SUSPENSE Tales Well Calculated

These 20 episodes from the 1950s anthology series "well calculated to keep you in suspense" are primarily crime dramas and varieties of noir, populated by a surprising range of stars, from William Holden to Ozzie and Harriet. Thirty minutes minus ads makes for some rushed and perfunctory stories, but the worst are adequate, and some—especially creepy pieces starring Joan Crawford, Ronald Colman, and Agnes Moorehead—are still compelling. The sound quality is mostly good, though a few words are lost to sound gaps. Historic radio commercials can be amusing, but the ads in SUSPENSE are irritating and break up the mood. Listeners may want to sample some and skip the rest. Recommended for fans of old-time radio or noir fiction. W.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]