A brilliant debut, with writing that grabs you by the throat from the opening lines. Hayley Scrivenor's "Dirt Town'' burrows under your skin and stays there. I found it atmospheric with a strong sense of place. Scrivenor also employs a wonderfully imaginative turn of phrase, particularly when describing characters or setting. If you enjoyed "Mare of Easttown", or Chris Whitaker's "We Begin At The End", then "Dirt Town" will be right up your street.