The Valley

The latest stunning thriller from the bestselling author of Scrublands and The Seven.


Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are back – and Nell is thrown into her most emotionally fraught investigation yet.


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. 


But it's when Nell discovers the victim is a close blood relative that the past begins to take on a looming significance.


What did take place in The Valley all those years ago? What was Nell's mother doing there, and what was her connection to troubled young police officer Simmons Burnside? And why do the police hierarchy insist Ivan and Nell stay with the case despite an obvious conflict of interest? 


The Valley features a page-turning plot, intriguing characters and an evocative sense of place—where nothing is ever quite what it seems. Chris Hammer, the acclaimed author of the international bestsellers Scrublands, Treasure & Dirt, The Tilt and The Seven, presents another immersive and emotionally rewarding thriller.


Praise for Chris Hammer:


'Hammer has confirmed and underlined his reputation as numbering among the very best novelists in detective fiction.' Sydney Morning Herald


'Chris Hammer at the height of his powers ... absolutely not to be missed!' Hayley Scrivenor, author of Dirt Town on The Tilt


'A darkly simmering mystery, gorgeously told ... Utterly brilliant.' Dervla McTiernan, author of The Ruin and What Happened to Nina?


'It would be unfair to say Chris Hammer is at the top of the crime writing game. Chris Hammer IS the game. Full Tilt may be a better title, given the speed with which readers will devour Chris Hammer's exceptional novel.' Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone On This Train is a Suspect


'Like everything Chris Hammer writes, The Tilt is a rich, complex thriller, packed with detail and intrigue. There's a reason why this guy is on my auto-read list!' Christian White, author of The Nowhere Child


'Chris Hammer is a great writer … a leader in Australian noir.' Michael Connelly


'If you haven't read Hammer before, this is the perfect time to experience one of the best writers Australia has to offer. Rife with intrigue, murder, and small-town secrets, Treasure and Dirt is a spectacular thriller that delivers some unforgettable characters with twists and turns you won't see coming. Hammer has raised the bar for Australian crime, and this is a must-read.' Better Reading


'Chris Hammer has excelled himself with Trust... a thriller strong on character development, social insights, ethical issues and dramatic action.' Weekend Australian


'The best Australian crime novel since Peter Temple's The Broken Shore.' The Times on Silver


'Shimmers with heat from the sun and from the passions that drive a tortured tale of blood and loss.' Val McDermid on Scrublands