The Night Shift by Frank M. Robinson Episode #136
Frank M. Robinson | October 30, 2023-
play_circle_filled
The Night Shift by Frank M. Robinson Episode #136
Frank M. Robinson
THE NIGHT SHIFT
Episode 136 · Written by Frank M. Robinson · Narrated by Scott Miller
Chicago belongs to different people depending on the hour. By day, it is orderly and crowded. By night, it empties into echoing streets, snow-dusted sidewalks, and doorways where the forgotten linger. Nick Golata makes his living walking that version of the city. As a columnist, he thrives on what happens after midnight, on the quiet deals and small tragedies that never make the front page.
When a young woman is found dead in the heart of the Loop, the case seems at first like grim material for his column. But the details resist explanation. Footprints stop where they should continue. Marks in the snow suggest something that should not exist. A detective raises the possibility of ancient myths living comfortably in a modern skyline. Nick treats it as speculation. Chicago, after all, runs on facts.
Yet the longer the night stretches, the more the boundaries blur. The city is large enough to swallow people without protest. A tenant vanishes. A job opening appears. A life erases itself with alarming efficiency. Nick has always believed he understood the darkness he writes about. Now he must decide whether to expose what he has glimpsed—or accept that some territories are not meant for daylight.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank M. Robinson began publishing science fiction in the early 1950s, placing stories in magazines such as Fantasy Magazine before moving on to larger venues. He later gained wide recognition for novels including The Power, a political thriller that explored the mechanics of influence and was adapted into a feature film. Robinson also co-authored the authoritative reference work Science Fiction of the 20th Century, documenting the field’s major writers and movements. His short fiction is known for tight structure, urban settings, and endings that reframe everything that came before. “The Night Shift” exemplifies that precision, merging modern city life with older fears that refuse to stay buried.
LISTEN TO THE STORY
Listen to The Night Shift by Frank M. Robinson — a chilling vintage science fiction short story set in a snowbound Chicago where something hunts after midnight.
FRANK M. ROBINSON SHORT STORIES
Frank M. Robinson brought a sharp, psychological edge to vintage science fiction, crafting stories that often begin in familiar territory before quietly revealing something far more unsettling underneath. His work doesn’t rely on spectacle alone. Instead, it builds tension through subtle shifts—where a simple idea, a new technology, or a single decision begins to reshape reality in ways no one fully anticipates.
His stories frequently center on individuals placed under pressure by forces they don’t completely understand. A promise that sounds too good to question. A system that seems perfectly reliable—until it isn’t. A situation that looks manageable at first, then tightens with each passing moment. As events unfold, characters are forced to confront consequences that arrive faster than they can react.
Robinson had a talent for letting ideas evolve in real time. Each new revelation changes the meaning of what came before, pushing the story into territory that feels both logical and surprising. The result is science fiction that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish, where the tension builds through discovery rather than explanation.
The stories below showcase Frank M. Robinson’s distinctive approach to classic science fiction—where strong concepts, rising pressure, and unexpected turns drive every moment forward.
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:
★★★★★
“Quality. How anyone could give this podcast anything but respect I don’t know. I wish I could have Scott narrating every book I listen to.”
— junt
★★★★★
“Great Podcast. Scott Miller does a great job of selecting and narrating these stories. I love Sci-Fi from the 40’s and 50’s. Scott does a wonderful job of selecting stories from well know as well as obscure authors. The introductions provide an interesting background of the authors and the stories. These have been a wonderful addition to my morning walks. Thank you.”
— CamperJon
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.
