HERE IS John Dickson Carr at his devious-plotting best, as a newlywed is baffled and horrified by what happens to . . .
"Cabin B-13."
(a.k.a. "Honeymoon Terror").
By John Dickson Carr (1906-77).
Reprinted many times, including the EQMM Overseas Edition for the Armed Forces, May 1944.
First appearance: Suspense, CBS radio, March 16, 1943.
Radio play script (13 pages).
Online at Archive.org (HERE).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjct8WtuaRUBTeCVz69u4WG1n0YBWsdtJ5cC-yU5thKvm5JGyLG8goy2l2HToMJ_Gv2v4fPBK3BbAGNBIgIzKruLdtfaP07z9aSoInSn3KumVzgVtl4zCsPVL6pYCuCZRVnW-q1ICJ5QKmK/w523-h640/%2527Cabin+B-13%2527+illo.jpg)
First appearance: Suspense, CBS radio, March 16, 1943.
Radio play script (13 pages).
Online at Archive.org (HERE).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjct8WtuaRUBTeCVz69u4WG1n0YBWsdtJ5cC-yU5thKvm5JGyLG8goy2l2HToMJ_Gv2v4fPBK3BbAGNBIgIzKruLdtfaP07z9aSoInSn3KumVzgVtl4zCsPVL6pYCuCZRVnW-q1ICJ5QKmK/w523-h640/%2527Cabin+B-13%2527+illo.jpg)
"A honeymoon in Europe! Three whole months with nothing to worry about!"
You just know when somebody says something like that there will be plenty to worry about ....
Typos: "Ann" appears a couple of times in the text.
References and resources:
- "happier peacetime days": An almost nostalgic reference to the time before World War II, which was well underway in 1943 and would last two more years.
- "the old Paris Exposition story?": The mystery underlying it is SPOILED by Carr in his play and EQ in his introduction; see the fine 2017 bare-bones e-zine article (WARNING! SPOILERS! HERE) for more background on the Exposition story.
- "Ambrose Light": A maritime navigation station in Lower New York Bay: "Various lightships held this station from 1823 until its replacement in 1967." (Wikipedia HERE).
- "the crash and hiss of water" and "clinging to the bulkhead rail in the dark": Carr makes use of imagery (Wikipedia HERE) and sensory detail (Wikipedia HERE) to reflect Anne's feelings and fears.
- "equinoctial gale": An ill wind under any circumstances, but especially so to sailors:
"A gale is a strong wind, typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots (63–87 km/h, 17.5–24.2 m/s or 39–54 miles/hour) of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are expected. In the United States, a gale warning is specifically a maritime warning; the land-based equivalent in National Weather Service warning products is a wind advisory." (Wikipedia HERE).
- "the glass": You can tell a lot from a barometer; see Wikipedia (HERE).
- According to the Internet Movie Database (which ascribes 26 writing credits to JDC HERE), "Cabin B-13" was filmed in 1953 (HERE), for the Climax! TV series in 1958 (HERE), for The Unforseen TV series in 1959 (HERE), and a full-length TV movie in 1992 (HERE); beware of SPOILERS! in all venues.
- According to the Internet Movie Database (which ascribes 26 writing credits to JDC HERE), "Cabin B-13" was filmed in 1953 (HERE), for the Climax! TV series in 1958 (HERE), for The Unforseen TV series in 1959 (HERE), and a full-length TV movie in 1992 (HERE); beware of SPOILERS! in all venues.
- Our latest, but certainly not last, encounter with John Dickson Carr involved his brilliant story "The Third Bullet" (HERE).
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