Mark Abernethy Books In Order – Complete List of Novels
At a Glance
Mark Abernethy is an Australian author of spy thrillers, popular for his Alan McQueen series, which includes 4 books. Alan “Mac” McQueen is an Australian intelligence agent/spy who is called in to solve various espionage-related cases.
Reading the Mark Abernethy books in order means picking up his Alan Mac McQueen series, the true crime series called Mike Daly, and his Gerry Galen book series, written under the pseudonym Mark Aitken.
Alan McQueen Books in Publication Order
- Golden Serpent, 2007
- Second Strike, 2008
- Double Back, 2009
- Counter Attack, 2011
Mike Daly Books in Publication Order
- The Contractor, 2017
- At Hell’s Gate, 2017
Gerry Galen Books in Publication Order
written under the pseudonym Mark Aitken
- Arctic Floor, 2011
- Strikeforce Lightning, 2013
Other Mark Abernethy Books
Alan McQueen Books Overview
The Alan McQueen series by Mark Abernethy follows the adventures of the eponymous Australian spy, Alan McQueen. The series consists of gout books, beginning with Golden Serpent and continuing through Second Strike, The Serpent’s Sting, and Counter Attack.
Alan “Mac” McQueen is a complex, tough, and vulnerable character. He is in his early forties and has a colorful past as a spy, which has taken a toll on him. He is described as “semiretired”, but is always called back to work on spy cases or assassinations. His cases start as routine, but quickly turn into action-packed adventures.
The series is set in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific regions. Abernethy’s experience living in Australia and his journalism background provide a solid foundation for the intricate plots and authentic settings. Abernethy’s meticulous research into government agencies and special forces units, such as the SAS and RRRR commandos, also add to the series’ realism.
The first book in the series, Golden Serpent, introduces Alan McQueen as a former global intelligence community star tracking down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, Abu Sabaya, whom he believed he had killed years ago. The book sets the tone for the rest of the series, featuring fast-paced action, complex characters, and intricate plots.
Throughout the series, McQueen battles against double agents, corruption within the intelligence community, and powerful enemies who threaten global security. He is aided by a cast of supporting characters, including his former flame and fellow spy, Claire Simpson, and his boss, the enigmatic “The Doll.”
Mike Daly Books Overview
The Mike Daly books include The Contractor and At Hell’s Gate. The Contractor tells the real-life stories of Mike Daly, a private intelligence contractor who is also a builder in Melbourne, Australia. Daly is a former Australian SAS soldier who left the military to start his own construction business, but he is also a highly skilled intelligence operative who is hired to fix dangerous situations and make bad people disappear.
The book is a collection of six true stories describing Daly’s operations worldwide, from infiltrating a drug cartel in Northern Pakistan to capturing a top gangster in Cambodia. Each story is a high-stakes, action-packed tale of danger and intrigue, revealing the gritty underworld of terrorists, criminals, and the people who work behind the scenes to thwart their plans.
Throughout the book, readers follow Daly as he and his team of former intelligence operators and special forces soldiers complete complex and risky missions, often going undercover to collect information and build cases against dangerous criminals and terrorists. The stories are grounded in real-life events, and Abernethy’s vivid and detailed writing brings each operation to life, revealing the daily challenges and dangers that Daly and his team face.
Mike Daly returns in At Hell’s Gate. He is an Australian ‘tradie’ who is also an elite private intelligence contractor. The book covers four separate stories based on Daly’s real-life experiences, including counter-surveillance in Singapore, jungle ambushes in Southeast Asia, a run against the Taliban in Kabul, and a gun deal on a floating armoury in the Indian Ocean.
Mark Abernethy’s storytelling skills bring Daly’s experiences to life, and readers are taken on a thrilling ride through his dangerous missions. At the heart of the book is Mike Daly himself, a down-to-earth and relatable figure whose personal life is just as fascinating as his professional one. At Hell’s Gate is an adrenaline-fueled journey into the world of counterterrorism and espionage.
Gerry Galen Books Overview
Arctic Floor is the first book in the Gerry Gallen series, and it follows Gerry, a former SAS trooper, as a private military company recruits him to lead a team on a mission to secure an oil rig in the Arctic Circle. A group of terrorists has seized the rig, and Gerry and his team must fight to take it back. Along the way, Gerry faces personal demons from his past, and the mission takes unexpected turns as he uncovers a conspiracy involving the oil company and the Russian government.
In Strikeforce Lightning, Gerry is hired by a wealthy businessman to lead a team of former soldiers on a mission to destroy a Syrian chemical weapons facility. As they delve deeper into the mission, Gerry realizes there is more to the job than he initially thought. He discovers a plot to use chemical weapons against a civilian population and must race against time to stop the attack.
Both books in the series are fast-paced, action-packed thrillers that are full of suspense and intrigue. Abernethy’s writing is gripping, and he does an excellent job of creating well-rounded characters that readers can root for. Fans of military fiction and political thrillers will enjoy this series.
Mark Abernthey Biography – About the Author
Mark Abernethy is a renowned Australian author, speechwriter, journalist, and ghostwriter, born in New Zealand and spent most of his adult life in Australia. During his university days at Victoria University of Wellington, he wrote for the university campus newsletter in the 1980s. His first book, written in 1991 on the Gold Coast, was never published. Abernethy attempted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a lawyer, enrolling in law school twice, but dropped out after discovering his lack of interest in law. He then applied to journalism school and worked for a newspaper as an induction course to gain work experience.
After working as a ghostwriter for other authors, Mark Abernethy began writing books for himself. The publisher liked the first four chapters of what would become his debut novel, Golden Serpent, and urged him to finish the book, which he did in eight weeks. The novel is part of the Alan McQueen series, which focuses on a semiretired Australian super spy who gets lured back into espionage and assassin work. Abernethy’s inspiration for the character came from his love of spy novels by authors such as Ian Fleming and Alistair MacLean and his desire to create a new character that was Australian.
The Alan McQueen series is part of a 6-book deal with Allen and Unwin Publishers, and Counter Attack is the fourth book in the series. Abernethy conducts extensive research for his thriller novels, reading widely and interviewing relevant people such as government employees, Australian special forces, and others. His experience as a journalist and editor for Australian Penthouse magazine and a writer for the Australian Financial Review, The Bulletin, and Sydney Morning Herald aided his research and writing.
Under the pen name Mark Aitken, Mark Abernethy has written the Gerry Galen series, which features a younger hero living in the United States. Abernethy’s debut novel, Golden Serpent, was released in 2007 and tells the story of Alan McQueen, who tracks down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, whom he believed he had killed years ago. McQueen, a former star of the global intelligence community, discovers that the terrorist, Abu Sabaya, is still alive and has teamed up with a rogue CIA veteran to obtain a cache of stolen VX nerve agent, which he threatens to deploy lethally and dramatically.
As Mac battles to stay ahead of CIA double agents, Sabaya’s assassins, and deep corruption within Australian intelligence, he must locate the stolen VX before it becomes a weapon of mass destruction. Abernethy’s thrillers are well-researched and action-packed, and his writing is influenced by his journalism background, providing a unique perspective on the world of espionage and intelligence gathering.