The Seven

Chris Hammer has the alchemist's touch when it comes to iterating on classic genre elements and producing mysteries of truly extraordinary quality. He wields all of the weapons in a crime writer's armoury with aplomb, and has the rhythms of the whodunit down pat—the reveals, the cliff-hangers, the twists and turns. His typically rural settings feel distinctly Australian, but never strays close to pastiche. And every time I think he's writing at the top of his game, he reaches a new level. Case in point—The Seven, which is hands-down his best book, but probably only until his next one. This isn't a guy reinventing the wheel every time, but continually honing his craft, and as a reader that's exactly what you want.

The Seven is a tense and densely plotted mystery that sees the return of homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan, who are dispatched to Yuwonderie to investigate a body floating in the two-kilometre long irrigation canal. They are very quickly drawn into an intricate web of lies and deception as they unearth long-buried secrets connected to the town's seven founding families who rule Yuwonderie as a fiefdom. The narrative pinwheels between the present day, 1993, and 1913; each thread is entwined, but Hammer masterfully keeps us from seeing how everything is truly connected until his denouement.

Complex characters with credible and complex relationships underpin this mystery, which is labyrinthine without ever feeling convoluted or cluttered. It's beautifully intricate and utterly compelling. Long-time fans will be delighted; new readers should rejoice, because if this is your launchpad into Hammer's brilliant crime novels, you're reading one of Australia's best writers hitting it out of the park.

Another genuine page turner from one of Australia’s best story tellers,

The Seven is a book you won’t want to put down. Crime writing at its finest, with a plot that could easily be non-fiction.

Set in Southern NSW, we have an irrigation scheme similar to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. The Seven refers to the wealthy families who initiated the scheme to kickstart the region around 100 years earlier. Our story starts with a water skier finding a body in the river, near one of the Seven’s properties.

The story unfolds through three different time periods, well crafted and all comes together with Hammer’s usual class and polish.

Once again Chris Hammer has written an excellent and thrilling read, one I just couldn't put down. It is a very long book but due to the quality of writing and the fact it just flows and draws you in with its mystery, drama, issues and thrills.

This is a book full on tension and emotion, characters that are complex and compelling and a story and plot that keeps you enthralled from start to finish. About wealthy families, power and control, and covers three periods of time. Even though it is a long book it is not drawn out making it a book that may take you a while to read but you won't even notice that as you will be too immersed in the story.

Highly recommend and loved reading this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Chris Hammer once again demonstrates his mastery of the Aussie Noir genre in his new book, The Seven. With a plot so plausible it could be ripped from the headlines, Hammer takes readers on a captivating multi-generational journey alongside detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan.

Set in the backdrop of fictional Yuwonderie's influential founding families, the story kicks off when one of their own is discovered dead in unsettling circumstances. As Ivan and Nell delve into the investigation, Hammer skillfully weaves a web of connections to a friend's execution decades ago and a forgotten tale from the brink of the Great War. The shroud of secrecy surrounding The Seven deepens the intrigue, and with the killer still at large, the stakes escalate.

Despite this being the third outing with Ivan and Nell, Hammer's storytelling remains fresh and vibrant. His portrayal of the hidden underbelly of Australian communities injects authenticity into the narrative. The book's structure, alternating between three distinct timelines spanning 1913, 1993, and the present, kept me guessing and engaged, culminating in a satisfying reveal.

Hammer's talent for crafting authentic characters shines through once more, and the unexpected appearance of a character from another series added a delightful layer of interconnectedness for me. If you're a fan of Chris Hammer's work or simply have a penchant for Aussie crime fiction, The Seven is a must-read.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions shared here are entirely my own.

What a cracker! This one has everything a good Australian crime should have - stellar characters telling a story among triple timelines and perspectives. It's excellently written and delivers enough twists and turns to keep the pace before winding it all up at the end.

I've not read anything by Chris Hammer before and this is the third book featuring this detective, but it was great and if you loved The Dry you'd love this.

Yuwonderie is a town with seven founding families - they've been there over a hundred years, wielding all the power and decisions for the region. So when Athol Hasluck, one of their own, is discovered dead in the town's canal, who is to blame and what events led to his body being there?

"The Seven" by Chris Hammer is an exhilarating read that I absolutely loved. It maintains a fast-paced and highly entertaining narrative, similar in format to his previous work, "The Tilt." One of the book's strengths lies in its skillful narrative movement between the past and present, unraveling long-held mysteries in a country town. Once again, Hammer delves into the pressing issues of drought and water scarcity in Australia, demonstrating how these challenges can profoundly shape society. What made "The Seven" even more captivating for me was the central focus on Detective Sargent Ivan Lucic, a character whose story I found engrossing. The unexpected ending left me pleasantly surprised, making me appreciate this book even more than "The Seven." I can't wait for its official release, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to read it.

Chris Hammer has written an Australian epic novel with a compelling mystery at its core. The Seven is magnificent.