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PODCAST

Lighting the Pipes

Lighting the Pipes

Blending research and literary analysis with conversation and review, we lock down crime stories and read them their rights. The game is afoot!

arts books

All Episodes

02:59:42

He Who Whispers (1946) w/ The Book Graveyard

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/04/07

The Mystery Writers of America honoured John Dickson Carr with two Edgars (1950, 1970) and a Grand Masters Award (1963) in acknowledgement of his long career and contributions to mystery writing. Especially noteworthy across his 40 years of publishing were the innovations he made to the locked-room mystery genre. Though best known and celebrated for 1935's The Hollow Man, Carr's detective Gideon Fell appeared in over two-dozen works by the author. In this episode, Nick Anderson from "The Book

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53:46

The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb (1923)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/03/27

InFebruary1923,HowardCarterunearthedthetombofTutankhamunandfedthe'20szeitgeistanabundanceofancient-worlddopaminehits.OnewriterwhopickeduponthiswavewasAgathaChristie,whowouldreturntoEgyptfivemoretimesinherfamousstories.Here,however,shepitsHerculePoirotagainstaseriesofsuddendeathsattheexcavationsiteofMen-her-Ra'stombintheValleyoftheKings.Astensionsmountandanotherlifehangsinthebalance,PoirotmustseparatemythandwhispersofaPharoah'scursefromhumangreedandmurderousmethodology.LTPsinksitsfeetintothesoft,decep

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02:20:34

Swag (1976)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/03/20

In this episode, we crack open "Swag" from 1976, one of Elmore Leonard's leanest Detroit crime novels. This caper follows Frank Ryan and Ernest "Stick" Stickley, two likeable rogues from the morally-ambiguous side of the tracks who pair-up with a plan to get rich. As the stick-ups slowly stack up, Leonard dismantles the partnership's illusory hold on their American dream and makes room for hubris and happenstance. So keep your head on a swivel because, like any good con, there's a lot more going on

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02:24:24

Whose Body? (1923)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/02/28

When an inconvenient corpse is discovered in a Battersea bathtub, a complex puzzle unfolds for the London authorities. What's with the pince-nez and birthday suit combo? And isn't that a surgical college just across the rooftops? In this episode we strike a match and settle in with Dorothy L Sayers' "Whose Body?" and review the first appearance of Lord Peter Wimsey, her amateur sleuth of impeccable tailoring and disarming flippancy. Layered with mistaken identity, social satire and post-war unease,

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01:46:13

LTP 007: The Man from Barbarossa (1991)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/02/17

When a celebrated Soviet hero is alleged to have marched among the SS in some of history's worst butchery, James Bond is sent to validate the claims and protect the source. Along the way 007 poses as cameraman in a deep-fake propaganda production designed to rewrite history and redirect the dying embers of cold war chaos. Marked by inter-agency intrigue and a staggering cast of secondary characters, John Gardner's "The Man from Barbarossa" was supposedly the writers favourite and might just earn the

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01:16:18

LTP Noir: Nightmare Alley (1947)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/02/11

LTP Noir returns with a bang for a close look at the original 1947 adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's novel "Nightmare Alley". From the fascinating, tormented life of its author to the tension between rising star and skeptical studio mogul, Josh gives the lowdown on how this conmen thriller and its controversial carnies were brought to life. This episode tracks the full-flavoured story of a once-forgotten Noir that's finally found its redemption.Origins@02:30; Summary@08:30; Production@31:50;

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02:06:19

The Haunted Monastery (1961)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/01/22

Inspired by the real life Tang-dynasty magistrate, Di Renjie, Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee stories continue a rich history of Chinese crime writing, gong'an, featuring government figures who solve mysteries. In this adventure, Judge Dee and his entourage find themselves seeking shelter in the Morning Cloud Monastery, suspiciously linked to the mysterious deaths of three young women. Dee and his lieutenant Tao Gan leave no stone unturned (and no tea undrunk) in their pursuit to unravel the dark

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01:26:03

The Saint Around the World (1956) - Part 2

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/01/16

In the conclusion of our two-part feature on Leslie Charteris' globetrotting collection from 1956, we join The Saint on his three final adventures. In "the Lovelorn Sheikh", Simon Templar buddies-up with a sympathetic dowser in the Middle East to aid his zany struggle for freedom and finance. Then it's off to Singapore, where a Somerset Maugham story holds the key to understanding the criminal conflict and history behind "The Pluperfect Lady". This gives way to the final yarn, "A Sporting Chance",

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01:08:00

The Saint Around the World (1956) - Part 1

Lighting the Pipes ·

2026/01/09

Our exploration of Leslie Charteris's famous character continues here in the first of a two-part special on this (not-so) short story collection from 1956. From the warm beaches of Bermuda to a naturalist colony on Ile du Levant, the Saint's predictable charm, comeuppance and occasional moral lecturing are all on display here amidst a series of globe-trotting capers. This episode features reviews of stories 1-3 in the collection, "The Patient Playboy", "The Talented Husband" and "The Reluctant

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01:15:14

LTP 007: Brokenclaw (1990)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/12/30

In this episode, our final of the year, we send 2025 on its way with a deep-dive into John Gardner's ninth James Bond continuation novel. While on "vacation" in Canada, Bond's forced leisure is cut short when he's sent to investigate Lee Fu-Chu, aka "Brokenclaw", a half-Blackfoot, half-Chinese billionaire with a penchant for deception and murder. When leading scientists begin disappearing across the continent, 007 gets drawn further into Brokenclaw's criminal world and his plans of economic

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55:48

2025 Review & Holiday Quiz

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/12/27

2025 has been a great year on the pod and in this episode we look back at this successful and surprising stretch of reading and collaborating across thirty episodes. In addition to sharing our rankings for the shared novels and stories we explored, we also share some laughs and challenges in tackling our annual Sherlock and Year-in-Review quizzes!

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52:15

LTP Festive: Dancing Dan's Christmas (1932)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/12/19

Damon Runyan's Broadway stories are characterised by crooks, rogues and revelers with hearts of gold. In "Dancing Dan's Christmas" from 1932, we see a trio of pals, led by Dan, on a Christmas mission to make Gammer O'Neil believe in Santa. All it will take is a cheap disguise, some stolen jewels and the courage that only comes from necking Tom and Jerry cocktails for a couple hours beforehand! LTP Festive continues with Josh's choice for 2025 and a deep-dive into this short, charming holiday caper

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01:21:53

LTP Festive: Waxworks (1930)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/12/16

It's Christmas Eve in Oldhampton and as residents enjoy what's left of their pre-holiday errands, cub reporter Sonia is looking to eschew the society fluff of her regular assignments by tackling a more thrilling angle. Nobody has yet spent a night among the wax effigies in the local Hall of Horrors without meeting a ghastly end. Success here would certainly propel Sonia over the bigoted jibes and through the glass ceiling of her toxic workplace. Ethel Lina White's "Waxworks" first appeared in the

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37:23

Killer in the Rain (1935)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/11/26

Before Philip Marlowe there was... "shamus"... aka Proto-Marlowe!In this episode, Scott goes on solo assignment through the pages of Black Mask magazine to share his thoughts on Raymond Chandler's 1935 story "Killer in the Rain", the key progenitor of The Big Sleep. From salacious booksellers to double-crossing hoods, this complex story presented readers with the blueprint for what would become a sinful California and a gripping, fool-proof character methodology that Chandler would draw and

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02:26:40

Berlin Game (1983)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/11/18

In this, his first Bernard Samson narrative, Len Deighton gives us the story of a weary MI6 veteran who's pulled back into danger when a suspected mole threatens London's Berlin intelligence network. As Cold War pressures intensify, Samson is forced to negotiate frayed loyalties and return to the divided city of his youth, where nostalgia threatens to cloud his professional judgement further. Deighton's prose balances the tight rope of moral uncertainty while softly critiquing early Thatcherism -

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01:10:02

LTP 007: Scorpius (1988)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/11/05

From a post 9/11 framework, some could read John Gardner's Scorpius as chilling and prophetic. In the year of its publication, however, it was aiming to hit more contemporary targets. From growing world terrorism to the microchip boom, from satanic panic to luxury golf resorts, this outing sees M throw Bond into a complex web of inter-agency activity and exceedingly heavy stakes. Our run through the Gardner sweep continues with a closer look at this heavy-set and slithering seventh installment

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01:39:23

Blood Sugar (2019)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/10/24

It's Halloween on Yellow Street and outcast Robbie Glinton has a plan for revenge. Let down by teachers, abandoned by parents and ignored by "the man", he and his troop of juvenile delinquents (Jody, Dags and Midge) are out for a little payback.Daniel Kraus' Blood Sugar, an exclusive Hard Case Crime publication from 2019, presents a complex story of trauma covered in seasonal guise and a veneer of adolescent reflection. Left to navigate their social and familial woes as best they can, Robbie's team

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01:38:48

LTP 007: Win, Lose or Die (1989)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/10/20

The John Gardner sweep continues with "Win, Lose or Die", the eighth continuation novel in his cycle of Bond adventures. With this story, Gardner keeps on trend-jumping, here drawing inspiration from the "Top Gun" and "Iron Eagle" craze of the era. Bond returns to the Navy, upgrades to Captain and plays War Games with some very important dignitaries in order to defend a top-secret Steward's Meeting from a new terrorist threat. So grab your aviators and fire up the After Burner Arcade, we're flying

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02:14:38

Maigret and the Ghost (1964) w/ The Book Graveyard

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/10/15

In this special episode, Nick Anderson from The Book Graveyard lends his enthusiasm and rides sidecar through our exploration of "Maigret and the Ghost". When one of the Inspector's colleagues from the 18th arrondissement is gunned down in the peaceable Avenue Junot, Maigret has to pick up the loose ends of a secretive and time-sensitive investigation. From spooks in the window and open-marriage antics to expensive art and a flashy yellow jaguar, this later Simenon novel presents readers with..

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01:01:55

LTP Noir: Nora Prentiss (1947)

Lighting the Pipes ·

2025/10/13

Dr Richard Talbot: "I'm writing a paper on ailments of the heart." Nora Prentiss: "A paper? I could write a book!"LTP Noir is back with "oomph" and a deep-dive into 1947's Nora Prentiss, directed by Vincent Sherman, a love affair that literally goes up in flames. Not only does Josh give his final word on this compelling "Women's Noir" but shines deserving light on the career of Ann Sheridan, an outlier Warner Brothers star who held her own in the feisty world of Crawford, Davis and De Haviland. Plot

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