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Legacy

Brief Description
MARTIN SCARSDEN IS ON THE RUN. WILL THE DESERT SAVE HIM - OR BURY HIM? The sound hits them, a shock wave ... glass smashing ... Somewhere a woman screams. A second explosion, and Martin looks towards the hall, what's left of it, flames roaring and... Read More
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Martin Scarsden flees an assassination attempt but lands in even more trouble with a deadly family feud leaving him at death's door in Chris Hammer's next blockbuster crime novel.

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MARTIN SCARSDEN IS ON THE RUN. WILL THE DESERT SAVE HIM - OR BURY HIM?

The sound hits them, a shock wave ... glass smashing ... Somewhere a woman screams. A second explosion, and Martin looks towards the hall, what's left of it, flames roaring and smoke pouring skywards.

Someone is targeting Martin Scarsden. They bomb his book launch and shoot up his hometown.

Fleeing for his life, he learns that nowhere is safe, not even the outback. The killers are closing in and it's all he can do to survive.

But who wants to kill him and why? Can he discover their deadly motives and turn the tables?

In a dramatic finale, he finds his fate linked to the disgraced ex-wife of a football icon, a fugitive wanted for a decades-old murder, and two nineteenth-century explorers from a legendary expedition.

Martin Scarsden's most perilous, challenging, and intriguing assignment yet.

Praise for Chris Hammer:

'Hammer has confirmed and underlined his reputation as numbering among the very best novelists in detective fiction.' Sydney Morning Herald

'Complex and nuanced, this intelligent thriller shows why former political journalist Chris Hammer has become one of Australia's best-loved authors.' Caroline Overington, The Australian on The Valley

'Chris Hammer at the height of his powers ... absolutely not to be missed!' Hayley Scrivenor, author of Dirt Town on The Tilt

'A darkly simmering mystery, gorgeously told ... Utterly brilliant.' Dervla McTiernan, author of The Ruin and What Happened to Nina?

'It would be unfair to say Chris Hammer is at the top of the crime writing game. Chris Hammer IS the game. Full Tilt may be a better title, given the speed with which readers will devour Chris Hammer's exceptional novel.' Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone On This Train is a Suspect

'Like everything Chris Hammer writes, The Tilt is a rich, complex thriller, packed with detail and intrigue. There's a reason why this guy is on my auto-read list!' Christian White, author of The Nowhere Child

'Chris Hammer is a great writer ... a leader in Australian noir.' Michael Connelly

'If you haven't read Hammer before, this is the perfect time to experience one of the best writers Australia has to offer. Rife with intrigue, murder, and small-town secrets, Treasure and Dirt is a spectacular thriller that delivers some unforgettable characters with twists and turns you won't see coming. Hammer has raised the bar for Australian crime, and this is a must-read.' Better Reading

'Chris Hammer has excelled himself with Trust ... a thriller strong on character development, social insights, ethical issues and dramatic action.' Weekend Australian

'The best Australian crime novel since Peter Temple's The Broken Shore.' The Times on Silver

'Shimmers with heat from the sun and from the passions that drive a tortured tale of blood and loss.' Val McDermid on Scrublands

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761471025

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 September 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 528g

Pages: 496

About the Author

Chris Hammer is a leading Australian author of crime fiction. His first novel, Scrublands, was an instant bestseller when it was published in mid-2018. It won the prestigious UK Crime Writers Association John Creasey Award for a debut crime novel in 2019 and was shortlisted for various awards in Australia and the United States. Scrublands and subsequent books have been sold into translation in multiple languages, and made into a hit television series. His follow-up books-Silver (2019), Trust (2020), Treasure & Dirt (2021), The Tilt (2022), The Seven (2023) and The Valley (2024)-are also bestsellers, and all have been shortlisted for major literary prizes. Legacy is Chris's eighth book.

Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. He reported from more than thirty countries on six continents with SBS TV, while in Canberra his roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and online political editor for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Chris has also written two non-fiction books, The River (2010; 2025) and The Coast (2012). He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University.

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