A Town Called Treachery

A Town Called Treachery by Mitch Jennings is a gripping tale that intertwines the lives of a burnt-out journalist, a neglected boy, and a small town brimming with secrets. The story begins with Stuart Dryden, a journalist who has taken a job at the local newspaper in Treachery, a quiet and seemingly unremarkable town. He’s nursing old wounds and battling a heavy drinking problem, finding solace at the local pub rather than chasing headlines.

An unexpected and brutal murder of Wendy Millburn, a beloved teacher, jolts the community. For Dryden, it is a nuisance rather than an opportunity to re-spark his career. His blasé attitude is challenged when Matty Finnerty, an eleven-year-old boy armed with a disposable Kodak camera, starts making his own investigative strides. Young Matty is grappling with his own set of problems; his mother has disappeared, his father, Robbie, is often absent, and he faces relentless bullying at school. When Robbie, an already disliked figure in town, becomes a suspect in Wendy’s murder, their lives become increasingly fraught with tension and danger.

Despite Matty’s innocence and Robbie’s flaws, the town’s animosity makes them easy targets for blame. Matty, desperate for answers and someone to believe in, turns to Dryden for help. As Dryden and Matty team up, their quest to uncover the truth about Wendy’s death pushes them to confront their own hidden fears and unresolved pasts.

The narrative explores themes of redemption and the complex human emotions involved in small-town dynamics. Through a combination of dark humour, vivid characterisation, and an unflinching look at human nature, Jennings presents a story that is both heartwarming and chilling.

Praise for A Town Called Treachery

"One of a kind ... A coming-of-age story, a crime investigation and a gripping dark drama brought to life with affection, humour, and sharp insight," says Malcolm Knox.

"The best journo-noir debut since Scrublands ... Mesmerising authenticity, balancing darkness with laugh-out-loud wit," observes Jack Heath, bestselling author of Kill Your Husbands.

"Comes alive on the page ... Filled with affectionate detail, shot through with profound understanding of the darker parts of our natures, and the light that keeps us going. I’ll be putting this book in the hands of every reader I know," raves Hayley Scrivenor, bestselling author of Dirt Town.

"A gripping mystery suffused with warmth, humour and authenticity. A Town Called Treachery is clear-eyed about the sometimes brutal reality of small towns without ever losing sight of the humanity and heart of those who live in them. Uniquely Australian in the best way possible," comments Gabriel Bergmoser, bestselling author of The Caretaker.

"A brilliant and accomplished debut, chock-a-block with Aussie spirit. Mitch Jennings delivers a complex crime story bursting with humour that will keep you guessing until the last compelling page. Australia has a new star of small-town crime," declares Matthew Ryan Davies, author of The Broken Wave.