Book Review: Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor

Dirt Town

by

Hayley Scrivenor

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 31st May 2022

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Pages: 368

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

 

Review: Dirt Town

I wasn't sure how I was going to go with this book with its unusual narrative style but I found I was totally hooked.

 

The bulk of Dirt Town is narrated over a four day period during the search for missing twelve-year-old Esther Bianchi.

Written through the alternating points of view of Esther's school friends Ronnie and Lewis, D.S. Sarah Michaels who is heading the case and Constance, Esther's mother. There is also the unusual and unique narration of the town's collective of children, past and present.

Hayley Scrivenor delves into small town nuances. A place where everyone touches everyone else in some way. Many have grown up together as have their parents before them. A case of domestic violence is met with the statement "everyone knew". A blind-eye is turned to any unpleasantness.

I had picked the perp right from the start however Scrivenor's excellent plotting had me second guessing myself all the way through.

Dirt Town is a propulsive debut mystery novel that had me glued to the book until the heartfelt ending.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Plus an extra⭐ for a character named Veronica 💖

About the author

Hayley Scrivenor is a former Director of Wollongong Writers Festival. Hayley has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong on the south coast of New South Wales. Dirt Town is her first novel and has been shortlisted and won many awards.

WINNER OF THE ABIA GENERAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
WINNER OF THE 2023 CWA ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER AWARD
WINNER OF THE LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FOR LGBTQ+ MYSTERY 2023
WINNER OF THE DAVITT AWARDS DEBUT CRIME BOOK 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 MARGARET AND COLIN RODERICK LITERARY AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT CRIME FICTION 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2023 FOR DEBUT FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA THE MATT RICHELL AWARD FOR NEW WRITER OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE DAVITT AWARDS ADULT CRIME NOVEL 2023
FINALIST FOR THE 2023 ITW THRILLER AWARDS FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL