Book Buzz: Scrublands by Chris Hammer

There is a very good reason people are calling Scrublands the ‘thriller of the year’. This impressive debut from journalist Chris Hammer is a powerful and compulsively readable Australian crime novel.

Set in a fictional Riverina town called Riversend, the story follows journalist Martin Scarsden as he attempts to write an article about a shocking event that took place in the town a year earlier. Stricken by drought and still reeling in the wake of tragedy, the atmosphere in Riversend in stiflingly tense.

As he investigates, Martin begins to suspect that the truth behind the shooting may be more complicated than anyone realises. After the bodies of two missing backpackers are discovered, suddenly Riversend becomes the centre of a media storm as everyone scrambles to uncover the truth.

Hammer paints a vivid portrait of a dry and isolated country town shrouded in secrets and suffocating in grief. The first in what promises to be a thoroughly gripping series, this is the perfect read for fans of The Dry and The Nowhere Child.

Since publication on the 25th of July this year, Scrublands has rocketed to the top of bestseller lists for Fiction and Crime Fiction. Plus, according to an interview on ABC radio, it is currently the most reserved book in libraries across Australia!

Chris Hammer has been featured in articles and news stories from a range of television networks and publications including ABC and Channel 10.

Meanwhile the rave reviews just keep pouring in! Here is a taste of what people are saying about this book:

‘Threnody blends with crime drama in one of the finest novels of the year.’  – The Australian

‘The opening chapter of Scrublands is so vivid you have to pinch yourself – and quickly – to realise that the shocking scene in front of you is pure fiction.’  – Australian Women’s Weekly Great Read

‘A gripping tale that will leave you wanting more.’ – Who

‘Scrublands is the epic novel about rural life in Australia that we need right now.’ – The Age

‘Chris Hammer’s brilliant crime novel set in a dying town.’ – The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Epic and masterfully crafted thriller.’ – Herald Sun

At Booktopia we were delighted to welcome Chris Hammer for a visit during which he signed copies of Scrublands and recorded a podcast about his thrilling debut novel.

Click below to listen to us chat with Chris Hammer about the inspiration behind Scrublands, his writing process, the bidding war for his book and that intense hook at the beginning of the novel.

Scrublands

by Chris Hammer

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. The bodies of two backpackers - missing since the time of the church shootings - are found in a dam in the scrublands. It's the biggest story in Australia. The media descends on Riversend and Martin finds himself caught 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.

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About the Contributor

Sarah McDuling

Sarah McDuling is Booktopia's Category Manager for Children's and Young Adult Books. She has been in the bookselling game for almost a decade and a dedicated booklover since birth (potentially longer). At her happiest when reading a book, Sarah also enjoys talking/writing/tweeting about books. In her spare time, she often likes to buy a lot of books and take photographs of books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instragram @sarahmcduling

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