NO ONE IS EVER INNOCENT IN PARADISE.

**THE TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH**

A small town.
A closely guarded secret, stretching back decades.
And blood in the water.

'A masterful, stunning thriller. A twisting mystery epic in scale yet intricate in detail. Irresistible.' Chris Whitaker

'Epic. Shakespearean in depth and range' The Times

'Fierce, gripping and spine-chilling.' Daily Mail

A body has washed up in an irrigation canal, the artery running through Yuwonderie, a man-made paradise on the border of the Outback. Stabbed through the heart, electrocuted and dumped under cover of night, there is no doubt that detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are dealing with a vicious homicide.

The victim is Athol Hasluck, member of one of the seven dynasties who have controlled every slice of bountiful land in this modern-day Eden for generations.

But this is not an isolated incident. Someone is targeting the landed aristocracy of this quiet paradise in the desert. Secrets stretching back decades are rising to the surface at last - but the question remains, who stands to gain most from their demise?

Can Ivan and Nell track down a killer before the guilt at the heart of these seven families takes the entire town down with it?

Praise for Chris Hammer:
'My favourite Australian detective is Nell Buchanan.' - Ann Cleeves

'Hammer is a great writer - a leader in Australian noir' Michael Connelly

'Shimmers . . . A tortured tale of blood and loss' Val McDermid

'Stunning - a page-turner which stays long in the memory' Sunday Times

'Utterly brilliant, a darkly simmering mystery.' - Dervla McTiernan

'Chris Hammer is at the height of his power here.' - William Shaw

'This novel is Hammer's best work yet.' The Times

'This may well be Hammer's best work yet. Atmospheric and thrilling. I was gripped.' Victoria Selman

'A vivid and gripping thriller' Gytha Lodge

'A complex, twisty thriller, with nuanced characters and a winding plot all set in the oppressive Australian heat.' Lisa Hall

'This slice of Australian noir sparkles like an opal in the blistering sun.' Lisa Gray

'Top-notch Aussie Noir with real heat coming off the pages.' Christopher Fowler

Scrublands was named Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year 2019 and won the CWA John Creasey Dagger Award in the same year.

Dead Man's Creek was named the Times Crime Book of the Year in 2023.

About the Author

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 (New Blood) 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 is in post-production 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.

Reviews
A masterful, stunning thriller. A twisting mystery epic in scale yet intricate in detail. Irresistible. * Chris Whitaker *
A complex storyline handled masterfully, it's a gripping mystery with a very satisfying conclusion. Another fantastic mystery from Chris Hammer. * Harriet Tyce *
A hefty thriller that is Shakespearean in depth and range. Epic. * The Times - Crime Book of the Month *
Fierce, gripping and spine-chilling. * Daily Mail *
Expertly plotted and utterly absorbing, this nails down Hammer's reputation as one of the finest new voices in Australian Noir. * Irish Independent *
A compelling crime saga with masterful plotting and a thrilling finale. * Sunday Express *
Complex and twisty with a genius finale. * Woman's Weekly *
Searing * Crime Scene Magazine *
Terrific. A magnificent portrait of modern Australia. * The Literary Review *
Chris Hammer-the absolute master of setting, is at it again with his latest, Cover the Bones, a twisting mystery that spans decades. Immersive, taut, and exquisitely written, I couldn't put it down. * Ashley Tate, author of Twenty-Seven Minutes *
A searing, seamlessly plotted thriller - complex and compelling, powered by a sense of anger, injustice and compassion. Hammer may hail from 'down under', but he's head and shoulders above most writers in the genre. * Robbie Morrison, author of Edge of the Grave *
An ambitious, masterfully told story of both scope and intimacy. Keenly picks through the bones of a nation's past, while deftly sketching the personal dramas of its characters. The consistency of his excellence elevates him into that top tier of Australian crime with Peter Temple and Garry Disher. * Dom Nolan, author of Vine Street *
Chris Hammer is creating a magnificent portrait of modern Australia through his stories of crimes committed in different parts of the country. Terrific. * Literary Review *
An immersive, sweeping and vivid read that has everything you look for in a murder mystery. Chris Hammer is one great storyteller. * Live and Deadly *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472295712
Author Chris Hammer
Format Hardback
Page Count 512
Imprint Wildfire
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 780g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 160mm * 50mm