The Obald

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…

Tom spends an evening alone in the house…

Tom is painting in his studio and senses someone standing behind him…

It's Christmas, and with family over to stay, the house appears to be on its best behaviour…

The first guests arrive — but will their "retreat" be silent? Also, there's a new scarecrow in the field next door. (A day late uploading this week because I was travelling)

In the aftermath of the smashed jug incident, Tom starts keeping a record of the various events.

As Grace and Tom plan marketing materials for The Retreat, Grace's daughter agrees to take some photos of the Lodge and its surroundings. But not all Kate's photos come out as expected…

Noises in the roof and disappearing light bulbs. Grace and Tom's new cleaner Mrs Moffatt has a theory…

An extra episode for the bank holiday weekend. Having moved into the Lodge, Tom and Grace start coming to terms with its weird noises and other odd events — and think they may have found an explanation.

Disposing of as much junk as possible before they move, Tom and Grace hire a van.

Grace and Tom decide that they will move into the Lodge and turn it into a silent retreat. But after spending time alone in the house, Grace complains about disturbances in the night…

On a visit to explore the properties Grace and Beth have inherited, the narrator is impressed by the gothic interiors of the big house and wonders if he could live there…

An original ghost story by Rob McMinn. Episode one: a woman learns that her aunt has been murdered by her uncle.