Crime Club – Fear Came First. 470313.

The librarian answers the Crime Club telephone, the signature opening for this program, then shares the story of a house that was divided by fear.

A big spooky mansion, a blustery March day, and Thor Sutterland returns home. Thor learns of the death of his 87 year old uncle, and of his elderly grandma. Who are the three women now living in the mansion? The young lady, Fleur, is emotional when she tells the history of the strange will, and the relatives who have fallen to mysterious deaths. Thor wonders if either Blair, or his grandmother were afraid of the three people who stand to lay claim to the will. Should they have been? Do they really have a valid claim to the property ahead of Fleur?

Armed with the information he has learned, Thor takes to the woods, and confronts the sheriff with his suspicions of murder. Thor has an incriminating letter that convinces the sheriff. Is there something underhanded going on? Can the returning man, Thor, figure out the mystery?

Back at the mansion, The group of women air suspicions that something sneaky is going on. Can they trust Thor? Might one of them be up to no good? It doesn’t take long for drama to kick into high gear. Fleur wakes, screaming, after having a nightmare. Thor is on hand to find evidence that it may have been a failed murder attempt. Next morning, the sheriff visits and calls everybody together to share his theory of murder. At the same time, the three old biddies tell why they think they are in line to inherit the estate away from the young Fleur.

When Ruby turns up missing, and a convenient murder weapon shows up, accusations fly. Thor seems confident, and with Fleur, goes to his grandma’s cottage to look for evidence in the form of a diary. What he finds is a thoroughly ransacked cottage.

The sheriff is back with a search crew, and the body of Ruby turns up. The sheriff has known who did it for a while, but with the discovery of the body he has the proof. Well? Who did it? The pressure is on, and the killer cracks to explain all.