Bear Pit

Scobie Malone #17

by Jon Cleary

Bear Pit

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Detective

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Australian 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)

Reviews

[Zoey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately just not my cup of tea. Very political which is just not for me

[Alastair Carthew]

A good Aussie yard, as can be expected from Jon Cleary. The plot around skulduggery at the time of the 2000 Sydney Olympics; the venal politicians involved, an assassination and Inspector Scobie Malone's journalist daughter being caught up in the assassination plot makes for a rocketing good story. As a Kiwi easy to identify with the location and characters.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better Scobie Malone crime thrillers; a political murder, lots of political intrigue and Malone's family mixed into it. Nicely paced but perhaps a little too much politics for my liking. Jon Cleary's dry Aussie humor shines through in the asides and banter of his characters.

[Carol Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing I find annoying with Malone novels is that often the suspicion falls early on a certain character and never really waivers, even if the evidence is flimsy. And it turns out the suspect actually did the killing. That’s what happens, here, sorry for the spoiler, but it takes a while for Scobie to be able to prove it and then it’s only by luck. The big question is who paid the killer and was the bullet meant for the politician or one of his companions. It’s a very political book and I don’t necessarily understand the whole Australian election process or how the parties work on the inside, but I could probably say that about American elections too.

I think this is a novel best read/listened to after some of the others, especially Five Ring Circus. There are a lot of continuing characters and I think this one would work best if already have some knowledge about them, which I did. I will say this is the first of this series where I’ve felt that way though. In general, it’s not one I think needs to be read in order.

Looking over my review, it sounds like I didn’t like this one, but I did. It was enjoyable, a quick listen, and a little less black and white than some of the others have been.

See my whole review at Carol's Notebook.

[Catsalive · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy Scobie Malone crime stories. This certainly shows the frustrations involved in a case, particularly one that's unsolved.

Rated 7/10 at http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1....