Dry (Harper) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
“The Dry” is a breathless page-turner.... In addition to its constant recovery of forgotten facts and little clues, The Dry skips along on frequent changes of focus. Ms. Harper’s energy is so unrestrainable that she tears off in a new direction every time Falk or Raco begins seeing the case from some previously unconsidered point of view. What if the reinterpretation of a single word changes everything? (This actually happens. And if you enjoy being hoodwinked by writers in this way, you’ll love Ms. Harper’s sleight of hand.)
Janet Maslin - New York Times


Every now and then an Australian crime novel comes along to stop your breath and haunt your dreams…There is about The Dry something mythic and valiant. This a story about heroism, the sins of the past, and the struggle to atone.
Sydney Morning Herald


A razor-sharp crime yarn dripping in the sights, sounds and smells of the Australian bush…The storytelling is accomplished, with a bald sparseness to the writing that draws you in and characterization that rings resoundingly true…as the action twists and turns, the pace build[s] to a fantastic finale that will leave you breathless.
Australian Women’s Weekly


A tightly plotted page-turner that kept me reading well into the night…Harper shines a light on the highs and lows of rural life – the loyalty born of collective endurance in adversity, as well as the loneliness and isolation, and the havoc wrought by small-town gossip. She also explores the nature of guilt and regret, and the impact of the past on the present. In this cracker of a book Harper maintains the suspense, with the momentum picking up as it draws to its nerve-wracking conclusion.
Australian Financial Review


The Dry is a page-turner written with a maturity of style rarely seen in a first-time novelist and it’s here the writer excels. Harper’s exploration of the pressures of a small town where people are not able to escape the past is thoughtful and mature. Her plot twists and layering are intricate and subtle and keep you guessing to the end while the townspeople grow on you despite their dirty secrets. Harper’s well-executed final scenes are both filmic and tense, and sure to spark a few did-you-guess-it discussions.
West Australian


(Starred review.) [A] devastating debut.... From the ominous opening paragraphs, all the more chilling for their matter-of-factness, Harper, a journalist...spins a suspenseful tale of sound and fury as riveting as it is horrific.
Publishers Weekly


[A]n Australian best seller, but despite the critical acclaim it has received, this work fails on many fronts as a mystery: slow, tedious pacing; poor character development; lack of suspense or surprise (readers can spot the culprit and plot twist a mile away).... Because of the advance hype, crime fiction fans will want this. —Wilda Williams
Library Journal


(Starred review.) A stunner…It’s a small-town, big-secrets page-turner with a shocker of an ending…Recommend this one to fans of James Lee Burke and Robert Crais, who mix elements of “bromance” into their hard-boiled tales.
Booklist


(Starred review.) A mystery that starts with a sad homecoming quickly turns into a nail-biting thriller about family, friends, and forensic accounting.... A chilling story set under a blistering sun, this fine debut will keep readers on edge and awake long past bedtime.
Kirkus Reviews