
Scrublands
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Narrated by:
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Rupert Degas
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By:
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Chris Hammer
About this listen
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 & SchusterListeners also enjoyed...
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Loved This Audible Book!
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Scrublands
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Phenomenally enjoyable
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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.
Wonderful new author, excellent narrator
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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 Good Mystery
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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.
A Journo's Evolution from Witness to Participant
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Didn’t want it to end!
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Aussie brilliance!
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One of the best
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Now let’s get the rest of Chris Hammer’s Martin Scarsden series produced with Rupert Degas continuing his superb presentation.
Engrossing and satisfying
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