“NO ONE IS EVER INNOCENT IN PARADISE.
A small town.
A closely guarded secret, stretching back decades.
And blood in the water.

A body has washed up in an irrigation canal, the artery running through Yuwonderie, a man-made paradise on the border of the Outback. Stabbed through the heart, electrocuted and dumped under cover of night, there is no doubt that detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are dealing with a vicious homicide.

The victim is Athol Hasluck, member of one of the seven dynasties who have controlled every slice of bountiful land in this modern-day Eden for generations.

But this is not an isolated incident. Someone is targeting the landed aristocracy of this quiet paradise in the desert. Secrets stretching back decades are rising to the surface at last – but the question remains, who stands to gain most from their demise?

Can Ivan and Nell track down a killer before the guilt at the heart of these seven families takes the entire town down with it?”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Cover the Bones by Chris Hammer. Cover the Bones was published by Wildfire Books yesterday (that’s Thursday 4th January 2024) and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow in the Summer. I chose to read a free eARC of Cover the Bones but that has in no way influenced my review.

If you’re a regular visitor to damppebbles then you are hopefully aware of my love of Australian crime fiction. I always make a very determined, no-one-can-stop-me beeline for thrillers and police procedurals set Down Under. Over the years I’ve been building a list of ‘must-read’ Aussie authors and Chris Hammer – author of the Martin Scarsden novels and the more recent DS Lucic and DC Buchanan novels – is top of that list. Cover the Bones is the third book in the DS Lucic and DC Buchanan series (preceded by the brilliant Opal Country and Dead Man’s Creek). And what a stellar addition to a brilliant series it is. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series but this latest instalment is my favourite.

Cover the Bones is an intricately plotted, thoroughly absorbing mystery which draws the reader into the story and keeps a very tight hold. The setting is as much a part of the story as the characters are, and what a fascinating cast the author has delivered. The Seven. A group of wealthy, powerful families credited with the creation of paradise — also known as Yuwonderie. A picture-perfect town where the water flows in abundance but only for the right price. When the body of a local accountant, and a member of The Seven, is found floating in a canal having been stabbed and electrocuted, DS Ivan Lucic and DC Nell Buchanan are called to investigate. But small towns like to keep their secrets buried so Lucic and Buchanan struggle to find a lead. With The Seven peering over their shoulders, with the Head of Homicide breathing down their necks, and with Professional Standards keeping an ever watchful eye, the pressure is really on…

Cover the Bones is told from three perspectives and timelines, giving the reader a look into the distant past, the not too distant past and the present. DS Ivan Lucic is our guide for the ‘present’ chapters. It was good to spend time with the character again as he only played a small part in the last book (which focused more on DC Buchanan and her family). The ‘not too distant past’ takes us back to the early 90s, 1993 to be exact when a member of The Seven, Davis Heartwood, returns from university with a proposition for the head of his family, his grandfather Clemence. Rather than stepping into his grandfather’s shoes and taking on the role of Head of the Family, Davis wants to return to university and study for an honours degree in history. In the ‘distant past’ the reader is transported to 1913 thanks to the letters of Miss Bessie Walker. Bessie, is a young woman who has been employed by the Titchfield family, one of the seven families who will eventually form the Yuwonderie Irrigation Scheme. The reader learns how Bessie’s life changes, how friendships blossom, and despite difficult circumstances, how love grows, only for the war to turn her life and her dreams upside down. These three points of view all give a detailed level of insight into the characters who are telling their stories. I wondered at times what the connection was. What was the link I was missing? I thoroughly enjoyed how well the author builds upon each storyline, bringing the threads together in such a way that the ending is really quite surprising. Marvellous stuff!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Cover the Bones is a superb addition to an outstanding crime series. The mystery aspect was strong throughout the novel and I particularly relished one twist. If you’ve read any of the author’s books before, you’ll know that a) there is always something to learn in a Chris Hammer novel and b) they’re not short books. I think the hardcover version of Cover the Bones is just over 500 pages. But the book is so rich in detail and full of interesting information. There are a lot of characters in this latest instalment so concentration is required. If you’re willing to invest though, I can absolutely guarantee it will be worth it. I think you could read Cover the Bones as a standalone but why bother when you can immerse yourself in Lucic and Buchanan’s story from the very start. Definitely a series for fans of well-written, intricately plotted, intelligent crime fiction. All in all, a compelling crime novel, rich in detail, featuring characters I’ve become fond of, in a setting that was both vivid and a character in its own right. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Cover the Bones. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Cover the Bones by Chris Hammer was published in the UK by Wildfire Books on 4th January 2024 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Chris Hammer was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. For many years he was a roving foreign correspondent for SBS TV’s flagship current affairs program Dateline. He has reported from more than 30 countries on six continents. In Canberra, roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, current affairs correspondent for SBS TV and a senior political journalist for The Age.

His first book, The River, published in 2010 to critical acclaim, was the recipient of the ACT Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award and the Manning Clark House National Cultural Award.

Chris has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master’s degree in international relations from the Australian National University. He lives in Canberra with his wife, Dr Tomoko Akami. The couple have two children.