C.J. Box says, “THE DRY is the debut of the year.”

“Luke lied. You lied. Be at the funeral.”

This is the note Federal Agent Aaron Falk receives after hearing that his childhood best friend Luke has been found dead after committing a terrible crime in Jane Harper’s first mystery, THE DRY.

When Falk reluctantly returns to his hometown amid the worst drought in a century to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, a long-buried mystery from Falk’s past resurfaces and he finds that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

This phenomenal debut sold to 19 countries and Reese Witherspoon quickly snapped up the movie rights. Library Journal called THE DRY one of their “Summer Promise — Debut Novels” picks, and it’s received THREE starred reviews in addition to high praise from bestselling authors:

“A stunner… It’s a small-town, big-secrets page-turner with a shocker of an ending… Recommend this one to fans of James Lee Burke and Robert Crais, who mix elements of ‘bromance’ into their hard-boiled tales.”
— Booklist, starred review

“From the ominous opening paragraphs, all the more chilling for their matter-of-factness, Harper, a journalist who writes for Melbourne’s Herald Sun, spins a suspenseful tale of sound and fury as riveting as it is horrific.”
— Publishers Weekly, boxed & starred review

“A chilling story set under a blistering sun, this fine debut will keep readers on edge and awake long past bedtime.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

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More praise for THE DRY:

“It’s extremely rare and exciting to read a debut that enthralls from the very first page and then absolutely sticks the landing. Told with heart and guts and an authentic sense of place that simply cannot be faked, THE DRY is the debut of the year.” — #1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box

“One of the most stunning debuts I’ve ever read. I could feel the searing heat of the Australia setting. Every word is near perfect. The story builds like a wave seeking the purchase of earth before it crashes down and wipes out everything you might have thought about this enthralling tale. Read it!” — #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci

“With THE DRY, Jane Harper immediately takes her place among the elites in the mystery world. If this book doesn’t garner an Edgar (Best First Novel) or two (Best Novel), there is no justice. Terrific characters, unique and evocative setting, knockout plot construction. This book has it all.” — New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart

“From the first paragraph onward, Jane Harper creates a menacing landscape out of which long-held secrets emerge. THE DRY is a marvelous novel that once begun is hard to put down, once finished even harder to forget.” — New York Times bestselling author Ron Rash

“Every so often a debut novel arrives that is so tightly woven and compelling it seems the work of a novelist in her prime. That’s what Jane Harper has given us with THE DRY, a story so true to setting and tone it seemed I fell asleep in Virginia only to wake in Australian heat. It’s rare, that sense of transportation, and I loved every minute of it.” — New York Times bestselling author John Hart

THE DRY will be available from Flatiron Books on January 10, 2017.