SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
The story of a missing girl in an Australian town is told through several perspectives. Sophie Loughran adeptly voices the characters, both children and adults. Loughran’s Aussie accents create a sense of place without distracting listeners. She’s especially strong at handling children’s voices, in particular the convincingly childlike thoughts of a girl who doesn’t understand that her best friend may be in grave danger. She also draws listeners into the inner conflict of a teen who fears that the information he has about the disappearance could reveal his awakening gay sexuality. When narrating adult voices, Loughran captures the back-and-forth rhythm of questions and answers, and is convincing when delivering bursts of anger. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
“A novel of sharp-edged tempers, accidents waiting to happen and dark inheritances…politically savvy, cleverly plotted.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Thrilling and atmospheric … Hayley Scrivenor’s debut novel is a vivid, slow burn that unravels the baffling disappearance of 12-year-old Esther.”
—Seattle Times
“A heart-wrenching mystery, Hayley Scrivenor’s remarkable sense of place brings Dirt Creek to life. A stellar debut.”
—Jane Harper, internationally bestselling author of The Survivors
“Scrivenor’s stunning debut blends a taut psychological thriller with a suspenseful police procedural…Fans of Liane Moriarty and Jane Harper won’t want to miss this page-turner.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“With…a wealth of meticulously drawn and nuanced characters, and inventive prose, Dirt Creek holds the reader spellbound.”
—The Free Lance-Star
“The best first novel I’ve read in years. It is a beautifully written character study of small town Australia and what happens to it as the town is torn apart by a vanished child…This powerful novel…is one that will stay with the reader long after the covers on the book are closed.”
—Deadly Pleasures
“The book brims over with head-spinning and mind-bending surprises. It will draw the inevitable comparisons to Jane Harper’s The Dry, but it proceeds boldly under its own unique power. A brilliantly crafted debut.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Broadchurch, but in a scorched, dying town in rural Australia. Immersive, sweeping, and superb.”
—Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of 56 Days
“Dirt Creek is a remarkable debut, Hayley Scrivenor masterful in her deft handling of the tensions underpinning a small, regional town, and the complex characters that populate it. You will not be able to put it down.”
—Hannah Kent, internationally bestselling author of Burial Rights
“Beautifully written, compassionate, with an entirely credible but heart-breaking ending. A stunning debut.”
—Ann Cleeves, internationally bestselling author of the Vera Stanhope and Detective Matthew Venn novels
“Best crime debut in ages, Hayley Scrivenor is a major new talent. Page-turning, heart-breaking, gut-wrenching stuff. I can’t remember when I enjoyed a book so much.”
—Erin Kelly, internationally bestselling author of He Said/She Said
“I loved this. What wonderful writing. Scarily good! . . . Masterful. Australian crime has a new star. The characters of Dirt Creek are rich, raw and beautifully realized. One of the crime books of the year. Intelligent, nuanced and compassionate.”
—Chris Hammer, internationally bestselling author of Scrublands
“Dirt Creek gets under your skin. A gripping mystery told in authentic and innovative fashion, Dirt Creek will keep you engrossed. Hayley Scrivenor is an exciting new voice and an author to watch.”
—Adam Hamdy, bestselling author of Black 13
“Raw and intimate, Hayley Scrivenor unpacks small town life and its tragedies with heart and prowess.”
—Anna Bailey, author of Where the Truth Lies
“I loved it. Brilliantly written, evocative, and touching.”
—Charlotte Levin, author of If I Can’t Have You
“Highly doubt I will read a better debut in 2022. Evocative, immersive, heart-breaking and ultimately hopeful. In a word, brilliant.”
—Sarah Hilary, winner of the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year
“I read Dirt Creek in one sitting because of Scrivenor's excellent writing, fascinating plot, and no-nonsense female Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels.”
—Buzzfeed
“This year brings something wholly unexpected: the rise of queer rural noir…Powerful.”
—Crimereads
SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
The story of a missing girl in an Australian town is told through several perspectives. Sophie Loughran adeptly voices the characters, both children and adults. Loughran’s Aussie accents create a sense of place without distracting listeners. She’s especially strong at handling children’s voices, in particular the convincingly childlike thoughts of a girl who doesn’t understand that her best friend may be in grave danger. She also draws listeners into the inner conflict of a teen who fears that the information he has about the disappearance could reveal his awakening gay sexuality. When narrating adult voices, Loughran captures the back-and-forth rhythm of questions and answers, and is convincing when delivering bursts of anger. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
