Original Crime Fiction Stories by James Wolner
Friday Night Fiction is a crime fiction podcast featuring original audio stories set in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. Written and narrated by James Wolner, these modern noir tales explore moral ambiguity, shadowy motives, and quiet tension beneath everyday life.
Drawing inspiration from suspense classics like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Twilight Zone, and Dragnet, this crime fiction podcast builds on that tradition by blending character-driven drama with immersive atmosphere and regional realism. As a result, each story delivers a vivid sense of place and emotional complexity. Episodes range from standalone mysteries to multi-part crime stories that unfold with slow-burning tension and noir-inspired nuance.
New episodes of this North Dakota-based crime fiction podcast drop on select Friday nights. Listen here or on your favorite podcast app.
Story # 2 Dead Cold Drop
Listen to Parts 1–4 (of 5)
Part 5 Coming 6/13, Listen now with PLUS
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Dead Cold Drop is a five-part crime fiction story about a daughter in trouble, a mysterious envelope full of cash, and a father pulled into something he can’t explain. When she turns to him for help, however, he’s drawn into a quiet spiral of secrecy, suspicion, and doubt. Written and narrated by James Wolner, this noir-inspired crime fiction podcast explores how one strange discovery can quietly unravel everything you think you know.
Story # 1 Park Like a Fargonian
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Park Like a Fargonian is a modern noir crime fiction story set in Fargo, North Dakota. What seems like a harmless social media group quickly takes a dark turn when a local banker’s evening is disrupted by a self-appointed parking task force. Soon, what begins as a petty nuisance escalates into something far more dangerous. Eventually, judgment blurs into justice and control begins to slip away. Written by James Wolner, this Fargo-based crime story explores how quickly order can unravel in the most ordinary places.
More from this crime fiction podcast
Introducing Friday Night Fiction
Want a preview? Then listen to the official introduction to Friday Night Fiction.