Two outcast sisters and an uncle with diminishing faculties are all that remains of the Blackwoods after tragedy struck the family six years ago. That poisonous event permeates the plot with unspoken force and what's left of the Blackwoods have hunkered down in their manse to weather the storm of bigotry from outside. Only eighteen year-old Mary Catherine leaves the home for supplies each week, braving the villagers' scorn and judgement. History is poised to repeat itself when cousin Charles enters the scene with designs of getting the family (and himself) back on track. Merricat shares her experiences through a wickedly prismatic narrative voice. Shirley Jackson's final novel is a psychological character study into trauma, fear and revenge. It's also our first mystery review of the Halloween season.
FastFacts@2:45; Summary@17:30; PIPES@44:30
25 Sept 2026
Dr Mabuse, The Gambler (1921)
What do you get when you mix a fractured and vulnerable post-war society with a master criminal bent on mind-control and an altruistic state prosecutor desperate to clean up the streets? Norbert Jacques' "Dr Mabuse", that's what! The psychological thriller that took Germany by storm in the early 20th century is up for discussion in this episode. First translated into English by Lilian Claire in 1923, our review concentrates on the Carrier translation from 2026. From sweeping set-pieces to convoluted fever-dream prose, we ponder all the mysteries here in our first Autumn read of the season.
FastFacts@11:00; Summary@30:30; PIPES@58:30
14 Sept 2026
LTP 007: Moonraker (1955)
British Industrialist Hugo Drax is cheating at cards at M's private club. James Bond is recruited to play the player but what starts as a lesson in humility soon evolves into a more dangerous game masking darker threats. Fleming's "Moonraker" is his third 007 novel and held by many fans as the author's best outing. Originally recorded in March of 2016, this conversation secures all the gyroscopic settings and launches listeners straight into the face of this contentious James Bond adventure. We're pleased to finally share this episode, the third chat from our original Bond series.
Intro&Publication@3:00; Summary@26:00; Discussion&Review@40:25.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
87
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
76
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