Chris Hammer is a leading Australian crime fiction author. His first book, Scrublands, was an instant #1 bestseller upon publication in 2018. It won the prestigious UK Crime Writers' Association John Creasey New Blood Dagger and was shortlisted for awards in Australia and the United States.
Scrublands has been sold into translation in several foreign languages. Chris's follow-up books—Silver (2019), Trust (2020), Treasure & Dirt (2021), The Tilt (2022) and The Seven (2023)—are also bestsellers and all have been shortlisted for major literary prizes. The Valley is his seventh novel.
The Tilt (published as Dead Man's Creek in the UK) was named The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year for 2023.
Scrublands has been adapted for television, screening globally, and production is underway for a second series based on Silver.
Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years. He has written two non-fiction books The River (2010) and The Coast (2012).
He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University.
I found the fortunes of Mandalay and Martin in this series are too preposterous for words and the only believable relationship to be Martin's love of fish and chips. Not a single female character does anything whatsoever except make bad choices and I was sick of hearing men being described by their achievements and women by the appearance of their tits. Wanted to like it. Didn't.
SCRUBLANDS Excellent story telling; utterly captivating. Half way through I was thinking five stars but the rather lengthy and tortuous denouement brought it down a tad; and as you can’t give a half star......
It was a terrific read. The plot was compelling. It truly was a book I could not put down. Like Jane Harper in The Dry, the weather and the landscape added so much to the story.