I have struggled with this - to my mind- overlong thriller. I found the layout of the story rather confusing, starting at the back of the narrative really. I think it would have been better to have the back story first.
There were a lot of characters involved, but the mine certainly held my interest, however the explanation of the 'flood" was. very confusing to a person not used to hydraulic engineering.
Not something to use as a light read that is for sure.

Review of The Broken River by Chris Hammer

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Chris Hammer’s books, but The Broken River didn’t quite live up to his usual standard. While his writing is always atmospheric and detailed, this one felt bogged down by too much repetition in the storyline and an overabundance of characters, making it difficult to stay fully engaged.

I also found it hard to invest in the plot surrounding Nell’s past, which should have been a compelling thread but never quite captured my interest. It’s a shame because Hammer’s books are usually a great read for me, but this one just didn’t hit the mark.

2 out of 5 stars.

In a gripping thriller that examines the secrets and schemes that lurk within a rural community in New South Wales, Hammer introduces us to a diverse cost of characters and a story where the landscape is a character in and of itself.

When the Deputy Mayor, a champion of hydro power who had planned to establish a project around the area of an abandoned gold mine long believed to be tapped out is found murdered, it is clear that there is a great deal seething under the surface in the area. After all, his poisoning does seem far from subtle as threats go...

This one is definitely worth a read!

This was my first read by Chris Hammer, I struggled to get into it and wanted to DNF BUT I’m glad I didn’t because o enjoyed it towards the end. I struggled to get my head alright the first part of the book but once I kept reading, it was good and started to make sense. I think this may have been more to do with me not being used to the style of writing.

One of the most perfect reads ever!

Detectives Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are sent to The Valley, a remote area in New South Wales to investigate the murder of Wolfgang Burnside. Little do they know that this will not be the only murder they will need to solve but some dating years before.

The detectives: Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic are surprised when they are given the case. It’s not in their normal area. Are there ulterior reasons they are being sent to The Valley? Their working relationship is fascinating and it’s obvious that they have worked together for quite some time. Ivan is particularly protective of Nell when some extraordinary information is discovered about her own connection to the Valley.

The Broken River would make the most perfect read for a book club. The storyline spans years with characters who you will welcome into your life as friends and some who you will find a bit questionable. Descriptions of the landscape of the valley making you want to pack your bags and go off to join the motley group who live there. I know that I’m going to revisit the book again and again. Seriously, one of the most outstanding reads ever.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book from NetGalley to review.

I absolutely love Chris Hammer books and was delighted to get an early copy of his newest book The Broken River. As expected, I was not disappointed and simply could not put the book down once I started! Another triumph from Hammer and eagerly look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Thirty years ago small-town police officerSimmons was seconded to The Valley, an enclave dominated by logging and the efforts to revive an old gold mine. After a catastrophic flood and several deaths, Simmons feels protective to the innocent young woman who has inherited, but others want to encroach on her. Thirty years later police officer Nell is called to The Valley as a man is found dead. Can these events be connected?
I really like Hammer's novels and this is probably the best yet. The story goes across two different periods in time, the plots running parallel to each other and this device works really well in a complex plot where identities and motives seem to change. It a very satisfying read, the characters are well-developed and the narrative is tight.

The Valley (aka The Broken River) is Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan's fourth outing together and what a cracker it is! Murder, intrigue and a juicy bit of action makes this a novel worth reading for anyone who is a fan of this skilled author. Chris Hammer is in my top five of sure things as his novels are always smart, intricately plotted and complex. Not a simple murder investigation but a deeper dive into the whys and wherefores with an Australian flair. In a cold, dark, wet British winter there is nothing better to heat things up than a new novel written by this fella.

I love the pairing of Ivan and Nell. They have found their groove as partners, now, and bring out the best in each other. Strength meets strength and it's a complement to both of them. In The Broken River (The Valley) there is an intriguing twist that makes the murder investigation of a New South Wales Valley entrepreneur particularly important to solve. An excellent story that takes us to new and interesting places. Even a hint of Martin Scarsden who, I hope, will have another book of his own soon?

If you haven't read any of the books in this series and like a good Aussie noir, start with Opal Country, for these two, or Scrublands to get the very beginning with Martin Scarsden and a gentle introduction to Ivan. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Broken River by Chris Hammer in return for my honest review.
This is the forth book in the series and with all Chris Hammers books it is well written with plenty of interesting characters, and a storyline that will captivate you from the beginning till the end. Although this is the forth book in the series it can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the others in the series you will not be disappointed.

Chris Hammer’s series featuring Lucic and Buchanan has to rank among my favourite crime series. Each book is better than the last and The Broken River proved that further. From the moment I picked this one up, I knew I would love it. Unsurprisingly, my prediction bore out.

What I enjoy most about this series is the way the mysteries are always so tightly plotted, with twists and turns you don’t see coming. The past and present narratives are woven together in such a way that you never know something before Ivan and Nell do (pet peeve of mystery novels), but you can start to make guesses — even if they then turn out to be wrong. And the mysteries are genuinely, heart-poundingly thrilling, especially as they reach their conclusions.

This is helped by the fact that every Chris Hammer character, regardless of how major a role in the plot they play, feels so real, like someone you could meet on the street in real life. You read as much for the compellingness of the characters as you do the plot.

Really, this is a series that shouldn’t be missed. If you like mysteries in any sense of the word, then you really, really, need to pick these books up.

I have enjoyed reading Chris Hammer's previous thrillers who are set mainly in the Australian Outback/Bush. 'The Broken River' is the fourth case for the Detective duo Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan and is published in Australia under the title 'The Valley'. It starts with a heist in the late 1980s then leads to a dual timeline of 1994 and 2024. There are many twists and turns in the plot that keep you guessing. Even though the book has an interesting storyline, the narration is quite complex and long winded at times and it didn't capture my attention as much as the previous books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the eARC.

Another excellent page turning thriller. A body found in a gold mine and a place holding many secrets.

This is the 4th book to have Detectives Nell Buchanon and Ivan Lucic in. This book in the UK is actually titled The Broken River. Set in Australia

The story is divided into four parts and is told through two timelines 1990/94 and 2024. The prologue tells of an event that happened in 1988.

In 2024 Buchanon and Lucic are sent to Saltwood. You get to see how the Saltwood is laid out on a map at the beginning of the book although the author does describe it well. They are there to investigate the death of Wolfgang Burnside which has happened just outside Saltwood in a place known as The Valley. Neither are sure why they have been sent there to investigate this as there are officers more than capable in the area. That is until they realise there could be some bent police officers, which means they have to be careful as to what information to share. This is a complex case and not many leads to follow, until there is, as they untangle a web of lies. Buchanon is in for a shock in this one. With lots of buried secrets, can Buchanon and Lucic get to the bottom of all of them. This is certainly not an easy case to investigate, especially when you don’t know who to believe or trust.

In 1990, Sergeant Cornell Obswyth and officer Simmons Burnside are called out from Saltwood to The Valley after some protestors trying to stop a logging company from taking trees that have been chopped down and loaded onto lorries from getting them out of the area by lying across the road and throwing paint at them. But the protestors have been attacked by some men in masks. Simmons is told to stay in the area by Obswyth, in case there is anymore trouble. Simmons had grown up in the area so knows quite a few of the local’s especially the ones around his age. Things are changing in The Valley as Francis Hardcastle is re opening the gold mine, believing there is gold still there his wife Teramina Cloverton, now Hardcastle, owns the mine, her family have lived in the area for a long time. But when bad weather hits, the mine is flooded and no one knows if Hardcastle was in it or not. Did he drown or did he run off with Teramina’s money? This sets Teramina off into a spiral of depression, and suicidal thoughts. Amber Jones finds Teramina in an emaciated way and nurses her back to health, the two get on very well. So it comes as a shock when Amber learns that Teramina is dead, suicide. She has left all that she still owns to Amber, which means the mine and a house known as Watershine.

Will the two timelines link together in any way? This is a complex story with a lot of twists and turns in both timelines. With many characters to remember from each timeline. The pace is fairly slow but there is always something happening, that makes you think, i was trying to work out how the timelines would link together if they did at all but this becomes very cleverly woven. Overall an engaging, engrossing read that will keep you guessing. I couldn’t put it down as i needed to know the answers to so many questions.

Thank you to #netgalley and the publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I am a fan of Chris Hammer so I really wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately I found it too hard going. I’m well aware of the authors writing style and usually enjoy it but this one seemed almost like he was wallowing in language and it removed any tension. The characters are well drawn and interesting to a point but overall not a huge success for me.

This book is the 4th book featuring Iron Lucic and Nell Buchanan so, as always, I will recommend you start from book one and play catch-up if you haven't already read them..
This time things get real personal for Nell when it is discovered that their latest victim - a well known entrepreneur - is found to be a close relative. is she finally about to discover who her biological father is?
Wierdly though, although this connection should force Nell to recuse herself from the investigation, this is not enforced. In fact, it appears that she is actually being actively encouraged to continue. So she does, watched closely by Lucic.
If you have read the previous books you'll know what you are getting into. A tight, albeit rather convoluted plot, ably executed with aplomb. Cracking, eclectic, well described characters all playing their parts well, be it major, minor, series or episode. And apart from the wonderful descriptions of the settings which actually start to feel like characters themselves, there is absolutely no waffle or padding to distract so the whole thing gets on with itself very well indeed.
Ok so there is quite a lot going on in this book. As already mentioned, it's all a
little convoluted and interconnected and, as such, there's quite a bit to hold onto, a few threads which meander around and about until, eventually, all coming together culminating in a wholly satisfying conclusion. It also provides a few cracking lightbulb moments along the way.
we also flit about in time. Quite how the past connects to the present will all become apparent as the novel progresses.
All in all, a cracking addition to an already impressive series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

An earlier review calls The Broken River an epic saga of a book and I totally agree; all of Chris Hammer’s books are to be fair and this one does not disappoint. Told through several POVs and timelines, it’s a book that needs concentration but it’s well worth the effort as it’s a truly fabulous story, extremely well told.

I believe this is a continuation of a series with Detectives Lucic and Buchanan and although I have read previous Chris Hammer novels, I haven’t read any in this series and I’m off to check them out immediately!

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for an eARC of The Broken River.

An Australian police procedural, well written,. A body has been found in a small community in the outback who and why?
I found myself immersed in the story spanning decades with a few red herrings. A twisty read with plenty of suspects.

I wouldn’t normally start with the fourth book in a series but this caught my attention and as I have read other Chris Hammer books I couldn’t resist. There are two timelines and a lot of characters so it does require some concentration to keep track of them. I liked Ivan and Nell and thought they worked well together. It took me quite a while to settle into this story but it was worth the wait as I then found myself quite engrossed. Chris Hammer does such a great job of portraying small-town Australia and of bringing his characters to life that I feel like I’ve watched all this take place. This worked fine as a standalone but I now want to read the rest of the series in order. Highly recommended

A brilliant complex multi-layered read.
Told over two timelines the excellent descriptive plot delivers twist after twist unravelling like an onion.

Detectives Lucic & Buchanan are assigned to a murder in The Valley. A local man, Wolfgang Burnside, has been found dead in the local river. The case quickly becomes very personal to Nell when a connection is found to her mother Amber.

The story is told through several POVs and timelines in the 80s, 90s and present day and covers murders, a gold heist, environmentalism and police corruption.

I haven't read any of the previous books in this series but I will certainly be seeking them out now. This was a cracking read from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley, Headline/Wildfire and Chris Hammer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.