A review by atomic_tourist
Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Oh MY god - Dirt Creek was absolutely phenomenal. Hayley Scrivenor is a writer who I will be keeping an eye on. I loved every single thing about this crime thriller. The plot was paced perfectly. The solution to the whodunnit was unexpected yet completely plausible. And the CHARACTERS. Oh, man!! That's what really sets this one apart. Scrivenor put so much care into getting the characters right, and that effort shines through. It's how she manages to combine so many different emotions that make this into much more than a mystery: it's a book about small towns, about friendship, family, loss, first loves, heartbreak, and everything in between. Just finished it yesterday but I already wish I could read it again for the first time.