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Unravel

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Rating
★★★★★
4.7
from
770 reviews
This podcast has
109 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
ABC Australia
Explicit
Yes
Date created
2018/05/18
Latest episode
2026/09/23
Average duration
37 min.
Release period
9 days

Description

'Blood on the Tracks' is the latest season of Unravel, the ABC's award-winning true crime podcast. After explosive new developments in the case, this podcast — first released in 2018 — has been updated and re-released. Just outside Australia's country music capital, a young man's body is found on the train tracks, surrounded by shattered Christmas presents and discarded wrapping paper. For decades, the mystery has haunted Tamworth. After Unravel's award-winning first season, 'Blood on the Tracks' brought national attention to the case, a new inquest was launched. Now, Muruwari and Gomeroi journalist Allan Clarke returns to where it all began for Unravel, revisiting Tamworth and uncovering what's happened since, as the long-awaited final chapter of the story unfolds, and there are major new revelations in the inquest hearings. The original 'Blood on the Tracks' won a Walkley award for Coverage of Indigenous Affairs. Previous seasons of Unravel have covered everything from love scams to neo-nazi gangs. In Season 6, Mr Big, a scratchy recording made in a Melbourne hotel room above a casino captures a man admitting to murder. But as journalist Alicia Bridges investigates the man on the tape known as Mr Big, she finds herself in a world of lies and subterfuge, where very few things are as they seem. The recording leads her deep inside an international controversy, to a world of secrets that powerful institutions don't want revealed. Mr Big won a silver New York Festivals award for Investigative Journalism Podcasts. In Season 5, Firebomb, Crispian Chan investigates what really happened after his family's restaurant went up in flames in 1988. He was just a kid when Chinese restaurants were being firebombed in the dead of night and a campaign of terror was underway in Perth. Thirty-five years on, most of us have never heard about it, even though it's one of the few sustained and coordinated terrorism campaigns in Australia's history. Crispian teamed up with ABC reporter Alex Mann, and together they traversed the country to find answers and explore the darker forces that still lurk in our suburbs today. 'Firebomb' won Best True Crime at the Australian Podcast Awards. In Season 4, Snowball, Ollie Wards investigates how his brother's whirlwind romance with a charismatic Californian woman ultimately cost his family more than a million dollars. When Greg Wards met Lezlie Manukian, a beautiful woman whose world is full of glamour, he is immediately drawn to her. They fall in love, get married and start planning the rest of their lives together — the only catch is Lezlie is a con artist. To find out who his brother's wife really is, Ollie must track down Lezlie herself, and it soon becomes clear that his family's story is just one piece of a bigger jigsaw. 'Snowball' won Best True Crime at the Australian Podcast Awards in 2020, was one of Apple Podcasts' Best Listens of 2019, made the American Bello Collective's top 100 list that year. In Season 3, Last Seen Katoomba, reporter Gina McKeon digs deep into the suspicious unsolved disappearance of young mum, Belinda Peisley, who was last seen in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba, west of Sydney, in September 1998. Belinda's life descends into chaos after her 18th birthday when she receives a large inheritance and buys her own place in town. It's a move her family thinks will set her up for life but, instead, the house becomes a magnet for a world of drugs and a crowd of hangers-on who visit day and night. Gina pieces together the stories and evidence around the six main persons of interest named in the inquest into Belinda's disappearance and suspected death, and what emerges is a picture of a town and a case shrouded in secrecy. In Season 2, Barrenjoey Road, reporter Ruby Jones tries to solve the mystery of what happened to 18-year-old Trudie Adams after she disappears while hitchhiking home on Sydney's northern beaches in 1978. Ruby exposes the dark underbelly of the seemingl

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08 Lies in Lismore | BONUS Inquest insider speaks
2026/09/23
Key inquest lawyer says other suspects weren't adequately investigated by police. Philip Strickland SC acted as counsel assisting the coroner for the recent inquest into the death of Simone Strobel. He tells Richard Baker that there's "some validity" to Tobias Moran's claim that police got tunnel vision. He says the "extremely unwise" lies told by Tobias Moran distorted the investigation. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
07 Lies in Lismore | The black top
2026/09/08
A fresh inquest holds surprises and examines the alleged confessions. A new investigation begins, with the police work in different hands — but will it find justice for Simone? The coroner points to a piece of clothing she was wearing on the night as a potential source of DNA evidence to help solve the crime. STATEMENT FROM GABI AND GUSTAV STROBEL Mr Baker's letter sets out Tobias Moran and Katrin Suckfuell's versions of certain important matters. We deny these accounts are truthful. Tobias Moran has admitted that he and his sister lied about matters relating to Simone's disappearance and murder because the police were not taking her disappearance seriously enough. We have never found that explanation logical or convincing as he told these lies on his first encounter with police, before anyone could have known a crime had occurred. The Coroner and Counsel Assisting described Tobias' lies as "persistent", "numerous" and "reprehensible". If Tobias Moran lied because police were not taking him seriously, what possible explanation do Tobias and Katrin have for their false statements being put to us now by Mr Baker, more than twenty years after Simone's murder? The accounts given by Tobias and Katrin to us about what happened the night Simone was murdered, or about the days preceding, were untrue. They claimed there had been no arguments and all was good within the travelling group. When we asked on several occasions if there had been any fights, Tobias said there were none. We learned almost two and a half years later they were lying to us about this. Later, when I asked why, Tobias said he had been forced to lie because the police were not taking him seriously. He did not explain why he lied to us. After Simone's murder he and his family nurtured a close relationship between our families which had not previously existed while all the time maintaining their lies. On reflection, we feel we were being manipulated. Our relationship with Tobias and the entire Suckfuell family ended at the Suckfuell home in 2009 when my husband and my brother asked Katrin to tell us what happened the night Simone died. She said: 'You can torture me but I will never talk about that night'. She then ran from the room and drove off in her car. Her attempt to re-write the words she used that day is untruthful. Katrin Suckfuell has not only refused to answer our questions, but to our knowledge she has never corrected the false and misleading statements she gave to police concerning events surrounding Simone's murder. To this day we do not know from Tobias, his sister and Jens Martin what happened the night our daughter was murdered. We can only rely on accounts they gave to the police which are so full of lies and inconsistencies we can place no trust in them. We are, and have always been, entirely at the mercy of what they choose to tell us, but there has been a consistent pattern of avoidance spanning more than twenty years, evident even before the three were made suspects. For example, the three attended Simone's funeral, but refused to attend her wake — as a courtesy the siblings were walked back to their car by a member of our family as they did not want to be part of the reception, and Martin also disappeared without ever introducing himself to us. This is why we would like them to come to our door and apologise and offer us a full account. Nothing would give us greater peace than receiving a truthful and consistent account of our daughter's final days and the night of her death. NOTE ON RESPONSES TO THIS STATEMENT FROM TOBIAS MORAN, KATRIN SUCKFUELL, AND JENS MARTIN Tobias and Katrin deny that they are still telling lies, and dispute various other aspects of this statement from Gabi and Gustav Strobel. The podcast episode contains further responses to this statement from Tobias Moran and Katrin Suckfuell. Jens Martin didn't respond to questions about this statement.
06 Lies in Lismore | Strange decisions
2026/09/08
Parts of the police investigation seem confusing, even bizarre. Looking into how the detective work unfolded leads journalist Richard Baker to raise questions about the decisions made during the Simone Strobel case. He examines a crime scene analysis, and a strange 'quid-pro-quo' arrangement between detectives and a writer. Editorial note: An earlier version of this episode said that the West Australian Supreme Court agreed with Tobias Moran that the Virginia Peters book implied he was guilty.   What the judge actually said was that an imputation of guilt is arguably capable of being made. But he said the book must be read as a whole, and it wouldn’t be straightforward to assess if the whole book conveys an imputation that Tobias was guilty. The judge said that Tobias had an arguable – but as he assessed it, not strong – defamation case.  Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
05 Lies in Lismore | Confessions
2026/09/08
Multiple people are alleged to have confessed to murdering Simone, so why were they ruled out as suspects? Journalist Richard Baker hits the road to try to find them, and the people who heard their alleged confessions, to understand more.  Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
04 Lies in Lismore | An arrest
2026/09/08
Decades on, police make an arrest and lay charges for the murder of Simone Strobel. But what is the new evidence they've found? Richard Baker tries to figure out what led police to this dramatic arrest years into the investigation. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
03 Lies in Lismore | One traveller speaks out
2026/09/08
He's never spoken publicly about the night Simone disappeared, until now. Breaking his silence in an interview with journalist Richard Baker, he answers questions about what happened that night, and why he didn't tell police the full story. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
02 Lies in Lismore | The lies
2026/09/08
Simone's diary reveals arguments amongst travellers, police say they're being lied to, and the investigation into who caused Simone's death begins to narrow its focus. An inquest into Simone Strobel's death is eventually held, but some key people don't attend. Years pass and fellow travellers refuse to speak to the media, but investigative journalist Richard Baker learns one of them might finally break this silence and talk to him. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
01 Lies in Lismore | The backpackers
2026/09/08
On a dream trip to Australia, Simone disappears. Her boyfriend Tobias reports her missing, and the search begins. Six days later Simone Strobel's body is found under palm fronds just a short distance away. It's clear her death is no accident and her boyfriend, Tobias Suckfuell, is questioned by police. It's been more than 20 years, and still no one has been found responsible for Simone's murder. Investigative journalist Richard Baker wants to know why. Richard attempts to unravel the truth about what happened to Simone in Lismore that night in 2005, amongst a tangle of decades-old lies. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastAdditional reporting: Cath AdamsTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
INTRODUCING — Lies in Lismore
2026/09/06
Simone Strobel was 25 and travelling in Australia when she disappeared from a Lismore caravan park. Six days later, her body was found hidden under palm fronds. Ever since, questions have followed her boyfriend, Tobias Suckfuell, who's always insisted that he's innocent. But the truth is difficult to find when lies are layered upon lies. Now there are new twists in the story, and more potential suspects coming into focus. Has the truth been hiding in plain sight? Or did a killer escape without scrutiny? Acclaimed investigative journalist Richard Baker investigates. Credits Host and reporter: Richard BakerProducer and fact checker: Romy SherSupervising producer: Alicia BridgesSpecial thanks to: Chiara Holzhaeuser; Joanne Shoebridge and everyone at ABC North CoastTheme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley CadellSound design: Tim SymondsExecutive Producers: Tim Roxburgh, Eric GeorgeHead of Audio on Demand: Jessica RadburnAdditional reporting: Cath Adams
06 What Became of Jack? | Duke Speaks
2026/06/22
The last known person to see Jack alive finally breaks his silence. Chris Duke speaks in detail for the first time, laying out his version of what happened the night Jack McLennan vanished and revealing new details about Jack's last known moments.
05 What Became of Jack? | Whispers
2026/06/15
Jack’s mum gets a shocking tip-off from a scared community member. With the rumour mill in overdrive, ABC journalist Rob Burgin tries to decipher what’s true and what’s not about the disappearance of Jack McLennan.
04 What Became of Jack? | The Wondai house
2026/06/08
One of the last places Jack was seen was a house in Wondai. Rob goes there, despite being told the people inside that night have links to the region's darker side, to investigate why Jack visited that night and what happened after he left.
03 What Became of Jack? | The dark side
2026/06/01
Rob retraces Jack's final hours via CCTV footage and meeting people who saw him in his last days. He also learns about another item found in Jack's wallet that reveals a different side to what went on that night. And finally, ABC journalist Rob Burgin gets a call through to the last known person to see Jack alive, and he agrees to speak publicly for the first time.
02 What Became of Jack? | The breakup
2026/05/25
The day he vanished, Jack moved his stuff out of Carlee's place. They'd just broken up. Carlee hasn't spoken publicly about what led up to that day or why she called police twice in the days before Jack disappeared — until now. She thinks Jack's disappearance is suspicious, but tells ABC journalist Rob Burgin how speculation, rumours and aggression have flooded the vacuum of information around what happened to Jack.
01 What Became of Jack? | Vanished
2026/05/25
When Jack's mate turns around, he's just… gone. Vanished. His mate says that's how fit 27-year-old Jack McLennan disappeared from a bush picnic spot 3 hours from Brisbane. But when searchers discover a trail of baffling clues, suspicions begin to deepen among friends and family.  They start questioning what this is — it doesn't seem like the average missing person's case to them. Could it be murder? Is it someone who's just gone missing? ABC journalist Rob Burgin picks up the case, determined to find out what became of Jack.

Podcast reviews

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4.7 out of 5
770 reviews
★★★★★
britinohio 2026/09/16
Lies In Lismore
Such a tragic story. Primarily for Simone but also for Tobias who has had this follow him around. Listening to his recent interview, his frustration w...
★★★★★
sandiegocoach 2026/09/14
Lies in Lismore
Really interesting story telling and well researched. Still 5 stars, but the audio interviews were really hard to make out. It was great when the narr...
★★★★★
death stapler 2026/08/03
Fantastic podcast
I have to give special love to Firebomb because I know how hard that was to do. For anybody interested more on how the Vietnam war connects to extremi...
★☆☆☆☆
louislouislouislouis 2026/07/29
Such a sweet boy who abused his girlfriend and smoked meth, right?
True crime is always trash but for some reason I decided to give this a go (am not Australian). I feel for Jack's parents but this was just a depressi...
★★★☆☆
fabernetwork 2026/07/09
Very well done
Very well done. Excessive character development. Disappointing understated ending.
★★★★★
Watchathink 2026/06/08
Just brilliant
As a podcast junkie, this podcast is just brilliant. I’ve listened to all seasons. Try them all you won’t be disappointed!!!
★★★★★
Bwaterbabe 2026/01/02
Huntsman - An amazing podcast.
I’ve been glued to all episodes of Huntsman & previously to media coverage of the missing campers’ trial. Before the podcast I had little knowledge of...
★★★★★
Crime Anonymous 2025/12/26
Season 8
Incredible and engaging and infuriating. Well done. 👏🏾 #justiceforlisalynn
★★★★★
Patti, Powell, Ohio 2025/12/03
Season 8
This latest season is very interesting and well done. I hope the case moves forward.
★★★★☆
Big sighhhhh 2025/11/08
Closure for us all
I too need closure with Leslie! I was waiting until the end to see what she did with all the money she stile from so many people. I thought for sure t...
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