Podcast Summary: Nero Wolfe – "Phantom Fingers" (01/26/1951)

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode Air Date: January 20, 2026
Original Broadcast: January 26, 1951
Main Characters: Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin
Theme: Classic locked-room mystery featuring clever detective work, rapid-fire banter, and a fingerprint puzzle at the heart of murder.

Episode Overview

In “Phantom Fingers,” detective Nero Wolfe and his witty assistant Archie Goodwin become stranded by a flood at an isolated country house where a murder has just occurred, and another soon follows. Trapped with a handful of strangers, Wolfe must unravel a classic whodunit puzzle: someone in the group is a killer, but the crucial fingerprints at the scene simply don't match anyone present. Only Wolfe’s unique logic—and Archie’s persistence—can solve the riddle of the “phantom” fingerprints and catch the murderer.

Key Discussion Points & Investigation Breakdown

1. Journey to the Crime Scene

• Wolfe and Archie travel out of town to meet Mr. Finley, an orchid breeder (00:51–02:29).
• Archie jokes about Wolfe’s aversion to leaving the house, but the promise of rare black orchids lures him out.
• They face flooding on the road, are forced to detour, and discover a body lying in the mud—James Miller (02:58–07:22).

Archie (sarcastically): “You’re voluntarily leaving your happy home, exposing yourself to the elements?” (01:26)

2. Arrival at the Isolated House

• The duo finds themselves trapped by floodwaters and a collapsed bridge.
• The house is perched on a cliff, reachable only via a now-treacherous bridge (07:38–08:13).
• They deduce the body must be tied to this house and set out to investigate.

3. The Suspects Gather

• Inside, they meet three apparent strangers:
  • Peg Shirley, who claims to be a passerby (11:02, 12:59)
  • Joseph Wagner, another unexpected guest (13:00)
  • Sam Cregan, caught “taking a stroll” through the house (13:05)
• None admit to living there, but Wolfe is certain one must be lying—and one is the murderer.

Nero Wolfe: “Which further means that one of you three is a murderer. The murderer is the person who owns or lives in this house. All three of you denied being that person. Conclusion? One of you is a liar.” (13:30)

4. A Second Victim

• An injured tramp staggers in, mortally wounded, claiming, “Pushed off... saw Miller killed...” (14:28–14:42).
• Wolfe directs Archie and Cregan to carry him upstairs; the man dies soon after.

5. The Locked-Room Dilemma

• With the flood and bridge down, no one can leave or enter—Wolf deduces the killer must be among them (13:56–14:12).
• When the lights go out, someone leaves a ring of keys on a table, presumably to muddy the issue of identity (16:27–17:06).

6. The Phantom Fingerprints Puzzle

• The tramp is found stabbed in the chest; Wolfe orders fingerprinting of all suspects (18:01–21:28).
• The results? The fingerprints on the murder weapon match no one present, living or dead.

Wolfe: “The prince on the handle of the knife... do not match his prince or the prince of anyone in this room.” (21:53)

7. The Reveal: Negative Evidence

• Wolfe works through the mystery: the “phantom” prints are the result of a trick—over-inking the fingers reverses the ridges and valleys, like a photographic negative (23:13–24:37; 25:04–27:07).
• Wolfe catches Peg Shirley (revealed as Josephine) trying to mislead with faked prints, and she is unmasked as the murderer.

Wolfe: “You already had pressed your fingers on the ink pad once. Why were you about to do it a second time?” (25:15)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On motive:

  Archie: “You know, if those black orchids have been holding their breath waiting for you, they're gonna be red in the face. Hey, new breed: red orchids, huh?” (26:17)

• On deductive logic:

  Wolfe: “Ghosts never leave fingerprints.” (22:25)

• On the final reveal:

  Wolfe: “She merely loaded her fingers so heavily with ink that she falsified the markings... in the same fashion that a photographic negative falsifies lights and darks.” (27:04)

• Archie spotting the crucial clue:

  Archie: “Oh. Because out in the country there are no pavements, so girls don’t go for walk in high heel shoes. Therefore, she hadn’t gone for a walk. Therefore, she was lying. Therefore, she killed Miller.” (28:16)

Important Timestamps

• 00:51–02:29 – Archie and Wolfe’s banter on orchids and the trip
• 02:58–07:22 – The first murder discovered
• 13:30 – Wolfe isolates the suspects and announces one is a murderer
• 14:28–14:53 – Second victim arrives, delivers dying clue
• 18:01–21:28 – Fingerprint test and the “phantom fingerprints” conundrum
• 23:07–27:07 – The solution: prints as photographic negatives; Josephine unmasked
• 28:16 – The final clue: high heels on a country walk

Tone & Style

The episode is rich in witty exchanges between Wolfe and Archie, with classic dry humor and wordplay, e.g., Archie’s riffing on Wolfe’s aversion to leaving home and his tendency to undercut Wolfe’s gravitas. The atmosphere is tense—evoking stormy, claustrophobic menace—with all characters trapped by weather and suspicion.

Conclusion

“Phantom Fingers” is a textbook locked-room mystery bolstered by evocative 1950s radio drama style, charming repartee, and an ingenious twist on fingerprint evidence. The story showcases Nero Wolfe’s deductive genius and Archie Goodwin’s comedic flair, bringing listeners directly into the heart of Golden Age detective fiction.

Fans of clever puzzles and vintage audio drama will find this episode a prime example of the genre’s enduring appeal.