Review: The Dry

The Dry by Jane Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A brilliantly written Australian crime novel, The Dry will keep you guessing the entire way through.

We're immediately transported to the titular Dry, a drought-stricken country town called Kiewarra, where everyone is reeling from what appears on the surface to be a double murder-suicide. As always, however, things are not as they seem, and the alleged murderer's childhood friend, Falk, lingers in town after the funeral to determine what really happened.

The drought is severe, and Harper never lets you forget it. The setting is well sketched, particular for those who can relate to visiting a town such as this. We're given a clear picture coloured in browns and yellows, with air conditioners cranked, scorching winds and persistent sweating, all surrounded by the iconic swarms of flies. It's a familiar image to anyone who's experienced a trying Australian summer, intensified by the harsh reality of a town at the mercy of the weather. The heat is a driving force behind tempers and action, and adds an element of horror that works particularly well due to its inability to be affected. The drought seeps into every page, kicking up images of red dust and dried grass, bringing to life an unseen character in The Dry.

I'm often frustrated by Australian fiction because of the stereotypes but this novel cleverly crafts a typical outback town inhabited by likely characters who react just as you'd expect them to, with wildcards and twists thrown in the mix to make it a riveting story. There's plenty of Australian slang, but it's never over-used or cringe-worthy—it's the typical language of the country Australian. Every character detail is believable, and easy to imagine: they are stereotypes for a reason. Falk is fantastic as the city slicker jaded by his former country bumpkin lifestyle. Raco makes a superb partner as an idealist not afraid to get his hands dirty or ruffle a few feathers. The rest of the cast are unique, but familiar, making them easy to picture and so become involved in their lives. Harper transports the reader to this ruptured country town and demands you face all of its problems. It’s confronting, and that is one of the greatest strengths of the novel.

Falk’s initial reluctance to stay in town slowly descending further into unravelling the mystery very much mirrors the reader’s curiosity, as dropped clues lead to more questions instead of answers. On one hand, there’s the deaths of the Hadler family, but on the other is the twenty-year-old mystery of the death of Ellie Deacon—another childhood friend of Falk. The slow release of revelations keeps you hooked on both mysteries, and will keep you questioning what you think you know. Ultimately, this book is hard to predict which makes it a rather enthralling read.

I don’t often read crime novels set in Australia so this was an unexpectedly delightful novel. I appreciated all the Aussie nuances, but also that, aside from the obvious drought, it didn’t go out of its way to remind us it was Australian. The story came easily, flowed smoothly and kept the interest piqued.

Brilliant writing from Jane Harper; I’ll be on the lookout for more of her work!

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