Hi Caitlin,

I finished Opal Country last night and am about to post my review on NetGalley and Goodreads. As you were kind enough to send me a hardback copy I thought it only polite to forward it to you as well.

I loved it and easily awarded it 5 stars. As I said in the review I look forward to reading more of these brilliant books in the future.

Have a good Christmas and New Year

Tracy


Detective Ivan Lucic has been sent from Sydney to investigate the unexplained death of an Opal miner in the small town of Finnigans Gap but that is where anything close to his normal existence ends. The heat is unbelievable, the locals friendly to a point, and the case far more complicated than he'd expected. With Nell Buchanan, a rookie detective, as his partner and a hostile local police force to deal with Ivan doesn't even know who reported the death let alone what caused it.

As they begin making headway everyday life in the outback town comes into focus, with local rivalries, family tragedies, and secrets aplenty vying for attention, threatening Ivan and Nell's chances of a successful outcome. Can a detective unfamiliar with the area and a rookie with a checkered history work things out between them or will the crime and its fall out destroy everything?

This is Chris Hammer's fourth book but the first not centred around journalist Martin Scarsden although he does get a mention and Ivan Lucic had a part to play in all three installments of that trilogy. As before the attention to detail is first class, the characterisation exceptional and there is another brilliantly detailed map to refer to. Ivan is flawed, as all the best detectives are, but not enough to change his focus and the crime is original and baffling in equal measure.

There is an awful lot going on in Opal Country but the storyline never becomes confusing or unrealistic even though nothing is as clear cut or simple as it seems. I found myself reading late into the night totally absorbed in Ivan's life, the alien landscape of Finnigans Gap, and my enjoyment of how every time they sorted a problem another rose up to beat them back again.

I was able to read an advanced copy of Opal Country thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Headline Wildfire. I hope there will be more to come from either main protagonist as this is another brilliant book by Chris Hammer which is easy to recommend unreservedly.

This book will grip you from page one and not let go till it’s dramatic climax. The backdrop of New South Wales where the story is based is extremely well described and used as a chilling backdrop to the animosities and rivalries of those who have mining rights in a dying opal industry. One, Jonas, is found down his mine crucified. Ivan and Nell are brought in to determine what happened. They too are well portrayed characters with personal issues of their own. The story moves apace and it becomes apparent that there are links to a much more powerful set of dishonest businessmen. This is not just a murder story. It is much deeper than tat which gives it its power. I loved the Australian outback backdrop. The book is very well written, I strongly recommend it.

When I heard that Chris Hammer had a new book coming out but it wasn’t a Martin Scarsden story, I initially felt rather disappointed. That feeling soon disappeared when I started reading, as this is a cracking book in its own right. When an opal miner’s rotting body is discovered, down his own mine by “ratters,” Detective Ivan Lucic is called to the rundown outback town of Finnegans Gap to investigate, along with young but clever assistant Nell, who grew up there. Faced with prejudice, power struggles and internal investigation, they determine to find out who is behind the macabre death, navigating their way through politics, business shenanigans, drug dealing and even a religious cult to get to the truth. The plot is satisfyingly twisty, with several threads that don’t seem connected at first, the characters are realistic and nuanced and the oppressive heat adds to the atmosphere of menace and destruction. The police duo are flawed but likeable, and make a great duo- I hope we get to meet them again. A fantastically good read- Hammer just gets better and better.

I am a big fan of this author's Martin Scarsden series and, indeed, the man himself gets a couple of nods in this book which features DS Ivan Lucic (a familiar face to some). It's billed as a stand alone but I'm not wholly convinced...
Anyway... Set in the wild Australian outback, in an area studded with Opal mines, stands the small mining town of Finnegan's Gap. It's a bit like the gold rush areas where many people own small claims and try and hit it big. Obviously this also attracts the wrong sort, those who would steal rather than work, aka ratters. And it is ratters that come across a body when they are attempting to steal from a man who has just bragged of his find. A body which has been crucified.
Being a small town, the police have to come from the city and arrive in the shape of DS Ivan Lucic, flying solo as his boss is, well, in a bit of a fix with professional standards. He teams up with DC Nell Buchanan who was a uniform in the town back in the day before she left to become a detective, under somewhat of a cloud, and together the two of them try and get to the bottom of what happened. Starting with victimology, who would want Jonas McGee dead? But as they start to piece together his past it become apparent that this will not be a short investigation as every answer just throws up more questions...
As with the Scarsden books I ended up also blooming loving this book. It's just as atmospheric, in fact the setting of Finnegan's Gap is so prominent in the narrative it could almost be included as a character in its own right. It's a hard place to live and work and that shows in the rest of the cast as they explain their struggles and ways of life to the investigators. It's also blooming hot - so hot that even a 5 minute car ride is preferable (necessary) to walking.
I also loved the partnership between Nell and Lucic. Specifically how it developed as the book went on. In fact, by the end of the book I was frantically looking for some indication that this might not be a stand alone and that maybe I wouldn't have to say goodbye to that partnership. I know we have met Lucic before but I liked this more fleshed out version of him herein. Especially with Nell's influence. But that's just me being selfish!
Pacing is a bit slow at first but that fits in well with the speed of the investigation - it being a bit tough at the start - as well as the fact that it's so hot that you can't really rush anywhere. That said, once it really gets going there's no stopping things.
All in all, a cracking read that I devoured in only a couple of sittings and which left me wholly satisfied, and a little gobsmacked, at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

If this mining ton is based on anywhere real I wouldn’t want to visit. So many things going on in one place could have made the plot cloudy but as usual Chris Hammer keeps a tight ship.
Probably not a subject matter I’m interested in but nevertheless a good read.

I was offered a chance to read and review this book via a Facebook group, I have to be honest and say Chris Hammer is a new author to me, however, now I have read this, I shall be reading more!
Opal county is a little longer than most books I read, but a clever plot, very well thought out characters, if rather a lot of them, and a storyline with twists and turns made it a very easy read.
Thank you for the advanced copy.

The latest thriller from Chris Hammer, set in the Australian outback in a small mining town. A mine owners body is discovered crucified underground and DS Ivan Lucic is called to investigate. The descriptions are vivid and you can almost feel the heat and dust in this well written and atmospheric read. A complex tale which I can highly recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

The publication of a new book by Chris Hammer is always a case for celebration and 'Opal Country' is no different.
Hammer's previous three novels have centered around the adventures of the journalist Martin Scarsden and this time around, while Scarsden is mentioned, our protagonist is one DS Ivan Lucic, a former secondary character. Lucic is well deserved of a greater role and Hammer's novels and I was delighted to see him front and center in 'Opal Country'. For fans of Chris Hammer's work, DI Morris Montifore also makes a frequent appearance but this is very much a standalone novel and there is no requirement to have any background knowledge.
And on to the story set in Finnegan's Gap a small town, set on the New South Wales/Queensland border (as far as I understand). A local miner has been found crucified and his death has been phoned into the police and Lucic has been dutifully dispatched to work with the local officers to resolve the case. Add in past resentments, secrets, business interests and you have a complicated mix which Hammer deftly weaves into a fascinating case that leaves the reader curious for more.
As always with a Chris Hammer novel, one of the best parts is in the actual descriptions - his writing is both bare and also striking - I can imagine the bare, harsh landscape of the mining town, and feel the burning sun on my skin as I read through the pages. Not many authors can conjure up this level of vivid imagery that jumps off the page.
I for one hope that Lucic returns for another investigation - and shortly!

Murder, mystery, family saga in the hot Australian sun. Kept me turning the page abd I didn't guess who dunnit. Good read.

This was an unknown author to me, but I was asked by a Facebook group to read and review. I love discovering exciting authors who I don't know, but after this offering I will look forward to more!
This on the surface was a standard police procedural, but the actual crime was nothing like I had read before!
A man is found dead in a mine, arranged in a while which sparks alarm bells for the investigators, and all is not what it seems.
The premise of the killer setting up the detectives (in the blurb, not a spoiler) was total genius! I loved it, it made the book unusual and really clever. It was done brilliantly, dropping clues for the reader to maintain interest.
It was a long book, which I don't usually like but this didn't slow all that much throughout. However, there were lots of characters, which I do struggle with regularly. If books do need that many characters, provide a character list at the start please!

Chris Hammer is certainly adept at creating a real sense of place and in this book the searing heat and flies and cool shelter of the opal mines almost form a character of their own. I enjoyed the interplay between the police officers and felt the local people were well drawn. However, I did find the plot incredibly convoluted at times and there were almost too many things going on and ends to tie up at the conclusion.

Thank you to netgalley and headline for an advance copy of this book

Having already read, Scrublands, Silver and Trust by this author and loved them it is no huge surprise that I eagerly anticipated this publication. Carrying on with a minor character from the previous books this is set in Opal mining country and starts with the discovery of a dead mine owner who has been crucified.
Against the back drop of a couple of billionaires with a vendetta against one another, dark family secrets, a religous cult and with twists and turns along the way, police officers Lucic & Buchanan work well together to unravel the truth. Whilst there is a lot of detail about Opal mining it is important in the contaxt of the story and it adds to the understnding of the plot. Another winner from Mr Hammer and already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

It’s hot up North, at least it is when the North is the north of New South Wales, near the Queensland border, a hot desert with little life but flies and Opal Miners. That life has just decreased by one because Jonas McGee has been found dead, down in his mine, nailed to a cross. Two detectives from Sydney are assigned to the case but just before they board a police plane to Finnegans Gap, the nearest township, the senior office, Detective Inspector Morris Montifore, is suddenly called back to headquarters, under investigation by Professional Standards for passing information to a journalist, Martin Scarsden. His junior, Detective Sergeant Ivan Lucic (who, predictably, has troubles of his own), therefore flies alone, with the promise of a deputy when he gets there. She is Detective Constable Narelle (Nell) Buchanan, young, inexperienced but knowledgeable about the area because she had been based there as a newbie and then fresh minted constable. This has advantages and disadvantages, of course, because she has history and unfinished business.
To begin with, therefore, this would appear to be a fairly straightforward police procedural set in an unusual area: the heat, the terrain, the dust, the flies, the oddly insular people. However, it quickly becomes clear that there are other factors at play. On the edge of town there’s a mysterious semi-religious, but possibly sex obsessed, cult called The Rapture. Nearby there is a squatters camp at Deadmans Wells, a Coalmine and a site being explored for Rare Earth minerals, both of the latter connected to competing billionaires. And dotted all round there are one man opal mines, claims, each in adjacent fifty metre by fifty metre squares and most mined out and unprofitable. And lurking in the background, there is the investigation of Montifore and the possibility that Ivan will become collateral damage in that case. Under a beating sun and in forty degree heat, Ivan and Nell have to link the murder victim to some or all of these conflicting aspects.
This is a standalone novel but it connects to three previous Martin Scarsden stories, which are beginning to form a series. It starts quite slowly but builds as the new lines start to rise from background details into major suspicions, and the factual details connected with opal mining, business funding, legal processes, and the sheer isolation, pour in.
Incidentally the book was first published in Australia and New Zealand In September under the Title “Treasure and Dirt” so if you want to read the earlier books (and I would encourage you to do this) don’t get caught out.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

You have to hand it to Chris Hammer with his new novel Opal Country, it's a blisteringly fast paced thriller set in a brutally hot landscape full of opal mines and very little else. Actually the opals are pretty much in decline and a few of the miners have moved on. However, it's the discovery of a crucified corpse in one of the mines that starts the novel off. This is one miner who has definitely moved on and not in the most pleasant of ways. If you've read any of Hammer's other novels you'll know there's far more to the story than the opening gambit and Chris really delivers with this. With a little nod to don't drink the Kool Aid (which caused me to chuckle), later in the book we get to meet the Seer, leader of a so called religious sect and it's past deeds there which create the scaffolding of unfolding events. A thriller almost impossible to put down. One little niggle, the author realises mobile phone signals don't penetrate into the mines but thinks that walkie-talkies do. Notwithstanding that, it's a cracking novel and richly deserves the five stars I'm giving it.

This gritty outback noir is a gripping read. Set in Finnigans Gap in New South Wales, Australia, the case of the crucified opal miner, Jonas McGee, was intriguing, with lots of twists and turns, and I had no idea what had happened and who was responsible.

There was obviously some corruptness and things we weren’t being told and there were some clever elements of misdirection to put the reader off the scent.

There was a great sense of place and brilliant descriptions of the claustrophobic environment – I could really imagine the heat, flies and dust. I didn’t know anything about the location or opals so it all made for fascinating and intense reading.

I liked the two main characters, Detective Sergeant Ivan Lucic and Detective Constable Narelle (Nell) Buchanan, and I hope we get to hear more about them in another book.

My first Chris Hammer book and I will definitely have to read his others now!

I read Chris Hammer for the visceral sense of location that I know I’m going to get. Like his other books, I was transfixed by the remote atmosphere as well as a thrilling storyline that had me utterly gripped from start to finish.
Opal Country is brilliantly character driven, by an author who is now one of my go-to favourites.
Australian outback noir at its absolute best.

Intelligent, thought-provoking Australian noir fiction. Well developed plot with captivating characters and constantly shifting red herrings. The setting is so well described that it becomes a character in the story. Highly recommend.

In a small outback town in north-western New South Wales, Australia, a body is found. A man has died inside an opal mine, discovered by a group of ratters who were planning to steal opals from his mine. It’s a shocking sight as the man’s body has been displayed in a way that strongly suggests he’d gone out the hard way. A detective from Sydney, Ivan Lucic, is sent out to investigate and on site he’s met by Nell Buchanan an eager young officer from a nearby town who is to assist him.

The town of Finnigans Gap (loosely based on the real life town of Lightening Ridge) is a nest of eager and obsessive fortune seekers, a group of religious fanatics and, occasionally, a couple of mining billionaires with sketchy pasts and a loathing for each other. Information is hard to come by and at least one of the local cops is downright hostile towards Ivan and especially Nell. Add to this the fact that Lucic quickly learns that he’s become part of an internal investigation which threatens his future in the police force and you have a truly combustible mix.

Hammer creates the atmosphere of the place brilliantly: the scorching heat, the sheer remoteness of this unforgiving town, it’s tough and sometimes recalcitrant inhabitants. And he brings alive the jeopardy of opal mining in such a way that I became totally fascinated by this lonely and surprisingly basic operation. Lucic and Nell are well developed characters and I enjoyed how their working relationship is grown – a sometimes bumpy road, this. So the bones of a good story are certainly here, the only element that gives me pause is that the deeper I got into it the more strands seemed to appear. Is it possible to deliver a coherent tale from so many tangled threads?

Some will no doubt disagree with me on this point but in my view the sheer number of linked elements inevitably leads to a complex and slightly cluttered finish. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an enjoyable mystery with an interesting location and a great cast. It’s just that once the lid is lifted it’s clear that there was just too much going on in this small town. Well, a bit too much for me to swallow in one hit anyway.

I’d still be happy to award this book 4 stars as I did enjoy my time with it. I also liked the fact that Hammer created a link with his Martin Scarsden books through his use of a couple of characters who regular readers will have come across before. I’ll definitely be back for more from this author: his settings, his characters and in fact the who vibe of his stories offer something distinctly different to crime fiction set in the UK, America or just about anywhere else.

I've never read anything by Chris Hammer before but I am definitely encouraged to read more after finishing Opal Country. Hammer's writing is brilliant. It is so descriptive that I could picture absolutely every scene, something which is important for a novel set in a remote part of Australia, somewhere with which I wasn't at all familiar. The description of the mining practices are also very detailed and I enjoyed learning more about this subject which was previously completely unknown to me.

I enjoyed meeting Ivan and Nell and I liked the way they seemed to bounce off each other. Both characters have colourful pssts and interesting secrets and I loved delving deeper into their back stories. I'm not sure if there are plans for a series but there are definitely plenty of places where the author could take these characters.

Hammer's plotting is very intelligent and I loved being taken on a journey through all the different twists and turns. I really enjoyed trying to piece everything together to work out what had happened - and got it completely wrong!

This is my first Chris Hammer book. It was very well written and very atmospheric - I felt as if I was stuck out in the emptiness of the Australian desert, and felt accordingly uncomfortable.

It took me a solid 30% of the book to begin to feel invested in the story. The first third was so deep and rich in atmosphere and background detail that I had trouble keeping up. Once that first major confrontation takes place, though, the pace changed abruptly for me, and I found myself enjoying it more.

There are so many additional story lines along side "Who killed Jonas McGee?", and while they are all tied together in the end, I couldn't fully explain to you what happened. It was a bit too complex for my taste -- I love the intrigue, but lose a bit of interest when I can't keep a handle on all of the characters and plot lines.

This book will appeal to readers who love figuring out a complex puzzle of a plot. 3.5/5 stars for me.