The Long Shadow is a 1949 novel from Australian author Jon Cleary.[1]
Cleary had just written his debut work, You Can't See 'Round Corners and was unsure what to do as a follow-up. His editor Graham Greene suggested he try his hand at a thriller "because it will teach you the art of narrative and it will teach you the uses of brevity."[2]
Plot
The plot revolves around Martin Brown, an educated man who is living as a swagman. He is falsely accused of murder of a woman called Ruth Taylor, and is pursued through the Australian countryside by police and other men. He falls in love with a woman who believes his innocence.[3]
Reception
Reviews were not as strong as that for Cleary's first novel.[4][5]
Proposed film
Reportedly Paramount were interested in the film rights in 1946.[6]
In 1968 it was announced that a movie version was to be made starring Rod Taylor for Ajax Films from a script by James Workman but no film resulted.[7][8][9][10]
