The Valley

Chris Hammer is an Australian writer and master storyteller at the top of his craft. This fourth episode is a thrilling addition to his popular crime series, all set in small Australian rural towns. It all starts with the discovery of a murdered man, but as the investigation digs deeper, it weaves in past crimes involving a gold heist, the mysterious disappearance of a mine owner, political scandal, and police corruption.

In fact, it’s everything we’ve come to know and love about Chris Hammer’s novels!

Somewhere in southern New South Wales, not too far from the coast, is The Valley, a lush and fertile, almost magical place with crystal-clear lakes, waterfalls, and abundant birds and native animals. At first sight, it’s the very picture of tranquility, but lurking below the surface are dark dealings, secrets, and lies.

The novel opens in 1988 with a group of men pulling off a massive bank heist, getting away with millions in cash and gold bullion. However, when a fight breaks out, several are killed, and two of the gang escape with most of the loot.

Moving forward to 2024, a man’s body is found drowned in Broken River in The Valley. He was a local mover and shaker, pro-development in a region populated by environmentalists. Usually, such murders would be handled by a local team, but the Head of Homicide has requested that DS Ivan Lucic and SC Nell Buchanan, from the rural flying squad, are sent in to head the investigation. Based in Dubbo, six hours away by road, they know he must have a good reason to send them there.

This complex, multilayered case has its roots firmly embedded in the past, particularly the 1990s, when police were sent to manage environmentalists protesting against logging, attracting a lot of media attention. The disappearance of the owner of a local gold mine not long afterward also has an impact on the case and on Nell’s personal history. She discovers that her mother, Amber Jones, lived in The Valley during the 1990s and was friendly with the mine owner’s wife. Amber likely met Nell’s father there—someone Nell would love to find.

As with the previous books in this series, the location is an important feature of the novel, and it is particularly well depicted here. You can almost hear the bellbirds and the rushing of the waterfalls, and feel the cool greenness of The Valley. The characters are all well-drawn with strong individual personalities. The main characters have grown a lot throughout the series, particularly Nell, who is now a confident, capable detective, able to separate her personal connections from the case and concentrate on the investigation. Gripping and action-packed, this might just be the best in the series yet and should also work well as a stand-alone.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for a copy to read.