The Dry

The Dry is a masterpiece. I finished this book in 2 days, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it! Harper develops vivid imagery and complex characters that are at once loveable and unreliable. Falk is an amazing protagonist, because Harper instills a great sympathy for him in the reader, as well as doubts about his past. I am always thrilled to be transported somewhere else by a novel, although the content can be disturbing and heartbreaking at several points. I'm so excited to read Harper's other work.

3.5 stars rounded up. I'm usually not a fan of detective series, but this was better than most with strong character development, a plot that was well thought out, and a strong sense of place. I'll check out the second in this series.

A cracking good thriller! Plenty of red herrings, well-written, satisfying ending, good characters. I enjoyed the jumps in narration between characters and time periods. Audiobook very well read by Stephen Shanahan. Really looking forward to reading more of Jane Harper’s novels.

 A man who, as a boy, was driven out of his outback home after a friend was found drowned and the court of public opinion judged him guilty, returns when another of his friends has found dead in his truck, an apparent suicide after killing everyone in his family. His farm is failing after years of drought, so his neighbors understand despair. They all share it. Interesting portrait of a stressed community and skillful plotting that combines two mysteries quite deftly.