Chris Hammer Books
Chris Hammer is a wonderful Australian author - https://chrishammerauthor.com/ - who evokes the authentic grittiness of the real Australian outback in every one of his highly anticipated books.
Why read Chris Hammer?
- Atmospheric settings: From parched rural towns to urban underworlds, Hammer paints Australia in both its harshness and beauty.
- Complex characters: His protagonists are flawed but deeply compelling.
- Layered mysteries: Intricate plots woven with social issues, past traumas, and deep moral questions.
By way of explanation, there are 8 books so far, written at a rate of 1 per year, from 2018 to 2025. The eighth one (Legacy) only came off the printing presses in September 2025.
Martin Scarsden Books
Scrublands (2018)
Set in a drought-stricken Australian town, journalist Martin Scarsden investigates a shocking mass murder committed by a local priest. What he uncovers is far more twisted than he imagined.
Silver (2019)
Martin returns to his coastal hometown only to find his best friend murdered—and his partner as the prime suspect. A deep dive into old secrets and betrayals.
Trust (2020)
A mysterious murder in Sydney’s dark underbelly draws Martin into a dangerous conspiracy involving money, politics, and power.
Legacy (2025)
Martin Scarsden flees an assassination attempt but lands in even more trouble with a deadly family feud leaving him at death's door
Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan Books
This series shifts focus to homicide detective Ivan Lucic and police investigator Nell Buchanan, exploring crimes that bridge the past and present.
Treasure and Dirt (2021)
A body is found crucified in a remote mining town. Detectives Lucic and Buchanan must unravel a web of corruption and greed.
The Tilt (2022)
An intricate case involving three timelines—a cold case, a recent murder, and an old war crime—set in a borderland forest full of secrets.
The Seven (2023)
When a millionaire is found dead, Lucic and Buchanan uncover dark secrets hidden within an elite group of Australia’s most powerful families.
The Valley (2024)
A controversial entrepreneur is murdered in a remote mountain valley, but this is no ordinary case. Ivan and Nell are soon contending with cowboy lawyers, conmen, bullion thieves and grave robbers.
My first Chris Hammer book was Treasure and Dirt, read in 2020. It got 5 stars from me.
https://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/treasure-and-dirt-by-chris-hammer.html
By 2023, I had read a further three of his books, namely Scrublands, Silver and The Seven (see my review of The Seven at https://timsbestreads.blogspot.com/p/the-seven-by-chris-hammer.html).
I'm now up to seven and everyone was as good as the one before. I have read them all except for this year's addition, Legacy, and I'm ordering that one.
While each novel can be read on its own, for the best character development and context, it’s ideal to read the books in order of publication. Start with the first 3 books of the Martin Scarsden trilogy, then move into the Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan series.
