Scrublands

By: Chris Hammer

Narrated by: Dorje Swallow

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In Riversend, an isolated country town brought to its knees by endless drought, a charismatic and dedicated young priest steps out of his church and 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.

©2018 Chris Hammer (P)2018 W. F. Howes Ltd

Author Chris Hammer and narrator Dorje Swallow

Author Chris Hammer and narrator Dorje Swallow both did a great job with this book. Hammer's descriptions of characters and locations made me feel like I'd just walked into the same places and people. Swallow's tempo and intonations were exactly as you'd expect from these kind of characters and perfect for this book. A top tier book in my collection and I'd like to see another one fom these two.

Loved scrublands

Complex plot that keeps you intrigued right to the end. I’m expecting a simple resolution but there isn’t one. The complex mixture of good and evil in the community and in the individuals is there to the end and has its own life like semi-resolution. Very credible and convincing.

Gripping tale

In the top 10 audio books for sure ( I have done more than 500) enjoy

Potential overstocked and then blown over.

Sorry but this does not hold up against books in other, much better“The Dry” series by other authors who have tackled Australian,small country town stories.
There’s a huge lack of “ heart” behind the many, many storylines. Too many. It’s not that they are hard to follow but they are too rigidly locked into a dull pattern. In fact- just like an extended “ the long read” by a competent but not accomplished journalist.
And the repeated occurrence of a précis of events as if the author was reassuring himself rather than anyone else, making sure the reader had “got it.” I.e. like a stolid newspaper report. I rather wish that the novel had been written by the character called Darcy- it might have been a more lyrical read.
The names of the characters, the uninspired, reductive and repetitive way Australian heat is described.. a shame.
Perhaps the best segment was the rendition of what it feels like to experience the visceral onslaught of a fire engulfing a home.

Bouillabaisse Of A Book

Writing OK; nothing special. Several of the principal characters improbable, which is usually a deal-breaker for me. I kept listening anyway because I wanted to see how the author structured the book. I almost quit halfway through because one dramatic incident after another was piled on. Hence the 'bouillabaisse' title of this review - a big stew with everything in it - except that a bouillabaisse hangs together better and works. The book's setting - a little town in the Australian outback - was so full of melodramatic secrets it seems it should spontaneously combust. All this,
but no character development that I could see. Some people will like this book; I'm just not one of them.
Dorje Swallow was good with the delivery of the story and the only reason I finished