Jon Cleary Reading Order
2 series · 54 books · Born 22 November 1917
Jon Cleary was a prolific Australian author known for his compelling detective fiction and vivid portrayals of rural life. Over his extensive career, which spanned from 1947 to 2015, he published 54 titles, including two notable series featuring Inspector Scobie Malone and several standalone novels. His most acclaimed work, The Sundowners, showcases his talent for character-driven storytelling and has been adapted for both film and television.
Scobie Malone Series
Complete21 books (1966–2015)
Start with The High Commissioner, the first of 21 books in the Scobie Malone series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The High Commissioner 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Helga's Web 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Ransom 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Dragons at the Party 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Now and Then, Amen 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Babylon South 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Murder Song 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Pride's Harvest 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Dark Summer 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Bleak Spring 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Autumn Maze 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Winter Chill 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  A Different Turf 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Endpeace 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Five Ring Circus 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Dilemma 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Bear Pit 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Yesterday's Shadow 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  The Easy Sin 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Degrees of Connection 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | The Climate of Courage 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete33 books (1947–2007)
Start with You Can't See Around Corners, the first of 33 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  You Can't See Around Corners 1947Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Long Shadow 1949Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  You, the Jury / Just Let Me Be 1950Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Sundowners 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Climate of Courage / Naked in the Night 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Justin Bayard / Dust in the Sun 1955Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Green Helmet 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  North From Thursday 1960Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Forests of the Night 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  A Flight of Chariots 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Fall of an Eagle 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Season of Doubt 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Remember Jack Hoxie 1969Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Mask of the Andes / The Liberators 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Man's Estate / The Ninth Marquess 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Peter's Pence 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Safe House 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  A Sound of Lightning 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Pulse of Danger 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Vortex 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Back of Sunset 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 |  High Road to China 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  The Beaufort Sisters 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 |  A Very Private War 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 |  The Faraway Drums 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 |  The Golden Sabre 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 |  Spearfield's Daughter 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 |  The Phoenix Tree 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 |  The City of Fading Light 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 |  The Long Pursuit 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 |  Miss Ambar Regrets 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 |  Four-Cornered Circle 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  Morning's Gone 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Jon Cleary written?
- Jon Cleary has written 54 books across 2 series. Their published works span from 1947 to 2015.
- What is the first book in each Jon Cleary series?
- Here are the first books in Jon Cleary's series: Scobie Malone: The High Commissioner.
- What order should I read Jon Cleary's books?
- We recommend reading Jon Cleary's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Jon Cleary's series complete?
- Jon Cleary has 2 completed series.