The Dry

The Dry is the first book in the Aaron Falk series by award-winning Australian journalist and author, Jane Harper. After twenty years away, AFP agent Aaron Falk returns to drought-stricken rural Victoria for the funeral of his one-time best friend, Luke Hadler. All of Kiewarra is there to bury Luke, Karen and little Billy, but few of them are glad to see Falk.

Falk’s field is financial crimes, so Luke’s mother asks him to look into a possible alternative to the foregone conclusion of murder-suicide that seems to have been reached by the detectives from Clyde. And neither is Kiewarra’s own cop, Sergeant Greg Raco, entirely convinced by this explanation. There are enough discrepancies in the facts that Falk decides to stay a few days, to see if he can cast light on this awful tragedy. He owes Luke’s memory and his parents at least that much.

But Falk and his father left Kiewarra under a cloud when, at sixteen, his dear friend Ellie Deacon drowned in the Kiewarra River. While no one was ever charged, Falk had his suspicions then about who was responsible: are they affecting his impartiality now? Are there reasons to think the crimes are related?

During his informal investigation, Falk connects with townsfolk, reconnects with old friends and old enemies, and it is soon apparent that the ill will from his teens has been comprehensively reawakened.

Against the backdrop of a struggling country town, Harper gives the reader twin mysteries: a cold case and one still dominating the town’s consciousness. Multiple narrators give a variety of perspectives, eventually revealing the truth about both these wretched events. Harper’s characters are believably flawed: there are no saints here, and many of them harbour secrets. Falk’s loyalty to his friends is tinged with doubt and suspicion.

Harper’s Kiewarra easily evokes the typical country town with its small mindedness, its secrets, its rumour mill and the lightning spread of gossip, and a lack of the anonymity often felt in cities. This is a tale that is fast-paced, with an exciting climax and twists and red herrings that will keep even the most astute reader guessing until the final chapters. Harper’s debut novel certainly lives up to the hype, so interest in Aaron Falk’s second outing, Force of Nature, is bound to be high.

I first came across this book when my mother in law thrust her copy upon me and told me that I just HAD to read it!
That was in 2016.

I have since read both of Jane Harper’s follow up books, Force of Nature, which is the sequel to The Dry and The Lost Man, a stand-alone novel, and I have met her at an ‘in conversations’ event put on by a local bookstore. I have even gotten my own mum hooked on Harper’s book, not that they need much promotion, they are so good, they basically sell themselves.

When I saw The Dry come up on my NetGalley Dashboard, I felt that it was time to revisit Aaron Falk’s world. This book perfectly captures the Australian way of life and the vast differences between urban and country living. Harper has this incredible skill to make you feel like you’re right there with the characters: the suffocating heat of drought, breathing in the dry dust. Her books are so atmospheric that it’s like the landscape is another character in the story.

I usually get the whodunnits right, but this one was a huge surprise that I did not see coming and applaud Harper for developing such brilliant twists and turns as to keep it hidden.

Furthermore, the characters were so genuine and believable, almost real, like you could walk into any rural town and meet some of these very people.

The Dry is a fabulous book, one I struggled to put down, and I highly recommend it!

Many thanks to Jane Harper, Pan Macmillan Australia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to revisit Kiewarra again in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jane Harper and Pan Macmillan Australia for my copy of The Dry.
Aaron Falk returns to Kierwarra to attend his best friend Luke Hadler’s funeral, it’s assumed he committed suicide after murdering his wife Karen, son Billy and yet baby Charlotte survived and was found crying in her cot? Twenty years ago Ellie Deacon drowned in Kierwarra was it really an accident, now four people to die in suspicious circumstances and what are the chances of that happening?

After two years of drought tempers are short in Kierwarra and the atmosphere is tense. Aaron only planned to stay a few days but he begins looking into the death of his childhood mate Luke Hadler and his family and it doesn’t make any sense. Luke got into a bit of trouble as a teen; he grew up, got married and had two kids.

The dry looks at life in a small country town; it’s hot, dusty, boring and has its secrets. Like many towns its surrounded by bush and scrub, you go for a walk and it’s creepy, you jump at any noise, dry grass moving, a twig snaps and you want to run. In Kierwarra things have been covered up, the local police want to close the case, it’s a murder and suicide, and they don’t want some detective from Melbourne snooping around. I really enjoyed The Dry, it has the right amount of that creepy feeling, it keeps you guessing and five stars from me.

“To look out and see not another soul between you and the horizon could be a strange and disturbing sight.”


What a bonus to read Jane Harper's debut, The Dry. So much praise is lavished on this 2017 book and I can see why. Set in a small outback country town, an astonishing murder mystery takes place and thus ensues an incredibly compelling and atmospheric tale. This book has won awards and film rights have been snapped up by Reese Witherspoon.


The story is clever: lead character Aaron Falk returns home to attend the funeral of his boyhood friend. The town is reeling from the murders/suicide. Yet his police instincts tell him that all may not be as it seems. As in all murder mysteries there will be twists and baggage from the past to complicate things and keep you guessing to the very end.


The writing here is top quality as it is so evocative. You will feel the heat, the ‘dry’ and you will be swept away with the twists and turns as the character development is rich and complex. Truly an incredible debut for a crime writer. Do yourself a favour and return to where it all began for Jane Harper and read this well crafted, quality Australian fiction.


“Death rarely changes how we feel about someone. Heightens it, more often than not.”