THE DRY
JANE HARPER
Published in hardback by Little, Brown on 12 January 2017, £12.99
‘One of the most stunning debuts I’ve ever read . . . Every word is near perfect. The story builds like a wave seeking the purchase of earth before it crashes down and wipes out everything you might have thought about this enthralling tale’ David Baldacci
‘Terrific characters, unique and evocative setting, knockout plot construction. This book has it all’ John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of The Fall
‘You will feel the heat, taste the dust and bling into the glare. The Dry is a wonderful crime novel that shines a light into the darkest corner of a sunburnt country’ Michael Robotham, CWA Gold Dagger Winner, bestselling author of Life or Death
‘Every so often a debut novel arrives that is so tightly woven and compelling it seems the work of a novelist in her prime. That’s what Jane Harper has given us with The Dry, a story so true to setting and tone it seemed I fell asleep in Virginia only to wake in the Australian heat. It’s rare, that sense of transportation, and I loved every minute of it’ John Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Redemption Road
‘It’s extremely rare and exciting to read a debut that enthrals from the very first page and then absolutely sticks the landing. Told with heart and guts and an authentic sense of place that simply cannot be faked, The Dry is the debut of the year’ C.J. Box, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Off the Grid
I just can’t understand how someone like him could do something like that.
Amid the worst drought to ravage Australia in a century, it hasn’t rained in small country
town Kiewarra for two years. Tensions in the community become unbearable when three
members of the Hadler family are brutally murdered. Everyone things Luke Hadler, who
committed suicide after slaughtering his wife and six-year-old son, is guilty.
Policeman Aaron Falk returns to the town of his youth for the funeral of his childhood
best friend, and is unwillingly drawn into the investigation. As questions mount and
suspicion spreads through the town, Falk is forced to confront the community that
rejected him twenty years earlier. Because Falk and Luke Hadler shared a secret, one
which Luke’s death threatens to unearth. And as Falk probes deeper into the killings,
secrets from his past and why he left home bubble to the surface as he questions the truth
of his friend’s crime.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jane Harper has worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK.
She lives in Melbourne and currently writes for the Herald Sun. Jane is originally from the
UK and moved to Australia in 2008. The Dry is her first novel.
Janeharper.com.au
FURTHER PRAISE FOR THE DRY
‘Every now and then an Australian crime novel comes along to stop your breath and haunt your dreams…There is about The Dry something mythic and valiant ... This is a story about heroism, the sins of the past, and the struggle to atone.’ Sydney Morning Herald
‘A razor-sharp crime yarn dripping in the sights, sounds and smells of the Australian bush…The storytelling is accomplished, with a bald sparseness to the writing that draws you in and characterization that rings resoundingly true…as the action twists and turns, the pace build[s] to a fantastic finale that will leave you breathless.’―Australian Women’s Weekly
‘A tightly plotted page-turner that kept me reading well into the night…Harper shines a light on the highs and lows of rural life – the loyalty born of collective endurance in adversity, as well as the loneliness and isolation, and the havoc wrought by small-town gossip. She also explores the nature of guilt and regret, and the impact of the past on the present. In this cracker of a book Harper maintains the suspense, with the momentum picking up as it draws to its nerve-wracking conclusion.’
―Australian Financial Review
‘The Dry is a page-turner written with a maturity of style rarely seen in a first-time novelist and it’s here the writer excels. Harper’s exploration of the pressures of a small town where people are not able to escape the past is thoughtful and mature. Her plot twists and layering are intricate and subtle and keep you guessing to the end while the townspeople grow on you despite their dirty secrets. Harper’s well-executed final scenes are both filmic and tense, and sure to spark a few did-you-guess-it discussions.’ ―The West Australian
‘Devastating debut…a suspenseful tale of sound and fury as riveting as it is horrific.’ Publishers
Weekly, starred review
‘A stunner…It’s a small-town, big-secrets page-turner with a shocker of an ending.’ Booklist, starred review
‘You can almost feel the searing heat of the Australian drought in this intense, gripping, atmospheric read.’ Kate Hamer, bestselling author of The Girl in the Red Coat
‘Put up your tray table, buckle your seatbelt, and sit back: you’ve found the right book for this flight. Set in the flash-ready tinder of a town going under, The Dry is a cracking good read that will have you hoping the pilot decides to circle the airport before landing.’ Laura McBride, author of We Are Called to Rise
‘Debut author Harper plots this novel with laser precision, keeping suspects in play while dropping in flashbacks that offer readers a full understanding of what really happened . . . A chilling story set under a blistering sun, this fine debut will keep readers on edge and awake long past bedtime’ Kirkus Reviews
For further information please contact Grace Vincent
For further information please contact Grace Vincent
Grace.Vincent@littlebrown.co.uk / 020 3122 6590
What I have to say
The Dry is one of those books that grips you from the very beginning; throwing you right in at the deep end, the funeral of a young family that was, on the surface, a murder suicide as a result of economic depression within a small town. Returning home for the first time in so many years is Falk, who has hidden secrets about his shared past with the friend everyone assumes killed his wife and eldest child.
I fell in love with the setting of this book, you can really feel the suffocating heat. Falk had gotten out years ago, and is prepare to do it all again but after he's done what he came back to do, he is drawn back in to the low whispers and secrets of his small town home.
The writing is beautiful and really draws you in to this crime mystery, It incorporated small town drama whilst also being sensitive to the tragedy at the very centre of the story. I love crime thrillers so I really did enjoy this.
A full review of this book will feature on this blog this coming Saturday, return then to find out everything I have to say about this masterpiece.
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