Desmond Cory is a pseudonym of suspense-fiction writer Shaun McCarthy, who also wrote two books under the name of Theo Callas and used his birth name for several works. Much of Cory's work can be divided into groups according to the protagonist. The most prominent protagonist is Johnny Fedora. The Fedora series consists of sixteen novels written during a period of twenty years. Cory also has written four novels with Lindy Gray as the protagonist, two with Mr. Pilgrim, two with Mr. Dee, and three with John Dobie. In addition, Cory has written seven self-contained novels and one children's book.

Cory was born Shaun Lloyd McCarthy on 16 February 1928 in Lancing, Sussex, England, the son of William Henry Lloyd and Iris Mary (née Chatfield) McCarthy. From 1945 to 1948 Shaun McCarthy served as a commando in the Royal Marines, then began his higher education. In 1951 he earned a B...