Mark ONeill’s journey to becoming an author has been anything but conventional. From his early days as an accountant with Price Waterhouse to designing toys and running a chain of Italian ice stores, ONeill’s career path is a testament to his adaptability. After more than 20 years in government relations and marketing at Pfizer, he retired at 59, ready to explore a long-held ambition – writing fiction.
While many authors start with short stories or unpublished manuscripts, ONeill’s debut novel, To Catch a Spy, is a direct sequel of To Catch a Thief, the 1952 novel by David Dodge that inspired the classic Alfred Hitchcock film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
The opportunity to continue such a renowned story is not something that fell into his lap. ONeill pursued it with determination.
As a teenager, ONeill discovered To Catch a Thief in his grandparents’ basement. Among religious texts, The Shoes of the Fisherman, and a copy of The Godfather, and a few more, this book stood out.
“I read it and fell in love with the story,” ONeill said. “The character of John Robie fascinated me. He was an acrobat-turned-jewel thief, independently wealthy, and able to move seamlessly between high society and the criminal underworld. He could do anything, climb anything, break into anything. He even fought in the French Resistance. He was the ultimate cool character.”
Decades later, when ONeill decided to write a novel, he thought back to that book. Having studied the craft of fiction through online resources and writing guides, he understood the importance of structure – plot, character arcs, setting, and conflict. But he also knew that building on an existing property could make it easier to sell, a lesson from his toy-inventing days.
Securing the rights
ONeill reached out to the publisher of To Catch a Thief, inquiring about sequels. The response was that none existed. He was then connected with Randall Brandt, University of California Berkeley librarian, curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection, and publishing consultant to the David Dodge estate.
Brandt confirmed that no one had continued the story and introduced ONeill to Dodge’s granddaughter and the Curtis Brown literary agency, one of the biggest in the nation.
“I pitched them my idea,” ONeill said. “I wanted to take John Robie’s skills and repurpose them for a greater good. He had always said, ‘I’m no Robin Hood – I stole for myself.’ But what if he was drawn into the world of espionage? The Cold War was in full swing in the 1950s. The skills that made him a great thief could make him an even better spy.”
The estate and the agency were intrigued. They asked ONeill to write the first 30 pages.
“I knew I had to hook them immediately,” he said. “I had learned that the opening scene is crucial – it has to capture the essence of the character and the tone of the book.” So, he put John Robie where he belonged – scaling the side of a hotel in the French Riviera, up to his old tricks, but with a new purpose.
The estate loved it. ONeill got the green light to write the full novel.
Goodreads review:
“The story is well written, and the plot has many twists that will keep any reader glued to the outcome. The characters are particularly well developed.”
– Stanley mcshane
A classic reimagined
In To Catch a Spy, set a year after the events of To Catch a Thief, Robie finds himself caught in an espionage plot. The French Riviera is hosting its first Fashion Week, bringing Francie Stevens, his love interest from the original book, back into his life. But Francie has a few surprises of her own and, as their paths cross with international intrigue, Robie begins to wonder: Is Francie a spy?
Blending elements of suspense, romance, and adventure, ONeill crafted a narrative that stays true to Dodge’s original style. “I studied Dodge’s work closely,” he said. “He had a lean, crisp writing style, similar to other California noir authors like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. His dialogue was sharp and realistic. I wanted to capture that same rhythm and feel.”
Despite his business background, ONeill took a meticulous, methodical approach to writing.
“I spent months outlining,” he said. “I studied the elements of great fiction – rising action, conflict, pacing. There’s so much craft behind a good story.”
One of the most important lessons he learned was the significance of where a story begins. “Do you start when the characters are planning the trip, boarding the train, or already at their destination?” he said. “I decided to open with John Robie in action – scaling a building. That’s who he is.”
Since its release, To Catch a Spy has received strong reviews. One Goodreads reviewer, Stanley McShane, wrote: “The story is well written, and the plot has many twists that will keep any reader glued to the outcome. The characters are particularly well developed.”
Another reviewer, The Twilight Bookworm, praised ONeill’s ability to honor the original: “Mark ONeill did a phenomenal job bringing John Robie back to life on another exciting heist. I appreciate that it read as though David Dodge wrote it himself.”
For ONeill, this feedback is deeply rewarding. “When people tell me it feels like a natural continuation of Dodge’s work, that’s the highest compliment I could get,” he said.
With the success of To Catch a Spy, ONeill is considering continuing John Robie’s adventures. “I have ideas for another book,” he said. “Robie’s skills open up so many possibilities.”
For now, ONeill is enjoying the journey – one that took him from corporate boardrooms to the world of international intrigue. “Writing this book has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” he said. “I hope readers have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.”
For those who loved To Catch a Thief, ONeill’s novel offers a fresh but faithful return to the world of John Robie. If the reviews are any indication, this new chapter is a thrilling success.