Book Review: Scrublands by Chris Hammer
Set in a fictional Riverina town at the height of a devastating drought, Scrublands is one of the most powerful, compelling and original crime novels to be written in Australia.
Winner of the 2019 CWA Dagger New Blood Award for Best First Crime Novel.
In an isolated country town brought to its knees by endless drought, a charismatic and dedicated young priest calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners before being shot dead himself.
A year later, troubled journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend to write a feature on the anniversary of the tragedy. But the stories he hears from the locals about the priest and incidents leading up to the shooting don’t fit with the accepted version of events his own newspaper reported in an award-winning investigation. Martin can’t ignore his doubts, nor the urgings of some locals to unearth the real reason behind the priest’s deadly rampage.
Just as Martin believes he is making headway, a shocking new development rocks the town, which becomes the biggest story in Australia. The media descends on Riversend and Martin is now the one in the spotlight. His reasons for investigating the shooting have suddenly become very personal.
Wrestling with his own demons, Martin finds himself risking everything to discover a truth that becomes darker and more complex with every twist. But there are powerful forces determined to stop him, and he has no idea how far they will go to make sure the town’s secrets stay buried.
A compulsive thriller that will haunt you long after you have turned the final page.
Released April 2019
My Thoughts:I’m late to the party with Chris Hammer, but this should come as no surprise to you if you follow my reviews as rural/outback/small town settings are not my go to and I also only read crime in moderation. More fool me in this instance as this is one cracking good read.
There is desolation in the setting, a pervading sense of hopelessness that really got under my skin. Hammer writes with such an atmospheric hand, this is a case of total immersion into not only the location, but also the psyche of the town and its inhabitants.
I really liked the main character, Martin Scarsden, particularly that he was a journalist, as opposed to a detective, a nice change within a crime novel. I liked Mandalay Blonde a lot less and have it on good authority that she features heavily in the next instalment of this series, however, I have decided not to let that deter me from reading on.
This is a big book but reads easy, and by that, I mean it’s well paced, doesn’t drag ever, and is utterly compelling with its story. I had no idea what was going on and when it all came out, I was shocked. From an author who claims he doesn’t plot, he’s done a pretty good job at creating a complex and layered crime story that simmers with dread, desperation, and conviction.
Highly recommended.
