ABC Mystery Time xx-xx-xx (x) My Adventure in Norfork

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "ABC Mystery Time – My Adventure in Norfolk"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: My Adventure in Norfolk (original airdate: September 16, 2025)
Featured Star: Sir Ralph Richardson
Duration Analyzed: Content after opening (skipping intro/ads)

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Episode Overview

This classic radio drama episode, "My Adventure in Norfolk," offers a supernatural-tinged mystery set against the atmospheric English countryside during a harsh winter. Sir Ralph Richardson stars as a man whose simple quest to inspect a holiday bungalow with his wife leads to an encounter with a mysterious woman, a suspicious car, and a decades-old crime that blurs the lines between reality and the paranormal.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Progression

1. The Holiday Plans & Setting the Scene (00:59–05:30)

• The narrator (Richardson) and his wife Margaret begin their annual summer holiday bungalow search, settling on a remote property in Hickling Broad, Norfolk.
• Despite the challenging weather, they embark on the trip, arriving through heavy snow to a desolate and eerily silent location. Margaret and the narrator are assisted by Mrs. Selson, who proves accommodating.
• The isolation of the bungalow and the lack of sound is highlighted for atmosphere:

  "The complete absence of any noise leaves you in a sort of vacuum." (05:11)

2. A Strange Encounter on a Snowy Night (05:30–12:27)

• After settling in, the narrator notices a distant light and, upon investigating, discovers a young woman whose car has broken down.

• He helps her with the car, joined by a lorry driver named Williams. There is immediate suspicion around the woman's odd behavior, reluctance to interact, and anxiousness to leave.

  "If you ask me, sir, there's something fishy about her." – Williams (11:22)

• The narrator and Williams push the woman's car into the garage. After a brief drink inside the bungalow, the woman and Williams depart for Norwich:

  "A little gratitude on her part would have been more gracious." (10:24)

3. Uneasy Aftermath & A Grim Discovery (12:27–16:31)

• The narrator recounts the strange meeting to his wife, Margaret, who suspects criminal activity:

  "Unless you were avoiding people. If you were driving. A stolen car, for instance." – Margaret (13:26)

• Driven by curiosity, the narrator returns to check on the car alone and discovers the body of a dead man hidden inside, shot from behind.

• He is plunged into uncertainty: no phone, no nearby police, and concern for Margaret's safety.

• Unwilling to alarm her, he returns to bed but subtly mentions finding money in the car.

  "What was I to do? There was no phone in the house, the nearest police station was probably miles away and I had no transport..." (15:51)

4. Morning Revelation: The Mystery Deepens (17:28–19:40)

• In the daylight, both the car and the body have vanished without a trace; no tire tracks, no evidence of the night's events except for three empty glasses in the drawing room.
• Margaret assumes he dreamed it all, but he finds the drinking glasses as tangible proof.

5. Seeking Answers in London (20:02–22:35)

• The narrator brings the glass used by the mysterious woman to his friend Inspector Gregson at Scotland Yard for fingerprint analysis.

• Gregson quickly produces a file and photograph, identifying the woman as a notorious criminal named Naomi Sterling, and the dead man as "Smug," the leader of a prominent race gang. It all ties to a gangland murder years prior.

  "She was in twice for shoplifting, but that was early in her career. Later on she took up with the leader of a very well known race gang—one of the nastiest pieces of work." – Inspector Gregson (21:33)

• Gregson summarizes the case: after a gang fight, Naomi fled with her dead partner, abandoned the car and body in a garage, and tried to get away with a lorry driver but perished in a road accident—four years earlier.

6. Chilling Conclusion: Supernatural Overtones (22:35–End)

• The narrator is stunned to realize he has participated in a ghostly re-enactment of this crime.

  "Last night my foot. It happened four years ago... the people we're talking about have been dead for four years." – Inspector Gregson (23:23)

• The episode closes with the narrator's wry reflection on the surreal experience:

  "I could have stuck to that 9,000." (23:48)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It was snowing like a barnstormer's production of East Lynne.” – Narrator (00:59)
• “If you ask me, sir, there’s something fishy about her. What’s a young lady driving around at night in this weather?” – Williams (11:22)
• “Unless you were avoiding people. If you were driving. A stolen car, for instance.” – Margaret (13:26)
• "What was I to do? There was no phone in the house..." – Narrator (15:51)
• “The mystery was quite mysterious enough already. Besides, an idea was forming at the back of my mind and I wasn't ready to talk about it.” – Narrator (19:16)
• “Last night my foot. It happened four years ago this February... The people we are talking about have been dead for four years.” – Inspector Gregson (23:23)

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Timeline of Key Scenes

| Timestamp | Event | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:59–01:39| The couple discusses and selects their holiday bungalow | | 02:43–03:49| Arrival at the snowy, isolated bungalow; Mrs. Selson welcomes them | | 05:11 | Noticing the haunting silence of the place | | 06:48–09:53| The narrator meets the mysterious stranded woman and Williams, the lorry driver| | 11:22 | Williams voices his suspicion about the woman | | 13:26 | Margaret suspects the car is stolen | | 15:58 | Discovery of the dead body in the car in the garage | | 17:59–18:15| The car and body vanish overnight | | 20:40–21:33| At Scotland Yard, Gregson identifies Naomi Sterling and explains the crime | | 23:23 | The narrator realizes he witnessed a ghostly replay of a four-year-old crime | | 23:43–23:48| Closing lines reflect on the eerie ordeal and the £9 left behind |

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Tone, Atmosphere & Style

The episode is atmospheric, blending cozy domesticity with mounting tension and supernatural mystery. The narrator’s dry wit and matter-of-fact delivery provide levity and realism, while classic radio drama elements (eerie silence, inexplicable events, sharp characterizations) create engaging suspense reminiscent of Golden Age detective stories.

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Summary

"My Adventure in Norfolk" is a classic ghostly mystery that skillfully weaves together banter, atmospheric tension, and a supernatural twist. It demonstrates the enduring charm of old-time radio storytelling, while delivering a sophisticated and unsettling thriller—all set against the snowy flatlands and mysterious garages of Norfolk.

Listeners are left questioning the boundaries between reality and the supernatural, and reminded of the rich storytelling traditions of yesteryear.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

It's mystery time. Time now for the best in mystery.

[C]

Tonight, mystery classic stars Sir Ralph Richardson in My Adventure in Norfolk.

[B]

Sir Ralph Richardson and Mystery Time presents him now transcribed in the adventure classic My Adventure in Norfolk by AJ Allen. Well, I don't know how it is with you, but four or five weeks after the New Year, my wife always says to me, have you thought about where we shall go in August? And of course I always say no. And then she starts looking through advertisements of bungalows to let. But it happened last year as usual, and I had forgotten all about it, as usual, until one very foul morning in February. It was snowing like a barnstormer's production of East Lynne. Margaret looked up from her letters at breakfast and said, I think it's the very place. Uh huh.

[D]

The man seems very civil too.

[B]

Oh, good. You know, if you ask me, the government will never get this new bill through.

[D]

It's in Norfolk, a place called Hickling Broad.

[B]

Eh, what is with this bungalow?

[D]

Of course I told you. It's furnished too, with boathouse, garden and garage.

[B]

That seems hardly possible.

[D]

And plate of linen. He says we can go and see it and stay the night. He'll arrange for a woman to come in and oblige.

[B]

Oh, just a minute. I remember now. Isn't that the place with the exorbitant rent?

[D]

Yes, but you'll have to talk to him about that. He's bound to come down. They always do.

[B]

My experience is they almost don't.

[D]

You're never firm enough. Anyway, we can go down on Thursday and stay the night.

[B]

What, in this weather?

[D]

It may be beautiful by then. You know what the weather is this time of year.

[B]

Between then and Thursday, the weather did everything it does at any time of the year. But when the train battled its way into Potterhelms station and we stood shivering on the platform, it was settled again, snowing hard. Fortunately, the car I'd ordered was waiting, and the five mile drive to the bungalow, which seemed to be in the most desolate spot on earth, was accomplished with no more than average hazard. I was apprehensive in case the woman who was to oblige should have proved disobliging. But my fears were grounded. Although it was late and dark when we arrived, we found fires burning and she'd even cooked us a steak a piece.

[D]

Sophia. Sure you'll be all right now, sir? I'll be getting along home. I can catch the last bus at the top of the lane.

[B]

Oh, thank you, Mrs. Selson. Oh, we'll be quite happy now.

[D]

And let's take a look. All right. I asked the butcher to pick it out special.

[B]

Oh, very nice. Thanks. It's knives. Probably need sharpening.

[D]

I'd say if my husband was all right. But it was a nasty operation and if I denied it, I'd be a liar. If I was to tell you what they'd done to him, you'd hardly believe. Sure. It must have been very trying. Well, if you must go, Mrs. Selston. Messy, that's what it was. And the dressings. Why, every night I have to. Are you sure that steak's nice, man, you've hardly touched it. I. I don't think I feel very hungry after all.

[B]

But now, look here, we mustn't let you miss your bus, Mrs. Selston. I'll light you to the door.

[D]

Oh, thank you, Stokes.

[B]

You know, I rather like this oil lamp business myself. It's not so stark as electricity. Not snowing much now, I see. Well, thank you very much for coming in. We'll be seeing you in the morning.

[D]

That's all right, sir.

[B]

I can't think why they always refer to that type of woman as homely. Nursing homely would be a better description. What? Tired, dear?

[D]

I am, rather. It's been a long day.

[B]

Yes, I think bed's indicated. I tell you what. You go up, there's enough fire left in the bedroom for you to undress by. I'll boil a kettle and bring you up a hot water bottle. Mrs. Ting's left two enormous stone ones in the kitchen.

[D]

I think I will go up if you don't mind, I feel most dreadfully tired. Quite suddenly I expect to see a reaction after rushing about all day.

[B]

Yes, and the complete absence of any noise leaves you in a sort of vacuum. It's a quiet place. Please. I don't think I've heard a sound since we arrived. Well, that's funny. What is that car. Just as I said that. What is it? A car.

[D]

I didn't hear anything.

[B]

Well, perhaps it wasn't then. I tell you what is funny. The way we speak of going up to bed. Well, there isn't any up. This is a bungalow. You go southeast to bed. Or is it northwest? Anyway, off you go, dear. I won't be long with your bottle. When Margaret had gone, I put the kettle over the fire and lit my pipe. The kettle started singing away and as it hadn't any competition, it sounded like a mass choir on one of its downward cadences. I thought I heard the car again. I took the kettle off for a minute to listen, but there was nothing. Not that it mattered. If there had been a car. Do you know how it is when everything's very quiet? How you give every little noise its full value? Well, I put the kettle back and had a look out of the window. It was pretty dark, but with that sort of luminous darkness that you get with the snow. And then down the road, beyond the bungalow and behind some trees that bordered the road, I saw a light. I didn't want to bother Margaret, so I crept along the hall and opened the front door quietly.

[D]

What's that?

[B]

Ah, sorry, me dear. I was just going to pop out for a minute.

[D]

Whatever for? I thought you were coming to bed.

[B]

Well, I am. Just a tick. Just for the poppy nose out first.

[D]

Do mind what you're doing. You'll fall into a drift or something.

[B]

Well, actually, I fell into an adventure. I suppose you could call it that. When I got out, the cause of the radiance was obvious. It was the light of a car. One of those square box looking saloons with a flat radiator about the size of a small hotel. What was more interesting was there was a girl tinkering into the engine. Quite an attractive girl as far as I could see too. But she was pretty well muffled up with fur, so I couldn't be quite sure. Ah, good evening. Anything I can do?

[D]

Oh, thank you. I don't really know what's the matter. Just stopped.

[B]

It smells hot, doesn't it? Any water in the radiator?

[D]

I don't know. I expect so. There always is water in Radiators, isn't there?

[B]

Oh, I see your point. It depends whether anyone's remembered to put some in. Let's have a look, shall we? I can't see any by show. She is hot, you know. We better get some water in there. I can get some from my garage.

[D]

Couldn't we use snow?

[B]

Oh, I better not. Now, hold on a jiffy. I'll get a bucket. By the time I got back with a bucket of water, she'd probably. And so I poured a little water into the radiator. Oh, look out now. Oh. Oh, talk about volcanoes. I've even blown the funnel out. Well, let me see if I can turn the engine over.

[D]

I couldn't move it.

[B]

I'll have a go. Oh, come on up, you brute. No, it's no good. It feels solid. I can't move an inch.

[D]

But it's no good. I must get on.

[B]

But my dear girl is miles too.

[D]

Anyway, can't help that. I tell you, I've got to. What's that?

[B]

What's what? That noise.

[D]

Listen.

[B]

Sounds like another vehicle coming. But if it comes this way, you can get in tow or at least a lift to a more extreme acceptable rule. I can see it light. It's a long way off, though, you know. You can see for miles in this. That country. It struck me the girl didn't seem to be as pleased as she ought to have been. As the lights and the sound of the engine got nearer, she was at first uneasy, then plainly scared. Hello there.

[C]

What's up, Gar?

[D]

Skeeting?

[C]

Oh, back down, have you?

[B]

Well, this lady has pretty completely, too. She's seized up solid. I mean, the car has. I wonder if you could help with a toe or a lift.

[C]

Well, I'm going to Norwich. I could give the lady a lift that far if she liked. But what about the car?

[B]

Well, I tell you what. If you can give me a hand, we can push it into the garage for tonight. There's no car in it. And then, miss, if you could send for it in the morning. But not too late, though, because I'm going to London.

[D]

I suppose it will have to do.

[B]

A little gratitude on her part would have been more gracious. Well, the lorry driver, whose name turned out to be Williams, helped me push the car into the garage. And a tough job it was. It was heavy, for one thing, and the body and the wings were slippery in the snow and ice. The girl made no attempt to help. She just fussed around as though she thought we might run off with a beastly Thing she seemed a bit calmer when it was safely in with the doors locked. As we walked away from the garage, I suddenly realized how cold it was.

[C]

Safe enough there, miss. No one could start it anyway.

[B]

Oh, no. Oh. Oh, it's cold, you know. You two ought to come in and have a drink before you start. Oh, but how?

[C]

I don't mind if I do, sir.

[B]

I won't take a minute. It'll warm you both this way.

[C]

I'll come in a jiffy, sir. I'd. I bet it will be lorry out in the middle of the road in case anything else comes along. There. Want something up the back of it?

[B]

I took the girl in and sat her by the sitting room fire. And then I went out again to show Williams the way in. I met him by the gate.

[C]

Lady and friend of yours?

[B]

Never seen her before in my life.

[C]

If you ask me, sir, there's something fishy about her. What's a young lady driving around at night in this weather alone for?

[B]

I mixed three whiskeys and water. There wasn't any soda. I took my first opportunity to study the girl. Well, she's a bit older than I thought and she treated us with a lack of friendliness. Well, we'd done nothing to deserve it. There's a vague hostility and suspicion which was rather hard lines on us, considering. And she came dodging out of the light. It struck me as odd she hurried Williams over his drink in a rather foolish way in view of the fact that he was to drive her when he'd gone to start the engine. I asked her if she was all right for money, and apparently she was. Well, I reminded her to send early for the car and she said she would. And off they went. You asleep, dear?

[D]

No. Well, I believe I dozed for a minute.

[B]

Why?

[D]

Did you go out?

[B]

Yes. I thought I heard something and I went down to see. I was right to. It was a car broken down outside and the girl all on her own. I gave her a drink, but she wouldn't stop. She's gone off to Norwich in the lorry.

[D]

The girl wouldn't stop us. Where's her car?

[B]

We've shoved it in the garage.

[D]

You must have been gone for hours. Why didn't you wake me up?

[B]

I told her about it and the way the girl had acted and how she'd been anxious to get away. Then Margaret said something which made me think.

[D]

I think the whole thing's most peculiar.

[B]

Peculiar? Funny you should say that. The lorry chap said it was fishy. Look here. Where did she come from? This is an unimportant road. Not one you'd normally take.

[D]

No, Unless you were avoiding people. If you were driving a stolen car, for instance.

[B]

A stolen car? Well, I never thought of that.

[D]

You wouldn't. It was a girl.

[B]

If it was stolen by Joe. I'm going to have another look at that car. No, don't you move. I slip out and I'll look at it again. That car may hold the clue to the whole fishy business. It was very dark outside and so still that the candle I carried burnt without a flicker. It wasn't a large garage and the car nearly filled. Backed it in so that it'll be easier to tow out. Hmm. Not the sort of car I'd pinch. That engine's still warm. Well, I've seen the engine. There are no clues there. If I can squeeze along the wall, I can get a peep in at the back. Hello. Frosted windows. Oh, no, of course not. There's rail frost. I wonder if there's room to open the door. Of course it would open away from me. Hey, don't shove. You're pitting me against the wall. I didn't know anyone was there. Good heaven. He wasn't pushing. He was as dead as a doornail. When I got over my first shock, I managed to bundle the body back into the car and have a look at was the body of a tall man with a mustache and evidently been propped up on the floor against the door, so that as soon as I opened the door, it had slumped out. It was tall and thin, dark, dressed in tweeds and a raincoat. No papers. In the pocket there was a note case with £9 in it. No tailor's name on the clothes, nothing whatever to give any clue of his identity. But it was obvious why he was dead. It was a bullet hole under his right shoulder blade. Someone had shot him from behind and I guessed the bullet had gone through into the lung. Well, what was I to do? There was no phone in the house, the nearest police station was probably miles away and I had no transport. Besides, there was Margaret. I couldn't stroll off and leave her alone. There was no night to drag her around with me round the countryside. In the end, I shut the car door again, carefully locked up the garage and went to bed.

[D]

What on earth have you been doing? What an age you've been.

[B]

I'm sorry. Sorry, darling. Sorry.

[D]

Well, did you find anything?

[B]

Yes, I. I found something in the back of the car.

[D]

What was it?

[B]

I found £9.

[D]

£9 in the back of the car?

[B]

Yes, in the back of the car. In a wallet.

[D]

How extraordinary. She must have forgotten all about it.

[B]

Yes, I wonder if she did.

[D]

Well, how do you mean?

[B]

I. Just wondering.

[D]

What did you do with it?

[B]

Well, I left it there. I thought it was best. After all, it's none of my business. There's nothing we can do about it now, is there?

[D]

No.

[B]

Well, then, let's go to sleep.

[D]

Good night. I'm so tired.

[B]

Next thing I knew, it was broad daylight and 9am Mrs. Selson was due at 10. So I tumbled out pretty quickly. I wanted to have another look at the car and the body in daylight. Unfortunately, I think the mention of the nine quid had roused my wife's curiosity and she insisted on coming to the garage with me.

[D]

Now.

[B]

Now, look here, dear. I didn't tell you last night, but. Well, there's. There's something rather more to this than I said. You'll. You'll have to be prepared for a.

[D]

Bit of a shock. A shock? Why? What else is there?

[B]

Well, you see the.

[D]

But there's no car here at all. The garage is empty.

[B]

I've never had such a shock in my life. No car, no body, nothing. There was a patch of grease on the floor where I dropped the candle, but otherwise there was nothing to show that I'd ever been in there. Another queer thing. There were no wheel marks either in the garage or outside. So it had apparently snowed very heavily again and covered them up. It didn't look as though there'd been all that snow. Margaret was inclined to laugh at the whole scene. We went back to the house and she got some breakfast.

[D]

My belief is that you sat by the fire after I'd gone to bed, dozed and dreamt the whole thing. There never was any car or girl. Wishful thinking, probably.

[B]

And did I dream going out to the garage again and finding the £9?

[D]

I don't know. But you must admit that.

[B]

Wait a minute. Look here. The glasses with.

[D]

Glasses?

[B]

Yes, I said. I gave them a drink, didn't I? Well, if the glasses are there, that proves it. I was in that drawing room like a shot. The glasses were there. Three of them, just as they'd left them. So I had been. Right. But I still didn't say anything about the body. The mystery was quite mysterious enough already. Besides, an idea was forming at the back of my mind and I wasn't ready to talk about it.

[D]

But if there was a car and a girl came back and took it, how did she do it without waking us? Well, the garage is so close to the house and we're not heavy sleepers.

[B]

She couldn't have done it alone. Anyway, it wouldn't have started, so it had to be either towed or pushed, neither of which could be done by one person.

[D]

What are you going to do with that glass? Why have you wrapped it in your handkerchief?

[B]

I'm going to take it away with me. I didn't say a word to Mrs. Selston about our night's fun and games. But I settled up with her and soon after that our previously ordered car came to drive us to the station. On the way I called on the landlord of the bungalow and told him we'd let him know about taking it. Neither Margaret nor I could make up our minds just then whether we wanted to see the place again or not. I had the girl's glass with me, carefully packed in that biscuit tin. And when we reached Liverpool Street. Taxi.

[C]

Yeah, it's all right, sir.

[B]

All right. Scotland Guard. I was lucky. My friends inspected Gregson was even seemed quite pleased to see me. Well, I didn't tell him the story to begin with. It seemed a bit thin in broad daylight. But I brought out the glass and I asked him if he could test it for prints and identified them. Well, he was a bit amused. But Gregson's a sport and he knows me well. His chaps are awfully quick on the job and it wasn't long before one came back and laid a file on the desk in front of the inspector. Gregson thumbed it through and then he looked up and grinned at me.

[C]

Well, Alan, we know your little lady right enough. I've got a picture of her here too. Is that the damsel you're looking for?

[B]

Yes, that's her. By Joe. Yes. Who is she?

[C]

Oh, she's had lots of names at different times, but her last one was Naomi Sterling. She was in twice for shoplifting, but that was early in her career. Later on she took up with the leader of a very well known race gang. One of the nastiest pieces of work.

[B]

We'Ve had in this country.

[C]

Yeah, there's a picture of him too. Here it is.

[B]

Good Lord. The body. What? It doesn't matter for a minute. No, go on. What? Do you know any more about these people?

[C]

Quite a bit. This race gang fell foul of another gang and there was a bit of a scrap. Naomi's boyfriend, he was known as smug, got shot dead in the fight. Naomi managed to get him away in a car. The car broke down somewhere in Norfolk, I believe.

[B]

But Gregson look here. Oh, well, go on.

[C]

Well, it seems that she left the car and the dead man in a garage belonging to some simple oaf that she'd kidded into helping her. Anything the matter, Ellen?

[B]

No, no, nothing. No, go on, go on.

[C]

Well, she left us in this garage and got a lift in a blue glory that was going to Norwich, only.

[B]

She never got there. I see. Well, you knew all about this and you picked her up on the way.

[C]

No, we didn't. We didn't know about it until afterwards. Apparently, the lorry was being driven pretty furiously in the snow and it skidded on a bend and hit a wall. Naomi and the driver, a chap named Williams, were thrown out and rammed, their heads against the wall. And that, in case you don't know, is a very, very fatal thing to do. Anyhow, it was in their case. What are you gaping like a fish for? Don't you believe me?

[B]

Yes. No. I mean. Look here, Gregson, I know you chaps are pretty smart, but how on earth can you know all this and have it there in black and white? There hasn't been time. It only happened last night. Last night?

[C]

Last night, my foot. It happened four years ago this February by the people we are talking about have been dead for four years. Great Scott. Ellen, what's the matter? You look as though you'd seen a ghost.

[B]

And that was the end of my adventure in Norfolk. But just think of it. I could have stuck to that 9,000.