Old-Time Radio Theme Month, Day 20: "The Grove of Ashtaroth"

I became an Alfred Hitchcock fan while I was still in junior high, thanks to rebroadcasts of the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents and occasional viewings of his motion pictures. Having enjoyed his film the 39 Steps, I was interested to discover the original novel by John Buchan when my uncle gave me the Complete Richard Hannay. So began an equal fascination with Buchan's stories.

Outside of adaptations of "the 39 Steps," the only other old-time radio program adapted from Buchan is his short story "the Grove of Ashtaroth," as heard February 29, 1948 on Escape. This tells the tale of a man who builds an elaborate home in Africa by a grove of trees. A visiting friend soon discovers terrible things transpire in the grove by night. Buchan's biographers have pointed to this tale being inspired by Buchan's adulation and later disappointment in T.E. Lawrence.

You can download a copy of this radio show from archive.org here.