Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer is a leading Australian author of crime fiction with sales of over 1.5 million copies around the world. His first novel, Scrublands, was an instant bestseller when it was published in mid-2018. It won the prestigious UK Crime Writers Association John Creasey Award for best debut crime novel in 2019 and was shortlisted for various awards in Australia and the United States. Scrublands and subsequent books have been sold into translation in multiple languages, and made into a hit television series. His follow-up books—Silver (2019), Trust (2020), Treasure & Dirt (2021), The Tilt (2022), The Seven (2023), The Valley (2024) and Legacy (2025)—are also bestsellers, and many have been shortlisted for major literary prizes. 

Before turning to fiction, Chris was a journalist for more than thirty years, dividing his career between covering Australian federal politics and international affairs. He reported from more than thirty countries on six continents with SBS TV, while in Canberra his roles included chief political correspondent for The Bulletin, senior writer for The Age and online political editor for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Chris has also written two non-fiction books, The River (2010; 2025) and The Coast (2012). He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University and a master's degree in international relations from the Australian National University.