Page 1 of 6
There are currently 37 member reviews
for Dirt Creek
-
Suzanne G. (Tucson, AZ)
Great mystery
"Dirt Creek" is a mystery with an ending that I never guessed. The characters were many and often. Sometimes I'd have to revisit previous pages to put a character in its place. This book has such a rhythm with words, I often reread a part aloud just to hear how the words combined with one another. I liked the story very much.
-
Lynne S. (The Woodlands, TX)
Dirt Creek characters shine
Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor is a coming of age story wrapped in a mystery that kept me turning the pages. All of the characters are well developed, but I think the author has a special talent for making the reader feel the many different emotions of children on the brink of young adulthood.
Ronnie, Lewis and Esther were my favorite characters because the author was able to take me back to not only the fun and excitement of childhood, but also the boredom, uncertainty and anxiety of the time when you are trying to find your place in the world.
Ronnie worrying that her teacher will notice, and think less of her, because she traced the image of a llama, instead of freehand drawing, is one example of how delicate a child's sense of self can be. Anyone who has grown up in a small town will recognize the "landscape" of relationships where everyone is related by either biology, shared experiences or the shared culture of that particular town. I enjoyed the author's strong use of setting in her descriptions of the hot Australian summer and a bonus for me, being American, was learning some Australian lingo.
-
Melissa R. (Green Bay, WI)
Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor
First of all, I liked this book VERY much. I'm giving it 5 stars, which it deserves. This book was written by someone who knows how to write. I discovered this wit reading the first paragraph. More than once I have put down a book because the writing was inferior. Not this one. That first page will forecast all the good imaging and voice that is to come.
The development of the story and characters comes about easily. As the mystery unfolds, each character's perspective is given in individual chapters. This is not confusing, but rather solidifies the narrative as you put the pieces together. I liked the setting of Australia. The descriptions of places and use of Australian words were interesting.
I recommend this book to all, and I'm looking forward to Hayley Scrivenor's second novel.
-
Diane S. (Batavia, IL)
Dirt Creek
When twelve year old Esther goes missing on her way home from school, the whole town is impacted. Her single mother is devastated and her best friend Ronnie tries to find out what happened to her. In this small Australian town there are limited suspects, but putting the pieces together proves challenging. Many are harboring secrets and the detectives assigned to the case have theory after theory but a real suspect for a time proves elusive.
Heartbreaking in parts, a mother's anguish, this book gives us a look at how a missing child effects all in this town. What is unique in common plot, is that in between chapters we hear from a collective We, the children of the town. Their lives as and how Esthers disappearance has effected them. Even after the denouement the book continues to update the reader on what happens to those left behind.
This is a well done first novel and I'm hoping for many more from I'm hoping for many more from this talented author. If you like Jane Harper, I'm sure you'll like this.
-
Janet S. (Terrace Park, OH)
Great Book
Dirt Creek is a great heart-wrenching mystery set in small town Australia. The author does a great job in sharing the story and definitely keeps you interested and guessing who did it and how did it happen. There was excellent character development. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend.
-
Amy W. (Annapolis, MD)
Great Story
I highly recommend this debut novel from Haley Scrivenor. Told from various perspectives it is different from the typical child goes missing mystery story. The characters are well developed and intertwined as can only happen in a small town. The different narratives add to the story and work very well together to draw the reader in. 5 stars from me!
-
Jan B
Great work!
The title of this book caught my attention immediately and I was not disappointed! This is a great, well written story that kept me turning the pages. I liked the way the author created great characters and told the story from each perspective. I plan to read more books written by Hayley Scrivenor
Book Reviewed by:
.png)
