**THE TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH** **A SUNDAY TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2022** In the outback, nothing stays buried forever... 'Classic Hammer. A crime novel that will stay with me for a long time.' Ann Cleeves 'This novel is Hammer's best work yet.' The Times 'A complex, twisty thriller, with nuanced characters and a winding plot all set in the oppressive Australian heat.' Lisa Hall 'This slice of Australian noir sparkles like an opal in the blistering sun.' Lisa Gray 'Opal Country is a top-notch Aussie Noir with real heat coming off the pages.' Christopher Fowler Opals... In the desolate outback town of Finnigans Gap, police struggle to maintain law and order. Thieves pillage opal mines, religious fanatics recruit vulnerable youngsters and billionaires do as they please. Bodies... Then an opal miner is found crucified and left to rot down his mine. Nothing about the miner's death is straight-forward, not even who found the body. Homicide detective Ivan Lucic is sent to
