An unputdownable standalone thriller from the bestselling author of Scrublands.
In the desolate outback town of Finnigans Gap, police struggle to maintain law and order. Thieves pillage opal mines, religious fanatics recruit vulnerable young people, and billionaires do as they please.
Then an opal miner is found crucified and left to rot down his mine. Nothing about the miner’s death is straightforward, not even who found the body. Sydney homicide detective Ivan Lucic is sent to investigate, assisted by inexperienced young investigator Nell Buchanan.
But Finnigans Gap has already ended one police career and damaged others, and soon both officers face damning allegations and internal investigations. Have Ivan and Nell been set up and, if so, by whom?
As time runs out, their only chance at redemption is to find the killer. But the more secrets they uncover, the more harrowing the mystery becomes, as events from years ago take on a startling new significance.
For in Finnigans Gap, opals, bodies, and secrets don’t stay buried forever…
When readers discuss Australian crime fiction, it’s often followed by talk of Chris Hammer. The two seem to go hand in hand after the burning success of his previous bestsellers Scrublands, Silver, and Trust. Now he’s back with his latest standalone thriller, Treasure and Dirt, and if you haven’t read Hammer before, this is the perfect time to experience one of the best writers Australia has to offer. Packed to the brim with a grisly murder and white-knuckle tension, all set against the oppressive heat of the outback, this is Hammer at his very best.
There are a few things you can expect when cracking open a Hammer novel – such as an exhilarating plot, and a vivid outback setting – but it’s the way he crafts his gritty, nuanced characters that always astounds me. Both Nell and Ivan possess distinct voices and personalities; they are the kind of characters you’d be able to recognise without any names attached to the dialogue. Nell, a naive young investigator who wants to prove her worth. And Ivan, a gritty, tough-as-nails Sydney detective who has no idea what he’s in for. This is easily some of the best character-work I’ve seen from Hammer.
If you’re a fan of excellent, tightly plotted murder mysteries, Hammer doesn’t disappoint. The small opal mining town of Finnigans Gap houses more than just hidden gems. Everyone has a secret, and the town is brimming with corruption. Hammer spent a lot of time crafting the town and it really shows. Coupled together with the vivid depictions of the overbearing outback, Hammer builds the tension and atmosphere surrounding the murder with ease.
Rife with intrigue, murder, and small-town secrets, Treasure and Dirt is a spectacular thriller that delivers some unforgettable characters with twists and turns you won’t see coming. Hammer has raised the bar for Australian crime, and this is a must-read.
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