A Martin Scarsden Thriller

In this searing, “indisputable page-turner” (Associated Press), a town’s dark secrets come to light in the aftermath of a young priest’s unthinkable last act—in the vein of The Dry and Where the Crawdads Sing. In Riversend, an isolated Australian community afflicted by an endless...

* * *NOW A MAJOR BBC TV SERIES * * * THE #1 BESTSELLING AUSTRALIAN CRIME NOVEL WINNER OF THE CWA JOHN CREASEY DAGGER SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 'Shimmers ... a tortured tale of blood and loss' Val McDermid 'Stunning ... Scrublands is that rare combination, a page-turner that stays...

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.

For half a lifetime, journalist Martin Scarsden has run from his past. But now there is no escaping. He'd vowed never to return to his hometown, Port Silver, and its traumatic memories. But now his new partner, Mandy Blonde, has inherited an old house in the seaside town and Martin knows their chance of a new life together won't come again. Martin arrives to find his best friend from school days brutally murdered, and Mandy the chief suspect. With the police curiously reluctant to pursue other suspects, Martin goes searching for the killer. And finds the past waiting for him.

For half a lifetime, journalist Martin Scarsden has run from his past. But now there is no escaping. He'd vowed never to return to his hometown, Port Silver, and its traumatic memories. But now his new partner, Mandy Blonde, has inherited an old house in the seaside town and Martin knows their...

You think you know someone... Would you bet your life on it? A detective came to her home, drugged her and kidnapped her. She tries to make sense of it, but only one conclusion is possible: it's the past, come to claim her. His new life seemed perfect - right up until the moment a missed call...

Martin Scarsden's new life seems perfect, right up until the moment it's shattered by a voice mail: a single scream, abruptly cut off, from his partner, Mandalay Blonde. Racing home, he finds an unconscious man sprawled on the floor and Mandy gone. Someone has abducted her. But who and why? So starts a twisting tale of intrigue and danger, as Martin probes the past of the woman he loves, a woman who has buried her former life so deep she has never mentioned it.

Martin Scarsden returns in the jaw-dropping and unmissable new blockbuster crime novel from Chris Hammer, the award-winning, million copy bestselling author of SCRUBLANDS. 'A beguiling read' - THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Savage and unpredictable' - THE SUN 'Exciting, touching and even heart-breaking' -...