I am a huge fan of Jane Harper and have read her previous 2 Falk books as well as her stand alone. I love Falk and I found in this book we got much closer to him as he tried to solve this mystery. I love Janes writing style, her description of the setting is always so atmospheric and her characterisation is wonderful and this one did not fail to have me gripped all the way through, I loved the unexpected ending and I highly recommend this and any of Janes other books too, she is definitely one of my auto purchase authors and I so look forward to her books coming out. Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early copy.

Exiles is the third book by Jane Harper featuring Aaron Falk a Federal Investigator. After being asked to be Godfather to his friend Raco’s son, Falk heads to their family vineyard for the celebration. This coincides with the anniversary of the disappearance of local woman Kim Gillespie who went missing from the local festival a year ago, abandoning her 6 week old daughter in the process.
As Falk becomes involved in unofficially investigating the case, another unsolved hit and run murder also grabs his attention.
I cannot recommend this book enough and found it to be completely gripping from the very start. I am a huge fan of all Jane Harper’s work and find all her novels to be multifaceted with several storylines running through each book along with believable characters you either want to champion or hate. I can’t wait to read her next novel.

Wowsers. Jane Harper is (I think) the best crime writer in the business, the queen of outback noir and Exiles is a stunning book.

Aaron Falk returns for a third outing, joining the Raco family at their vineyard where Falk is poised to be godfather to their son. The christening has been delayed for a year when, during the celebrations on the previous occasion, an extended family member went missing. She has yet to be found and the mystery of her disappearance continues to swirl and consume those closest to her.

Exiles is beautifully written, hitting the sweet spot of literary crime fiction. This isn’t ‘wham bam action’. This is delicately poised, beautifully paced and impeccably plotted narrative. The stars of the show are the characters. Every singles one of them. It’s fantastic to be back with Falk but there is no one here is who spare to the plot. The final reveals are thoughtful, smart and worth the wait.

With huge thanks to Pan MacMillan and Netgalley for an advanced copy. I kept everything crossed I would get the chance to read it as soon as possible and it is an absolute gem.

The strength of this novel lies in its setting and its characters rather than the mystery. It's a very slow burn and even though the experienced crime reader may suspect some of the outcomes, the story only really takes off three thirds through the book when the point of view shifts and gives you a better insight into what happened. It doesn't really matter because he beautiful back drop of the landscape of South Australia and the strong characters are what make this novel worthwhile and keep you reading till the very end.

Aaron Falk is back with another mystery to solve and as always, Jane Harper’s superb plot, excellent characterisation and stunning sense of place make this book one to be savoured. Aaron is in a small country town for a food and wine festival and a christening, all being managed by his close friend and ex police colleague. He’s not there to work, but when the investigation into the disappearance of a young mother a year before starts to heat up, he becomes involved - of course he would, he’s a police investigator! This story will keep the reader riveted right until the shocking revelation at the end. It’s so sad that this is apparently the final book to feature Aaron Falk, but as the book progresses, so does his relationship with his new lover, and the ending is very satisfying on that front too.

What a delicious treat to imagine Eric Bana as Aaron Falk in Jane Harper’s latest release Exiles. Author Harper needs no introduction, her uber successful The DRY is essentially an all time favorite book that I would be happy to re-read any number of times, and ever since it has been cast to the big screen, oh yes, you have to give it to them that Eric Bana as Aaron Falk is JUST IT.

Exiles book # 3 in the series has Aaron Falk joining back with Greg Raco for the christening of his son in the Marlee Valley which is Greg’s hometown. Jane Harper is beyond words a supremely talented author who makes the readers walk in the exact setting she sets the story to be. In both The Dry and Force of Nature, in fact, in almost all her books, it almost feels like the characters play second fiddle to the main protagonist which could be the arid desert or the forest, and here a village and the yearly wine festival and the reservoir and the woods surrounding it. I can’t begin to tell you how the atmosphere heightens the drama that unfolds around the whole cast of characters in this riveting story.

A mother has abandoned her baby in a pram and walked off and the mystery of the events that surround it is utterly engrossing that one is hard pressed to even take a break in reading. There is the additional mystery of accidental death at the same spot that is also being dissected. Unlike her previous two novels, Aaron Falk has a lot of thinking to do in this one, so most times, it is not the crime that holds central focus but the inner struggle that Aaron faces in making life-altering decisions. The author has packed quite a punch with the emotions pulling Aaron and as such, the slow burn mystery takes its own time to be unraveled. Aaron Falk is a character that one would always want as a friend with his genuine and open personality and the interactions between Aaron and Joel had my heart melting with their softness and touching scenes.

An exceptionally well wrtiiten crime thriller, Exiles explores a closed-knit community and the ins and outs of long term friendships and relationships that govern them. Exiles is definitely not the fast paced adrenaline boosting thriller, it has kind of that classical touch of the old, where every single thing unraveled has its own slow and steady pace.

Go for it, you won’t be disappointed!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Pan Macmillan, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

Exiles is Jane Harper's third book featuring Federal Police Investigator Aaron Falk.
The book begins with Falk driving to a small town in the South Australian Wine Country after being asked to act as Godfather to his friend Raco's new baby. Harper fans will remember Raco and why he's so close to Falk from her worldwide bestseller ,"The Dry". This is the second attempt at a Christening, the first one had been cancelled exactly a year earlier when Raco's brother's former partner Kim Gillespie ahd seemingly vanished from the local annual festival leaving her baby,Graco's niece, behind. 12 months later as well as organising the re-scheduled christening the Graco family also launch an appeal for information at the festival. Falk realises that not everyone is convinced by the most popular theory about Kim's fate and looks closer at the small town,its occupants and their history, neither are they convinced about a hit and run car accident that occurred a few years previously.

This is quite a slow book and as well as Falk's investigations the book is , like The Dry very much about him as well as his investigations. Getting involved with a local woman makes him look at himself and his life and coming to some surprising conclusions. It's very much a story of relationships and it's not only his own past that Falk delves into. This is a book that grows on you,if you already know Falk from previous books it will do that a lot quicker than if you're new to the series as you'll be used to Jane Harper's "slowburn" writing style where the characters ,their personalities and backgrounds are as much part of the tale as their actions. This is a book to savour and enjoy as things knit together and characters are introduced and evolve. If you want constant thrills and non-stop action this isn't the book,or the author for you. If you want an atmospheric ,superbly-written story that will keep you on your toes and prove your brilliant deductions totally wrong after the author has teased you into the wrong direction yet again it will be.
The book ends in a way that suggests it might be the last Aaron Falk book.......but only Jane Harper knows the answer to that one,let's hope not.
Outstanding.

Aaron Falk is returning to his friend's winery to be godfather at a rescheduled christening.
The christening should have happened a year earlier but was cancelled when a local woman disappeared.
The woman, Kim, has left her baby in the pram park at the local fair, and had not been seen since.
This caused ripples through the small community, and to the family left behind.
This book is a slow burner, beautifully written with well-rounded believable character, and it draws you in as the story behind the disappearance unwinds.
Aaron also has other things on his mind, in the form of Grace, a widow he met in Melbourne, and their tentative relationship grows through the course of the book.
The solution to the disappearance is unexpected, but very believable.
This is publicised at the final Aaron Falk book, and as such the trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion, but there’s always hope for another story…..

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book.

Jane Harper can do no wrong

A slow burn of a read that twists your mind and keeps you in the dark. Plenty of mystery. the key here is the character formations and the lovely romance that Falk enjoys.

So, the bad news is that this is, apparently, the final Aaron Falk book, the good news is that it is a satisfying ending, filled with Harper's trademark understanding of humanity, great plotting, beautiful writing and great scene setting.

Falk is heading to a small town for a christening, a christening which should have been held a year ago but was cancelled when a woman went missing during the annual festival, leaving her baby behind. The discovery of a shoe in the reservoir, sightings of a distraught woman and the knowledge Kim was suffering with depression leads to an assumption of suicide, an assumption her eldest daughter, Zoe, can't accept and she uses the festival to launch an appeal. Falk is staying at the vineyard owned by Zoe's father, Charlie, and is drawn into the investigation., meanwhile, his visit gives him the opportunity to rekindle his acquaintance with a widow, whose stepson is also trying to make sense of his father's unexplained death.

A cracking crime story, an unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

I have enjoyed previous books by Jane Harper so was really pleased to see this third Aaron Falk book.
Falk is visiting his friends for their sons christening and gets swept up in the mysterious disappearance of Kim, a year earlier
I was really engaged with the characters in this book and really enjoyed it. Think it's my favourite of the series so far.

The first Jane Harper book that I read was ‘The Dry’ and I was blown away. I’ve since read all the follow up books and enjoyed them too. Harper has an easy reading style but the stories are always more complex and keep you guessing until the very end. I’m not a regular reader of crime fiction but if I’m in the mood to a Jane Harper novel will always satisfy

Every book I have read by this author has been good but I think this is her best yet. Well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. Tense, atmpspheric and with a fantastic setting. I loved it,

Adam Falk is in Marrallee to attend the christening of his friends, Greg & Rita Raco's son Henry. Adam is to be godfather. This is the second time the christening has been arranged, it had been due to take place a year earlier but was postponed when a woman went missing in the town. Kim Gillespie grew up in the town and is the mother of Raco's niece. Her daughter Zara is convinced that her mother is still alive although most people believe Kim ended up in the local reservoir. Adam can't help feeling that he is missing something as Zara and the local police officer make an appeal for information.

Brilliant read - couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Jane Harper for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Another great crime novel from Jane Harper. The book gives a real feel for small town life in Australia. Although the pace slows a bit I the middle chunk of the book, it makes up for it with riveting final chapters. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the next!

This is one of those books that keeps you guessing right to the end. I did find it a little slow to be honest, and I kept having to backtrack to remind myself who was who, but it was an intriguing and enjoyable read. The ending really took me by surprise and was a bit of a shock – I would never have guessed in a million years. Not a book that thoroughly gripped me, but an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

Another excellent read from Jane Harper with the third novel in her Aaron Falk series. I've been eagerly waiting to get my hands on this book.
It is not at all necessary to have read the previous novels, The Dry and 'Force of Nature for the backstory but I'd recommend that you do so as both are thoroughly brilliant novels and well worth reading.
In 'Exiles', we are visiting the South Australian wine region and Harper creates evocative images of the land and winery where Aaron is staying as he attends the Christening of his godson Henry. The Christening was due to take place some 12 months earlier but was postponed due to the disappearance of Kim Gillespie. As her family and friends continue to grieve, Aaron delves into the events of last summer and how Kim was interacting with the family.
Naturally, he soon comes to realise that childhood events have come back to haunt the family and this is where Harper is at her best in describing the interactions and emotions of her characters. Sometimes it is best for an author is keep the scenes restrained and let the readers imagination soar and then at other moments to fill in all of the elements and Harper knows just when to let us imagine.
Actions and events mentioned in passing may prove to be hints regarding what truly happened or no more than threads in the fabric of life. But these threads, or red herrings, add to the excitement for the reader as Harper slowly builds up the tension.
A brilliantly, slow burning, tension building, mystery and definitely a "must buy" for 2023.

If you have read other books by Jane Harper, you will not be surprised to find this an intriguing and cleverly devised plot. The only warning is to read the beginning carefully because there are several second marriages and some step children all of which can make it hard to follow unless you remember who they all are. The story takes place in the Australian town of Maralee where a family and friends have returned for a christening and the annual festival is in process. A tiny baby Zoe is found to have been abandoned by her mother in the car park. The investigation is going nowhere. One of the godfathers has returned to his home town. He is Aaron Falk, now in the Melbourne police. He takes on the role of unofficial investigator and brings out a surprise conclusion. There is another theme involving the murder of a local accountant six years before but that is irrelevant to the main purpose of the book. This is a good read nd I recommend it.

I've loved all of Jane Harper's books, particularly those centered around Aaron Falk. Exiles is another brilliant book.

It was enlightening to learn more about Falk and how feeling exiled from his hometown has shaped his character. I particularly enjoyed watching him learn how to be in another small place where the residents try to be a community but individuals feel like they're on the outside.

The plot of a missing mother whose baby was left in a pram is interesting. We learn how she was part of a family's lives and how she, once again, became more of an outsider.

This isn't a novel of big thrills, twists, and turns. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a gentle exploration of people learning what they want, where they belong, and rethinking life.

I loved the ending. Perfect.

Exiles was not the kind of run-of-the-mill thriller that I had expected going in, with a dead body and a police officer hunting down the killer. Instead we follow the protagonist (or sleuth) through a formative period in his own life, while the mystery almost simmers in the background.

I really enjoyed the slow unraveling of the family structures and layers of this story. Falk never really actively tries to investigate; instead he is chosen as confidant by several if not all the people involved in Kim's disappearance. From that and his own casual observations he begins to piece together what really happened last year at that country fair. I would almost say that the mystery and Falk's story are given equal weight here, as he finds himself in a situation where he has to make some potentially life-altering decisions.

The title, Exiles, is cleverly chosen; underpinning the theme of uprootedness, or disconnection from one's background, friends and family that runs throughout the book. Falk has exiled himself from both his hometown (for reasons that are hinted at but not spelled out - I have not read the first two books in the series, but I expect if you've read them you know what that's all about) and the kind of close relationships he has willingly cut loose for his work, much as Kim had exiled herself from her family before her disappearance. Nearly all of the characters in the story experience either a state of being exiled, or of having returned from - metaphorical - exile recently.

Althought this is a slow story with no exciting chases or shootouts, it was gripping enough for me to read it in two sittings - Harper exerts gentle pressure to keep her readers turning the pages.
I enjoyed this story very much and will definitely be looking up the earlier titles in the series now.

I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy gentler, character-driven mysteries with little to no violence, but still want a page-turner that keeps them glued to the page.

I want to thank NetGalley and PanMacMillan for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.