The Jack Riordan Series
Explore the world of my novels, crafted with passion and dedication right here in Toowoomba, Australia. Discover what sets my books apart and find your next great read.
The Queen's Irishman- Jack Riordan joins the British Army to avoid starvation. in Ireland in 1825. He serves in Australia, India and New Zealand. Then he goes to Australia and becomes a mounted policeman. His descendants will contribute mightily to the development of his new country.
Sawdust and Prickly Pear - Edward (Jack) Riordan serves his country in two wars and founds a farming dynasty. A story of hardship and endurance as he battles Boers, Germans, the Depression and the noxious prickly pear, building his family and a new country. Through his story, we can see and understand the pioneers who lead Australia towards prosperity with hard work and vision and the remarkable women who worked alongside them.
Into the Dark Night, Falling - Edward's son Jack Riordan disappears on a bombing mission over Germany in 1944. No one knows what happened to him. More than twenty years will elapse before his fate is discovered. This is his story and the story of two remarkable women.
Drowning in Her Eyes - A story of young lovers separated by circumstances beyond their control. Will their love overcome loss and war? From Brisbane to Boston, Sydney to Saigon, this story will tug at your heartstrings. A story of true love and the strength of the human spirit.
The House that Jack Built - The sequel to 'Drowning in Her Eyes'. Jack and Susan battle drought, collapsing markets, and terrorists as they strive to build their family and their farming empire. Affirmation that peace only comes through vigilance, and prosperity through initiative and hard work.
Whither Blows the Wind - Jack Riordan and his son Patrick go to Europe to find evidence to free an old German friend, arrested as a war criminal. There, a group of old Nazis who want the truth to remain a secret threatens them. If they don't reveal the truth a monster will go free. Will good triumph over evil?
Invisible - Patrick and Michael ('Young Jack') Riordan go on a hiking trip to Europe with their girlfriends. They stumble upon a lost cache of WW2 gold and set in motion a chase across Germany, where they uncover a blackmail attempt on the USA by a former Stasi General. A thrilling intrigue that takes mystery to a new level.
Flesh - Young Jack (Michael) Riordan runs into (literally) a Croatian girl, Sonja who has escaped from a sex-slave situation in the Midlands of England. In London, Jack and Elsbeth are asked to go to Croatia to find and expose the ringleader of the sex-trafficking trade. They find themselves drawn into a complex web of corruption, war criminals and murder. Will they succeed? Or will the evil prevail?
No Easy Mark- Jack Riordan’s daughter, Dr Jacquie Riordan leaves England for home. She plans to work on a mercy ship around Africa. In the Republic of Kwanza in West Africa, she and a companion are kidnapped. Her father and her brother get involved in the search. Kwanza is a brutal dictatorship on the verge of a bloody civil war. Jacquie and her friend display extreme courage and initiative to make their escape, but not before a dangerous journey. Along the way, they learn some hard lessons of life.
Just Who is Jack Riordan?
In 1825 a young Irishman joins the British army. The alternatives are starvation or a life of crime. He is sent to the penal colony of New South Wales, then to India and New Zealand, rising to the rank of Colour Sergeant. Upon his discharge, he returns to Australia where he becomes a mounted police sergeant. His descendants will make significant contributions to his new Country.
In every generation of Riordans there is a Jack Riordan, all hard-working, honest, and principled men. They have a heightened sense of justice and will pursue evil wherever they encounter it. One thing usually becomes fatal - any threat to their families.
From the penal colony to the battles in India, from the Boer war through WW1, WW2, and Vietnam, they serve their country well and their history mirrors Australian history. Despite war and flood and fire, despite threats and hardships, despite love lost and found, the Riordan family prevail and create a farming empire. Their wives and daughters play significant roles in their success.
Start your journey with our young boy in County Mayo with 'The Queen's Irishman'. Adventure awaits!
More Exciting Tales
Casey’s Island - Action and romance set against the background of the beautiful Torres Strait and the vast Australian outback. Swindled of his inheritance by a crooked lawyer, Eamon Casey, a Vietnam veteran, teams up with Jessica, a lawyer and photo=journalist, to take on the crooks and reclaim what is his, Their journey leads them to Italy and then Switzerland, and an enduring love,
The Golden Eagle - A fast and furious race across Europe to discover a lost statue. Two heroes, neo-Naz,s, love, danger and a fabulous prize! From Columbia to Spain and the civil war, to Paris at the height of the German occupation, to Switzerland and France, the gilded bird brings evil and disaster to all who possess it!
Horses - One man's story of love, war, and loss, and his incredible love of horses. From the beautiful high country of northern New South Wales to the battles with the Turks on Gallipoli and in the Sanai and Palestine, George Gillespie loses his brothers and his sweetheart to the war. Home again, he resumes his unique relationship with his beloved horses, until an unlikely love finds him once more.
Lonely Road - An Australian Military Policeman and a Canadian Mountie work to uncover a plot by terrorists to damage the United States. From Afghanistan and Iran, and Canada to the USA, it becomes a race against time to foil the plot, An erotic and fast-moving thriller!
Valedictory -Andy Merton is approaching old age. He looks back on his life and the people who made significant contributions to it. Perhaps it is time, he thinks, to try to find some of those people he has lost contact with. His search leads him to old friends and old loves, and in the process presents him with a question for the ages. Can a man love more than one woman? Will he solve this conundrum, or will he end up breaking all their hearts?
Comes a Time: In Vietnam, Tom Renshaw, a young sapper officer, and his patrol witness a war crime and saves the life of a French journalist, Louise Rochelle, shot by a CIA agent. They keep quiet about the incident at first, but the CIA agent wants to prevent them from ever disclosing the truth. There follows a tense and dangerous attempt by two rogue CIA agents to hunt them down in Australia’s outback.
Need a quick read? Try my short Stories
From the humour surrounding a man and his car, through the remembrances of a dying man, from the world of stultifying bureaucracy to the human experiences of war veterans, and the dangers of political correctness. From the little quirks of history to the adventures of a naive traveller caught up in a French crime drama, these stories provide a glimpse of how some other people live their lives. They are people just like us, our parents and our grandparents, trying to make sense of life's vicissitudes, and the rare and precious rewards life occasionally offers . You will identify with all or some of these people, laugh at their comical errors, grieve with them for lost love and opportunities, wonder at the adventure and danger random happenings can bring to ordinary lives, and applaud the courage and steadfastness of some of them in the face of their unaccustomed difficulties. Most of all, you’ll get the satisfaction of damned good read!
Historias de Vida, Amor, and Guerra. Life, Love, and War. These ate the powerful forces that have shaped our lives, especially those who lived in the twentieth century, This is a collection of short stories that examine people and their experiences of these forces. From the Spanish Civil War to the rest of this turbulent period and before you will see how the characters survive life, love, and war
Bloody Good Yards: There's nothing like a bloody good yarn!
Rain on the roof, coals glowing in the fire, a nice little Shiraz. What do we need now? - A bloody good yarn, that's what! And you'll find plenty between these covers - a good laugh, an occasional tear, and a bit of homespun philosophy as well. Each story is short and pithy, a nice ten minute read before your eyelids droop. Enjoy them all.
More Bloody Good Yarns: Just the ticket for a ten-minute wind-down with your cocoa and your meds before a nice sleep! Short, short, stories for a literary nightcap.
Discover your next adventure
Ready to embark on a literary journey? Contact me to learn more about my books, upcoming releases, and exclusive offers. Dive in and experience stories crafted with passion and precision in Toowoomba, Australia.