Matthew Riley Bibliography-all His Works Ranked
Matthew Riley bibliography: where should you start?
If you mean the Australian thriller author Matthew Reilly, the best place to start is with his earliest major novels: Contest (1996), Temple (1999), and Ice Station (1998), then move into the Shane Schofield and Jack West Jr. series in publication order for the clearest reading path. If you mean a different Matthew Riley, the public record is not as clear from the available sources, but the bibliography most commonly associated with that name in book listings is Matthew Reilly's.
Why this bibliography matters
Matthew Reilly's published works are usually grouped into standalone novels, series fiction, children's or crossover adventure fiction, novellas, and short stories, which makes a publication-order guide especially useful for new readers. His books have appeared in more than 20 languages in 20 countries, and one publisher bio says he has sold more than seven million copies worldwide, which helps explain why readers often want a clean, complete bibliography.
Complete published works
The list below consolidates the principal published works attributed to Matthew Reilly across the sources available, with publication order preserved where possible. Because some titles were republished, retitled, or released in different formats in different markets, the table notes those variations where the sources provide them.
| Year | Title | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Contest | Standalone novel | Republished in 2000 |
| 1998 | Ice Station | Shane Schofield novel | Series opener |
| 1999 | Temple | Standalone novel | Listed as an early standalone |
| 2001 | Area 7 | Shane Schofield novel | Second in series |
| 2001 | A Bad Day at Fort Bragg | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2001 | Altitude Rush | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2002 | The Rock Princess and the Thriller Writer | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2003 | Scarecrow | Shane Schofield novel | Third in series |
| 2004 | Hover Car Racer | Children's/adventure novel | Later released as mini-books in the U.S. |
| 2005 | Hell Island | Shane Schofield novella | Novella; later editions may be grouped differently |
| 2005 | Seven Ancient Wonders | Jack West Jr novel | Retitled 7 Deadly Wonders in the U.S. |
| 2005 | Time Tours | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2007 | The Six Sacred Stones | Jack West Jr novel | Second in series |
| 2007 | Complex 13 | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2007 | The Dead Prince | Short story | Short fiction |
| 2009 | The Five Greatest Warriors | Jack West Jr novel | Third in series |
| 2011 | Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves | Shane Schofield novel | Retitled Scarecrow Returns in the U.S. |
| 2013 | The Tournament | Standalone novel | Historical thriller |
| 2013 | Roger Ascham and The King's Lost Girl | Short story | Prequel to The Tournament |
| 2014 | Troll Mountain | Standalone novel | Listed as a standalone |
| 2014 | The Great Zoo of China | Standalone novel | Published in book listings as a standalone |
| 2016 | The Four Legendary Kingdoms | Jack West Jr novel | Fourth in series |
| 2016 | Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet | Short story | Series short fiction |
| 2018 | The Three Secret Cities | Jack West Jr novel | Fifth in series |
| 2019 | The Secret Runners of New York | Standalone novel | Also listed as The Secret Runners in some sources |
| 2020 | The Two Lost Mountains | Jack West Jr novel | Sixth in series |
| 2020 | Roger Ascham and the Dead Queen's Command | Short story | Sequel to The Tournament |
| 2021 | The One Impossible Labyrinth | Jack West Jr novel | Seventh in series |
| 2022 | Cobalt Blue | Standalone novel | Standalone |
| 2023 | Mr Einstein's Secretary | Standalone novel | Standalone |
| 2025 | The Detective | Standalone novel | Latest title in the cited bibliography |
Series order
If you want the most satisfying reading route, publication order usually works best because Matthew Reilly writes with escalating set pieces, recurring archetypes, and callback-heavy worldbuilding. The Shane Schofield books begin with Ice Station and continue through Area 7, Scarecrow, Hell Island, and Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves. The Jack West Jr books begin with Seven Ancient Wonders and continue through The One Impossible Labyrinth, while short pieces like Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet expand the same universe.
Recommended starting points
For a first-time reader, the safest entry point is Ice Station if you want the classic military-thriller style that made the author famous, or Contest if you want to start at the beginning of his published career. For a more adventurous, puzzle-driven route, start with Seven Ancient Wonders, since the Jack West Jr series is the author's biggest serial arc and is frequently listed by booksellers as a primary reading pathway. For readers who prefer a stand-alone novel, The Great Zoo of China or Cobalt Blue provides a self-contained entry without series commitment.
Reading path
- Start with Ice Station for the cleanest introduction to the author's action-thriller style.
- Read Area 7 and Scarecrow to follow the Shane Schofield arc in order.
- Move to Seven Ancient Wonders and continue the Jack West Jr sequence chronologically.
- Read standalones such as Temple, The Tournament, and The Great Zoo of China between series books if you want variety.
- Finish with the latest standalone titles, including Mr Einstein's Secretary and The Detective.
What makes the canon tricky
The bibliography can look inconsistent because several titles were retitled for different markets, some novellas were packaged differently, and the children's title Hover Car Racer was released as three mini-books in the United States. That means a "complete bibliography" may differ depending on whether you count only original novels or also novellas, short stories, and regional variants. A good rule is to treat the publication list as the master record and the market-specific titles as alternate editions.
"The books should be read in publication order if you want the full evolution of the series," is a practical reading principle often used by series readers, and it fits Matthew Reilly's tightly linked adventure fiction especially well.
Fast facts
- Matthew Reilly's bibliography includes standalone novels, the Shane Schofield series, the Jack West Jr series, a children's novel, a novella, and multiple short stories.
- His best-known early breakout titles are Ice Station, Area 7, and Contest.
- His most recent cited standalone novel is The Detective (2025).
- Some titles have alternate U.S. names, including Seven Ancient Wonders and Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves.
- Publisher materials describe him as a bestselling author whose books have sold more than seven million copies worldwide.
What are the most common questions about Matthew Riley Bibliography All His Works Ranked?
What is the full Matthew Riley bibliography?
The most widely documented bibliography for Matthew Riley refers to Australian author Matthew Reilly, whose works include the Shane Schofield novels, the Jack West Jr novels, several standalone thrillers, Hover Car Racer, and a set of short stories and novellas.
What should I read first?
Start with Ice Station for the best introduction to the action-thriller style, or with Contest if you want the author's first published novel.
Are all of his books part of a series?
No. Several books are standalones, including Temple, The Great Zoo of China, Cobalt Blue, Mr Einstein's Secretary, and The Detective.
Why do some titles have different names?
Different publishers and territories sometimes retitled the same book, such as Seven Ancient Wonders becoming 7 Deadly Wonders in the U.S. and Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves becoming Scarecrow Returns in the U.S..
Does the bibliography include short stories?
Yes. The available bibliographies list several short stories, including A Bad Day at Fort Bragg, Time Tours, Complex 13, and the Roger Ascham stories tied to The Tournament.
