‘Legacy’ by Chris Hammer
Chris Hammer is an Australian Crime Fiction success story.
One among many you may think and there certainly has been a veritable tsunami of ‘red dirt’ or ‘outback noir’ thrillers inundating our bookshelves over the past few years.
Hammer is a standout among the crowd however and this is attested to by both the length of his writing career and the strong following he has developed. He began publishing crime novels in 2018 off the back of a successful journalism career. Scrublands was his first book and since that first foray into fiction, he has added seven further titles to his name. This is all to say, Hammer is one to read and one to watch.
‘Legacy’ features Martin Scarsden, a journalist turned author who we first met in Scrublands. The book opens with a book launch that literally blows up in Scarsden’s face and the storyline is off and racing. Having said that, Hammer somehow manages to keep the action coming at you all the while the plot unwinds at a slower, steadier pace. It’s a unique skill to keep your reader suspended between wanting to turn the pages as quickly as possible and wanting to stay immersed in the ancient and seemingly timeless landscape in which the story is set.
After fleeing to the wilds of inland NSW/Queensland to escape retribution for we’re not quite sure what, the random nature of his destination turns out to be not so random after all, allowing a second and third plot line to emerge. Early colonial explorers, feuding farming families, flood, famine and hit squads all feature. It is complex, multi layered and compelling and it also resolves satisfactorily!
This is excellent summer reading – add Chris Hammer to your Christmas wish list – all of his titles are available at your local bookstore.
