*Winner of the Crime Writers' Association New Blood Dagger Award 2023*

Twelve year-old Esther Bianchi disappears on her way home from school in the small town of Durton – and the truth will not come easily. Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor is an atmospheric crime novel set in rural Australia.

'A heart-wrenching mystery' – Jane Harper, author of The Dry
'A stunning debut' - Ann Cleeves

THE DETECTIVE
As the community is thrown into a state of grief and suspicion, Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels begins her investigation into the disappearance of Esther Bianchi. She questions those who knew the girl, attempting to unpick the secrets which bind them together.

THE MOTHER
The girl’s mother, Constance, believes that her daughter going missing is the worst thing that can happen to her. But as the search for Esther develops, she learns that things can always get worse.

THE FRIENDS
Ronnie is Esther’s best friend and is determined to bring her home. So when her classmate Lewis tells her that he saw Esther with a strange man at the creek the afternoon she went missing, Ronnie feels she is one step closer to finding her. But why is Lewis refusing to speak to the police?

And who else is keeping quiet about what happened to Esther?

Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor is perfect for fans of Jane Harper's The Dry and Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End.

'I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough' – Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

'A powerful story, shot through with moments of horror and tenderness' – The Times

'Dirt Town deserves its praise' – Guardian

"Dirt Town deserves its praise. It is an intelligent novel, one that grapples with complex social and political dynamics, and brings a fresh voice to familiar narratives" - Guardian

"[A] deeply impressive first novel . . . It is a powerful story, shot through with moments of horror and tenderness, and another devastating indictment of the outback mentality" - The Times

"[An] exceptional slice of outback noir" - i online