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Scrublands

Book 1 in the series:Martin Scarsden

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Journalist Martin Scarsden is dispatched to the small town of Riversend one year after a mass shooting to report on the town's recovery. As he investigates the murders of two backpackers, he uncovers a complex web of secrets and mysteries within the community. The book weaves together various contemporary threads, including Martin's own PTSD, the town's tragic history, and the ambiguity surrounding the town's name. The story is set in a drought-ridden outback town, where the heat and desolation play a significant role in shaping the events.

The plot of 'Scrublands' is filled with twists and turns, revealing unexpected connections and motivations behind the characters' actions. The book delves into themes of journalism, crime, and small-town dynamics, offering a compelling narrative that keeps readers engaged. The writing style evokes a vivid sense of place, with detailed descriptions of the setting and well-developed characters that add depth to the story.

Characters:

Characters are well-developed, featuring a troubled journalist, eccentric locals, and a strong female lead, each contributing to the exploration of small-town dynamics.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is descriptive and engaging, vividly portraying the Australian landscape while maintaining a journalistic approach in unfolding the narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on a journalist uncovering the complexities behind a shocking mass shooting in a drought-stricken Australian town, leading to revelations of hidden secrets and multiple intertwined crimes.

Setting:

The setting is a vividly portrayed drought-ridden town in Australia, enhancing the story's atmosphere and reflecting the characters' struggles.

Pacing:

The pacing alternates between slower character-driven sections and faster, gripping revelations, contributing to an immersive reading experience.
MARTIN SCARSDEN STOPS THE CAR ON THE BRIDGE LEADING INTO TOWN, LEAVING the engine running. It’s a single-lane bridge—no overtaking, no passing—built decades ago, the timber milled from local river red...

Notes:

The story is set in Riversend, a fictional rural town in Australia facing drought and tragedy.
The main event involves a priest, Byron Swift, who kills five men from his congregation.
Journalist Martin Scarsden is sent to cover the story one year after the massacre.
Scarsden struggles with PTSD from an earlier conflict in the Middle East.
The book explores themes of trauma, family secrets, and the impact of violence on a community.
There are multiple crimes and characters entangled in a complex plot.
The narrative includes aspects of investigative journalism and media frenzy surrounding the case.
Several characters have intriguing names, like Mandalay Blonde and Harley Snouch, adding to the story's quirkiness.
The atmosphere plays a critical role, with the heat and drought depicted as almost characters themselves.
The author, Chris Hammer, is a journalist, which enriches the narrative with realism and detail.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

High triggers/content warnings include discussions of mass shootings, psychological trauma, violence, and exploration of dark secrets such as abuse and murder.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance present, focused on the evolving relationship between the protagonist Martin Scarsden and Mandalay Blonde.

From The Publisher:

In this searing, "indisputable page-turner" (Associated Press), a town's dark secrets come to light in the aftermath of a young priest's unthinkable last act-in the vein of The Dry and Where the Crawdads Sing.

In Riversend, an isolated Australian community afflicted by an endless drought, a young priest does the unthinkable: he kills five parishioners before being taken down himself.

A year later, journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend. His assignment: to report how the townspeople are coping as the anniversary of the tragedy approaches. But as Martin meets the locals and hears their version of events, he begins to realize that the accepted explanation-a theory established through an award-winning investigation by Martin's own newspaper-may be wrong.

Just as Martin believes he's making headway, a shocking new crime rocks the town. As the national media flocks to the scene, Martin finds himself thrown into a whole new mystery.

What was the real reason behind the priest's shooting spree? And how does it connect to other deaths in the district, if at all? Martin struggles to uncover the town's dark secrets, putting his job, his mental state, and his very life at risk.

For fans of James Lee Burke, Jane Harper, and Robert Crais, Scrublands is "a gritty debut...sensitively rendered" (The New York Times Book Review) that marks Chris Hammer as a stunning new voice in crime fiction.

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About the Author:

Christopher Hammer lives in Australia and was a journalist for over thirty years. As a foreign correspondent, he reported from more than thirty countries on six continents, as well as covering Australian national politics for television, newspapers, and magazines. Following the breakout success of his debut novel, Scrublands, he now writes fiction full time.

 
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