Scrublands

By: Chris Hammer

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

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.

In Riversend, an isolated rural community afflicted by an endless drought, a young priest does the unthinkable, killing five parishioners before being taken down himself.

A year later, accompanied by his own demons from wartime reporting, journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend. His assignment is simple: describe how the townspeople are coping as the anniversary of their tragedy approaches. But as Martin meets the locals and hears their version of events, he begins to realize that the accepted wisdom - that the priest was a pedophile whose imminent exposure was the catalyst for the shooting, a theory established through an award-winning investigation by Martin’s own newspaper - may be wrong.

Just as Martin believes he’s making headway, a new development rocks the town. The bodies of two German backpackers - missing since the time of the church shootings - are discovered in a dam in the scrublands, deserted backwoods marked by forest fires. As the media flocks to the scene, Martin finds himself thrown into a whole new mystery.

What was the real reason behind the priest’s shooting spree? And how does it connect to the backpacker murders, if at all? Martin struggles to uncover the town’s dark secrets, putting his job, his mental state, and his life at risk as more and more strange happenings escalate around him.

For fans of James Lee Burke, Jane Harper, and Robert Crais, Scrublands is a compelling and original crime novel that marks Chris Hammer as a stunning new voice in the genre. A compulsively listenable thriller of the highest order, Scrublands never loosens its grip, from its opening scene to the very last moment.

©2019 Chris Hammer (P)2019 Simon & Schuster

Loved This Audible Book!

Chris Hammer’s book is masterful. The story is told through the eyes of a jaded, successful newspaper reporter. It is a mystery with depth and redemption. The characters come alive with Degas’s outstanding narration. Take a chance on this book. It’s a winner!

Scrublands

Great story; well written and I liked the narrator. It’s really the story of a journalistic investigation and is s page turner.

Phenomenally enjoyable

One of the best books I have listened to in a while. Fantastic narration and a story that kept me engaged, and guessing, throughout.

Wonderful new author, excellent narrator

I thought this was a really well written and twisty mystery. One of the things I love about this book is that the heat and desolation of the setting is palpable. The landscape is very much a character and driving force in its own right. I will definitely be looking for more books by Mr. Hammer in the future.

I enjoyed Rupert Degas’s reading. The characters had distinct voices and it was easy to tell who was speaking. He did a good job with the women’s voices— not too insipid. I am already looking for other books narrated by Mr. Degas.

A Good Mystery

I looked forward to listening whenever I could devote my brain to this clever mystery. But it's much more than a mystery. There's kind of a lot of characters, so I needed to pay attention, which wasn't difficult. I hope there will be more fiction from this author. Highly recommended.

This Australian performer was so easy to listen to and he performed every part incredibly well giving each character their own voice. I had to double check to make sure they listed only one narrator. A great performance!

A Journo's Evolution from Witness to Participant

Everything clicks here with Chris Hammer's very smart examination of murder, drugs, corruption and mayhem in Australia's drought-stricken, western scrublands through the eyes of a Aussie journo struggling with PTSD .
There's a lot going on -- a lot. And this requires quite a bit of exposition. But it's wrapped up in clear, concise and sometime poetic prose as well as crackling dialogue that captures the Australian genius for descriptive naming, but still accessible to outsiders. It wasn't hard to follow on audio, but there were dozens of characters and plots to keep track of which might be easier for some through print. But regardless of the medium, well worth the investment.

Didn’t want it to end!

Great writing, great characters. Great performances. Engaging throughout. The dry Aussie humor and turns of phrase made me smile constantly.

Aussie brilliance!

Great story, superior narration, wonderful view into a sub-culture of a far off country, this is one of the better books I've read. I'm sorry that I had never heard of it before, but I'm grateful that Audible pointed me in the direction of this book. This is an adult book that will keep you guessing and bathe you in the lives of the characters that are beautifully drawn out. The cap is an amazing narrator who provides unique (and NOT condescending) voices for each. It's long - - and worth every second.

One of the best

Complex, sometimes a little too much, but thoroughly engrossing. Brilliantly read. The reading made each character real.

Engrossing and satisfying

Rupert Degas is brilliant! His voices and character portrayals are so distinct and believable. Even his female character vocal portrayals are comfortably believable - not at all silly falsetto as with too many male voice actors.
Now let’s get the rest of Chris Hammer’s Martin Scarsden series produced with Rupert Degas continuing his superb presentation.