The Obald

An 840km drive across France seeking the answer to a question

Oops. Accidentally uploaded a version where I'd muted the narration track. Blame the fact that I'm on holiday.

In this episode, Ronnie tries to tell a convincing story about the missing tapes.

Author and Journalist Lucy Baker arrives to interview Ronnie for her book. He shares the story of his marriage, and reveals what he has been up to for the past 30 years.

Part Two begins.

It's 2003, and Ronnie Collins is living a quiet life on an island off the West Coast of France. The tapes of his "lost album" have been missing for thirty years but it seems as if his band has not been forgotten by everyone…

End of Part 1. As The Obald reaches its halfway point, Ronnie gets a message that will change the course of his life.

There will now be a short break before Part 2 begins.

Ronnie skips work. The local radio station reports some shocking news. Ronnie follows the two Mels to London.

In the aftermath of his bike accident, Ronnie wakes up battered and bruised. Colleagues at work immediately jump to the wrong conclusion. Forgetting his signal arrangement with Melody, he causes alarm. His judgement is all over the place, and the series missteps leads to a dramatic interruption at the evening’s recording session.

After a productive weekend with the band, Ronnie keeps his head down when the office starts to buzz. At lunch, Melody discusses an exit strategy. The thought so distracts Ronnie that his bike journey home ends in disaster.

Ronnie executes operation Fish in Desk. This definitely won't cause problems down the line. Toffo calls another staff meeting. On their train to London that evening, Mel confidentially reveals to Ronnie a side to her character that blindsides him.

Ronnie meets Melody for lunch and she questions his musical tastes. He offers to do her a mixtape, which causes her a double-take. Later, at the recording session, he arranges to see another film with Melanie and finds his head spinning with regard to the two Mels.

Ronnie covers his tracks in the office. Cooper enumerates the many steps taken towards armageddon. Mel reveals her deep anxiety about the other boyfriend. When Ronnie gets home, he realises someone has been in his flat…

On the day his band is to start recording their album, Ronnie is called upstairs to speak to Surveillance. How much trouble is he in? Melody contacts Ronnie and they agree a signal.

A revised ebook of The Obald is available:

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/cTLAv8c

US: https://a.co/d/4Sn77uP

Other territories are available.

The paperback edition has also been updated and revised.

UK store: https://amzn.eu/d/8r1iGlQ

US store: https://a.co/d/i2PeIem

Cooper has news about NATO exercises in Europe, and events in Afghanistan. Ronnie contemplates sabotage. Over tea at Debenhams, Mel reveals her conundrum regarding her other boyfriend. 

Sunday. Ronnie takes a risk and meets up with mystery girl Melody to talk to her about her father, who is under surveillance. Is he only now picking a side?

You'll find my blog at robmcminn.uk

If you’re impatient to read ahead, I’ve published a revised ebook of The Obald:

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/cTLAv8c

US: https://a.co/d/4Sn77uP

Other territories are available.

I have also revised and updated the paperback edition. UK store: https://amzn.eu/d/8r1iGlQ ; US store: https://a.co/d/i2PeIem

Fireworks night. Ronnie and Mel travel to London to see a film. But when she suddenly jumps off the tube train at Leicester Square, Ronnie loses her, and things begin to seem unreal.

If you’re impatient to read ahead, I’ve published a revised ebook of The Obald:

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/cTLAv8c

US: https://a.co/d/4Sn77uP

Other territories are available.

You'll find my blog at robmcminn.uk

Another short episode, the yin to last week's yang. It's Friday evening, and Ronnie’s band play a successful gig to a packed house at The Crown. The “two Mels” are both in attendance…

You'll find my blog at robmcminn.uk and you can contact me at mcmrbt @ icloud . com

Ronnie tries to triangulate the information being collected by his employers on protestors, letter writers and petition signatories, none of whom appear to have broken any laws. Dave Cooper shares his philosophy on youthful idealism. A meeting is called at work to flag up a supposed terrorist cookbook in circulation. With his mind mostly occupied by tonight’s gig at the Crown, Ronnie bumps into someone.

You'll find my blog at robmcminn.uk and you can contact me at mcmrbt @ icloud . com

Ronnie wakes with a bad hangover but nevertheless drags himself into work. He sets out to find his mystery girl on the system, and in spite of his qualms finds himself warming to Mel.

This is a shorter episode – but them's the way the chapters fall. This one is just over 10 minutes, but the next might be (definitely is) over half an hour.

You'll find my blog at robmcminn.uk and you can contact me at mcmrbt @ icloud . com

Determined to break things off with Mel – who after all does have another boyfriend – Ronnie realises just how far out of his depth he is. Meanwhile, his friend Dave Cooper seems to have an inside track on secret intelligence that might lead to widespread panic if more widely known. And who is that girl who works across the road?

Ronnie Smith, 21, is in a band but still has to work. His day job is mainly admin, in some kind of civil service department, and pricks his conscience somewhat because it involves collecting data on people with perfectly legal political beliefs. It's 1983, his love life is complicated, and there's something in the air…

The third season of my fiction podcast is a reading of my speculative fiction espionage thriller The Obald. I wrote the first version of The Obald in 1983, when I was around 20 and 21 years old. Years went past, and the manuscript was lost. In 2009, I decided to recreate it from scratch, adding a second half to the story.

I then sat on it for about five years before publishing it as an ebook. Every now and then I come back to it. Its latest incarnation, is an audio version, coming soon to this feed. Hope you enjoy the two-minute trailer.

In this final episode, Charly is fighting for her life and Tanya is making her excuses.

I'll be back later in the year with a reading of my novel The Obald.

With Chris feeling unwell, he and Charly head back to Lusignac to investigate just who has been squatting in the modernist house. 

CW: some brief discussion of mental health.

A day off from filming, an idyllic village, and a revelation. The next day, Serret reveals what he has suspected all along

After filming at the old barn, Charly and Chris arrange to view Barb's old house where they make a discovery

Charly shows Chris Serres' case file, and reveals the connection to the Crowland Tarot deck

As they revisit the scene of his bike accident, Chris becomes increasingly frustrated with the documentary filming process

At a café table, Chris and Charly think through the case and make a breakthrough.

Content warning: discussion of mental health and suicide

Filming begins on the documentary. Both Chris and Charly have qualms about some of the revelations concerning Meg's family background

Charly feels hijacked in a meeting but then reconnects with Chris

Chris travels to London to meet with a production company

Part 2 begins five years after the events in Lusignac. Chris has a job offer, while Charly is quitting hers…

We reach the end of Part One of The Wake Knot with Chris and Charly feeling awkward and deflated as the holiday – and the case – heads towards an anti-climax.

Apologies for glitchy audio in original upload — a "feature" of Garageband that keeps tripping me up.

There will be a short hiatus before Part Two begins.

After a day on the river, Charly and Chris pay a visit to the local chateau-fort. After this, a surprise awaits them in the church…

Charly pays a visit to Barb and she and Chris delay their plans to return home 

After a sleepless night following their shock discovery, Charly and Chris are interviewed by Serret at the Gendarmerie barracks. Serret confronts Chris with some uncomfortable truths…

The gendarmes return – as expected – to interview Chris, and Meg comes up with a new theory of the case

Chris confesses his past to Charly and the gendarmes pay a late night visit. Is there a connection between Chris's bike crash and Celia Patel's murder? And what's up with the church?

While Charly and Meg are still reeling from the upset of finding Chris injured at the side of the road, another event shocks the village.

Content warning: there is some discussion of suicide in this episode.

(Audio file has been re-uploaded because the original was glitchy)

Chris takes a day trip, Charly takes the lead. But when Chris doesn't show for an arranged lunch date, it really does seem that trouble follows Charly around…

(There's a little bit of fruity language in this episode.)

Chris has a rough day on the bike and sees something disturbing in town. Meanwhile, an incident at the pool changes the atmosphere…

Charly and Meg explore the church, spot a strange relic, and then have a dinner date with Chris.

Chris gets up early and chooses the right direction for a supply run. Local restauranteur Christian Hunt introduces himself. And Charly is hangry…

Charly and Megan drop in on Chris — and Megan puts her foot in it, as usual.

(This episode recorded outdoors – in order to add authentic background ambience, naturally.)

Season 2: a murder mystery set in France.

Chris Marsh arrives in an isolated village in the Dordogne region at the beginning of his solo cycling holiday. The heat is unspeakable…

In this final episode, Tom has found Grace at the foot of the secret staircase…

Keep following this feed, as I'll start serialising The Wake Knot soon.

In this penultimate episode, Tom realises he sounds deranged when interviewed by the police. Is history repeating itself?

Tom is concerned about the risk of fire; in the middle of a noisy night, Grace decides she has had enough…

Grace and Tom see a mysterious woman on a walk; and Grace cleans the secret staircase…

Some doors are hidden…