Chris Hammer Bio

Chris Hammer has emerged as a leading Australian crime fiction writer, with his first book Scrublands, an instant bestseller upon release, where it topped the Australian fiction charts. The novel sat on the bestseller lists for months, with Scrublands and subsequent books selling over 500,000 copies within five years in Australia and New Zealand alone. Scrublands was so popular, it spawned a television adaptation just five years after its release. 

As a novelist, Chris is renowned for immersing readers in Australian settings, bringing to life colourful characters, intricate narratives, and a depth of emotion woven through vivid prose.

From Tasmania to Foreign Correspondent 

Chris Hammer was born in Longford, Tasmania and spent the early years of his career as a television, print and online journalist. For more than 30 years he divided his career between federal politics and a foreign correspondent, reporting from more than 30 countries on six continents. This included time in Canberra as chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and Online Political Editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. 

Hammer is a Charles Sturt University alumni, where he gained his bachelor’s degree in Journalism. He also graduated from the Australian National University with a master’s degree in International Relations. 

The River and The Coast

Before moving into fiction writing, Chris Hammer produced two non-fiction books – The River and The Coast. The River is a journey through the Murray-Darling, bringing to life the people and the stories of the Murray-Darling, and not what was written in news articles and statistics. 

The Coast follows in a similar vein, following the east coast of Australia, showcasing its beauty and those that live along it. The book covers from the Torres Strait to Tasmania, and is a lovely look at the character, history, heritage and future of the east. 

Although these books were well received, with The River being named ACT Book of the Year and shortlisted for the Walkley Book Award, neither gained commercial success. 

Troubled Journalist Martin Scarsden

The central character in the Scrubland series is troubled journalist Martin Scarsden, who has been sent to Riversend a year after a mass shooting to write a human interest piece about how the town is, or is not, recovering. With his journalistic instincts, he starts digging into the crime, discovering the official report may not exactly be what happened. 

Mandalay Blonde (Mandy) is the femme fatale, many years younger than Scarsden, but at the centre of events, not just for Scrublands but for the series. 

Homicide Detectives Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan

Ivan Lucic is a seasoned homicide detective, Nell Buchanan an inexperienced young investigator. Lucic was first introduced to readers in Trust and is known for his sharp suits and sharper mind. Buchanan breathes the bush and has an intimate understanding of its people and the rhythm of country towns.

Set in locations that feel entirely authentic, the Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan series tell stories from the police point of view, rather than the journalistic.  

Scrublands adapted for television

In early 2023, production of Scrublands was announced, with the series filmed in Victoria. It was released on Stan in late 2023 with BBC acquiring the rights to air the series in the UK, and AMC acquiring the USA rights in 2024. 

In early 2024 it was announced a second series, based on Silver, would be filmed, this time with the main filming in Western Australia and other filming locations across the country.

The Ivan Lucic & Nell Buchanan series have been optioned for a future adaptation by producers. 

Awards

Chris Hammer has won several awards across many of his books, including:

The River

ACT Book of the Year – Winner

Walkley Book Award – Shortlisted

Manning Clark House Awards – Shortlisted

Scrublands

CWA New Blood Dagger (UK) – Winner

The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year 2019 (UK)

Barry Award (USA) – Shortlisted

Strand Magazine Awards (USA) – Shortlisted

ABIA Awards – Shortlisted

Indie Awards – Shortlisted

NSW Premier’s Award – Shortlisted

New Kelly Awards – Longlisted 

Silver

ABIA Awards – Shortlisted

Booksellers’ Choice Awards – Shortlisted

Indie Awards – Longlisted

CWA Gold Dagger (UK) – Shortlisted

Treasure & Dirt (Opal Country)

Indie Awards – Shortlisted

ABIA Awards – Longlisted

The Tilt (Dean Man’s Creek)

The Danger Prize – WInner

ACT Notable Awards – Winner

The London Time Crime Book of the Year 2023 (UK)

ABIA Awards – Shortlisted

ACWA Ned Kelly Awards – Shortlisted

Indie Awards – Longlisted

CWA Gold Dagger (UK) – Longlisted

The Seven (Cover the Bones) 

ACT Book of the Year – Winner

Indie Awards – Shortlisted

ACWA Ned Kelly Awards – Shortlisted

BookPeople Awards – Longlisted 

The Valley (The Broken River)

ABIA Awards – Shortlisted

BookPeople Awards – Shortlisted

Indie Awards – Longlisted

Legacy

Indie Awards – Longlisted