Jon Cleary was a highly successful Australian author who had numerous books adapted for film and television. His first book was You Can’t See ‘Round Corners which he published in 1947. He is considered one of the most popular Australian authors of all-time.

Cleary was born in Erskineville, Sydney where his family struggled through childhood, at one point seeing most of their belongings repossessed. Cleary attended some school, but left at the age of 14 to help support his family financially. Cleary would then join the Army, but he would write while in there and sold his first story in 1940. After finishing his service, he wrote his first novel.

Publication Order of Scobie Malone Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

You Can't See Around Corners(1947)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Long Shadow(1949)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
You, the Jury / Just Let Me Be(1950)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sundowners(1952)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Climate of Courage / Naked in the Night(1954)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Justin Bayard / Dust in the Sun(1955)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Green Helmet(1959)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
North From Thursday(1960)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Forests of the Night(1963)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Flight of Chariots(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Fall of an Eagle(1965)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Season of Doubt(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Remember Jack Hoxie(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mask of the Andes / The Liberators(1971)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Man's Estate / The Ninth Marquess(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Peter's Pence(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Safe House(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Sound of Lightning(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Vortex(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Pulse of Danger(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Back of Sunset(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
High Road to China(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Beaufort Sisters(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
A Very Private War(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Faraway Drums(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Golden Sabre(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Spearfield's Daughter(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Phoenix Tree(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The City of Fading Light(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Long Pursuit(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Miss Ambar Regrets(2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Four-Cornered Circle(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Morning's Gone(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

If You Like Jon Cleary Books, You’ll Love…

You Can’t See ‘Round Corners is Cleary’s first novel and follows a bookie named Frankie McCoy who is drafted into the Australian Army during World War II. Cleary based the character on a number of people he met during his time in the military and he did most of his writing while still in the service. The book sees McCoy decide to desert the Army and go on the run. His girlfriend doesn’t like this and he ends up with a far more experienced woman named Myra.

Cleary authored a number of books in his own Scobie Malone series. The High Commissioner is the title and it follows the story of a High Commissioner who is accused of murder. Scobie Malone is set to go get him from London and return him for trial. Malone’s job becomes complicated when there are outside forces looking to murder the High Commissioner in order to cause anarchy at an upcoming peace summit in Saigon. This started a long series of books and was actually made into a film called Nobody Runs Forever.

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