LoveReading Says
A cracking and class-act of a crime novel stuffed full of atmosphere and detail which skilfully sits alongside a truckload of tension. Journalist Martin Scarsden plans on a new start in Port Silver, Australia. On arrival he finds his childhood friend murdered, and his partner is number one suspect. While this could be read as a standalone novel, I recommend starting with Scrublands, Chris Hammer’s debut novel which won The Crime Writers’ Association John Creasy New Blood Award in 2019. The author has been a journalist for over 25 years and I feel his knowledge is anchored in this tale. This is a satisfyingly long read which sets a quite wonderful scene before the story really takes off. Australia sings and Port Silver becomes a known town, with a map planting the locations firmly in mind. I sank in and only came up for air a couple of times. I feel this a beautifully balanced novel, the storyline, setting, characters, and potential for the next book all smoothly combining into one effortlessly compelling read. Silver just has to be included as a LoveReading Star Book, it is a vibrant, sweeping, fabulous read.
Liz Robinson
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Silver Synopsis
HOMECOMING MARRED BY BLOOD
Journalist Martin Scarsden returns to Port Silver to make a fresh start with his partner Mandy. But he arrives to find his childhood friend murdered - and Mandy is the prime suspect. Desperate to clear her name, Martin goes searching for the truth.
A TERRIBLE CRIME
The media descends on the coastal town, compelled by a story that has it all: sex, drugs, celebrity, and religion. Martin is chasing the biggest scoop of his career, and the most personal.
A PAST HE CAN'T ESCAPE
As Martin draws closer to a killer, the secrets of his traumatic childhood come to the surface, and he must decide what is more important - the story or his family...
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781472255365 |
| Publication date: |
3rd September 2020 |
| Author: |
Chris Hammer |
| Publisher: |
Wildfire an imprint of Headline Publishing Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
512 pages |
| Series: |
A Martin Scarsden Thriller |
| Primary Genre |
Crime and Mystery
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Chris Hammer Press Reviews
A terrific murder mystery set in New South Wales. A tale of drugs, property speculation, small-town ambitions, money, and a strange religious guru. - The Times, Best Books of 2020
The perfect sequel to the extraordinary Scrublands. Tense, heart-squeezing and absolutely addictive: Silver is one to read again and again - Gytha Lodge
With their small-town Australian setting, brilliantly complex plots involving corruption, cruelty and climate change, Chris Hammer's detective novels are as compellingly written and characterised as they are, sadly, topical. Alongside Jane Harper, he is in the vanguard of Australian noir. - Amanda Craig
I think this is better than the first - Ann Cleeves
Hammer is a great writer - a leader in Australian noir - Michael Connelly
A meaty crime mystery with plenty of originality and excitement - Newbooks Magazine
Another compulsive thriller - Culturefly
Sweeping and ambitious ... It bears comparison with Jane Harper's The Dry and there can be no higher praise - Daily Mail
A terrific story ... This is an excellent sequel; the best Australian crime novel since Peter Temple's The Broken Shore - The Times
A great new edition to the world of crime-writing. -- Natasha Cooper - Literary Review
Richly descriptive, with a large and well-drawn cast, this is an immersive and enjoyable novel that lives up to the promise of its predecessor. -- Books of the Month - Guardian
Hammer combines Scarsden's backstory with a vivid portrait of a divided community to mesmerising effect. - Sunday Times
Silver is the perfect sequel to Scrublands - dark, twisty and atmospheric, with writing so real you can almost feel the blistering heat of the Australian summer. I savoured every page, I didn't want it to end - Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me
Compelling, original and brilliantly executed - an excellent thriller from a new master of Australian noir - Charles Cumming, author of A Foreign Country
Stunning ... Scrublands is that rare combination, a page-turner that stays long in the memory -- Sunday Times on 'Scrublands' Shimmers ... A tortured tale of blood and loss -- Val McDermid on 'Scrublands' -
About 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 thirty countries on six continents.
Chris's non-fiction 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. Scrublands, his first novel, was published in 2018 and won the CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award, as well as being shortlisted for Best Debut Fiction at the Indie Book Awards, and Best General Fiction at the ABIA Awards. It has also been longlisted for the Ned Kelly Best Crime Novel of the Year. Scrublands was optioned for television by Easy Tiger (a FremantleMedia company).
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.
You can find Chris at @thehammernow on Instagram
Photo credt: Alex Ellinghausen
More About Chris Hammer
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