The Dry by Jane Harper - (No Spoilers) - October 2019

[Jenny]

Hello fellow Crime, Mystery & Thriller readers! This discussion is about The Dry by Jane Harper, your discussion leader is William
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about spoilers

Please note: No spoilers should be revealed in this discussion.
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Summary

A small town hides big secrets in this atmospheric, page-turning debut mystery by award-winning author Jane Harper.

In the grip of the worst drought in a century, the farming community of Kiewarra is facing life and death choices daily when three members of a local family are found brutally slain.

Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk reluctantly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his childhood friend, loath to face the townsfolk who turned their backs on him twenty years earlier.

But as questions mount, Falk is forced to probe deeper into the deaths of the Hadler family. Because Falk and Luke Hadler shared a secret. A secret Falk thought was long buried. A secret Luke's death now threatens to bring to the surface in this small Australian town, as old wounds bleed into new ones.

[William]

Hi everyone,
Bill here. I'm the moderator. Pretty excited to lead this months discussion on this novel by Ms. Jane Harper. I like the way she writes, and the story is good too! She's thought this through for sure. And, I like being transported to a different place. So let's get going, let me know what you think about her work. I have definite opinions!

[Aditya]

Read it at the start of the year, liked it. Saw traces of Tana French in Harper's writing. (I felt though French is a much better writer, Harper has written more consistent stories as she does not get carried away like French often does). As for The Dry it won the top Dagger award and had a good plot and atmosphere but the characters were factory ordered lacking any real personality. Aaron Falk did not bother me but I don't remember much about him after two books.

I will post a few more questions in the spoiler thread and here is my review if anyone is interested
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenny]

Thanks, Aditya for your review.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Just got my book so I'll be joining the discussion in a day or two.

[Aditya]

Welcome Jenny and hope you will enjoy it Sheri.

[William]

This is a read that keeps you reading. Each chapter is well constructed and leaves a little more insight to the story.

[Jenny]

I loved reading this book and how Jane Harper portrayed a small Australian rural community and their attitudes to other cultures and beliefs.

[William]

I keep expecting the extremely dry weather has something to do with how the case unfolds. Like someone finds something in a dry river bed.

[Kathleen]

I loved this book, and it’s her first book. I really thought the characters were very real, as I did the sad reaction of the town. I didn’t figure it out until the last third of the book and probably more like the last quarter of it, and that’s always a plus for me.
The story kept me transfixed. I really wanted to know who did it. Both the murder in the past and the current day ones.
I found Aaron to be brave and tenacious. I couldn’t see how it was going to turn out and that just kept me more invested in the story. High marks from me.

[Barbara K]

So, I finished Scrublands this morning and started The Dry a few minutes ago, and it almost seems as if I'm still reading the same book!

[William]

Does anybody feel there might be something between Falk and Gretchen, is something going to happen?

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Started the book last night and didn't want to put it down. I fell asleep holding it. Can't wait to get started again.

[Julesy]

I did enjoy The Dry. I loved the second book much more, perhaps it's more fresh in my mind as I read it just this past summer.

William wrote: "Does anybody feel there might be something between Falk and Gretchen, is something going to happen?"
The next book does explain their "relationship".

[Beth Buning]

I am almost done. I have enjoyed it. I agree that the characters are a bit flat, but the story has really moved along.

[Cathy]

I read (and enjoyed) The Lost Man by Jane Harper and thought at first that was the book under discussion, since it seems very similar. I'm curious to read this one now, so off to find a copy.

[William]

Julesy wrote: "I did enjoy The Dry. I loved the second book much more, perhaps it's more fresh in my mind as I read it just this past summer.

William wrote: "Does anybody feel there might be something between F..."

Thanks Julesy! Which title is that?

[Jenny]

William wrote: "Julesy wrote: "I did enjoy The Dry. I loved the second book much more, perhaps it's more fresh in my mind as I read it just this past summer.

William wrote: "Does anybody feel there might be some..."


William book two is called


Force of Nature

[William]

Did people here like this title?

[William]

I heard it was a disappointment ... but not by everyone.

[Aditya]

@ William It is as good as The Dry. Everything that works in the first one works in the second one too. The mystery is good, the setting is vivid (though completely different from The Dry) and it is fast paced. It has the same problems too - the characters specially Falk is even more of a stereotype and the constant shift in perspective in alternate chapters can feel forced after some time. So if you liked this one, you can give the second book a shot, don't think you will be disappointed.

[William]

I'll be reading that also.
Thanks Aditya.