Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer (born 1960) is an Australian journalist and writer of crime fiction. He is known for his best-selling Martin Scarsden series of novels.

Career

Hammer has a 30-year career as a journalist and has worked for The Bulletin, Fairfax and on the SBS TV program Dateline. In 2011 he published a non-fiction book entitled The River.

His Martin Scarsden series of novels have been bestsellers in several countries, starting with Scrublands in 2018. When writing his crime novels he allows the story to develop, rather than plotting it out in advance.

On 20 November 2025, it was announced at the ABC upfronts that Hammer's novel Treasure & Dirt had been optioned and turned into a television series of the same name. The series, which was filmed on location in Coober Pedy in South Australia, premiered on ABC Television and iview on 19 July 2026.

Recognition and awards

Hammer won the ACT Book of the Year in 2011 for his non-fiction book The River.

His first novel, Scrublands, won the John Creasey Award at the UK Crime Writers' Association's Dagger Awards in 2019. The Tilt won the 2023 Danger Award for best crime fiction. The Seven was shortlisted for the 2024 Fiction Indie Book Award.

Selected works

Martin Scarsden series

Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan series

Non-fiction

References

  1. ↑ "Hammer, Chris, 1960-". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Chris Hammer: 'I am a serial killer. I kill my darlings left, right and centre'". the Guardian. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Chris Hammer". Curtis Brown. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Gammage wins 2012 ACT Book of the Year Award". Books+Publishing. 7 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "Chris Hammer: From the bush to the city for Trust". HerCanberra. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Knox, David (20 November 2025). "Treasure & Dirt now filming for ABC Drama | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "New South Australian ABC crime drama Treasure & Dirt sees secrets unearthed in Coober Pedy". SAFC. 18 June 2026. Archived from the original on 25 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Hammer wins UK Dagger award for 'Scrublands'". Books+Publishing. 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "Danger Awards 2023 winners announced". Books+Publishing. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Indie Book Awards 2024 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.