Jon Cleary Books In Order

Publication Order of Scobie Malone Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

About Jon Cleary

The Australian author of thriller novels Jon Cleary was an exciting and vibrant writer during his time, bringing out a number of highly popular titles over the course of his long and illustrious career. Known for his ability to craft his stories with style and wit, he would draw the reader in, keeping them their continually gripped throughout, right till the very last page. Leaving behind a strong legacy that many an aspiring writer would be truly proud of, readers are still discovering him to this very day, something that will continue for a long time to come.

Early and Personal Life

Growing up in Erskineville, Sydney, in Australia where he was born and raised, the author Jon Cleary was born on the 22nd of November in 1917. Whilst growing up his family would face a variety of financial difficulties over the years, something which would help give him the drive that he needed to continue as a writer. It would also come to affect much of his writing, as he would also later go on to attend Marist Brothers College in Randwick, whereby he would pursue his love of literature.

Leaving school at the young age of fourteen, he would go on to undertake a variety of odd jobs in order to support his family financially. It was during this time that he would work as a commercial artist, which would then lead to him writing his first full short story in 1938, an activity which he enjoyed. Serving in the Australian army in 1940, he was posted in the Middle East, whereby he would gain a unique level of experience and insight to help inspire his writing. This would all finally lead to him becoming the author, creating a backlog of work that would inspire both readers and writers for many generations to follow.

Writing Career

Bringing out his first novel, ‘You Can’t See Round Corners’, in 1947, Jon Cleary would mark his literary debut with a slice-of-life story. The book would later be adapted for the television in 1967, with it being updated to the Vietnam War, along with a cinematic adaptation in 1969 derived from the series. Writing a number of screenplays, Cleary would also become a highly proficient screenwriter during his time as well.

In 1966 he would also go on to write the first in his ‘Scobie Malone’ series of novels, starting with ‘The High Commissioner’. This franchise would feature the eponymous Sydney based detective solving a variety of cases and mysteries over the course of the series. Winning numerous awards and nominations too, Cleary would make a name for himself quite unlike any other, and one that lives on to this very day.

The Easy Sin

First brought out through the HarperCollins publishing outlet, this was originally released in 2003 to much acclaim. Marking the nineteenth title in the long-running and highly popular ‘Scobie Malone’ series of novels, it’s had one final title come out after it. Followed by ‘Degrees of Connection’, which would be the last book in the franchise, this shows a clear sense of development for the series overall.

Operating as the penultimate instalment in the ‘Scobie Malone’ series of novels, this would see the detective all set to finally leave the department. It would also go about wrapping up any loose ends, bringing everything together, as the series itself begins to draw to a close. The mystery itself is also up to the high standard of the previous novels, clearly displaying a character that has gone through a lot with his readers. Keeping readers guessing right until the very last page, it definitely manages to leave a strong imprint in its audience long after the book’s finished.

All set to leave the Homicide and Serial Offenders Unit, Scobie Malone has one last investigation for the Sydney police department. With a housemaid having been discovered dead in the penthouse of a dot-com millionaire, it appears that it’s a kidnapping that hasn’t gone entirely according to plan at first glance. The main issue is though, that this is only just the beginning, as the kidnappers had initially hopped to grab the girlfriend of the millionaire and hold her to ransom. It would seem that they’ve grabbed none other than the millionaire himself though and, not only that, but he’s also in huge debt after the dot-com bubble burst, making him a prime target for the Yakuza. Will Scobie Malone be able to solve the case before it’s too late? Who planned the kidnapping and why? Just what did they think was the easy sin?

Peter’s Pence

Initially published through the ‘William Morrow and Company’ publishing outlet, this was a stand-alone thriller title. With a self-contained narrative, it was first brought out on the 1st of January in 1974, marking an early entry from the author. Containing all his hallmarks that would soon become standard for the writer, it’s the ideal place to start for anyone hoping to find out more on Cleary as a novelist.

Very much of its time, this provides a thriller escapade in the most classic sense, as Cleary never manages to miss even one beat. A true master of suspense, he keeps the tension continually mounting throughout, building to the final thrilling crescendo. It also works at creating realistic characters too, despite the high-concept of the novel, as it manages to keep it grounded throughout. The overall appeal of the novel, though, lies in its ability to craft a world that is at once exciting and intriguing in equal measure for the reader.

The IRA are planning to steal some Vatican treasures, all with the assistance of an Irish-American journalist to help them in their quest. Working as the Vatican press, they aimed to infiltrate the building undercover, but their plan goes horribly awry in the process. Visiting the galleries in person for one of his nocturnal visits, it would seem that the Pope himself would offer up a more attractive prize. With a whole host of characters from across the globe, Christopher Kay narrates the action as it happens, with the tension building on all sides. Will they manage to kidnap the Pope or will they be thwarted in their plans? What exactly do they hope to achieve in doing so? How much is Peter’s pence?