Book Review: The Valley by Chris Hammer
After having a craving for some crime fiction recently, I came across The Valley by Chris Hammer. The fourth book in his recent popular Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan series. At the time of writing this review, I can say it was truly a heart-pounding and thrilling read, one I can easily say is 4 out of 5 stars or 8.5 out of 10.
The book follows detective Ivan Lucic and journalist Nell Buchanan as they investigate the murder of a controversial entrepreneur in a remote fictional mountain valley in New South Wales, but quickly conclude that this is no ordinary case. Both Ivan and Nell must soon confront conmen, cowboy lawyers, bullion thieves and grave robbers. One of the most significant revelations occurs early in the case when they discover that the victim, Wolfgang Burnside, is a close blood relative of Nell’s on her mysterious father’s side of the family, and that the past soon begins to take on a looming significance. A good chunk of the book also follows the dual perspective of Simmons Burnside, a young cop, stationed in the fictional town of Saltwood as a liaison between different factions while it’s trying to restart a gold mine that would save the town after it has lost its timber industry in the early to mid-1990s.
Despite taking an extended break from crime fiction works by authors like James Patterson and John Grisham for a few years now, when I decided to write a review for one, I wanted something more local. The Valley’s immersive setting and atmosphere are as local as it gets with Hammer’s description of a small, isolated frontier town in the middle of bush country, New South Wales. Hammer’s exploration of the challenging yet beautiful landscape and the characters responses to it, helped absorb me into the narrative further. The novel’s complex and engaging mystery kept me in suspense, weaving across different timelines and perspectives. I was constantly trying to decipher hidden breadcrumbs, wondering what was a genuine clue and what was a clever distraction that Hammer left for readers.
I can honestly say I was not expecting those final twist reveals. The final factor that made me enjoy Hammer’s work is the most important one for a crime fiction book as it ties it all together, his characters. Compared to previous novels in this series, The Valley is primarily focused on Nell. It’s interesting how their partnership dynamic unfolds during this case told from a sole present-day perspective. Everything from how they investigate leads, analyse evidence, and interact with both each other and the rest of the cast of characters around them, especially after the reveal of the victim being related to her. The rest of the cast of characters helped further engross me into the narrative’s plot.
Despite all the good things about the book, the couple issues I have with it doesn’t knock it’s score back for me personally, merely just some points I would like to adjust. The book’s pacing tends to be a bit fast in some important scenes, which doesn’t let them breathe, while the murder investigation drags.
Additionally, the names of certain characters in the book, for people living in a semi-isolated frontier town, that they possess names like Hannibal Earl, Cornell Obswith, Teramina Cloverton, Willard Halliday, Fred Wallington, and of course Nell’s own uncle, Wolfgang Burnside. Aside from a new minor nitpicks, The Valley was great, and has made me eager to revisit the previous titles in his series, while hoping he continues into the future.
The Valley by Chris Hammer was published by Allen and Unwin in Australia on the 1 October 2024. You can purchase it on the publisher's website and other online retailers here.
Mustafa Massoud
Acquisitions Associate