Author: Chris Hammer
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: August 2018
RRP: $32.99
Pages: 496
Format Read: Uncorrected Proof Copy
Source: Courtesy of Publisher
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.
Journalist
Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend, a town traumatised by tragedy, to write a
piece on how the residents are coping one year on from a mass shooting. However as he talks to more and more locals, the reason for the shooting doesn’t seem to fit the perpetrator. With his
journalistic instincts propelling him on, Martin’s focus begins to shift and he
becomes further embedded in the lives of the residents. But not everyone is
happy about him being there as slowly one by one the town’s secrets are
disclosed.
What
originally looked like an open and shut case turns into a compelling mystery
filled with assumptions and lies.
Hammer
throws his readers straight into the height of an Australian summer with his
vivid descriptions of the unrelenting heat, the diminishing rural town and the
ever present threat of bushfires.
Four
different crimes, all taking place in and around the same drought-ravaged town,
all separate but all inter-linked, driven by greed and hate, guilt and hope.
Scrublands is a
taut thriller with well developed characters and multiple plot lines that will
keep you turning the pages.
The
mystery had me completely baffled and my head was whirling as each new
revelation was revealed. I was totally immersed in the characters and their
stories.
A compulsive thriller that will haunt you long after you have turned the final page.
A
must read for fans of Jane Harper.
Content:
minimal coarse language
Minimal violence (well it is a
crime thriller)
Road kill (a sad but unavoidable part of
rural Australia)
My Rating 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Chris Hammer was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his
career between covering Australian federal politics and international
affairs. For many years he was a roving foreign correspondent for SBS
TV's flagship current affairs program Dateline. He has reported
from more than thirty countries on six continents. In Canberra, roles
included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, current affairs correspondent for SBS TV and a senior political journalist for The Age.
His first book, The River, published in 2010 to critical acclaim, was the recipient of the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award and the Manning Clark House National Cultural Award.
Chris has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children.
His first book, The River, published in 2010 to critical acclaim, was the recipient of the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award and the Manning Clark House National Cultural Award.
Chris has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children.
This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge
No comments:
Post a Comment