Scrublands

Scrublands is a fantastic novel that I read over two days and could not put down.

In a remote country town, a priest shoots five men at church, composed and meticulously, before being killed by the local policeman, leaving a community, already in the grips of a drought, shocked.

Enter Martin Scarsden, an experienced journalist trying to escape his own dark past, who sets out to uncover the truth.

Hammer’s novel is a story of devastation within a small town, with every character awaiting the unraveling of their own secrets. The character development and intertwining stories throughout the book, as well as the many twists, turns and surprises provided a constant hook.

What I enjoyed most were the evocative descriptions of the town and climate and the snippets of Aussie slang throughout, which really brought out the authenticity of the characters.

Highly recommended, probably my favourite book of 2018 so far.

Rebecca Varela, WHSmith Australia

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