Chris Hammer

Scrublands reads a bit like a middle-aged, straight, white, cis-male journo's wet dream. Hilariously improbable names (Mandalay Blonde?! Doug Thunkleton??! FFS) and an overly-convoluted plot spoil an otherwise ripping yarn. You can really feel the desert-dry heat radiating off the page. Chris Hammer knows what he's talking about when it comes to the Hay plains and the Riverina. He should do, since he covered it extensively a little over a decade ago, at the height of the last drought. The one before this one. I enjoyed reading this one but can't bring myself to forgive Hammer for the Byzantine machinations within his story and the unlikeliness of many elements. That said, I went all the way to the end because I needed to know whydunnit.… (plus d'informations)

I have read every novel written by this great Aussie author. He is a master of the complex plot. His novels follow a rural detective who continues to push the boundaries in solving crimes. The locations and the basis for the novels resonate with anyone who knows rural Australian communities. This story is told in three sections: letters written before and during WWI; events in 1994; and the current investigation. Hammer shows considerable insight in this novel into the control shown by leading families in a town which continues across generations.It’s very skilfully handled and compulsively readable with excellent characterisation and surprises right to the end.… (plus d'informations)

I have already reviewed this book, but have re-read it for a discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction readers group.

I must confess that I began reading it as a printed paperback but swapped over about halfway through to a copy that I already had on my Kindle.

Last time I wrote "A book with many themes, a very harsh environment, where the miners themselves struggle to make a living, and a virtual pageant of quirky characters." and I was struck again by the fact that, while there is the central plot of the crucified opal miner, there are a large number of mini plots. It is also a novel where the Australian outback setting plays a strong role.

If you are looking for something that has strong Australian flavour, then this is it.… (plus d'informations)