THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE

Wentworth creates a clever variation of the locked-room mystery with this 1942 title about a family New Year's Eve party. Patriarch James Paradine announces that someone has betrayed the family and that he will wait until midnight for a confession. Narrator Diana Bishop is a dream as the witty Lydia, the pathologically jealous Aunt Grace, and the dowdy but clever Miss Silver, who knits her way to a conclusion. There are 10 family members with numerous motives who just happen to visit Uncle James on that fateful night. The mystery, quite modern for its time, is a most enjoyable listening experience. Best of all is the surprise climax, which is rendered perfectly by Bishop. A fun piece of nostalgia. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]