NBC Short Story

The Tell-Tale Heart

English · Radio

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a compact tale of guilt and mounting psychological tension. A narrator insists on being sane while recounting a murder and the increasingly unbearable sound that seems to expose the crime.

In this radio adaptation, Poe’s first-person storytelling brings the listener close to the narrator’s anxious thoughts. The suspense comes from the contrast between his careful account of the deed and his growing agitation as he tries to convince others—and himself—that all is well.

Dark and intimate in tone, the story turns a simple confession into a chilling study of fear, obsession, and a conscience that will not stay quiet.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.