Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer (born 1960)[1] is an Australian journalist and writer of crime fiction. He is known for his best-selling Martin Scarsden series of novels.

Career

Hammer has a 30-year career as a journalist and has worked for The Bulletin, Fairfax and on the SBS TV program Dateline.[2][3] In 2011 he published a non-fiction book entitled The River.[4]

He wrote the Martin Scarsden series of novels, that have been bestsellers in several countries, starting with Scrublands in 2018.[2] When writing his crime novels he allows the story to develop, rather than plotting it out in advance.[5]

On 20 November 2025, it was announced at the ABC upfronts that Hammer's novel Treasure & Dirt had been optioned and turned into a television series which gone into production on location in Coober Pedy in South Australia.[6]

Recognition and awards

Hammer won the ACT Book of the Year in 2011 for his non-fiction book The River.[4]

His first novel, Scrublands, won the John Creasey Award at the UK Crime Writers' Association's Dagger Awards in 2019.[7] The Tilt won the 2023 Danger Award for best crime fiction.[8] The Seven was shortlisted for the 2024 Fiction Indie Book Award.[9]

Selected works

Martin Scarsden series

  • Scrublands (2018)
  • Silver (2019)
  • Trust (2020)
  • Legacy (2025)

Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan series

  • Treasure and Dirt (2021) (also published as Opal Country (UK))
  • The Tilt (2022) (also published as Dead Man's Creek (UK))
  • The Seven (2023) (also published as Cover The Bones (UK))
  • The Valley (2024) (also published as The Broken River (UK))

Non-fiction

  • The River (2010)
  • The Coast (2012)

References

  1. ^ "Hammer, Chris, 1960-". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Chris Hammer: 'I am a serial killer. I kill my darlings left, right and centre'". the Guardian. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Chris Hammer". Curtis Brown. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Gammage wins 2012 ACT Book of the Year Award". Books+Publishing. 7 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Chris Hammer: From the bush to the city for Trust". HerCanberra. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  6. ^ Knox, David (20 November 2025). "Treasure & Dirt now filming for ABC Drama | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Hammer wins UK Dagger award for 'Scrublands'". Books+Publishing. 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Danger Awards 2023 winners announced". Books+Publishing. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Indie Book Awards 2024 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hammer