The Dry by Jane Harper

The Dry is Jane Harper's debut mystery novel, featuring Federal Agent Aaron Falk who returns to his drought-stricken hometown of Kiewarra for the funeral of his childhood best friend, Luke, who allegedly killed his wife and son before taking his own life. Falk is reluctantly drawn into investigating the deaths, which dredge up a 20-year-old secret from his own past involving the death of another friend, Ellie Deacon, and a lie he and Luke told. The novel explores small-town secrets, guilt, and the harsh Australian landscape, becoming a major international success and the first in the Aaron Falk series.