“Earlier this month, Chris Nyst returned to the winner’s circle in the literary world with his latest novel, the intriguing Aussie outback-noir page-turner, Millen.”
Earlier this month, Chris Nyst returned to the winner’s circle in the literary world with his latest novel, the intriguing Aussie outback-noir page-turner, Millen.
In the late 2000’s, Chris won a series of impressive accolades for his “legal thrillers,” including Australia’s premier literary award for crime fiction, the Ned Kelly Award, in 2009, as well as a Best Screenplay gong for his critically-acclaimed crime-comedy feature film, Gettin’ Square. But 2022’s Millen was his first crime fiction novel in over a decade.
The book tells the tale of a brutal murder in the isolated outback town of Millengarra, where a young man is found bashed to death. When his house-mate – an out-of-work drover – is charged with the crime, the investigation goes to hardened Brisbane detective Dave Hocking, a career cop facing corruption charges that threaten his job, his liberty, and his very identity. In Millen, he finds a damaged community, held together by a fragile web of deceit. Struggling for redemption, the veteran detective uncovers a town’s shame, and his own, as lies are exposed, and dark secrets unearthed.
Millen is a very Australian story, but it has gained some distinctly international attention, being announced earlier this month as a winner in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Book Award Contest.
Described by critics as “a complex and nuanced mystery,” it was selected by Readers’ Favorite from the entries of thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries worldwide.
Having sat up reading all night myself to find out whodunnit, I can thoroughly recommend Millen.
Congratulations, Chris!
