Neville Sarony KC
Neville Sarony is a novelist renowned for gripping political thrillers and vivid storytelling. Set across Bhutan, Hong Kong, Nepal, North India, Sikkim and Tibet, Sarony’s novels, the Max Devlin Series, draw on his decades of personal and professional experience in the Himalayan region to paint authentic landscapes and cultures. His protagonist, Anglo-Irish Major Max Devlin of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, navigates shifting political landscapes and supports refugees from the Chinese occupation of Tibet, offering readers action, suspense, and rich cultural insight. Sarony’s works, including The Dharma Expedient, Devlin’s Chakra, and The Chakrata Incident, are celebrated for their immersive settings and nuanced perspectives.Sarony has also established a distinguished legal career, after serving in the 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Gurkha Rifles in Malaya. He then earned a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the London School of Economics and was called to the Bar of Gray’s Inn in 1964. A practising KC in Hong Kong with over 60 years of experience, he has represented clients from remote Magistrates' Courts up to the Privy Council, handling cases ranging from treason and murder to clinical negligence claims. He is recognised for his dedication to both criminal and civil law, particularly for advocating on behalf of vulnerable clients.
Sarony’s extensive legal journey began in the 1960s with the establishment of Nepal’s first foreign law practice, followed by practice in London and later Hong Kong. He has been a Recorder of the Crown Court of England and Wales (1992–2005), a member of the Chief Justice's Special Committee on Legal Aid, Chairman of the Personal Injury Committee of the Bar Council of Hong Kong, Professor of Law at City University of Hong Kong, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nepal since 1985, and called to the Irish Bar.
Following military service and time at LSE, Sarony joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before returning to the Far East to establish a law practice in Kathmandu, Nepal, with his wife Bimala Dewan. His memoir, Counsel in the Clouds, recounts their pioneering journey during the ‘flower power’ era.
Sarony’s passion for storytelling began in his youth; he bought his first typewriter with earnings from digging, weighing and grading potatoes on Sussex farms for the Potato Marketing Board. Blending his rich life experiences and deep affection for Nepalese culture, Sarony continues to captivate readers with his literary and legal achievements. His memoir and the first two novels have been translated into Nepali, with Counsel in the Clouds also being translated into Chinese.
Sarony speaks English, French, German, Nepali and Spanish. He is a noted jazz pianist, vocalist, and popular public speaker. He is a trustee of the Nepal Umbrella Foundation, which rescues victims of human trafficking in Nepal. When not advocating or writing, he sings and plays jazz piano or chills at home in Spain.