The Dry is a brisk-moving dark mystery set in the Outback of Australia.    Aaron Falk is a federal agent who returns to his home town for a funeral, but then is asked to help out in the investigation into why his friend allegedly killed his family.  In the small town, there are old memories and unsolved crimes that may be connected to the current deaths, but also to his own part in events from his childhood.    Hidden secrets, resentments, and unclear motivations need to be checked.    Even though this is a procedural mystery, it is a moody piece set in a community broken by drought and fear, a story of long-held secrets and unresolved closure.

“He turned away, remembering how the rawness of local life had seeped into the kids’ paintings at the school. Sad faces and brown landscapes.”

The book was a quick and accessible read, one that has had a lot of success.   I enjoyed the storytelling and the tightly-woven plot elements, but more attention to develop the characters more fully would have made this into an even better story.

My rating – 4.4 out of 5.0 stars4.4

An audiobook excerpt: