BookBrowse Reviews Exiles by Jane Harper

BookBrowse:

In Jane Harper's third and final Aaron Falk mystery, the Federal Agent travels to South Australia and investigates a woman's disappearance.

Our First Impressions readers were thrilled to return to the world of Jane Harper's protagonist Federal Agent Aaron Falk in Exiles, giving the third book in this series an overall rating of 4.7 out of five stars.

What it's about:

In Exiles, Jane Harper revisits the life of her character Federal Agent Aaron Falk. Aaron is returning to South Australia to assume godfather responsibilities in the christening of Henry Raco, the year-old son of his friend, Sergeant Greg Raco and wife Rita. (Readers of Jane Harper's novels will remember Greg Raco from The Dry.) This novel explores the disappearance of Raco family friend Kim Gillespie, who vanished during the town's annual food and wine festival, uncharacteristically abandoning her baby daughter Zoe. The story unfolds slowly and methodically through the voices of the members of the Raco family and the close-knit community. As in many small communities, everyone knows each other well. There are advantages and disadvantages to this kind of closeness, however. Can a long-time familiarity and closeness lead to a kind of blindness in perception? Can familiarity actually lead people to see what they expect to see rather than what is actually there? And perhaps this kind of familiarity may even camouflage old slights and hurts and leave feelings of anger to simmer just beneath the surface (Darlene B).

Many readers were excited about reading the third installment in this series, but also stressed that it works as a standalone novel.

Harper fans who have missed Aaron Falk in her last few books will be happy to see his return in Exiles. I thought this was Harper at her best (Maribeth R). Although this is the third novel starring Aaron Falk, enough background story is given so it can easily be read as a standalone. A few hints of the previous books may have the reader indulging in Harper's backlist! (Laurie M). I eagerly await each new book from Jane Harper, and Exiles did not disappoint! She returns to following the story of Aaron Falk, the lead character in the novels The Dry and Force of Nature. You don't need to have read these books to enjoy or follow along with this one, but for those who have, the callbacks definitely add to the reading experience (Deborah C). This is Jane Harper's third book featuring Aaron Falk and — good news — you don't need to read the first two to enjoy Exiles. In fact, with all the things happening in Aaron's life, this would be an excellent place to start (Bill B).

Exiles is recommended especially for those who enjoy a good mystery...

A great read for all who savor finely crafted crime novels (Julia E). This Jane Harper book grabbed me from the beginning and held me until the finish. The best mystery I have read in a year (Mary A). As usual, Harper keeps the reader guessing right up until the very end, and I found the resolution to be both believable and satisfying. This book would appeal to fans of Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series and anyone who enjoys complex, atmospheric mysteries (Terri O). A good mystery keeps you guessing, leading the reader down different paths. A great mystery keeps you unbalanced and on the edge. Then, just when you think you have it solved, something or somebody else comes up. The writing is excellent! The story completely sucked me in. I loved it (Rita J).

...and Harper's character-driven writing makes her work a standout in the genre.

Harper writes very deeply into the psyche of the main characters (Mary A). One of the highest compliments that I can give a book is that I do not want it to end, that the plot intrigues, and that the characters are people with whom I want to spend more time. Such was the case with Exiles (Mary C). If you love mysteries and fine character development, this is up your alley (Bette K).

Though Exiles is a slow-burn thriller, the pacing worked for most readers.

Though the pace of this novel is slower than some of her earlier works, Harper uses the time to build to a surprising conclusion (Maribeth R). The middle of the book was a little slow, but the incredibly moving ending makes up for it (Eileen C). I found this novel to be carefully and thoughtfully written, and although it unfolded slowly, it was well worth my time. And I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Aaron Falk and his life (Darlene B).

Overall, the novel is highly recommended, especially for book clubs.

This book will be my next recommendation to my book club, as there are weighty topics for us to ponder and discuss (Mary C). Once again Harper gives us a group of interesting, likable characters. Book clubs will not only enjoy the mystery, but will find many threads to follow as long-buried secrets begin to emerge (Betty B). I read this book in two days. It was beautifully plotted and written. There were so many layers to this story that I think it would make a great book club selection. I can't wait for Harper's next book (Charlene D).

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in March 2023, and has been updated for the February 2024 edition. Click here to go to this issue.