Chris Hammer's follow-up to his marvellous Australian crime fiction début, Scrublands, proves his remarkable talent in this gritty hard-hitting novel.

In this instalment, the action moves to Port Silver, a coastal town in New South Wales, where ex-journalist Martin Scarsden endured a very traumatic childhood. He vowed never to return to his hometown, but his new partner, Mandalay Blonde (Mandy), has inherited an old house in the seaside town and Martin believes another opportunity of a new life together won't come again. Martin arrives to find his best friend from school, Jasper Speight, has been brutally murdered, and Mandy is the prime suspect.

With the police reluctant to pursue other avenues and convinced of Mandy's innocence, Martin goes searching for the killer himself. He finds the past waiting for him and uncovers a town saturated with corruption, greed, drugs, sex, religion, and murder.

Chris Hammer's novel of Australian noir is a wonderfully riveting and atmospheric crime read. The story-line is complex with exemplary characterisation including a host of characters that made a real impact. I particularly appreciated the parts of the story that included the initial stages of Martin's reconnecting with his Uncle Vern, and the revelations of the various happenings in his difficult past. The author's focus on the relationship between Martin and Mandy, with all their doubts and flaws, felt true-to life and very convincing and I revelled in the meticulous and painstaking forensic detailing of the criminal investigation. I also loved the way in which Chris Hammer transported me into the beautiful coastal region of Port Silver and its surrounding area with his rich descriptions and vivid and atmospheric portrayals.

This is quite a long novel at over five hundred pages which seems daunting, however, no word is wasted and the first class writing meant I never lost interest, Gripping throughout, I adored Silver and I’m already looking forward to Chris Hammer's next offering.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Headline via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thanks to Headline/Wildfire and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you thought the sheer excellence of Chris Hammer's tour de force, 'Scrublands' could not be repeated, then you would be wrong. 'Silver', is a compelling, atmospheric mystery, than confirms Hammer's reputation as a unique talent. There is the mystery, of course, and this is an eminently satisfying one, involving the complicated, enigma-wrapped-in-riddle ex-journalist, Martin Scarsden. This time the action is centred on Scarsden's hometown of Port Silver, New South Wales. A school friend, Jasper Speight, has been murdered and Martin Scarsden's girlfriend, Mandy, is the prime suspect. What follows is a heady mix of rumour, suspicion, sex, drugs and corruption, unfolding along a perfectly calibrated story arc that only Chris Hammer could pull off. As mesmerising as Hammer's impeccable plotting is, with its spotlessly crisp dialogue, it is his inimitable main protagonists - so real that they appear to defy their fictional existence, that make this a superior novel of its type.. There are the literal characters of, course - distinctly human in all their complicated, multi-dimensionality, but there is the sense of place that is fast becoming distinctly 'Hammer-like'. In a time when 'noir' is cool suffix to describe a sense of place set.... well, almost anywhere really, it is an intrinsic, almost meta-setting in Chris Hammer's novels. So, if this is' Aussie-noir then I demand more. Get writing Chris...

I so much wanted to love this book and was so excited to get my copy because I had loved Scrublands with a vengeance. Unfortunately Silver just wasn’t right for me. I can’t even give a reasonable critique of it as there was nothing wrong with either the style or the characters but it just didn’t entertain me. I’m sure I will be in the minority and I do still look forward to reading more from Chris Hammer.

Silver by Chris Hammer

Events have changed journalist Chris Scarsden. After believing that he’d left his home town of Port Silver, with its traumatic memories, behind for good, he now realises that if he wants to have any hope of a future he must return. His girlfriend Mandy has inherited property in the town and so he makes the choice to leave Sydney where he has been finishing a book about his most recent investigative case and pick things up with Mandy and her little boy, Liam – if they’ll have him. But this also means facing his demons and they’re hiding around almost every corner. And in a town like this, where everyone knows everybody else, Martin, now a well-known journalist, is treated with suspicion.

It all goes wrong from the moment Martin arrives – to put it mildly. He arrives at the house where Mandy is staying only to find a man, an old friend, stabbed to death just moments before and Mandy is with him covered in his blood. It seems an open and shut case for the local police but Martin is determined to prove her innocence, to save her and therefore save himself. And the more he digs into the secrets of this troubled place, Martin realises that there is more going on in Port Silver than he could have imagined and very soon he’s at the heart of it.

Silver is Chris Hammer’s second novel to feature Martin Scarsden but, although it follows on from the superb Scrublands, Silver can also be read as a stand alone novel. The two novels are different, with the latest set by the coast and the first set in the heart of Australia’s baked interior. That case altered Martin in many ways and so the man we meet here is one who is searching for answers about himself. If you haven’t read the first it won’t matter but, if you have, it’ll give you more background to Martin and Mandy and their difficult relationship.

Port Silver is a mesmerising place and it forms the heart of Silver, just as the outback was so important for Scrublands. Chris Hammer is a fantastic writer and this is especially displayed in the novels’ sense of place. The map at the beginning introduces us to Port Silver, a town in decay, and we spend a fair amount of time getting to know it as Martin explores it so thoroughly in pursuit of answers.

The people are also fascinating. There’s a commune in the town which is bringing outsiders, even celebrities, to the town and therefore attracting attention, although not in a positive way, and this adds something to the tension within the community. But there is a lot more going on than this as more than one person eyes up the town’s opportunities. A murder, with all of the suspicions, fear and bewilderment that follows, stirs up secrets like nothing else and Martin must walk a fine line between being a local with inside information, the chief suspect’s lover, an investigator and a journalist.

Silver is an epic book in many ways as, over the course of almost 600 pages, it scrutinises lives in the community of Port Silver. Thanks to the sandbar blocking its harbour, Port Silver never fulfilled its promise and the decline continues but there are some who are bound to this place for reasons that become clear when you read this novel. It’s deeply engrossing. It’s also an impressive achievement, with many threads weaving their way through its pages. Martin Scarsdale is a man with troubles, who doesn’t quite know how to go about things, and so it’s every bit as much a journey of discovery for Martin as it is a tense investigation of murder.

Other review
Scrublands

This is a worthy follow on to Scrublands. The centre of the action has moved to Port Silver, Martin Scarsden’s home town and starts with the murder of one of his school friends. The return ‘home’ lends itself perfectly to flash backs to Martin’s childhood and a better understanding of the man he now is. As with Scrublands there is a lot going on here and it’s no wonder that the books are so long as all the different strands of the story are fully explored and then woven together. I felt that Martin really came to life when he was working on stories and chasing deadlines and I’m sure that was due to the authors experience in that field. I’d be happy to read more with these characters but equally I’m happy wi5 where they have been left at the end of Silver. I’d definitely recommend the reading of Scrublands prior to tackling this book.

If you enjoyed Chris Silver’s first novel, Scrublands, Silver will not let you down. Martin Scarsden returns as a reporter who has just started a new relationship with Mandy Blonde. After returning to his hometown Port Silver, he becomes involved again in a complex criminal investigation.

Full of twists and turns, this novel will keep you guessing until the end, and like Scrublands the descriptions of the surrounding environments make you feel like you are really there.

My thanks to Headline Wildfire for a digital edition via NetGalley of Chris Hammer’s ‘Silver’ in exchange for an honest review.

I was blown away by his first novel, ‘Scrublands’, when I read and reviewed it for the publisher last December and very excited to learn of this sequel that continues Martin Scarsden’s story following the events in Riversend.

Here Martin returns to his childhood home,
Port Silver, and stumbles into another complex situation involving a shocking murder. I don’t want to say anything much about the plot in order to avoid accidental spoilers but I will say that it takes off right from the moment Martin steps through the front door!

I had been very impressed by ‘Scrublands’ and was stunned by how brilliant ‘Silver’ was. Another example of Aussie Noir at it’s finest. I found Hammer’s writing style very engaging and felt that he handled its complex storylines and the large cast of characters well.

Again, as with ‘Scrublands’, he utilises the Australian landscape so well alongside his human characters. Here rather than the Outback, it is the coastal areas, woods, and swamplands that feature. It’s no surprise that he has written two works of nonfiction about Australia’s seascape, rivers, and ecosystems. I hope to read these at some point.

I would award it more than 5 stars if I could. Certainly a fine sequel to ‘Scrublands’ and likely to gain him even more accolades. I can hardly wait for news of his future projects.

This is Chris Hammer's follow up to his stellar award winning Aussie crime fiction debut, Scrublands, and it confirms his talent as the location shifts to Port Silver in New South Wales, a coastal town, the town the now ex-journalist Martin Scarsden grew up in and couldn't leave fast enough after his traumatic childhood, at 8 years old he lost his mother and his sisters in a nightmare accident. He has never looked back, burying his memories and past deep inside him. After an emotional desert when it came to his personal life, he has surprisingly found a partner and family in the shape of Mandalay (Mandy) Blonde and her son, 10 month old Liam. After writing his true crime book, Martin is heading back to his childhood home, Mandy has inherited a house familiar to him, offering Mandy and him the opportunity to start anew. Arriving home, Martin finds himself faced with the horrifying sight of a murdered man, with Mandy's hands covered in blood.

The victim turns out to be Martin's best friend as a child, Jasper Speight, a real estate agent, and the police are focusing on their prime suspect, Mandy. Convinced of Mandy's innocence, Martin delves below the surface of Port Silver, a town and community he knows although much has changed. He can no longer shut down the past as he acquaints himself with the large and blended family of his Uncle Vern, a man he was ashamed of and unforgivably ignored through the years. Port Silver has become moderately affluent, having lost its cheese factory and fishing industry, it has become a tourist destination, with surfers, a retreat with a Indian Swami, flooded with backpackers looking to work on farms and acquire the relevant visas. Martin uncovers a town riddled with drugs, sex, celebrity, religion, development speculation and ambitions attracting big time money, corruption, greed, and murder. A tragic event ensures that Port Silver has the national and international media descending in a mad scramble to the town, and signals Martin's explosive return as a front line journalist.

Hammer immerses the reader in the beautiful coastal region, his rich descriptions vividly and atmospherically evoking Port Silver and its surrounding area. This novel explores Martin's personal history, a past that had made him the man he was, avoiding emotional entanglements, until he met Mandy and is offered the prospect of a future that he never thought would be his. However, their relationship is not one he can take for granted, with many factors that threaten to derail it, such as their lack of communication and trust on key issues, and Martin's unrelenting focus and ambition in following and leading the biggest story in the country. I was particularly taken with the beginnings of his reconnection with his Uncle Vern's large and sprawling family, and the revelations of what really happened in his troubled past. This is a truly riveting and compulsive Aussie crime read, a worthy sequel to Scrublands, it has me hugely anticipating the next in the series. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.

The second book featuring Martin the disgraced journalist.. He has finished a book about murder and joins his partner and her son Liam in his hometown of Silver where sad he has inherited property. On arrival he finds his best boyhood friend Jasper murdered and Mandy in the frame for it. A complex storyline involving drugs, murder , rape and sex as Martin tried to exonerate his girlfriend and is peppered with the unscrupulous traits of the press. Additionally the early life of Martin unfolds giving insight into his character
It is a lengthy read and though I did enjoy the read I found the early stages slow but it gaine momentum half way through

I loved Hammer's debut novel, Scrublands, so requesting this follow up was a no brainer for me. Silver is set a few months after Scrublands in journalist Martin Scarsden's hometown, Port Silver, where he has moved back to to be with his partner, Mandalay Blonde and her son Liam. However bad luck seems to follow Mandy and Martin, and a murder takes place in Mandy's new apartment just days after they arrive. The police suspect Mandy of being involved, and Martin's investigations bring up a whole host of shady local characters, extending the possible culprit to include several people in the small seaside town.

My rating for this is more of a 3.5 rounded up - I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Scrublands, and while it's still a strong mystery/thriller novel Silver took quite a while to get going, and I felt in the dark about how all the plot points were going together until quite close to the end. Hammer somehow pulled it off though, and I'd recommend this for fans of more character driven, slow-burn mysteries.

This is the second Martin Scarsden story. I thoroughly enjoyed the first one and this is at least as good. It's a view of Australia hung on a murder mystery. I find it fascinating. I've never thought of visiting Australia, but these books have made me think seriously about it. Chris Hammer is a wonderful descriptive writer. I can picture the scenes, feel the sand and so on.

Loved it.

I read an advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Chris Hammer laid down a terrific marker with his debut SCRUBLANDS, a searing rural noir that shared the drought-stricken small-town Australian setting of Jane Harper's THE DRY (while in a different state), while being a very different - and equally exquisite novel.

In SILVER he shows no second-novel wobbles, picking up where he left off with another multi-layered mystery that takes readers deep into setting and character. This time it's the seaside hometown of Martin Scarsden, a place he's returning to after many, many years away. Hammer adroitly deals with the ways hometowns change over the years, evolving with economic development or decline. Scarsden is confronted with people who knew him years ago, and the various impressions they've held - sometimes different to what he perceived himself - along with new locals who could be friends or foe.

Overall, this is a really terrific tale. The mystery is satisfying, the character development of the main character and others is absorbing, there's a great sense of place and some of the issues bubbling away there. It all comes together a little hurriedly at the end, after a long build up, but I'll certainly be racing to grab the third Chris Hammer tale - the first two are both winners.

After reading Scrublands earlier this year I was pleased to get this book, the second one with Martin Scarsdale the disgraced journalist, Having moved away from the isolation of the outback, he moved to Sydney where he wrote a true crime book chronicling what happened in Scrubland. The book had been a success.

He has now moved back to his hometown of Port Silver (a made up place) on the coast. Martin was looking forward to starting his new life with his girlfriend Mandalay Blonde (Mandy). Martin hasn’t been back to his hometown in years, things had changed. Mandy had inherited a house there, which they were going to move into as a family. However, as Martin arrives at the property Mandy has rented whilst awaiting the keys to their new home, he finds her sitting on the floor, covered in blood and looking at a dead body. Martin soon recognised who the body was, an old school friend. Mandy finds herself as the prime suspect in his murder.

Whilst he isn’t currently working as a journalist, a friend of his mother has asked him if he would help find the person who killed her son. So not only is Martin doing that, but he is also trying to clear Mandy. The press are in town, we see some of the characters from Scrublands. Martin is caught in the middle. Could the cases be related?

Within this story you get to learn more about Martin, being in his home town there are people that know him, and knew him growing up. Martin himself is quite secretive about us past. As we learn things about him it explains quite a bit.

The story is very slow for the first 100-150 pages, which can be a little off putting, as you find your mind wandering and lose focus on the story. This is a long book with over 550 pages. Once the characters are introduced the story begins to pick up in pace. The investigation is done over 8 days, the towns residents pointing fingers at each other regarding the dead body. Martin is poking his nose in lots of places, the police don’t like him snooping round, as it’s their investigation. But he is a journalist and one thing they know how to do is snoop.

Whilst I enjoyed this book, I struggled with the slow start, the length, despite the pace picking up there were times when it dipped again. Having said that there are some good characters in the story. The side plots worked well and the ending, well that’s up to readers to find out.

I would like to thank #netgalley and # Wildfirepublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with Martin again and join him in investigating a complex crime and also exploring his past.
It is a very long book however, and I did feel the story could've been told just as well more concisely and, despite its length, I felt while I know more about Martin the other characters, particularly Mandy remain fairly 2 dimensional

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

I absolutely adored Scrublands so as well as being excited to read this next one, I was also a little nervous about whether it would live up to its predecessor... and it absolutely did.

Niggles: the relationship between Martin and Mandy (would she really have stuck around when he is so selfish???), Mandy as suspect (didn't really ever buy that), a little too much of 'being in the right place at the right time'.

Highlights: the exploration of Martin's 'back story'; the twisty-turning plot where I felt constantly wrong-footed, the vivid depiction of small town coastal Australia, how Martin's profession as a journalist enables him to look at things in a fresh way.

So, while it wasn't completely perfect I was nevertheless fully immersed and gripped throughout and I am still hopeful someone will pick up the TV rights...it has the makings of a TV drama all over it!

I’m kicking myself for not reading book one Scrublands as this was a great read but I’ll definitely be going back and reading it.

Martin and his girlfriend move to Port Silver, Martins hometown with the hope of a new start. While everything goes downhill for them we get to hear about Martins childhood as well. Martin is gonna need his journalistic talents to find out what’s going on (I’m wary about spoilers).

This is a big book and I’m glad it is. I didn’t think it dragged on which I usually do with big novels. An excellent read that has me wanting to read Scrublands.

If you had spent a year in the drought ravaged town of Riversend reporting on the aftermath of a mass shooting and the repercussions spiralling out from it you would be justified in hoping for some downtime. For journalist Martin Scarsden returning to a town he vowed he'd left behind for good is difficult enough, but when his girlfriend becomes the main suspect in a murder case the chances of any relaxation happening anytime soon are disappearing rapidly!

Martin has been holed up in Sydney writing a book about his experiences and so arrives a few weeks later than Mandy and her son Liam finding, to his horror, the body of his childhood best friend lying in a pool of blood in the living area of their newly rented accommodation. Having never imagined he would return to his hometown of Port Silver, where Mandy has inherited a large house, Martin begins trying to clear her name as he is bombarded with the repressed memories of a childhood beset by tragedy and secrets.

This is the second Martin Scarsden book by Chris Hammer and, after the brilliance of the first, I wondered how this would match up. I needn't have worried; this is absolutely first class and a worthy continuation of Martin and Mandy's life together.

As in the previous book there are many strands to this story and although initially the murder is the main focus Martin finds the pull of the past almost too strong and is unable to prevent himself from reassembling his childhood memories with the benefit of hindsight and the  experiences of adulthood. Add to this the other storylines interwoven throughout, the excellent characterisation of protagonists old and new and, once again, the author has smashed it.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it as highly as possible; it really is a first class read.

I really loved Scrublands when I read it a while ago so I was very excited to get my hands on this, the next in series. Martin and Mandy are both quite complex characters with interesting backstories so if you do get chance, please read the first in series before diving into this book. There is a bit of catch-up herein but it really only serves as a memory jogger rather than a full explanation of what happened before.
So, Martin has reluctantly agreed to move back to his hometown where, coincidentally, his new partner Mandy Blonde has inherited a house. He has stayed away initially to finish his book while Mandy sets up. But their reunion is not as expected as Martin walks into the house they are renting only to find one of his childhood friends dead on the floor and Mandy on the sofa covered in blood. And so begins a rather convoluted tale which envelops pretty much the whole town's population. A tale that makes Martin choose between his hankering to report what is going on with his desire to clear Mandy of the crime. With the rest of the press hot on his heels, he faces a race against time in his struggle to do both.
As with Scrublands, this is a rather convoluted plot where the setting is instrumental in what is happening. I can't really go into detail as I might spoil things. As well as that, we get to know more about the enigmatic Martin as we delve into his past as he reconnects with his hometown and the people he left behind. The reasons for his leaving are best left for the reader to discover as the author intends so I won't go into detail here, suffice to say, it's not a happy story. Couple all that with some really great descriptive passages about the outback town of Riversend and it's quite a slow burning book. Many things bubble under throughout the narrative but it is really worth persisting as it all comes together very nicely at the end.
I described Martin as enigmatic. He definitely was in Scrublands but here we do get to know a lot more about the man behind the page. We meet his old friends and relatives and what happened in his past. I connected well to him in Scrublands even with his complexities therein. Here, as I got to know him better, that connection was strongly reinforced and I really look forward to reconnecting with him once again in future books.
A thoroughly gripping read that left me wholly satisfied at its conclusion. A series that I thoroughly recommend. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The peerless Chris Hammer recaptures the magic of his previous outing, Scrublands, in this intricate thriller full of Aussie charm. Having loved Scrublands, it was a joy to catch up with Martin and Mandy as they relocate to Port Silver, Martin's childhood home town. But, as you would expect, there is quite a lot happening in the shadows, both present day and in the past, with personal demons for Martin to dispatch if he is to find a peaceful life with Mandy.

The brilliance of Hammer's novels lies in the onion-peel level of intrigue. There's not just one mystery to solve but quite a few. The depth of characters and potential crimes is always more than meets the eye. So whilst you are liking a certain character for one crime or slight, there is more to it than you suspect. It's excellent writing, if not a bit confusing at times. Lots of moving pieces to keep track of but a joy to behold how it all fits together. Not one bit of a cookie cutter thriller, this kind of story tears up the rule book.

As a character, I felt engaged with Martin, the quick thinking journalist who has the uncanny knack to be in the right place at the right time in regards to murder and nefarious activities. Silver may have an edge over Scrublands, but just slightly, as the story takes us down a path more personal for Martin. I honestly loved it and cannot wait for the next novel. Silver is an excellent book that is sure to keep the reader on the hook.

The follow-up to Chris Hammer's debut, Scrublands, finds protagonist Martin Scarsden once more embroiled in a complicated mystery which has its roots in the past. Returning to his childhood hometown, Scarsden stumbles upon the scene of a murder: his childhood best friend, brutally stabbed to death, in the house rented by his partner (first introduced in Scrublands) Mandy. With Mandy under suspicion, Martin finds himself torn between loyalties to old friends, his new commitment to Mandy and her son, and his desire to return to his journalism career. Like Scrublands, Silver is atmospheric and strong on characterisation, with the reader drawn into sympathising with even the minor characters. However, my one bugbear with the books is that it's difficult to understand just what Mandy (and plenty of other female characters) see in the grizzled, middle aged journalist, and there seems to be more than a hint of wish fulfilment to Hammer's creation of a character, uncannily similar to himself, who has beautiful women in their early 20s throwing themselves at him.