Scrublands (novel)

Scrublands is the first novel by Australian author Chris Hammer. The story is set in the fictitious town of Riversend in New South Wales during a period of intense drought, and revolves around a small-town priest who kills five of his parishioners before being shot himself, and a journalist's investigation into his motivations. The novel is a crime thriller told in third person present tense.

First edition (publ. Allen & Unwin)

Plot

Charismatic priest Byron Swift is a hero in Riversend, an isolated town plagued by an intense drought. He leads various community groups and is generally regarded as a dedicated pillar of the community. One Sunday morning, he calmly and without apparent provocation shoots five members of his parish on the steps of the local church. Minutes later, he is shot and killed by a local police officer.

One year on, Martin Scarsden - a troubled journalist - has been dispatched to Riversend to write an anniversary piece on how the crime has impacted the town. As he interviews locals, he learns that the accepted version of events - as reported by his own newspaper - may not be as accurate as initially believed.

Reception

The book has been met with generally positive reviews - the Sydney Morning Herald described it as a work of "remarkable breadth and depth",[1] with other publications calling it stunning[2] and a brilliant debut.[3]

The book's detailed setting (aided by research for Hammer's previous non-fiction book, The River) is emblematic of the isolation and drought experienced in many rural Australian communities; one publication described it as "full of Australianness".[4]

Hammer was awarded the 2019 John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger by the UK Crime Writers' Association for the book.[5]

TV adaptation

In 2019, Scrublands was optioned for television.[6] Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan were cast in the lead roles in February 2023, with Stan and the Nine Network joining as broadcasters. Greg McLean will direct, with Felicity Packard, Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong as writers.[7][8]

The series will be broadcast on BBC Four in the UK.[9]

See also

Hammer's second novel, featuring the same protagonist, was Silver (2019).

The Dry, a mystery novel by Jane Harper also set in a drought-stricken Australian town.

References
  1. Sue Turnbull (27 July 2018). "Scrublands review: Chris Hammer's brilliant crime novel set in a dying town". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. Joan Smith (6 January 2019). "Review: Scrublands; Run You Down; For the Missing; Cold Bones". The Times.
  3. Peter Pierce (18 August 2018). "Scrublands by Chris Hammer: journalist's insight makes brilliant debut". The Australian.
  4. Karen Hardy (29 July 2018). "Scrublands: An unsettling story from the heart of Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. "Hammer wins UK Dagger award for 'Scrublands'". Books+Publishing. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  6. "'Scrublands' optioned for TV". Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  7. Whittock, Jesse (26 February 2023). "'Scrublands': Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote & Jay Ryan To Lead Stan And Nine Network Drama Series Based On Chris Hammer Novel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  8. "Scrublands filming begins!". Deadline Hollywood. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  9. "BBC acquires new Australian crime thriller Scrublands". BBC Media Centre. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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