Inspector West 67-05-25 (104): Battle for Inspector West – Bait for a Bogey

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode description: Classic dramatized crime from the golden age of radio. This is Part 4A of "Battle for Inspector West", an adaptation of John Creasey's novel.

Episode Overview

This gripping episode continues the "Battle for Inspector West" saga, as Chief Inspector Roger West navigates a labyrinthine plot orchestrated by the elusive criminal mastermind Corrosion (Karosian). The police chase leads to personal stakes, betrayals, domestic tension, and ultimately, a perfectly executed trap for West—raising the dramatic tension for the next installment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pressure at Scotland Yard (00:34–03:06)

• Chief Inspector Roger West is summoned by Assistant Commissioner Sir Guy Chatworth, who is furious with West's independent ways and the mounting press scrutiny over the high-profile case of the missing Christine Grant and recent murders.
• The press is relentless (“Double murders and the vanishing bride. Tragedy strikes in Dorset. Honeymoon hotel... Newsmen are having a field day...” – Chatworth, 01:36).
• Suspicions about Michael Grant’s involvement are confirmed; West believes Grant helped Corrosion escape, given Christine’s peril.

2. Leads, Lists, and Dead Ends (03:06–04:24)

• West discusses following up on names found in Sir Mortimer’s desk: Sir Arnold Dana, Lord Riversley, and Blaspheme.
• His brief investigatory meetings with Dana and Riversley are fruitless: “Cigarettes, the offer of a Scotch, and a nine and a half minute lecture on how this country ought to be run...” – West, 03:58.
• West remains convinced these men are somehow connected, advocating surveillance.

3. The Case’s Human Toll (04:30–05:16)

• Touching moment as Chatworth expresses rare sympathy toward Arthur Morley, involved unwillingly as a “go-between” for Corrosion.
• “Strangling his wife... Rather pathetic. The man was an artist of sorts. Crime of passion, and so forth...” – Chatworth, 04:47.

4. Attempted Murder and Domestic Reflection (05:33–07:59)

• News breaks of an attempt on Michael Grant's life—he’s shot at but unhurt.
• At home, Janet and Roger West have a heartfelt exchange, showing a personal toll:
  “Guess who’ll finish up on the canvas.” – West, 07:20
  Janet urges Roger to rest, but he confides: “I have a notion that the whole of this affair so far... is just a blind, a kind of smokescreen.” – West, 07:51

5. Movements & Motives (08:46–09:20)

• Sgt. Gill notifies West that Michael Grant and Arthur Morley are both in Skelborne—likely not a coincidence. West suspects Corrosion’s orchestration.

6. A Glimpse of the Antagonists (10:08–11:42)

• Scene shift: Julietta (Corrosion’s associate) is shown with a trained Alsatian, revealing her loyalty and obedience.
• Corrosion is “pleased”—his elaborate trap for West is set:
  “And so the strands of my net are spread.” – Corrosion, 11:46

7. West Takes the Bait (12:49–16:27)

• West, under the radar, goes to Skelborne to investigate.
• Janet jokes about his “disguise,” and West admits the job may take a while, hinting at possible danger:
  “If you don’t hear from me for a bit, don’t get too worried... Good girl. Shall I tell you something? You look smashing this morning.” – West, 14:41
• Sgt. Gill, conflicted, reports West’s actions to Chatworth, who fears West is “marching straight into [Corrosion’s] trap.”

8. The Trap Springs (16:53–21:58)

• Morley tells West he’s being drawn in; Julietta, with her dog Lucifer, takes charge.
• West, Morley, and Julietta board a launch to Corrosion’s motor cruiser.
• Action peaks: West is forced aboard at gunpoint; efforts by Sgt. Gill are too late.
• “West has hounded Corrosion more than any man alive. If he falls into his hands now…” – Chatworth, 16:27

9. Revelation and Resolve (21:58–22:23)

• Janet realizes Roger knowingly walked into the trap:
  “He knew it was bait... He stepped into Corrosion’s trap with his eyes wide open.” – Janet West, 22:24

10. Captive and a Cold Dinner (22:52–27:12)

• West sits in a locked cabin, then joins Corrosion and Julietta at a luxurious dinner.
• The antagonist delivers a chilling toast:
  “To the end of a long history of inconvenience which you have caused for me. The wheel... has turned to my advantage.” – Corrosion, 25:21
• Michael Grant is revealed to be aboard; Christine is still missing but “unharmed.”
• West is drugged:
  “My head… funny… spinning. The food… Something in the food?” – West, 26:52
  “A small added ingredient, Chief inspector.” – Corrosion, 27:12

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Chatworth on police politics:
  “West? Oh, he can get away with murder. Chatty’s blue eyed boy. That’s how I’m referred to, I believe.” (Assistant Commissioner Sir Guy Chatworth, 01:24)

• Roger West’s self-doubt:
  “Progress? I’ve forgotten there ever was such a word.” (Chief Inspector Roger West, 07:03)

• Janet’s insight:
  “He knew it was bait... He stepped into Corrosion’s trap with his eyes wide open.” (Janet West, 22:24)

• Corrosion’s chilling toast:
  “To the end of a long history of inconvenience which you have caused for me. The wheel, as they say, has turned to my advantage.” (Corrosion, 25:21)

Important Timestamps

• 00:34: Sir Guy Chatworth scolds West; press scrutiny raised.
• 03:33: Corrosion receives intelligence on West’s moves.
• 05:39: Attempted murder of Michael Grant reported.
• 07:50: West suspects the whole affair is a smokescreen.
• 10:08: Julietta and her dog Lucifer, Corrosion reveals satisfaction.
• 14:41: West hints to Janet about the danger.
• 16:22: Chatworth realizes Corrosion’s trap for West.
• 19:04: West is marched to the launch at gunpoint.
• 22:24: Janet realizes West’s strategy.
• 25:21: Corrosion’s “end of inconvenience” toast.
• 26:52: West collapses, drugged at dinner.

Tone and Style

The drama captures classic mid-century radio—wry banter, clipped British authority, calculated villainy, and moments of warmth between Roger and Janet. The tension ratchets up through personal and professional stakes, showcasing grit, human frailty, and a sense of looming peril.

Final Thoughts

"Bait for a Bogey" stands out as an episode where the battle becomes personal. West is caught in a dangerous web, his fate uncertain, as the episode closes with his incapacitation at Corrosion’s hands. Listeners are left dangling, eagerly awaiting the next installment in this storied saga of deduction, danger, and resolve.