A mind-boggling murder mystery set in drought stricken Australian outback. The Dry is a compelling and mesmerising crime/thriller novel which had me grappling with the reality of the plot and sent shivers down my spine more than once through my read.
Jane Harper's debut novel ignited the detective within me as I attempted to solve not just one, but the two mysterious crimes which occurred in this novel. Our protagonist, detective Aaron Falk, returns to his hometown when his childhood best friend is found dead along with his wife and six year old son in what is ruled a murder-suicide. His friend'cs parents beg him to stay because they don't believe their son was capable of such an act. All is not what it seems in this small farming town. The main plot is read alongside flashbacks of Falk's childhood where we learn about the unresolved death of Falk's first love in the town twenty years ago and that accusations implicating him are still ripe in the air.
Creatively, Harper has been able to weave two timelines together to create a seamless story which engrosses the reader into this dark, twisted psychological thriller. Throughout the novel, there are similarities when the plotlines cross over and surprising revelations brought to light.
As someone who grew up in a small town and close community, I enjoyed how the plot included the realities which exist within small towns - rumours, secrets and sense of an over-bearing community. Harper cleverly entwines the struggles of living in a small town through many perspectives and how living in a small town can contribute and even heighten one's problems.
The ending is powerful and left field, it comes at you out of the blue and will leave you re-reading the moment of the climax. I really liked how the suspense builds throughout the book leaving no character innocent but entirely guilty.
The Dry is slow paced but full of detail and promise to create heart-racing and spine-straightening moments throughout. I truly didn't find a dull moment throughout this read. I would recommend carving out time to read this in one sitting as the intrigue and mystery is engulfing and addictive.
I would highly recommend this multi-award winning book to all murder-mystery lovers especially since its set right in our own backyard in Australia.
Trigger Warning: Death, Loss of Child, Murder, Suicide, Child Abuse
Completed on: 15th July 2021
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