Chris Hammer (born 1960) [1] is an Australian journalist and writer of crime fiction. He is known for his best-selling Martin Scarsden series of novels.
Hammer has a 30-year career as a journalist and has worked for The Bulletin, Fairfax and on the SBS TV program Dateline . [2] [3] In 2011 he published a non-fiction book entitled The River. [4]
He wrote the Martin Scarsden series of novels, that have been bestsellers in several countries, starting with Scrublands in 2018. [2] When writing his crime novels he allows the story to develop, rather than plotting it out in advance. [5]
On 20 November 2025, it was announced at the ABC upfronts that Hammer's novel Treasure & Dirt had been optioned and turned into a television series which gone into production on location in Coober Pedy in South Australia. [6]
Hammer won the ACT Book of the Year in 2011 for his non-fiction book The River. [4]
His first novel, Scrublands, won the John Creasey Award at the UK Crime Writers' Association's Dagger Awards in 2019. [7] The Tilt won the 2023 Danger Award for best crime fiction. [8] The Seven was shortlisted for the 2024 Fiction Indie Book Award. [9]
