Location is key for Hayley Scrivenor's debut novel Dirt Creek, which is set in a rural Australian town in the southeastern state of New South Wales. The tight-knit atmosphere is pervaded by suspicion after the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl, and the ensuing mystery takes place during a particularly hot summer. Below, we'll take a look at a few other novels that are set in rural and remote Australian settings — across a variety of climates and communities — including small inland and seaside towns, the Outback and islands off the continent's coast.

Our First Impressions reviewers drew multiple comparisons (and pointed out some important differences) between Scrivenor's work and the novels of bestselling author Jane Harper, another Australian mystery writer with a knack for creating vivid settings that tie into the central concerns of the plot and characters. Harper's debut The Dry, which follows Melbourne police officer Aaron Falk as he investigates a murder-...