Exiles

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MY THOUGHTS: Marralee is a small town in the heart of the South Australian wine country. A small, pretty town, where everyone knows everyone else and nothing bad ever happens. Only something bad has happened. And no one saw. While Falk investigates this mystery, he has a new romance brewing on the sidelines and big decisions that could affect his career and overall life. And here’s another fact for you. It took nearly six months to find my dad in that water, but in the end they still found him. Take a guess how many people in the past fifty years have drowned in the reservoir and never been seen again?’ Aaron is an intuitive detective who susses out clues that other people miss, and he eventually solves all the mysteries. I won't say more because of spoilers. I enjoyed the novel, and recommend it to fans of suspense stories. Federal investigator, Aaron Falk, was joining the family this year, as he was to be godfather to his best friend's child. As Aaron was drawn into the mystery of the past, he also learned about a hit-and-run six years earlier which had never been solved. The grief that rippled through the community was raw, even after the passing of years, and Kim's disappearance added to that grief. But would answers be found? Or would the two cases remain unsolved?

This is a slow burn crime story. While I am quite comfortable with slow pace, it feels quite different from the earlier two as the pace for nearly 60% of the book is far slower than in the other two books. What I did not much like though is the introduction of some character behaviours in the later part of the book, which is now usual in psychological thrillers and is becoming a silly & painful pattern. The plot elements are however, very strong and I liked how the last sections closed on the two mysteries in the book. The descriptions of the locales, as in the previous books is excellent. Aaron Falk’s character, as in the previous books is very well developed, nuanced and a treat to read. Old friends gathered, new people were introduced, and people waved to each other across the crowds. Happy times. learn about the seemingly dangerous reservoir; get depictions of the annual teen drinking party, where the kids get blotto; and more.Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Exiles is a quiet mystery that centers on two unsolved crimes in a small town in Southern Australia. In addition, the twist is partially revealed through chapters told from the perspective of Kim and her husband, who was involved in her disappearance, which sheds light on the story but also feels lazy on the author’s part. A mystery novel satisfies readers when the resolution is unexpected but could have been predicted with the clues given. The twist in “Exiles” comes after a string of disconnected and random clues that do not quite make sense once the final reveal is known. Aaron is such a well-developed character and I loved getting a deeper understanding of him and the way his mind works, not just in his professional life, but in his personal one as well. The author has a keen insight into human nature and is able to develop compelling characters who are believable and engage in realistic dialogue. Of special note is Zara, the missing woman’s teenage daughter, and Joel, the hit and run victim’s son, who are both likable characters (so difficult to pull off with this age group). Falk is every bit the top-notch investigator and solid friend that he has always been in the past. We observe how Falk sees the crisscrossing of these friendships and the realization that someone within this tight group knows more than what meets the eye.

Bits and pieces from the two previous Falk novels are mentioned. One doesn’t need to read them to read this book-- Exiles can be read as a standalone; however, the earlier books add to the layers and dynamics of Falk’s character. A year on, Kim Gillespie’s absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family. It's been a year already since the disappearance of Kim Gillespie. She and her family were attending a festival in South Australia. Nothing added up from there on. Kim was last seen pushing her baby's pram to a corner of the activities.....and then walking away. Someone found the baby unattended as evening set in. No Kim then. No Kim now. No clues then. No clues now.As it happens, Kim's vanishing isn't the only mystery in Marralee Valley. Six years ago a man called Dean Tozer was killed in a hit-and-run incident, but the perpetrator cleaned up the scene and was never identified. I think much of the charm of the novel lies in the characters and their very ordinariness. They are mostly, Falk excluded, a group of friends who grew up together and have stayed close. None are perfect but they are all decent people and the way their lives intertwine and the secrets they keep, from each other and the outside world, are engrossing. Her baby lies alone in the pram, her mother’s possessions surrounding her, waiting for a return which never comes.

I was eagerly loving forward to reading the third book featuring Aaron Falk, and it did not disappoint. I did not find it as impactful as ‘The Dry’ was though. The one minor gripe that I have involves two chapters told from the point of view of two additional characters. I wish Harper didn't include them--they explain what happened to one character and add insight into another, but because their chapters come near the very end, they pulled me out of the narrative and disrupted the flow of events. The Dry completely changed my life. It was like night and day – my life before The Dry and after The Dry,” Harper says now. “The lives are really different – there wasn’t even really a gentle transition, it was really clearly defined. I wrote this book and then suddenly everything changed.”

Jane Harper's standalone novels

meet some of the town's colorful residents (such as a beautiful flirtatious woman and a former footy star);

A truly wonderful read. Rich in detail, landscape and character and deeply satisfying on all levels. -- Sarah Hilary, Author of Someone Else's Skin The story really dragged at times, very different to the previous two Aaron Falk stories, and he was involved more this time in a different way.While the mystery of Kim’s disappearance might be the narrative hook on which this crime novel hangs, what renders it so engaging is Harper’s keen observation of people and place captured in swift glimpses. Meeting his godson after a year, the toddler fixes Falk with a “glassy accusing gaze”, while his little sister Eva shyly slides a glittery hairclip into Falk’s hand. This is what small children do. Falk is clearly touched by this young family and their kindness as he contemplates an alternative country lifestyle on Charlie’s vineyard miles away from his workaholic existence in Melbourne. Raco’s brother Charlie use to be married to Kim and they have a daughter together. This close-knit family is still struggling with her disappearance and how out of character it was for Kim to leave her baby that night. The third and final Aaron Falk mystery. Visiting friends in South Australian wine country, Falk finds himself drawn into the investigation of the disappearance of a woman a year ago at the local food and wine festival, and the hit-and-run death of a man a few years before. [13] Awards and recognition [ edit ] The only disappointment in this outing for Aaron Falk is that Harper is adament it is to be his last. A powerful and affecting novel -- SJ Watson DISCLOSURE: I borrowed my copy of Exiles, by Jane Harper and published by Pan Macmillan Australia, from Waitomo District Library. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.