What do you think?
Rate this book
Scobie Malone #8
Pride's Harvest
Detective Scobie Malone of the Sydney Police investigates the mysterious death of a Japanese industrialist in a small town in the Australian outback and uncovers deep-seated racism in the village
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
15 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Jon Cleary
128 books24 followersAustralian popular novelist, a natural storyteller, whose career as a writer extended over 60 years. Jon Cleary's books have sold some 8 million copies. Often the stories are set in exotic locations all over the world or in some interesting historical scene of the 20th century, such as the Nazi Berlin of 1936. Cleary also wrote perhaps the longest running homicide detective series of Australia. Its sympathetic protagonist, Inspector Scobie Malone, was introduced in The High Commissioner (1966). Degrees of Connection, published in 2003, was Scobie's 20th appearance. Although Cleary's books can be read as efficiently plotted entertainment, he occasionally touched psychological, social, and moral dilemmas inside the frame of high adventure.
Jon Stephen Cleary was born in Sydney, New South Wales, into a working class family as the eldest of seven children. When Clearly was only 10, his father Matthew was condemned to six months' imprisonment for stealing £5 from his baker's delivery bag, in an attempt have money to feed his family. Cleary's mother, Ida, was a fourth-generation Australian. From his parents Cleary inherited a strong sense of just and unjust and his belief in family values.
Cleary was educated at the Marist Brothers school in Randwick, New South Wales. After leaving school in 1932, at the age of fourteen, he spent the following 8 years out of work or in odd jobs, such as a commercial traveler and bush worker – "I had more jobs than I can now remember," he later said of the Depression years. Cleary's love of reading was sparked when he began to help his friend, who had a travelling library. His favorite writers included P.G. Wodehouse. Before the war Clearly became interested in the career of commercial artists, but he also wrote for amateur revues. In 1940 he joined the Australian Army and served in the Middle East and New Guinea. During these years Cleary started to write seriously, and by the war's end he had published several short stories in magazines. His radio play, Safe Horizon (1944), received a broadcasting award.
Cleary's These Small Glories (1945), a collection of short stories, was based on his experiences as a soldier in the Middle East. In 1946 Cleary married Joy Lucas, a Melbourne nurse, whom he had met on a sea voyage to England; they had two daughters. His first novel, You Can’t See Round Corners (1947), won the second prize in The Sydney Morning Herald’s novel contest. It was later made into a television serial and then into a feature film. The Graham Greene-ish story of a deserter who returns to Sydney showed Cleary's skill at describing his home city, its bars, and people living on the margin of society. Noteworthy, the book was edited by Greene himself, who worked for the publishing firm Eyre & Spottiswoode and who gave Cleary two advices: "One, never forget there are two people in a book; the writer and the reader. And the second one was he said, 'Write a thriller because it will teach you the art of narrative and it will teach you the uses of brevity.'" (In an interview by Ramona Koval, ABC Radio program, February 2006)
Jon Stephen Cleary was born in Sydney, New South Wales, into a working class family as the eldest of seven children. When Clearly was only 10, his father Matthew was condemned to six months' imprisonment for stealing £5 from his baker's delivery bag, in an attempt have money to feed his family. Cleary's mother, Ida, was a fourth-generation Australian. From his parents Cleary inherited a strong sense of just and unjust and his belief in family values.
Cleary was educated at the Marist Brothers school in Randwick, New South Wales. After leaving school in 1932, at the age of fourteen, he spent the following 8 years out of work or in odd jobs, such as a commercial traveler and bush worker – "I had more jobs than I can now remember," he later said of the Depression years. Cleary's love of reading was sparked when he began to help his friend, who had a travelling library. His favorite writers included P.G. Wodehouse. Before the war Clearly became interested in the career of commercial artists, but he also wrote for amateur revues. In 1940 he joined the Australian Army and served in the Middle East and New Guinea. During these years Cleary started to write seriously, and by the war's end he had published several short stories in magazines. His radio play, Safe Horizon (1944), received a broadcasting award.
Cleary's These Small Glories (1945), a collection of short stories, was based on his experiences as a soldier in the Middle East. In 1946 Cleary married Joy Lucas, a Melbourne nurse, whom he had met on a sea voyage to England; they had two daughters. His first novel, You Can’t See Round Corners (1947), won the second prize in The Sydney Morning Herald’s novel contest. It was later made into a television serial and then into a feature film. The Graham Greene-ish story of a deserter who returns to Sydney showed Cleary's skill at describing his home city, its bars, and people living on the margin of society. Noteworthy, the book was edited by Greene himself, who worked for the publishing firm Eyre & Spottiswoode and who gave Cleary two advices: "One, never forget there are two people in a book; the writer and the reader. And the second one was he said, 'Write a thriller because it will teach you the art of narrative and it will teach you the uses of brevity.'" (In an interview by Ramona Koval, ABC Radio program, February 2006)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 24, 2020
Detective Inspector Scobie Malone heads to the bush with his partner Russ Clements to investigate the murder of the Japanese manager of a cotton gin. It's soon clear that there are those that want him in town but there are many who tread wearily around him. Scobie soon finds that the town appears to be ruled by a land owner who is also the leader of the Rural Party and is very well politically connected. There is also a lot of anti Japanese feeling and anti aboriginal feeling alive and well in town. These adds another difficulty and dimension to the investigation.
It's a slow investigation that exposes the heart of the county town before the truth is revealed.
I really enjoyed this book, and the series, as it's an Australian story by an Australian author.
It's a slow investigation that exposes the heart of the county town before the truth is revealed.
I really enjoyed this book, and the series, as it's an Australian story by an Australian author.
November 3, 2013
Scobie Malone is a detective in Sydney Australia. In this mystery he takes a holiday in the country and gets involved in a political and racial murder case.
First paragraphs
“YOU SHOULD take a week’s leave and come out here,” said Lisa. “It’s so restful, just what you need.” That had been the day before the murder; Lisa’s timing, usually so reliable, had been way off. Scobie Malone, missing his wife and children, already weary after only four days of getting his own meals, making his bed and trying to iron his shirts so that they didn’t look as if he had pressed them by sleeping on them, had hung up the phone and thought seriously of applying for a week’s leave. Murder had taken one of its rare holidays in the city and now would be as good a time as any to ask for a few days off. Then the very next day the routine telexed report had come in of the murder at Collamundra and later that afternoon there had been the telephoned request to Regional Crime Squad, South Region, in Sydney, asking for assistance.
Cleary, Jon (2013-06-23). Pride's Harvest (A Scobie Malone Novel) (Kindle Locations 30-36). AudioGO. Kindle Edition.
First paragraphs
“YOU SHOULD take a week’s leave and come out here,” said Lisa. “It’s so restful, just what you need.” That had been the day before the murder; Lisa’s timing, usually so reliable, had been way off. Scobie Malone, missing his wife and children, already weary after only four days of getting his own meals, making his bed and trying to iron his shirts so that they didn’t look as if he had pressed them by sleeping on them, had hung up the phone and thought seriously of applying for a week’s leave. Murder had taken one of its rare holidays in the city and now would be as good a time as any to ask for a few days off. Then the very next day the routine telexed report had come in of the murder at Collamundra and later that afternoon there had been the telephoned request to Regional Crime Squad, South Region, in Sydney, asking for assistance.
Cleary, Jon (2013-06-23). Pride's Harvest (A Scobie Malone Novel) (Kindle Locations 30-36). AudioGO. Kindle Edition.
May 24, 2011
This is one of my favorite series featuring a police detective. Scobie Malone is smart, tenacious, has no hang-ups, loves his family, and does the best job he can. In this book, Scobie travels to a small Aussie town to try and solve the murder of a Japanese national who was the manager of the local cotton mill.
April 24, 2015
Fantastic vignettes of Australian rural life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews