The Professor Of Truth

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20130624

The new novel by leading Scottish author James Robertson is a powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. It's a delicate reinvention of one of the most painful incidents of recent times in Scotland.

Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened on that terrible night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible, and that he himself has thus been deprived not only of justice but also of any chance of escape from his enduring grief.

When an American intelligence officer, apparently terminally ill and determined to settle his own accounts before death, arrives on his doorstep with information about a key witness in the trial, a fateful sequence of events is set in motion.

James Robertson is the author of 'The Fanatic', 'Joseph Knight' and 'The Testament of Gideon Mack'. His previous novel, 'And the Land Lay Still', a majestic telling of the past sixty years of Scotland's history, won the Saltire Book of the Year Award 2010.

The reader is Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Years later, a university lecturer still does not know the truth of the Lockerbie bombing.

20130625

Peter Firth reads from the new novel by leading Scottish author James Robertson. It's a powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened that night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible.

The visit from a former CIA man - who claims to have key information to impart - has triggered painful memories for Alan of the aftermath of the bombing.

Reader: Peter Firth.

Writer & abridger: James Robertson.

Producer: Kirsteen Cameron.

The visit from a former CIA man has triggered painful memories for Alan.

20130626

Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel which is inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened that night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible.

A mysterious American, apparently a secret service agent, has arrived at Alan Tealing's door. Terminally ill, and keen to salve his conscience, he claims to have vital information about the flawed investigation and hints that there was a cover-up.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

The American reveals crucial details about the investigation.

20130627

Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

Tealing has received a visit from a former CIA agent called Ted Nilsen. Terminally ill, and keen to salve his conscience, Nilsen claims to have vital information about the flawed investigation. When Tealing loses his patience with the prevaricating American, Nilsen finally reveals the true purpose of his visit.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Alan Tealing finally learns the true purpose of the former CIA man's visit.

20130628

Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

Alan Tealing has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of the airplane in which his wife and daughter were killed. After an enlightening visit from a former CIA man, Tealing must decide whether to trust the information he's been given and travel to Australia to confront the trial's key witness face-to-face.

Read by Peter Firth.

Tealing must decide whether to trust Nilsen and act on the information he's been given.

20130701

Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel which is inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

Alan Tealing has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were killed. After receiving new information about the case from a former secret service agent, Tealing has flown from the UK to Australia in the hope of confronting the investigation's key witness face-to-face.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Alan Tealing arrives in Australia, ready to confront the investigation's key witness.

20130702

Peter Firth reads the powerful new novel by award-winning author James Robertson.

Alan Tealing, an academic based in Scotland, has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were murdered. Acting on information he's received from a former secret service agent, he's travelled to Australia to confront the trial's key witness: Martin Parroulet. He's proving elusive, however, so Tealing has located Parroulet's wife and engineered a meeting with her instead.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Failing to find the trial's key witness, Alan engineers a meeting with his wife instead.

20130703

Peter Firth reads the new novel by award-winning author James Robertson.

Alan Tealing has travelled to Australia to confront Martin Parroulet - the key witness in the trial of the man convicted of bombing the airplane in which Tealing's family were killed. But Parroulet is proving elusive. Instead, Tealing has tracked down his wife, Kim, who reveals that she also bears the burden of a tragic loss.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Kim makes it clear that Parroulet deserves to have his side of the story heard.

20130704

Peter Firth reads the powerful new novel by award-winning author James Robertson.

For twenty-one years, Alan Tealing has been a vocal critic of the investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were murdered: he believes the wrong man was convicted of the atrocity.

Acting on information he's received from a retired secret service agent, Tealing has travelled to Australia to meet the trial's key witness, Martin Parroulet. Instead of the expected confrontation, however, the men have been caught up in a saving themselves from a huge bush fire that is fast approaching the house.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Tealing battles with Parroulet to save the house from the approaching bush fires.

20130705

Peter Firth reads the conclusion of James Robertson's powerful new novel, inspired by aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

In the quiet aftermath of the bush fire, Alan Tealing finally comprehends the deep truth that lies at the heart of the investigation into the bombing in which his wife and daughter were killed twenty-one years ago.

Read by Peter Firth.

Written and abridged by James Robertson.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

Alan Tealing finally grasps the deep truth of the investigation.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20130624	The new novel by leading Scottish author James Robertson is a powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. It's a delicate reinvention of one of the most painful incidents of recent times in Scotland. Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened on that terrible night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible, and that he himself has thus been deprived not only of justice but also of any chance of escape from his enduring grief. When an American intelligence officer, apparently terminally ill and determined to settle his own accounts before death, arrives on his doorstep with information about a key witness in the trial, a fateful sequence of events is set in motion. James Robertson is the author of 'The Fanatic', 'Joseph Knight' and 'The Testament of Gideon Mack'. His previous novel, 'And the Land Lay Still', a majestic telling of the past sixty years of Scotland's history, won the Saltire Book of the Year Award 2010. The reader is Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Years later, a university lecturer still does not know the truth of the Lockerbie bombing.
02	20130625	Peter Firth reads from the new novel by leading Scottish author James Robertson. It's a powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened that night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible. The visit from a former CIA man - who claims to have key information to impart - has triggered painful memories for Alan of the aftermath of the bombing. Reader: Peter Firth. Writer & abridger: James Robertson. Producer: Kirsteen Cameron. The visit from a former CIA man has triggered painful memories for Alan.
03	20130626	Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel which is inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened that night. Obsessed by the details of what he has come to call 'The Case', he is sure that the man convicted of the atrocity was not responsible. A mysterious American, apparently a secret service agent, has arrived at Alan Tealing's door. Terminally ill, and keen to salve his conscience, he claims to have vital information about the flawed investigation and hints that there was a cover-up. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. The American reveals crucial details about the investigation.
04	20130627	Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful work of fiction inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Twenty-one years after his wife and daughter were murdered in the bombing of a plane over Scotland, Alan Tealing, a university lecturer, still does not know the truth of what really happened that night. Tealing has received a visit from a former CIA agent called Ted Nilsen. Terminally ill, and keen to salve his conscience, Nilsen claims to have vital information about the flawed investigation. When Tealing loses his patience with the prevaricating American, Nilsen finally reveals the true purpose of his visit. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Alan Tealing finally learns the true purpose of the former CIA man's visit.
05	20130628	Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Alan Tealing has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of the airplane in which his wife and daughter were killed. After an enlightening visit from a former CIA man, Tealing must decide whether to trust the information he's been given and travel to Australia to confront the trial's key witness face-to-face. Read by Peter Firth. Tealing must decide whether to trust Nilsen and act on the information he's been given.
06	20130701	Peter Firth reads from James Robertson's powerful new novel which is inspired by some of the aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Alan Tealing has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were killed. After receiving new information about the case from a former secret service agent, Tealing has flown from the UK to Australia in the hope of confronting the investigation's key witness face-to-face. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Alan Tealing arrives in Australia, ready to confront the investigation's key witness.
07	20130702	Peter Firth reads the powerful new novel by award-winning author James Robertson. Alan Tealing, an academic based in Scotland, has spent two decades conducting his own investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were murdered. Acting on information he's received from a former secret service agent, he's travelled to Australia to confront the trial's key witness: Martin Parroulet. He's proving elusive, however, so Tealing has located Parroulet's wife and engineered a meeting with her instead. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Failing to find the trial's key witness, Alan engineers a meeting with his wife instead.
08	20130703	Peter Firth reads the new novel by award-winning author James Robertson. Alan Tealing has travelled to Australia to confront Martin Parroulet - the key witness in the trial of the man convicted of bombing the airplane in which Tealing's family were killed. But Parroulet is proving elusive. Instead, Tealing has tracked down his wife, Kim, who reveals that she also bears the burden of a tragic loss. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Kim makes it clear that Parroulet deserves to have his side of the story heard.
09	20130704	Peter Firth reads the powerful new novel by award-winning author James Robertson. For twenty-one years, Alan Tealing has been a vocal critic of the investigation into the bombing of an airplane in which his wife and daughter were murdered: he believes the wrong man was convicted of the atrocity. Acting on information he's received from a retired secret service agent, Tealing has travelled to Australia to meet the trial's key witness, Martin Parroulet. Instead of the expected confrontation, however, the men have been caught up in a saving themselves from a huge bush fire that is fast approaching the house. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Tealing battles with Parroulet to save the house from the approaching bush fires.
10	20130705	Peter Firth reads the conclusion of James Robertson's powerful new novel, inspired by aspects and events surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. In the quiet aftermath of the bush fire, Alan Tealing finally comprehends the deep truth that lies at the heart of the investigation into the bombing in which his wife and daughter were killed twenty-one years ago. Read by Peter Firth. Written and abridged by James Robertson. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Alan Tealing finally grasps the deep truth of the investigation.