BURIED GOLD, OLD BONES.
WHAT SECRETS LURK IN THE DEPTHS?

A masterclass of small-town mystery and jaw-dropping twists from Chris Hammer, the international bestselling author of Scrublands, The Times Crime Book of the Year 2023 Dead Man's Creek and Crime Book of the Month (January 2024) Cover the Bones.

A body has been discovered on the riverbanks of The Valley, a remote community in the hills of New South Wales. The gold mine at the heart of The Valley was once the lifeblood of this region, but it has been flooded for decades. Over the years, many have tried and failed to bring it back to life. Now, most believe the mine is barren.

The victim is Wolfgang Burnside, deputy mayor - a champion of change or local schemer, depending on who you ask. He had been working on plans to take the Valley off-grid with hydro-power using the lake surrounding the abandoned mine. Until he was poisoned, his body dumped in the river for all to see.

Detectives Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are dispatched to investigate. The warning is clear - there are secrets lurking in the depths of this Valley, secrets worth more than their weight in gold. What price will this town have to pay to ensure that they never see the light of day?

An epic, atmospheric mystery spanning generations set against a luscious backdrop and the twisting veins of gold that lurk beneath.

Praise for Chris Hammer:

'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

'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

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.

Book Information
ISBN 9781035410774
Author Chris Hammer
Format Hardback
Page Count 464
Imprint Wildfire
Publisher Headline Publishing Group