Suspense Sundays (84) The Diary of Saphronia Winters

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.   {My archive list of episodes}

"The Diary of Saphronia Winters"

Air date: April 27, 1943
Starring Agnes Moorehead 

>>Episodes here<<

Saphronia Winters, is reading from her diary of the events that led her to meet nice Hiram Johnson and the subsequent romance, courtship and marriage to Mr. Johnson.  Who remarks that his sister in law also was named Saphronia.  (It is remarked in the episode that that name is common, but was it really??  Ever?)  Hiram owns a hotel in Florida and they both move out there, with Saphronia to discover it's derelict and unused.  Turns out Hiram's brother was murdered by his sister-in-law and Hiram has been looking for Saphronia ever since.  To the extent that he's murdered a couple other women  he thought was her.  But now he's got her (again).  Right?

I actually wasn't expecting the twist in this one - I was more under the impression that Hiram was a raving lunatic and thought the resolution would go more in that direction.  It does not.  Actually I'll just spoil the twist a bit because I want to talk about it - so look away if you are going to listen!  It turns out that Hiram was right and Saphronia was the woman he was looking for, and Saphronia kills Hiram.  And I think it's funny how absolutely little sympathy I had for Hiram - he definitely had it coming even though Saphronia is a crazy murderess.  But I loved that Hiram just fell for it so easily - I can't imagine how he got the better of the other poor women he murdered!