The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962)
S01E05 Captive Audience
Episode Overview
Warren Barrow, a mystery novelist writing under a pseudonym, sends his publisher a set of tape recordings that could either outline his next book or reveal a real murder he intends to commit. On the tapes, he shares how he rekindles a romance with the beautiful Janet West, who, despite being married, wants her wealthy husband dead. Overwhelmed by desire, Barrow agrees to kill him. However, at the last moment, he hesitates and, feeling guilty, resolves to eliminate Janet instead. The tape abruptly concludes. Convinced Barrow is plotting a murder, the publisher alerts the police while fellow writer Tom Keller rushes to Janet's apartment. There, he finds Janet dead and Barrow with the murder weapon. Barrow is taken in for questioning, where he records an ending to his story along with a full confession.