The Dry: A Novel

A small town hides big secrets in this stunning, page-turning, New York Times bestselling mystery by an award-winning debut author.

When he hears that his childhood best friend Luke has been found dead after committing a terrible crime, Federal Agent Aaron Falk gets a note saying, “Luke lied. You lied. Be at the funeral.”

Twenty years ago, the boys were each other’s alibi when Falk was accused of murder. He hasn’t returned to his hometown since he and his father were driven out under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now Luke has done something awful - and more than one person knows they didn't tell the truth back then.

Falk, now a Federal investigator in Melbourne, can’t help questioning the official narrative, though the town’s rejection of him still looms large. When Falk reluctantly returns amid the worst drought in a century to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries will resurface, as will the lies that have haunted him. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets. Atmospheric and razor-sharp, this incredible debut is just the beginning of an amazing career.