Thank you Macmillan Audio /Netgalley, #partner for the ALC of Exiles in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: January 31, 2023
Summary:
Federal Investigator Aaron Falk is on his way to a small town deep in Southern Australian wine country for the christening of an old friend’s baby. But mystery follows him, even on vacation.
This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Kim Gillespie’s disappearance. One year ago, at a busy town festival on a warm spring night, Kim safely tucked her sleeping baby into her stroller, then vanished into the crowd. No one has seen her since. When Kim’s older daughter makes a plea for anyone with information about her missing mom to come forward, Falk and his old buddy Raco can’t leave the case alone.
As Falk soaks up life in the lush valley, he is welcomed into the tight-knit circle of Kim’s friends and loved ones. But the group may be more fractured than it seems. Between Falk’s closest friend, the missing mother, and a woman he’s drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge. What would make a mother abandon her child? What happened to Kim Gillespie?
My thoughts:
This is the third book in Jane Harper’s Aaron Falk series and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed this series. There is rumor that this is the final book in this series, and while I haven’t seen confirmation of that, I do feel that if that is the case, Jane definitely gave this series a proper send-off so to speak.
This is yet another atmospheric and compelling mystery that totally pulls you in right from the start. While you don’t necessarily have to have read the previous two books in order to enjoy this one, I think you will have a better appreciation for Aaron Falk himself if you do. But that’s just my opinion, plus they are incredibly good books!
As in the previous two books, we have a slow-burn of the mystery that meanders it’s way to the end but I loved it. Falk is down at wine country just visiting friends and it just so happens to be the year anniversary of Kim’s disappearance. He quietly starts asking questions in his own way and of course finds out more than he expected, including the fact that a hit and run accident that happened five years before the disappearance might somehow be connected.
This book is plotted so brilliantly, as are all Jane Harper’s books. By carefully delving into all the characters and taking the time to flush out who they are, we find that they are not quite who they initially present as and that just about everyone has secrets of their own. The story effortlessly moves back and forth in time, allowing us to see how all the pieces fit together and even though it is a slow-burn, it becomes an incredibly addictive story, as all her stories usually are. I had no idea where it was headed and that’s what I love about these types of books – they really keep me on my toes.
I have loved this entire series and cannot wait to see what comes next from this talented author. Whatever it is, I know for sure I will be picking it up!
Audio thoughts:
As I did with the previous two books, I listened to this one and it was fantastic on audio. I was happy to see that Stephen Shanahan was the narrator, as he did the narration for the other two books, and I am always a fan of consistency with series, if at all possible. He did a great job with the voices and the pacing. His accent – to me what seemed an authentic Australian accent – was just perfect for this book!
Books in this series:
- The Dry
- Force of Nature
- Exiles
