In the vein of The Dry and Before the Fall, a town’s dark secrets come to light in the aftermath of a young priest’s unthinkable last act in this arresting and searing debut thriller.
Scrublands is the epic novel about rural life in Australia that we need right now ... He's done the background research and now woven it into a crime novel that slowly unwraps the layers of complexity that constitute the tightly woven Riversend ... As might be expected, Hammer's account of the media shenanigans that ensue is spot on ... Scrublands is a rural crime novel with remarkable breadth and depth that would also make a superb TV series.
... explosive ... Hammer skillfully guides Martin through a series of interviews with the reluctant townsfolk to get to the truth. With vivid prose, a smothering sense of atmosphere and an at-times heart-wrenching story, Scrublands is a sizzling hot read for a cold winter night.
A novel’s opening moments are there to rivet readers’ attention; this one begins with a dazzler ... This story is a mix of beautiful writing and a maddeningly slow, overly complex plot. Still, we’re hooked.
