Podcast Summary: "Mystery is My Hobby (001) – Allen Fisher Is Murdered aka Faithless Wife"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Episode Date: January 13, 2026
Episode Theme:
This classic radio drama episode explores the murder of wealthy mining engineer Allen Fisher, drawing listeners into a spider-web of love, jealousy, and deception. The plot revolves around a "June and January" marriage, an alleged affair, and a web of false leads and calculated misdirection.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Setting the Scene: The "June and January" Marriage

• [00:03–03:30]
  • Allen Fisher, recently married to Helene—a much younger woman—is concerned about his wife's possible infidelity.
  • Fisher summons Frank Woodman, a young attorney, to his study under the pretense of seeking legal advice for a "friend."
  • Fisher details his “friend’s” predicament: married to a younger woman who’s fallen for someone her own age (subtly implying Helene and Frank).
• Notable Quote:
  • Fisher: “Perhaps I'd better explain further then… my friend began to think of some means of removing the young man from the scene—that is, killing him.” (03:00)

2. Blackmail and Moral Dilemmas

• [03:31–05:37]
  • Fisher (thinly veiling himself as “my friend”) discusses with Frank the prospect of paying off the young man to leave, highlighting the transactional nature of their predicament.
  • Frank cynically prices his own hypothetical participation:
    • $25,000? Not enough.
    • $50,000? Still too low.
    • $250,000? “That’s out of the question.”
• Notable Quote:
  • Frank: “I'd say the sum should be in direct ratio to the young man's promise for your friend's wife. In other words, every man has his price.” (04:22)

3. The Murder and Immediate Investigation

• [05:37–08:00]
  • Tension escalates as Fisher senses someone outside with a gun—shots are fired.
  • Transition to the arrival of Bart Drake (amateur detective) and Inspector Danton who question the subjects and examine evidence.
  • Main evidence: Only Fisher’s and Woodman’s fingerprints on the gun found at the scene.
• Notable Quote:
  • Bart Drake: “Unfortunately, there are neither witnesses nor evidence to substantiate Mr. Woodman’s rather fantastic story. And as a lawyer, he should know it.” (06:48)
  • Mrs. Fisher (Helene): “The fact that I admit being in love with Frank gives him a motive. Is that correct, Mr. Drake?” (07:47)

4. Introduction of a Red Herring: Horace Gay

• [08:00–09:30]
  • A mysterious envelope arrives for Helene with a newspaper clipping about a convict, Horace Gay, who once loved her and vowed to kill any man she married.
  • Helene seizes on this as an alternate suspect—possibly to protect Frank from suspicion.
• Notable Quote:
  • Helene Fisher: “Before they took Horace away, he swore that if I ever married anyone else, he'd… he'd kill him.” (09:16)

5. The Midnight Intruder & The False Alibi

• [11:58–14:00]
  • Later that night, a prowler is reported in Helene's room. Shots are fired through the screen door.
  • The butler (Lewis) and others respond. Helene claims to have seen a man’s wristwatch glowing in the dark, fueling the Horace Gay theory.
  • Bart Drake deduces the shot was fired from inside, not outside—casting suspicion back on the household.
• Notable Quote:
  • Bart Drake: “The ragged ends of the screen… pointed outwards. That proved conclusively that the shot came from inside the room.” (19:19)

6. The Lovers’ Conspiracy

• [15:08–17:18]
  • Intimate conversation between Frank and Helene: Helene admits she planted the newspaper clipping herself (using an old article) to give the impression Horace Gay was involved.
  • She fires the shot herself, fabricating the “prowler” story to mislead investigators.
  • Helene asks Frank to dispose of the gun for her but doubts his innocence.
  • Helene Fisher: “Of course I fired the shot. There wasn't any prowler… Wasn't that clever?” (16:31)
  • Frank Woodman: “You think I killed Allen, don’t you?... Of course I did.” (17:13, sarcastic/conflicted tone)

7. The Detective’s Trap & True Culprit Revealed

• [18:50–22:57]
  • Drake and Danton confront Frank and Helene, pressing for the gun and revealing the evidence against Helene.
  • Key deductions:
    • Helene was not in bed when the butler entered post-shot.
    • She wore heavy boots and avoided walking to hide an injury.
    • Allen Fisher shot her as he died; her limp revealed her guilt.
    • The “prowler” and “Horace Gay” were deliberate distractions to protect Frank and herself.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Bart Drake: “Because if you’d taken one step, Lewis would have known you couldn’t walk without limping.” (22:06)
  • Bart Drake: “That’s why she’s been wearing riding boots all day. And every time we’ve seen her, she’s either been lying down or sitting.” (22:36)
  • Helene Fisher: “Frank, the gun… Shoot them! Shoot them!” (22:49)

8. Epilogue – Motives and Reflections

• [22:57–end]
  • Drake explains to Danton that Helene’s real motive in concocting the Horace Gay tale was to save Frank from a murder charge.
• Notable Quote:
  • Drake: “She was in love with Woodman, so she tried to pin the murder onto someone else.” (23:22)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Fisher’s sarcasm about “cigarette-smoking generations,” capturing the tension between old and new. (02:15–02:45)
• The escalating “price negotiation” for the theoretical lover’s silence, veiling confrontation with mock legal argument. (04:10–05:15)
• Drake’s logical takedown of the fake alibi:
  • “How did she know it was a man’s wristwatch? Why not a woman?” (20:02)
• The gasp: “I got him”—the dying man’s words proving crucial. (07:09 and 22:10)
• The emotional breakdown as Helene pleads with Frank to help her evade justice, exposing both love and desperation.

Important Timestamps for Segments

• 00:03–03:30 — Fisher’s veiled confession and set-up
• 05:37–06:42 — The murder and entrance of the detective
• 08:00–09:30 — The Horace Gay red herring is introduced
• 11:58–14:00 — Intruder episode & Drake’s analysis
• 15:08–17:18 — Frank and Helene’s private plotting
• 18:50–22:57 — The detectives’ final reveal and confrontation
• 22:57–end — Epilogue and motive revealed

Conclusion & Episode Tone

In true Golden Age radio fashion, the episode blends high melodrama, logical deduction, and social commentary on love, money, and loyalty. The dialogue is crisp, often sardonic, and the performances heighten the tension and emotional stakes. The plot twists keep listeners guessing until Bart Drake’s signature methodical revelation of the murderer's guilt.