🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Matthew Reilly
Born in Sydney in July 2, 1974, Matthew John Reilly started life without any interest in reading or writing. It was only after he read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Lord of the Flies” that he realized how much enjoyment can be derived from it. Deciding to write about thriller and mystery stemmed from becoming conscious of how much budget is needed in order to finish a movie that is truly enjoyable; whereas he only needs to use his considerable imagination to formulate scenes that are much more satisfying to the readers. His all time favorite book is Jurassic Park because it keeps him glued to the story as well as keeps him in suspense. This is what he aims to do in his own writing.
All Book Series by Matthew Reilly
Hover Car Racer (Compilation of below books)
Series opener · book 1 of 4 · published 2004
Seven Deadly Wonders / Ancient Wonders
Series opener · book 1 of 9 · published 2005
The One Impossible Labyrinth
Latest in the series · book 9 of 9 · published 2021
Scarecrow Returns / Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves
Latest in the series · book 5 of 5 · published 2011
Roger Ascham and the Dead Queen's Command
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2020
The Secret Runners of New York / The Secret Runners
Book 4 of 7 · published 2019
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Matthew Reilly?
Born in Sydney in July 2, 1974, Matthew John Reilly started life without any interest in reading or writing. It was only after he read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Lord of the Flies” that he realized how much enjoyment can be derived from it. Deciding to write about thriller and mystery stemmed from becoming conscious of how much budget is needed in order to finish a movie that is truly enjoyable; whereas he only needs to use his considerable imagination to formulate scenes that are much more satisfying to the readers.
Which Matthew Reilly series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Shane Schofield series, the earliest of Matthew Reilly's multi-book series: it opens with Ice Station (1998) and runs to 5 books across 1998–2011, ending with Scarecrow Returns / Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves (2011). Matthew Reilly's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Matthew Reilly written?
Matthew Reilly has 42 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1996 and 2026. 27 of them belong to 6 named series — the largest being the Jack West Jr. series with 9 books — and 15 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Matthew Reilly's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Matthew Reilly's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Shane Schofield (1998–2011, 5 books), Hover Car Racer (2004–2007, 4 books) and Jack West Jr. (2005–2021, 9 books), plus 3 more.
How are Matthew Reilly's books organised into series?
This guide splits Matthew Reilly's 42 books into 6 named series and 15 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Jack West Jr. (9 books, 2005–2021); Shane Schofield (5 books, 1998–2011); Hover Car Racer (4 books, 2004–2007); Troll Mountain (4 books, 2013–2014); Tournament (3 books, 2013–2020), plus 1 further series.