Jon Cleary (1917-2010) was an Australian writer, publishing about 50 novels in a range of genres. A number of them were adapted for film and television. His first book about Scobie Malone, a Sydney homicide inspector, appeared in 1966 and evolved into a series of 20 books. His stand-alone thriller Peter’s Pence received an Edgar award in 1975. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Australian Crime Writers Association and the inaugural Ned Kelly Award for Lifelong Contribution to the Crime, Mystery and Detective Genres in 1996. He won the 2004 Ned Kelly award for Best Novel for the last Scobie Malone story, Degrees of Connection, and was shortlisted for three other titles over the years.
Five Ring Circus (HarperCollins, 1998) is the 15th adventure of Malone. The title refers to the general madness in the capital city as Sydney prepares to host the 2000 Olympics. Malone is with his family in a large restaurant on a rare evening out when a masked gunman enters the dining area from the back and quickly shoots everyone sitting in a back booth. Just as quickly he returns to the kitchen and disappears.
The ensuing investigation reveals the victims were all investors in an enormous development project that is considered crucial to the success of the upcoming games. Other investors include a retired criminal and a Chinese grande dame, which raises many questions about the source of the funding for this civic development. Malone has orders from above to find a culprit fast so that the unsavory mess can be swept under the carpet before the worldwide spotlight is focused on the city.
A fine police procedural as well as some political commentary and a look at international finance. Scobie is a charming character, devoted to his family. The plot delves into the partisan morass that surrounds the Olympic games and the selection of the games site, as well as the feverish activity of the hosting city running up to the opening ceremony. Written in the aftermath of Hong Kong’s reversion to China, there are frequent allusions to the changes that have taken place since then. The ethics and the trade-offs of international investment are scrutinized. Sydney as a global hub is a good choice to showcase all of these topics.
These books are available in electronic format and on the secondary market. Fans of solid detective fiction should consider this series when they are looking for their next new author. Those interested in financial crimes will especially like this one.