Throwback Thursday: The Dry by Jane Harper #TBT

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 10, 2017

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

WHO REALLY KILLED THE HADLER FAMILY?

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 thinks 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.

Review:

I’m joining in again with Throwback Thursday which was created by my good friend Renee at It’s Book Talk . She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favorites and read books that have already been published. I have so many older books on my TBR that get ignored in favor of review copies and I figure participating in Throwback Thursday will help me to read at a least one older title a week!

The Dry was one of those super hyped books that I resisted reading, why? Who knows, sometimes I’m stubborn just for the sake of being stubborn, but when I realized the second book in this series was being released soon I figured that is was beyond time for me to grab this off of mount TBR and get reading. I’m extremely glad I did as it now has a firm spot in my favorite reads from this year, and though I’ve seen mixed reviews for book two I’ll definitely be reading it ASAP.

What can I really say about this stunning debut that hasn’t already been said? Probably nothing new so I’ll keep this brief. This follows Falk who returns to his small hometown after his childhood friend Luke and most of his family die in an awful tragedy. I can’t not mention the outstanding setting of Kiewarra, there is such a strong sense of place, Harper really brought this bitter, angry, stifling hot town to life. The plot was twisty but not just for the sake of throwing twists in for the hell of it, it was intricate and extremely smart and I truly had no idea what would happen next. Falk was the type of lead that I can easily see being able to carry a successful series and I can’t wait to learn more about him. If for some reason you haven’t read this one and are a fan of mysteries you really must, it’s excellent and Harper is a gifted writer, one that I’ll be following closely.

Overall rating: 5/5