10 episodes

In 2017, Frank Carver, a one-eyed English septuagenarian and somewhat lovable provocateur, accidentally emailed someone he’d never met. That someone was Rob Collins, a kind and reliable 43-year-old suburban dad from Virginia.

That email would change both of their lives.

The email was meant for a British blogger. But instead, Rob heard the story. Frank said that when he was in the Army, over 50 years ago, he was viciously assaulted by a fellow soldier, and that attack left him nearly blind at 17 years old.

Oh, and the alleged attacker was Frank’s older brother.

But the crime was “covered up,” and while Frank had already sued the British military over this—the case even reached the country’s High Court of Justice—only recently had Frank decided to bring criminal charges against his brother.

Meanwhile, Frank had been diagnosed with cancer and felt he was running out of time to right this wrong. So despite having no journalistic experience and some doubts about the details of the story, Rob decides to investigate the case and help Frank in his quest for justice.

Two years and many detours—including a psychiatric evaluation in Berlin—later, Rob’s self-funded quest for the holy grail of getting justice for Frank concludes... and Rob, struggling with what it all meant, realizes he gave Frank what he really needed.

That’s how, in the end, it wasn’t Frank’s son or his siblings, but Rob, suburban dad from Virginia, who officiated and was the only speaker at Frank’s funeral in 2019.

And the big question remains: who was left more affected by this relationship, Rob or Frank?

”…riveting enough that I couldn’t stop listening, and am so glad this show has completely dropped, I would have died if I wouldn’t have been able to binge it.” — Lauren Passell, Podcast the Newsletter

“This is what David felt like when he slew Goliath. The Square Peg podcast, an indie production, has released an eight-episode narrative series that is comparable to—and in many ways —better than any production a large podcast network could create, develop, finance and produce.” — Frank Racioppi, EarWorthy

Square Peg LUSID48

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 56 Ratings

In 2017, Frank Carver, a one-eyed English septuagenarian and somewhat lovable provocateur, accidentally emailed someone he’d never met. That someone was Rob Collins, a kind and reliable 43-year-old suburban dad from Virginia.

That email would change both of their lives.

The email was meant for a British blogger. But instead, Rob heard the story. Frank said that when he was in the Army, over 50 years ago, he was viciously assaulted by a fellow soldier, and that attack left him nearly blind at 17 years old.

Oh, and the alleged attacker was Frank’s older brother.

But the crime was “covered up,” and while Frank had already sued the British military over this—the case even reached the country’s High Court of Justice—only recently had Frank decided to bring criminal charges against his brother.

Meanwhile, Frank had been diagnosed with cancer and felt he was running out of time to right this wrong. So despite having no journalistic experience and some doubts about the details of the story, Rob decides to investigate the case and help Frank in his quest for justice.

Two years and many detours—including a psychiatric evaluation in Berlin—later, Rob’s self-funded quest for the holy grail of getting justice for Frank concludes... and Rob, struggling with what it all meant, realizes he gave Frank what he really needed.

That’s how, in the end, it wasn’t Frank’s son or his siblings, but Rob, suburban dad from Virginia, who officiated and was the only speaker at Frank’s funeral in 2019.

And the big question remains: who was left more affected by this relationship, Rob or Frank?

”…riveting enough that I couldn’t stop listening, and am so glad this show has completely dropped, I would have died if I wouldn’t have been able to binge it.” — Lauren Passell, Podcast the Newsletter

“This is what David felt like when he slew Goliath. The Square Peg podcast, an indie production, has released an eight-episode narrative series that is comparable to—and in many ways —better than any production a large podcast network could create, develop, finance and produce.” — Frank Racioppi, EarWorthy

    Introducing: Square Peg

    Introducing: Square Peg

    After a mistyped email address connects them, an American suburban dad gets sucked into the bizarre world of a vengeful, one-eyed British curmudgeon who’s been on a decades-long mission to have his brother imprisoned. It’s a bizarrely heartfelt story about bitterness, family secrets, and the things we bury in the past. 
    Learn more at squarepegpodcast.com.

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits 

    • 2 min
    Part 1: Typo

    Part 1: Typo

    How did an American suburban dad end up officiating a funeral in Scunthorpe, England, for a man he’d only known a short while? Because of a typo.
    Flashback two years, as Rob Collins learns the bizarre story of Frank Carver, a vengeful British provocateur on a decades-long mission to have his brother imprisoned for allegedly stabbing out his left eye.
    Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part1 

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits 

    • 30 min
    Part 2: Sunny Scunny

    Part 2: Sunny Scunny

    Despite a lack of journalistic experience and the bewilderment of his wife and friends, Rob travels overseas to investigate. After struggling through Frank’s legal documents and left-side driving, he gets some local help and tracks down a source who deepens the mystery of Frank’s story.
    Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part2 

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits 

    • 28 min
    Part 3: Awkward Exit

    Part 3: Awkward Exit

    The investigation runs into problems. Rob uncovers conflicting evidence, and John, Frank’s brother, won’t reply to a request to be interviewed. To top it off, Frank seems to have a change of heart about the whole thing. What the hell is going on?
    Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part3 

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits

    • 34 min
    Part 4: Shaggy Dog

    Part 4: Shaggy Dog

    Moment of truth: Rob and his team attempts to track down and meet the dreaded John Carver, Frank’s brother. It doesn’t go as expected.




    Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part4 

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits

    • 33 min
    Part 5: Diagnoses

    Part 5: Diagnoses

    His story in shambles, Rob has to figure out how to proceed. But a fortuitous tip suggests a clue to learning who Frank really is.




    Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part5 

    Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod 
    Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits

    • 32 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
56 Ratings

56 Ratings

Alrab2828 ,

Worth the listen

I have not written many podcast reviews, but felt compelled to write something about this one. The story is well told and captures the essence of fate, several times over. The host is endearing and you can’t help but root for him. I wonder if he realizes, in the end, that he and Frank are the same in that neither can no for an answer. Very well done!

mspassell ,

46774567 stars!!

It grabbed me and never let me go.

Kaliapad ,

Beautifully told story

This one grabbed me right off the bat. The serendipitous and ultimately deep connection between the storyteller and his subject moved me deeply. I had a complicated family with deep divisions at times so I empathized with all the various people who were featured. I felt I knew and could understand Frank - his struggles. A profoundly human story.

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