In an isolated country town brought to its knees by endless drought, a charismatic and dedicated young priest calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners before being shot dead himself. 

A year later, troubled journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend to write a feature on the anniversary of the tragedy. But the stories he hears from the locals about the priest and incidents leading up to the shooting don't fit with the accepted version of events his own newspaper reported in an award-winning investigation. Martin can't ignore his doubts, nor the urgings of some locals to unearth the real reason behind the priest's deadly rampage.

Just as Martin believes he is making headway, a shocking new development rocks the town, which becomes the biggest story in Australia. The media descends on Riversend and Martin is now the one in the spotlight. His reasons for investigating the shooting have suddenly become very personal. 

Wrestling with his own demons, Martin finds himself risking everything to discover a truth that becomes darker and more complex with every twist. But there are powerful forces determined to stop him, and he has no idea how far they will go to make sure the town's secrets stay buried.

A compulsive thriller that will haunt you long after you have turned the final page. 

Author

Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. For many years he was a roving foreign correspondent for SBS TV's flagship current affairs program Dateline. He has reported from more than 30 countries on six continents. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, current affairs correspondent for SBS TV and a senior political journalist for The Age.  His first book, The River, published in 2010 to critical acclaim, was the recipient of the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award and the Manning Clark House National Cultural Award.  Chris has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children.

Country of Origin

Books:

Series: Ivan Lucic / Nell Buchanan

Book Number:
2
2022
Book Number:
1

Series: Martin Scarsden

Book Number:
3
2020
Book Number:
2
2019
Book Number:
1
2018
Blog Australian Book Industry Awards 2020 Longlist Announcement
Karen Chisholm
Monday, March 2, 2020
Review Silver, Chris Hammer
Andrea Thompson
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Review Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Karen Chisholm
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Blog #amreading Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Review Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Andrea Thompson
Saturday, July 28, 2018
ISBN
9781760632984
Year of Publication
Publisher
Book Number (in series)
1
Review Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Karen Chisholm
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Blog #amreading Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Review Scrublands, Chris Hammer
Andrea Thompson
Saturday, July 28, 2018

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