While best known as a murder-mystery/thriller novelist, John Ballem (1925-2010) was also a naval air force pilot, assistant professor, oil-industry specialist, and lawyer.
A Calgary Herald world travels reporter, John visited many exotic locations around the globe, including the North Pole aboard a Russian icebreaker in 2005 and the South Pole in 2009.
John was a member of the Writers Guild of Alberta, Crime Writers of Canada, the Canadian Authors Association, the Probus Club of Calgary, and the Air Crew Association of Alberta: Southern Alberta Branch.
His most important and well-known work is the internationally recognized, authoritative text The Oil and Gas Lease in Canada. The final edition was published in 2008.
Mr. Ballem was “the kind of man who embraced everything, the physical and the cultural,” according to Beverley Slopen, his Toronto literary agent. “He was a very glamorous figure.”
- Calgary lawyer wrote mysteries and books about oil and gas
- New Glasgow’s Murder Mystery Novelist, Poet and Lawyer
- In Silhouette – Profiles of Alberta Writers
- Obituary & Condolences
Novels
John’s professional background, coupled with his legal expertise, provided the reading public with no fewer than fourteen compelling murder, mystery, and thriller novels.
- The Devil’s Lighter (1973)
- The Dirty Scenario (1974)
- The Judas Conspiracy (1976)
- The Moon Pool (1978)
- Sacrifice Play (1980)
- The Marigot Run (1984)
- Oilpatch Empire (1985)
- Death Spiral (1989)
- The Barons (1991)
- Manchineel (2000)
- Murder as a Fine Art (2002)
- The Oil Patch Quartet (2005)
- A Victim of Convenience (2006)
- Murder On The Bow (2010)
- Non-Fiction: The Oil and Gas Lease in Canada, 2nd edition, 1985; 4th edition, 2008
- Poetry – Lovers & Friends, The Natural World (2000)
> Shop for John Ballem’s novels on Amazon.ca
Articles
- Waiting for the Ilyushin window (Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal)
- On the Trail of Shackleton (Calgary Herald)
- Schmoozing with Emperors (Calgary Herald)
- Journey to the End of the World (Calgary Herald)
- Dubai nature reserve is an oasis (Calgary Herald)
- The Stone Giants of Easter Island (Calgary Herald)
Awards
- Petroleum Law Foundation Prize, 1973
- Starving Romantic Poets Award, 1996
- Distinguished Service Award for Legal Scholarship,
Canadian Bar Association and Law Society of
Alberta, 2009
“People ask me how do the law and fiction work together. They work together very well – they sort of feed on each other.”
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John Ballem - Web Editor, Copy Editor 
