Trace

By ABC Radio

What's Trace about?

Who killed Maria James? June, 1980, suburban Melbourne: Mother of two Maria James is stabbed to death in the back of her bookshop. Her killer has never been found.

4.7

415 ratings

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LAST EPISODE

S1 | The Inquest Begins

09.05.2021

For 41 years, Mark and Adam James have lived in a holding pattern, not knowing who killed their mum, Maria. But they might finally be close to answers.

Trace episodes:

09.05.2021 S1 \| The Inquest Begins For 41 years, Mark and Adam James have lived in a holding pattern, not knowing who killed their mum, Maria. But they might finally be close to answers.
08.12.2021 S1 \| Breakthrough in Maria James cold case The discovery of a police exhibit - thought to be missing for around three decades - could finally help unmask the killer in the 1980 cold case of Maria James.
07.12.2021 Introducing: Unravel Juanita In 1975, Australia was transfixed by the disappearance of Juanita Nielsen. Juanita was a journalist, fashion model, socialite and Sydney's most famous anti-gentrification activist. 46 years later, the new series of Unravel True Crime looks into Juanita's suspected murder – ...
12.16.2020 S2 BONUS — The Price The Royal Commission has released its final report into defence lawyer turned police informer Nicola Gobbo.
10.20.2020 Introducing: Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts investigates the CIA's covert mind control experiments - from the Cold War and MKULTRA to the so-called War on Terror.
09.21.2020 S2 08 \| End game We reveal the story of Nicola Gobbo's audacious bid to return to Australia.
09.14.2020 S2 07 \| Reckoning Everything unravels, for Nicola Gobbo and Victoria Police. Their secret is out.
09.07.2020 S2 06 \| Whatever it takes Nicola hits rock bottom, but Victoria Police wants her to take on a new role ... as a witness.
08.31.2020 S2 05 \| Glittering prize Nicola wants to be the best source ever, and she leads police to the biggest target of all: the mafia. Her double life is getting riskier, but she can't stop. This episode charts an addiction and a crash.
08.24.2020 S2 04 \| Rubicon Nicola crosses the point of no return and becomes a police informer. She'll represent clients, while passing on the underworld's secrets to Victoria Police.
08.17.2020 S2 03 \| The darkest night A drug house burglary smells of police corruption and a police informer is executed.
08.10.2020 S2 02 \| One of the crew As the gangland war explodes, both police and criminals start questioning Nicola's allegiances. Where do her loyalties lie?
08.03.2020 S2 01 \| Nicola We meet Nicola Gobbo in a secret location, in hiding, now that her double life as a police informer is out, and she begins telling us her full story.
07.27.2020 INTRODUCING Trace season 2 - The Informer Lawyer Nicola Gobbo represented some of Australia's most dangerous criminals, all the while secretly working as a police informer. Why did she do it?
02.25.2020 INTRODUCING... The Eleventh How much do you really know about the sacking of Gough Whitlam on November 11, 1975? You've probably heard his famous "well may we say" speech made on the day he was dismissed. But do you properly understand the extraordinary ...
03.13.2019 INTRODUCING – Unravel Season 3 Trace fans should know that there are now three seasons of the Unravel True Crime podcast available. Their latest story Last Seen Katoomba takes a deep dive into the case of 19-year-old Belinda Peisley who went missing from the Blue ...
12.31.2018 Summer Listening Tip: Binge on Unravel Trace fans should know there are now two seasons of the ABC podcast, Unravel True Crime, available.
12.03.2018 S1 07 \| Hope More than a year on from their plea for a new coronial inquest, the James brothers get a decision. Will they finally get answers to the burning questions they've carried for 38 years about the murder of their mother? And ...
10.19.2018 SPECIAL EVENT: The Trace team talks tactics for finding Maria James' killer In their first reunion since Trace launched, former detective Ron Iddles, Maria James’s son Mark James and journalist Rachael Brown got together for a special live event at the Wheeler Centre. They discuss the challenges of reviving the cold case, ...
08.06.2018 An invitation to a Trace special event Rachael Brown is taking part in a panel chat at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre with Maria's oldest son Mark James, and retired homicide detective, Ron Iddles. It's their first appearance together to discuss the case and its insistent questions. How has ...
06.12.2018 S1 06 \| Limbo New evidence has been found. So can police test it for a trace of the killer? What happened to crucial documents? And a new confession. It is nearly a year since the James brothers applied for a new coronial inquest ...
06.04.2018 Introducing… UNRAVEL Get a sneak preview of UNRAVEL, a new ABC podcast that follows Australia's best journalists as they investigate unsolved crimes. Our Season 1 story, Blood On The Tracks, investigates the suspicious death of 17-year-old Mark Haines, whose body was found ...
11.16.2017 Someone Knows Something – preview This original Canadian true-crime podcast examines unsolved cases of the missing or murdered. Each season focuses on a single cold case in the hope of uncovering new information, while also exploring the affects each case has had on the families ...
09.06.2017 S1 05 \| Wait The fall-out from major revelations in the Maria James cold-case continue, as her sons make a desperate plea to the Coroner.
08.02.2017 Trace \| Your questions answered For a closer look at the making of Trace and its implications, join Rachael Brown and Annabel Crabb for a Facebook Live at 4pm AEST Thursday 4 August, on the ABC RN Facebook page.
07.12.2017 S1 04 \| DNA There's a major break in the case, as Trace uncovers a police bungle in the murder of Maria James. But it only serves to throw up more questions than answers, as the James brothers continue their desperate search for justice.
07.05.2017 S1 03 \| Sins A second person of interest emerges within the church. Rachael Brown investigates their past and discovers a dark and disturbing history.
07.04.2017 BONUS \| How your leads are helping the investigation Since Trace was first released, the ABC has received over 50 emails from the community with leads and tip offs. In this bonus update, reporter Rachael Brown follows up with two women who got in touch to say they saw ...
06.27.2017 S1 02 \| Confessions Rachael Brown's investigation into the death of Maria James turns to the local Church, and Rachael tracks down a new witness who saw someone covered in blood around the time of Maria's death.
06.20.2017 S1 01 \| Bookshop murder On a winter morning in June 1980, Maria James turned to her son Mark and looked him in the eyes. "If anything happens to me, look after your brother." Later that day she was found stabbed to death at the ...
06.16.2017 S1 \| Preview June, 1980, suburban Melbourne: Mother of two Maria James is stabbed to death in the back of her bookshop. Her killer has never been found. Was it a scorned lover? A random stranger? Or was Maria's murder tied up in ...

09.05.2021 S1 \| The Inquest Begins For 41 years, Mark and Adam James have lived in a holding pattern, not knowing who killed their mum, Maria. But they might finally be close to answers.
08.12.2021 S1 \| Breakthrough in Maria James cold case The discovery of a police exhibit - thought to be missing for around three decades - could finally help unmask the killer in the 1980 cold case of Maria James.
07.12.2021 Introducing: Unravel Juanita In 1975, Australia was transfixed by the disappearance of Juanita Nielsen. Juanita was a journalist, fashion model, socialite and Sydney's most famous anti-gentrification activist. 46 years later, the new series of Unravel True Crime looks into Juanita's suspected murder – ...
12.16.2020 S2 BONUS — The Price The Royal Commission has released its final report into defence lawyer turned police informer Nicola Gobbo.
10.20.2020 Introducing: Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts investigates the CIA's covert mind control experiments - from the Cold War and MKULTRA to the so-called War on Terror.
09.21.2020 S2 08 \| End game We reveal the story of Nicola Gobbo's audacious bid to return to Australia.
09.14.2020 S2 07 \| Reckoning Everything unravels, for Nicola Gobbo and Victoria Police. Their secret is out.
09.07.2020 S2 06 \| Whatever it takes Nicola hits rock bottom, but Victoria Police wants her to take on a new role ... as a witness.
08.31.2020 S2 05 \| Glittering prize Nicola wants to be the best source ever, and she leads police to the biggest target of all: the mafia. Her double life is getting riskier, but she can't stop. This episode charts an addiction and a crash.
08.24.2020 S2 04 \| Rubicon Nicola crosses the point of no return and becomes a police informer. She'll represent clients, while passing on the underworld's secrets to Victoria Police.
08.17.2020 S2 03 \| The darkest night A drug house burglary smells of police corruption and a police informer is executed.
08.10.2020 S2 02 \| One of the crew As the gangland war explodes, both police and criminals start questioning Nicola's allegiances. Where do her loyalties lie?
08.03.2020 S2 01 \| Nicola We meet Nicola Gobbo in a secret location, in hiding, now that her double life as a police informer is out, and she begins telling us her full story.
07.27.2020 INTRODUCING Trace season 2 - The Informer Lawyer Nicola Gobbo represented some of Australia's most dangerous criminals, all the while secretly working as a police informer. Why did she do it?
02.25.2020 INTRODUCING... The Eleventh How much do you really know about the sacking of Gough Whitlam on November 11, 1975? You've probably heard his famous "well may we say" speech made on the day he was dismissed. But do you properly understand the extraordinary ...
03.13.2019 INTRODUCING – Unravel Season 3 Trace fans should know that there are now three seasons of the Unravel True Crime podcast available. Their latest story Last Seen Katoomba takes a deep dive into the case of 19-year-old Belinda Peisley who went missing from the Blue ...
12.31.2018 Summer Listening Tip: Binge on Unravel Trace fans should know there are now two seasons of the ABC podcast, Unravel True Crime, available.
12.03.2018 S1 07 \| Hope More than a year on from their plea for a new coronial inquest, the James brothers get a decision. Will they finally get answers to the burning questions they've carried for 38 years about the murder of their mother? And ...
10.19.2018 SPECIAL EVENT: The Trace team talks tactics for finding Maria James' killer In their first reunion since Trace launched, former detective Ron Iddles, Maria James’s son Mark James and journalist Rachael Brown got together for a special live event at the Wheeler Centre. They discuss the challenges of reviving the cold case, ...
08.06.2018 An invitation to a Trace special event Rachael Brown is taking part in a panel chat at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre with Maria's oldest son Mark James, and retired homicide detective, Ron Iddles. It's their first appearance together to discuss the case and its insistent questions. How has ...
06.12.2018 S1 06 \| Limbo New evidence has been found. So can police test it for a trace of the killer? What happened to crucial documents? And a new confession. It is nearly a year since the James brothers applied for a new coronial inquest ...
06.04.2018 Introducing… UNRAVEL Get a sneak preview of UNRAVEL, a new ABC podcast that follows Australia's best journalists as they investigate unsolved crimes. Our Season 1 story, Blood On The Tracks, investigates the suspicious death of 17-year-old Mark Haines, whose body was found ...
11.16.2017 Someone Knows Something – preview This original Canadian true-crime podcast examines unsolved cases of the missing or murdered. Each season focuses on a single cold case in the hope of uncovering new information, while also exploring the affects each case has had on the families ...
09.06.2017 S1 05 \| Wait The fall-out from major revelations in the Maria James cold-case continue, as her sons make a desperate plea to the Coroner.
08.02.2017 Trace \| Your questions answered For a closer look at the making of Trace and its implications, join Rachael Brown and Annabel Crabb for a Facebook Live at 4pm AEST Thursday 4 August, on the ABC RN Facebook page.
07.12.2017 S1 04 \| DNA There's a major break in the case, as Trace uncovers a police bungle in the murder of Maria James. But it only serves to throw up more questions than answers, as the James brothers continue their desperate search for justice.
07.05.2017 S1 03 \| Sins A second person of interest emerges within the church. Rachael Brown investigates their past and discovers a dark and disturbing history.
07.04.2017 BONUS \| How your leads are helping the investigation Since Trace was first released, the ABC has received over 50 emails from the community with leads and tip offs. In this bonus update, reporter Rachael Brown follows up with two women who got in touch to say they saw ...
06.27.2017 S1 02 \| Confessions Rachael Brown's investigation into the death of Maria James turns to the local Church, and Rachael tracks down a new witness who saw someone covered in blood around the time of Maria's death.
06.20.2017 S1 01 \| Bookshop murder On a winter morning in June 1980, Maria James turned to her son Mark and looked him in the eyes. "If anything happens to me, look after your brother." Later that day she was found stabbed to death at the ...
06.16.2017 S1 \| Preview June, 1980, suburban Melbourne: Mother of two Maria James is stabbed to death in the back of her bookshop. Her killer has never been found. Was it a scorned lover? A random stranger? Or was Maria's murder tied up in ...

Trace

What's Trace about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Trace episodes:

S1 | The Inquest Begins

S1 | Breakthrough in Maria James cold case

Introducing: Unravel Juanita

S2 BONUS — The Price

Introducing: Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts

S2 08 | End game

S2 07 | Reckoning

S2 06 | Whatever it takes

S2 05 | Glittering prize

S2 04 | Rubicon

S2 03 | The darkest night

S2 02 | One of the crew

S2 01 | Nicola

INTRODUCING Trace season 2 - The Informer

INTRODUCING... The Eleventh

INTRODUCING – Unravel Season 3

Summer Listening Tip: Binge on Unravel

S1 07 | Hope

SPECIAL EVENT: The Trace team talks tactics for finding Maria James' killer

An invitation to a Trace special event

S1 06 | Limbo

Introducing… UNRAVEL

Someone Knows Something – preview

S1 05 | Wait

Trace | Your questions answered

S1 04 | DNA

S1 03 | Sins

BONUS | How your leads are helping the investigation

S1 02 | Confessions

S1 01 | Bookshop murder

S1 | Preview

Trace

What's Trace about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Trace episodes:

S1 | The Inquest Begins

S1 | Breakthrough in Maria James cold case

Introducing: Unravel Juanita

S2 BONUS — The Price

Introducing: Brainwashed from CBC Podcasts

S2 08 | End game

S2 07 | Reckoning

S2 06 | Whatever it takes

S2 05 | Glittering prize

S2 04 | Rubicon

S2 03 | The darkest night

S2 02 | One of the crew

S2 01 | Nicola

INTRODUCING Trace season 2 - The Informer

INTRODUCING... The Eleventh

INTRODUCING – Unravel Season 3

Summer Listening Tip: Binge on Unravel

S1 07 | Hope

SPECIAL EVENT: The Trace team talks tactics for finding Maria James' killer

An invitation to a Trace special event

S1 06 | Limbo

Introducing… UNRAVEL

Someone Knows Something – preview

S1 05 | Wait

Trace | Your questions answered

S1 04 | DNA

S1 03 | Sins

BONUS | How your leads are helping the investigation

S1 02 | Confessions

S1 01 | Bookshop murder

S1 | Preview

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