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Dirt Creek

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When a young school girl disappears on her way home from school, it rocks a small, rural, Australian town and exposes secrets of the children and the adults in the community. The feel of the story has more in common with Big Little Lies than with the thrillers of Jane Harper or Candice Fox.

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Dirt Creek is Durton, Australia, a small town in a dry area. Generations of families have lived here. Everyone has secrets, and some know these secrets or perhaps they are the ones who are hiding them or inventing them. Families for the most part support each other. But in the midst of this community everything changes when Esther, a 12-year-old goes missing. In the first chapter; a farmer makes a gruesome discovery in his pasture – who/what is it? The story unravels going back in time exploring relationships and events that reveal a mystery.

Scrivenor has a unique way in telling this story. Much is seen through the eyes of the children who know Esther; Veronica (Ronnie), and Lewis. Other segments are told by the out-of-town detectives, Sarah and her partner. The author also reveals how the adults are coping. Best of all, there are intermittent chapters entitled “we” which serves as a type of Greek chorus gauging the effects of this crime and how it is affecting their once quiet community.

Vivid descriptions of place and characters help a slow-moving plot build suspense in determining who may have been responsible. Consider this a great Outback noire! Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

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A preteen girl in a dusty, middle of nowhere town in rural Australia goes missing. Two detectives arrive in town to investigate. Many of the residents are barely getting by financially. Many are in emotionally precarious relationships. The pressure of the investigation and their own suspicions bring many unstable situations to a head.
The dry,dusty suffocating feel of small town Australia brings to mind Jane Harper’s The Dry and The Lost Man. A subplot about the lead detective’s romantic life seems a bit overused. By nature of the small town setting the pool of suspects is limited, however I found the story engrossing and recommend this novel

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Dirt Creek is an addictive atmospheric thriller perfect for those who enjoyed Jane Harper's The Dry. The story is told from multiple perspectives including a "Greek chorus" of the remaining children in the town, the missing girl’s best friend Ronnie, the missing girl's mother, the Detective Sergeant, and Lewis a boy from her school. When twelve year old Esther goes missing from a small Australian town, suspicion and grief take over. When Lewis tells Ronnie he saw Esther with a strange man at the creek, she begins to feel she can find her friend. But why isn't Lewis telling the police himself? The writing is vivid and engrossing. The setting is atmospheric. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy Jane Harper's writing.

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I stopped reading this because of the animal abuse. When will authors learn that of all things.... Leave the animal stuff out. Most people seem to agree on Goodreads. It was too slow as well.

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I’m a big fan of Jane Harper, so when I read that Hayley Scrivenor’s book "Dirt Creek "was available from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in return for my honest review, I was looking forward to it – a LOT. For some reason, it was originally published in Australia as "Dirt Town," but is renamed as Dirt Creek. Whatever, it’s quite reminiscent of Harper’s book, and also has a fine mystery story told rom multiple points of view. (one of them is sort of a “Greek chorus” representing the town’s children, which isn’t as strange as it might sound.
A twelve-year-old girl named Esther disappears on the way home from school in a small town in rural Australia, and before long the whole town is filled with grief and suspicion. Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels arrives in town during the hottest spring in decades and begins her investigation, and Esther’s best friend, Ronnie, is determined to find Esther and bring her home.
Lewis, a friend of Ronnie’s, tells her that he saw Esther with “a strange man” at the creek the afternoon she went missing, and Ronnie feels she is moving closer to finding her friend. But for some reason Lewis won’t talk to the police.
The dry and dusty atmosphere reminded me of Jane Harper’s writing about the outback, drought, etc. I sometimes am challenged by multiple POV mysteries, but this one was fine once I settled in and focused on my reading. STRONG debut. Four stars.

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Thank you @netgalley and @flatiron_books for this advance copy. This debut novel recommended for fans of Jane Harper is part whodunnit, part police procedural and part examination of small town life in Australia. I don’t want to give anything away, but there were parts of this book that just felt confusing as far as organization and placement [the We chapters & the final chapters]. I struggled to orient myself at first, but it wasn’t long before I could not put it down. Even though it focused on a subject matter I prefer not to read about, the story was so compelling I had to know what happened. Overall, an absorbing, page turning read. I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever Scrivenor writes next. Dirt Creek publishes August 2nd.

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Genre fiction is too often criticized for producing generic, cookie-cutter works that fail to stretch the boundaries of what can be accomplished via the written word. But if one has any doubt about the vitality of modern crime fiction, a simple look at recent and up-coming publications will quickly dispel that factual error. Take for example, Hayley Scrivenor’s debut novel Dirt Town – a work that both acknowledges and circumvents existing tropes, utilizes its unusual setting in fresh and authentic ways, and populates the narrative with an unforgettable cast of characters bursting with diversity, insight, and fallibility. That Hayley Scrivenor then executes all of that while employing a lush and beautiful use of language is a testament to her talent and hints that this may just be the start of a long and successful career.

Durton – aka Dirt Town – is a small town in rural Australia where the citizens are so connected and close-knit that the concept of secrets is almost impossible for them to comprehend. But when twelve-year-old Esther Bianchi goes missing, this town’s faux façade is shredded to smithereens. The truth of those “behind your back” conversations is exposed, and accusations turn from their previous whispers and veiled insinuations to outright cries for justice – most especially after Esther’s body is found.

Dirt Town is told from the perspective of five different points of view. The first four are not unlike those readers will find in most crime novels – that is, individuals who play some part in the unfolding action. In the case of Dirt Town these folks are: Veronica “Ronnie” Thompson, Esther’s best friend; Constance Bianchi, Esther’s mother; Lewis Kennard, a boy at Esther’s school; and Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels, an outsider sent in to investigate Esther’s disappearance.

It is with the fifth POV where Hayley Scrivenor presents her literary pièce de résistance. These chapters – labeled as “We” – are narrated from the collective points of view of the town’s children. Sort of like the Greek chorus of ancient theater, they do not play an active role in the book’s story, but they provide valuable insight into the effect this investigation has on the citizens of Dirt Town. They reoccur repeatedly throughout the novel, interrupting the forward momentum of the plot in order to reflect upon things from the mindset of the children on the periphery of the action. This unusual technique helps to widen the canvas of the narrative without the need to introduce a whole host of specific additional characters.

When the secrets of the town are revealed, readers will watch as a portrait of rural life blossoms before their eyes. None of the topics Hayley Scrivenor is documenting are unexpected or groundbreaking – infidelity, disability, drugs, sexuality, addiction, and abuse – but the way that she incorporates them and defies stereotypes lends a freshness to the final product that cannot be overstated.

As a first novel, Dirt Town is a shining achievement and will leave readers around the world anxious to see what Hayley Scrivenor will tackle next.

NOTE: For some unknowable marketing reason, Dirt Town will be re-titled Dirt Creek when it is published in the United States later this year.

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Dirt Creek is a well-written debut mystery set in small-town Australia about the disappearance of 12-year-old Esther during her walk home from school. Esther's plucky best friend Ronnie is determined to find her, occasionally aided by their more reluctant friend Lewis. But each of the young characters is a member of a dysfunctional family, which results in quite a few suspects and a close look at family dynamics.

Chapters focus alternately on a number of characters, with some devoted to a "Greek chorus" of young townspeople who express their feelings about growing up in this town and ultimately describe what had actually happened and why.

There didn't seem to be much happiness in any of the characters, which made it a bleak read for me. But the author succeeded in capturing the atmosphere of the setting and the growing tension among the major players.

My thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of the book.

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Jane Harper read-alike, anyone?

DIRT CREEK is just the type of slow burn mystery I love. In the oppressive heat of a rural Australian town, twelve year old Esther goes missing on her way home from school.

The story is told from multiple POVs, including Esther’s school friends as well as a collective “we”/Greek chorus of children in the town. This stylistic narrative choice made for a unique read as the mystery slowly unfolded. Readers are led down multiple paths of suspicion which kept me invested in the outcome.

This debut by Australian native Hayley Scrivenor is reminiscent of my favorite Jane Harper novels. This atmospheric mystery has such a strong sense of place; the gritty small town setting was a character in its own right.

I love the way the author explored various expressions of grief, complicated community dynamics, and the ways in which we move forward after a staggering tragedy. This book would yield a fascinating book club discussion.

Be sure to pick up DIRT CREEK when it releases this summer!

RATING: 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
PUBLICATION DATE: August 2, 2022

A big thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

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Thank you NetGalley for an early read. This story revolves around what truths and secrets come out after a child goes missing. When Esther doesn’t come home from school, Dirt Town’s layers begin to unravel. I loved some of the notes of Australia in this, that was a fun experience. The LGBTQ+ representation in two age groups I thought was well done. The story itself sometimes dragged for me, but I loved Ronnie’s storytelling best. She had me rooting for her the entire time.

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Thank you Flatiron for the review copy of this extremely well-written book.
I can't believe this is Scrivenor's first book and I look forward to reading more from her.

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When 12-year-old Esther goes missing in the small town of Durton in Australia, her best friend Veronica “Ronnie” Thompson, who was the last to see her, tries to piece together what happened. There aren’t too many suspects in the small town, but as secrets of the community members starts getting revealed, it becomes more and more difficult for the detectives on the case to connect the dots.

Hayley Scrivenor crafts together an intriguing rural noir in her debut novel, where everybody is your neighbor, but everyone also has their secrets. A clever drama full of mystery and plot twist, Scrivenor weaves in poetic prose, captivating dialogue, and an interesting plot with lovable characters. If you’re a fan of rural noir, this is the book for you. This book is surely to be a hit this year. Go out and order it immediately.

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In withering, small-town Durton, Australia, twelve-year-old Esther does not return home after school, last being seen by her best friend Veronica Thompson as the two parted ways at the end of the school day.

Missing persons Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels, and the more seasoned investigator Smithy, are brought in to investigate the complex and expanding investigation where little is known and many residents may or may not be what they first seem to be.

The story continues on focusing on different characters and their perspectives in alternating chapters, with a large amount of the attention being Esther’s best friend “Ronnie” and her tenacious nature to help discover what has happened to Esther.

Generally, out of personal preferences, I avoid novels involving serial killers and novels involving children as victims. While Dirt Creek has nothing to do with serial killers as a focal point, it is a novel about the disappearance and most probable murder of a young girl. To me, when it comes to novels with children as victims it is important how the author deals with the subject matter. In this novel, Hayley Scrivenor does so with great care and compassion without crossing the line into salaciousness or the use of unnecessarily graphic descriptions.

Hayley Scrivenor also sprinkles powerful passages throughout the novel in a way that seems fresh and not read before. For example, at one point she describes how the mother to Esther desires to physically respond to any person that has harmed her daughter and while her reaction is graphic, the wording used to describe her imagined reaction is more realistic and creative than gratuitous and exploitive.

Further, in reading more about the author and after finishing Dirt Creek, I was quite surprised to learn this is a debut novel. The writing is wonderfully expressive without growing into unnecessary wordiness or cliche. On top of this, characters in the novel, regardless of their role being minor or major, are carefully developed and allowed to breathe and flourish without being perceived as simple paper cutouts casually thrown in for color or for red herrings.

Over the past few years, I have really grown to enjoy writers out of Australia and oftentimes because of their wonderful ability to blend the natural environment of Australia into their stories along with the creation of memorable characters and Hayley Scrivenor is one more to follow.

Dirt Creek is strongly recommended for those that enjoy novels often described as “rural noir” and writing that deals with a difficult subject in a carefully handled and sincere manner.

Dirt Creek is set for an August 2022 release. Netgalley provided an advanced reader copy for the promise of a fair review.

This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com.

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This follows a young girl who goes missing in a very small town. Although it was a good book, I feel that the Detective Sergeant Michaels goes to finding other girls attractive and her ex relationship not relevant. It's like it's out of place. Then her wanting to stay and take Ronnie's mom out on dates just odd. The story line of the actual missing girl a good story.

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Hayley Scrivenor has captured the tangled webs of small town lives so well in her debut. Dirt Creek follows the town of Durton — rural, isolated, everyone-knows-everyone — in the weeks following the disappearance of young Esther Bianchi. The residents know more than they’re willing to say at first and most of them are guilty of something, but maybe not the crime you’re imagining.

Throughout the novel, a Greek chorus of children in Durton illuminates the town’s secrets, a unique take I’ve never seen in a crime novel before. A lot of weight and attention is given to the kids who live through this tragedy, especially to Esther and her friends Ronnie and Lewis. The POVs from the kids’ were my favorite part of the book. They understand more than the adults think, which is true to life.

I’ve been disappointed with other mysteries I’ve read lately, lamenting that more attention is paid to a fast-paced plot than the writing itself. That’s not the case here. Scrivenor makes you feel as if you’re in Durton, watching from the sidelines, perhaps as guilty as everyone else seems to be - after all, everyone knows something in a small town.

This book takes a little more time to work through than your average thriller, but it’s worth it. Perfect for fans of Tana French.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC!

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Great story with well developed characters. The writing was on point. Would recommend if one is looking for a slow burn domestic story of suspense.

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This book had so many twists and turns and so many genuine suspects. Figuring out who did it was both surprising and an “aha!” moment because that little seed of suspicion in the back of my mind was confirmed 😂

When twelve-year-old Ronnie and Esther part ways on their walk home from school in their tiny rural Australian hometown, Ronnie never suspects it’s the last time she’ll see her best friend. But Esther never makes it home.

As detectives arrive from out of town and tensions rise between members of the town that have known each other since they were children themselves, it becomes clear that everyone is keeping secrets.

Lewis, who also adored Esther, refuses to speak to the police about what he saw that day. Esther’s own father can’t prove his alibi. Ronnie is desperate to find her friend herself, and feels closer than ever.

But as the heat stifles the town and the detectives stumble upon a vast web of deception, it becomes clear that within this little town, it’s possible to know everything about your neighbors - and also nothing at all.

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This is an unputdownable, twist and turn, tug at your heartstrings read. It is told from different characters points of views, which is one of my favorite ways an author writes.
Set in Australia, in a rural town, a young Esther goes missing. We hear what may have happened from her best friend, other school friends and the detectives on the case. There are many secrets and co dependencies in a small town, and Dirt Creek covers them all.
I loved this book from the first few pages. The style of writing and the way the intertwined perspectives flowed together were thoroughly engaging. Make sure you give yourself a good amount of time to read because you will not want to step away from this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hayley Scrivenor and Flatiron Books for the change to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Dirt Creek by Haley Scrivenor
Rating: Starred Review

Summary: A small town in the outback of Australia is fractured when a young girl on her way home from school with her best friend goes missing. The investigation centers around a group of families interwoven and told from different character point of view.

Comments: A brilliant crime novel that goes bleak and dark with horrible consequences. It a no win crime novel told from various characters with a nifty ending told from the characters. Highly recommend for those who have read those great out Outback crime novels.

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