Review: THE VALLEY, Chris Hammer

• 
  published by Allen & Unwin 2024
  
• ISBN 978-1-76417-088-2
• 446 pages
• Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic #4
  
• aka BROKEN RIVER

Synopsis (publisher)

A body has been discovered on the riverbanks of The Valley, a remote community in the hills of New South Wales. The gold mine at the heart of The Valley was once the lifeblood of this region, but it has been flooded for decades. Over the years, many have tried and failed to bring it back to life. Now, most believe the mine is barren.

The victim is Wolfgang Burnside, deputy mayor – a champion of change or local schemer, depending on who you ask. He had been working on plans to take the Valley off-grid with hydro-power using the lake surrounding the abandoned mine. Until he was poisoned, his body dumped in the river for all to see.

Detectives Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are dispatched to investigate. The warning is clear – there are secrets lurking in the depths of this Valley, secrets worth more than their weight in gold. What price will this town have to pay to ensure that they never see the light of day? 

My Take

A very dense novel with a complex plot rooted in a least two time periods. The author has the reader working overtime to reconcile facts and theories, to keep track of a huge range of characters and events, and to remember all the salient bits and pieces. You certainly get your money's worth. For me there were still questions at the end where I only thought I had the answers.

Quite a lot more than a murder mystery.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.7, SCRUBLANDS - Martin Scarsden #1
  
• 4.4, SILVER - - Martin Scarsden #2
• 4.6, TREASURE & DIRT - aka OPAL COUNTRY - Detective Nell Buchanan #1
  4.7, TREASURE & DIRT - re-read
  
• 4.8, THE TILT - aka DEAD MAN'S CREEK - Detective Nell Buchanan #2
• 4.8, SCRUBLANDS - re-read
• 4.8, THE SEVEN - aka COVER THE BONES - Detective Nell Buchanan #3