STOP, YOU’RE KILLING ME!

Episode #18 · Written by Stephen Marlowe · Narrated by Scott Miller

Frank Foley knows what it means to be targeted, but discovering that the danger is coming from inside his own home changes everything. The attacks are precise, escalating, and impossible to dismiss, yet the people responsible have no memory of committing them. The story tightens around a single fear: if someone can turn loved ones into weapons, there is nowhere left to hide.

The explanation offered to Foley is as unsettling as the danger itself. A client claims knowledge of events that have not yet happened and insists that a machine still under construction has already changed lives. Foley is pulled into a conflict where protection and destruction are both viable paths, and where payment, survival, and disbelief collide in ways that leave no clean exit.

Rather than leaning on spectacle, the story builds tension through conversation, pressure, and irreversible choice. Every offer comes with a cost, and every refusal carries consequences that stretch beyond the present moment. The result is a tightly controlled narrative where time is not a backdrop, but a fragile condition that can be shattered by a single decision.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen Marlowe was an American writer whose work spanned science fiction, crime, and literary fiction, with stories published in venues including The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Galaxy, and Amazing Stories. He was also known for his mystery novels and his Edgar Award–winning contributions to crime fiction, bringing a hard-edged sensibility to speculative ideas.

In Stop, You’re Killing Me!, Marlowe applies noir pacing and dialogue-driven tension to a speculative premise, allowing moral pressure and personal risk to drive the narrative. The story stands as a clear example of his ability to merge genres without softening either one.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Stop, You’re Killing Me! By Stephen Marlowe — a vintage science fiction thriller where a private detective faces murder, money, and a future that should not exist.

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.8 million listens.

Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.

What listeners are saying:

★★★★★ “A treasure trove of classic Sci-Fi! You could spend a lot of time hunting around various podcasts for a smattering of classic takes, or you could just subscribe to this one and get it all in one place! This podcast provides a rich and well-curated collection of stories from well-known and lesser-known authors. All of them expertly introduced, narrated and produced. This collection holds its own against the efforts of sci-fi editing luminaries like Neil Clarke. Thank you for such an incredible array of stories. Keep them coming!”
— Sgt. Spiff

★★★★★ “If Podcasting went away completely I would miss Lost Sci-Fi Podcast more than anything else I have ever listened to. The narration is outstanding and the story selection never fails to impress me. Thank you, thank you.”
— Sci-fi-guy2001

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.

📬 JOIN LOST SCI-FI WEEKLY

35,000+ Listeners Can’t Be Wrong

Get vintage sci-fi stories, podcast episodes, and surprises every Monday.

FREE SCI-FI EVERY WEEK

✅ Check your email and confirm — that unlocks your free sci-fi downloads.

No spam in this galaxy. You can eject anytime.