A dam breaks. A body rises from the flood.
Hidden for decades, can this small town face the secrets that will surface?

**THE TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR**
**SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH**

Young detective Nell Buchanan uncovers a deadly, decades-old mystery at the heart of her rural hometown in this stunning thriller from award-winning author Chris Hammer.

'A commanding, consuming and outright thrilling mystery. Chris Hammer's first-class series goes from strength to strength.' - Chris Whitaker

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

'Chris Hammer is at the height of his power here. Dead Man's Creek is a superb piece of storytelling' - William Shaw

'I doubt I'll read a better novel this year.' - The Times

Newly-minted homicide detective Nell Buchanan returns to her hometown, annoyed at being assigned a decades-old murder - a 'file and forget'.

But this is no ordinary cold case, her arrival provoking an unwelcome and threatening response from the small-town community. As more bodies are discovered, and she begins to question how well she truly knows those closest to her, Nell realises that finding the truth could prove more difficult - and dangerous - than she'd ever expected.

The nearer Nell comes to uncovering the secrets of the past, the more treacherous her path becomes. Can she survive to root out the truth, and what price will she have to pay for it?

Gripping and atmospheric, Dead Man's Creek is a stunning multi-layered thriller from Chris Hammer, the award-winning author of Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year Scrublands (2019) and Times Crime Book of the Month Opal Country (January 2022).

Praise for Chris Hammer:

'Classic Hammer. A crime novel that will stay with me for a long time.' Ann Cleeves

'Chris Hammer is one of the leading proponents of Outback Noir and Dead Man's Creek is another stellar offering. A big, meaty, complex crime story.' Vaseem Khan

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

'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

'Opal Country is a top-notch Aussie Noir with real heat coming off the pages.' Christopher Fowler

'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

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 was released as a TV series in 2023, distributed in the UK by BBC Four. 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 commanding, consuming and outright thrilling mystery. Chris Hammer's first-class series goes from strength to strength. * Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of We Begin at the End *
My favourite Australian detective is Nell Buchanan. Dead Man's Creek is a richly textured novel. * Ann Cleeves *
Utterly brilliant, a darkly simmering mystery - an Australian Where The Crawdads Sing. * Dervla McTiernan, bestselling author of The Ruin *
Chris Hammer is at the height of his power here. Dead Man's Creek is a superb piece of storytelling - a dark and compelling saga brilliantly rooted in a rich Australian landscape. * William Shaw, bestselling author of the DS Alexandra Cupidi series *
Chris Hammer is one of the leading proponents of Outback Noir and Dead Man's Creek is another stellar offering. A big, meaty, complex crime story. * Vaseem Khan *
Dingo noir at its finest. This may well be Hammer's best work yet. Atmospheric and thrilling. I was gripped. * Victoria Selman, bestselling author of Truly Darkly Deeply *
Chris Hammer has surpassed himself in Dead Man's Creek. I doubt I'll read a better novel this year. * The Times *
Hammer is at his best in this panoramic novel * Sunday Times *
Exceptional. This is storytelling that grasps the reader like poison ivy, never once losing its hypnotic grip: both compelling and masterful. * Daily Mail *
An excellent, multi-layered and atmospheric thriller * Mail on Sunday *
A sprawling and gripping new crime novel from the Australian noir master, * Peterborough Telegraph *
A delight from start to finish * Irish Independent *
Dead Man's Creek has it all-a vivid setting, characters that live and breathe and feel utterly real, and an epic mystery stretching across decades that thrills and surprises. This is a perfect crime novel. * Lisa Gray, bestselling author of the Jessica Shaw series *
A vivid and gripping thriller where long-buried secrets were interwoven brilliantly with current threat. I loved it! * Gytha Lodge, bestselling author of She Lies In Wait *
Chris Hammer at the height of his powers ... absolutely not to be missed! * Hayley Scrivenor, author of Dirt Town *
It would be unfair to say Chris Hammer is at the top of the crime writing game. Chris Hammer IS the game. Readers will devour Chris Hammer's exceptional novel. * Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone *
Chris has an another absolute cracker on his hands here. Chris is without a doubt one of the best active Australian crime writers, and a new book from him is always an unmissable event. One of those stories you don't want to put down once you've started. * Shelley Burr, author of Wake *
Timely and timeless, Dead Man's Creek is some of the finest crime fiction out there. Chris Hammer just gets better. * Dominic Nolan, author of Vine Street *
A fantastic rural crime story with a huge family saga running through it all * Tariq Ashkanani, author of Welcome to Cooper *
Chris Hammer has another hit on his hands. Great characters, a riveting plot, and an evocative setting. Hammer is a modern-day master, and this book has it all. * Peter Papathanasiou, author of The Stoning *
This a superb book, a totally compelling story of small town secrets, multi-layered and beautifully written. * Kevin Wignall, author of Those Who Disappeared *
The publication of Chris Hammer book has become one of those events that you eagerly await. Dead Man's Creek is no exception. Mesmerising and unputdownable from start to finish, Chris is a master at work. * James Delargy, author of 55 and Vanished *
A rich, complex thriller, packed with detail and intrigue. * Christian White, author of The Nowhere Child *
Gripping * Heat *
Sleek, savage and addictive * Woman's Own *

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

* Lisa Hall *
A clever and compelling small town mystery, with an evocative setting and a brilliant cast of characters. This slice of Australian noir sparkles like an opal in the blistering sun. * Lisa Gray *
Opal Country is a top-notch Aussie Noir with real heat coming off the pages. * Christopher Fowler *
A brilliantly atmospheric mystery. * Heat *
This novel - tighter, tougher, tenser - is Hammer's best work yet. * The Times *
Chris Hammer is regarded as one of Australia's best new noir crime writers, and this immersive and lyrically written thriller copper-fastens this well-deserved reputation. * Irish Independent *
Gold standard Outback noir [...] Chris Hammer's best writing to date. * Crime Fiction Lover *
Nobody does Australian outback crime better. Hammer nails it again. * Peterborough Telegraph *
Opal Country is richly rewarding. Hammer is quite brilliant. * Shots Magazine *
A fast-paced and thrilling read. * Brown Flopsy's Book Burrow *
Keeps you stuck to the story like an Outback miner's shirt to his back * The Sun *
A sharp thriller * Woman's Own *
A master of the crime genre * South Africa Sunday Times *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472295682
Author Chris Hammer
Format Paperback
Page Count 496
Imprint Wildfire
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 34mm