Jane Harper’s debut novel, The Dry, is set against the backdrop of a small town in Australia that is being scorched to death by a harrowing drought. The writing is smooth and engaging, and the setting is finely drawn and universal—almost all of us know, remember, long for, or would like to forget a small town in our pasts. And the past is very much intertwined with the present in this tale as the protagonist combs through layered secrets and tragedies from both his youth and from the apparent murder-suicide he is reluctantly investigating.

 

I would classify this story as a domestic mystery, revolving around a central location and a handful of characters and involving small town grudges and vendettas. Ms. Harper’s writing is easy to read, and the story had an even pace. But while I appreciate a mystery that remains unsolved in my own mind until the author’s reveal, I found myself coming away from the read with an overall impression of a slow plod from beginning to end that largely remained uneventful and unsurprising.

 

The Dry was a solid read, and though I did not find it particularly gripping or thrilling, this is a debut novel and Ms. Harper’s writing shows such promise that I intend to read her upcoming release.