — Lee Masters [50:42]

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:51 | Mrs. Bryant | "His name is chip, Mr. Marlow... He left suddenly without a word six months ago." | | 07:49 | Lou Race | "I've been tailing you every inch of the way since old lady Bryant went to see you this morning." | | 17:34 | Adam Escobar | "Every honest man has something to do with every criminal—his duty." | | 24:33 | Philip Marlowe | "I think, Toby, that he killed Chip Bryant almost six months ago. And that he buried him here..." | | 27:39 | Philip Marlowe | "It's a funny thing. Lies can cause more trouble in this world than almost anything else..." | | 34:04 | Johnny Bridges | "He was out on a case, as you know. Either a junkie or a wheeler got him..." | | 36:17 | Lee Masters | "Death smells before it happens, as it's happening, after it's happened. Smells like burnt milk..." | | 38:34 | Lee Masters | "They walk together, then stop here... that's how he was chopped down." | | 46:00 | Lee Masters | "Take a well-known date attached to it, something you’ve read about. Think of someone who attracts to himself that which he fears most..."| | 55:13 | Lee Masters | "Tony was the killer. But who killed Tony?... Maybe he killed in self defense..." |

Important Segment Timestamps

• Philip Marlowe:

  • 00:10 — Opening narration
  • 01:17 — Mrs. Bryant seeks Marlowe’s help
  • 06:58 — Encounter with Lou Race
  • 12:22 — Researching the car crash and jewel heist
  • 15:14 — Visit to Escobar’s estate
  • 23:03 — The water wheel confrontation
  • 24:33 — Escobar confesses to killing Chip
  • 27:16 — Marlowe lies to Mrs. Bryant for her peace

• Sounds of Darkness:

  • 30:13 — Beginning of the case discussion
  • 33:45 — Discovering Tony’s murder
  • 36:17 — Lee Masters on the smell of death
  • 38:34 — Analyzing the crime scene
  • 45:59 — Finding Tony’s diary
  • 50:42 — Psychological clues point to Tony or Neil
  • 55:13 — Final reveal and resolution

Summary in Original Tone

This Case Closed! episode artfully wove together two tales packed with classic radio noir flavor: Marlowe’s morally ambiguous quest for the truth behind a mother’s heartbreak, and Lee Masters’ psychological unraveling of a cop killing that pointed inward as much as outward. Gritty narration, sharp banter, and atmospheric settings immerse the listener in an era where every clue and confession mattered, and the line between justice and mercy was razor-thin.

For fans of suspenseful, character-rich mysteries, this double feature is not to be missed.