Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for an advanced copy of the audiobook Exiles by Jane Harper. This is the third book in the Aaron Falk series and it might be my favorite so far.
The book starts with a baby found alone in its pram at a festival, its mother has gone missing. One year later, when Aaron Falk is visiting the town for his godson’s christening, he gets involved with solving the mystery. While the pacing is slow, the mystery, atmosphere and characters are very interesting. I learn a little bit more about Australia with every Jane Harper book I read.
The narrator, Steve Shanahan, and his Australian accent really being the story to life

EXILES by Jane Harper
Publication: 1/ 31/ 2023
by MACMILLAN AUDIO
12 Hrs 25 Min

This is the third and possibly last slow burn mystery involving Federal Financial investigator Aaron Falk. He arrives in the small town of Maralee Valley in Southern Australia, to attend the christening of his godson Henry… son of his best friends Greg and Rita Raco. Coinciding with his arrival is the annual Food and Wine Festival. A year ago the festival was marred by the disappearance of Kim Gillespie… while apparently abandoning her 6 week-old daughter in her stroller. She has been gone for a year … with the only trace being one of her sneaker’s found in a nearby reservoir. Her teenage daughter Zara, from a previous marriage refuses to believe her mother is dead and distributes flyers at this years festival, entreating someone to come forth with new details and information to shed light on Kim’s disappearance. Falk joins his friends at the festival and is drawn into the mystery. Soon Aaron and Greg are making inquiries and uncover a cold case with possible linkage. Six years ago, also at the beginning of the festival there was a hit-and-run accident by the reservoir… killing Dean the husband of Gemma Tozer, the current festival orgainizer. They suspect an unlikely coincidence. Questioning reveals unexpected secrets in this small tight knit community. Questions arise regarding Kim’s childhood and her two marriages. No one can actually believe a new mother would on her own , walk away and abandon her newborn. Was she kidnapped, murdered or was it a suicide? As the investigation is pursued, Aaron finds himself with growing attachment with Gemma… and begins to contemplate a possible long-term relationship in spite of his hard earned position in Melbourne.
Harper proves to be a masterful storyteller as she weave the two unsolved mysteries into an interconnecting slow-burn mystery, accented with rich characterizations and unique story settings. The narrative was made compelling and suspenseful with the wonderful narration of Stephen Shanahan. His accents and voice tones brought to life the multiple characters, and enriched the imagery in the theatre of my mind. Hopefully we have not seen the last of the shrews Aaron Falk. This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone , as Harper flawlessly supplies the necessary backstory.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for supplying aa advanced audio version of this captivating tale.

I really love Jane Harper’s style. I was very appreciative to receive an advanced file of this audio book in exchange for my honest review. The narrator did a fantastic job and it was very well produced. Obviously the book was fantastic as always!

A year ago Kim Gillespie disappeared at a wine festival, leaving Zoe, her baby, alone in her stroller. No one saw her leave, and no one knows where she went, not even her teenage daughter nor her husband. While the investigation has stalled, her daughter Zara is desperate to know the truth. She has some help in the form of Aaron Falk, a federal investigator in town for a christening who is also a friend of the family’s, and he soon finds himself in the middle of this mystery. Did Kim leave intentionally, abandoning her family? Or did something sinister happen? All anyone knows is that no one saw Kim leave the festival.

I really struggled getting through this novel. It was such a slow build to get to the really juicy stuff, but once I got there it was much better. I liked that, even though this is the third novel in the series, I was able to follow the action without feeling lost. I also liked the secondary story found within the main narrative. Harper’s presentation of the climax/big reveal was great; I liked how the event was presented from two perspectives, uncovering the truth surrounding the disappearance of Kim.

To me, the narration was too monotone, which made it hard to get into the story. I did like that Shanahan didn’t try to use different voices for the female characters in an attempt to make them sound like women; I’ve never been a fan of overly female voices done by male narrators. I also enjoyed his accent, especially since the story is set in Australia. It added an authenticity to the presentation of the story and the events.

Another good adventure for Aaron Falk.
The narration on this book was excellent!
I really enjoyed hearing more about Falk and the people in his life.

Jane Harper gives us a winner once again. Every work of hers is wonderful. I suggest you read them all. I am at I happy I got to listen to an advanced copy. I am already anxious for the next one.

I didn’t have a book boyfriend until I met Aaron Falk in The Dry. While I am devastated that Exiles is the last book in the series, Jane Harper knocked it out of the park with this third and final book. I was completely engrossed from page one and could not figure out the twist. Grateful she gave Aaron Falk a happy ending and he isn’t the forever bachelor! Stephen Shanahan is a first-rate narrator with a gorgeous accent and natural deliver. I could listen to him read any book all day long.

Set in Southern Australia's wine country, this book starts with a baby found abandoned in her stroller in the festival grounds after everyone has left. Her mother is nowhere to be found. A year later and the mother has still not been found, not even her body. The festival organisers and the baby's family organize an appeal at next year's festival to see if anyone remembers anything significant from a year ago. Aaron Falk, a Federal Investigator and friend of the family, gets involved in the investigation. Not everything is as it seems. Slightly slow but still enjoyable. Good narrator.

The Exiles, written by Jane Harper and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, is an engaging and powerful audiobook that takes the listener on an unforgettable journey to the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land (modern-day Tasmania) in the 19th century.

The story follows three women - Evie, a young governess who has been wrongfully convicted of theft, and the two convicts Hazel and Mathinna - as they are transported to Van Diemen's Land to serve out their sentences. The audiobook explores the harsh conditions of the penal colony, the brutal treatment of the prisoners, and the complex relationships that develop between the three women as they struggle to survive in this new and dangerous world.

Saskia Maarleveld's narration is simply fantastic. She brings each character to life with distinct voices and accents, making it easy to follow the story and immerse oneself in the world that Jane Harper has created. Maarleveld's delivery is both captivating and emotional, making the audiobook a truly immersive experience.

The Exiles is a beautifully written and well-researched novel that sheds light on an often-overlooked period of history. Jane Harper's attention to detail and vivid descriptions of the landscape and conditions of the colony make it easy for the listener to picture themselves in the harsh and unforgiving world of Van Diemen's Land.

Overall, The Exiles is a gripping and unforgettable audiobook that combines history, drama, and powerful storytelling. Saskia Maarleveld's narration is simply superb, and I would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, strong female characters, and immersive storytelling.

I had a hard time getting in to this one. Later, I realized this is the 3rd book in a series of novels featuring Federal Investigator Aaron Falk, who was a main character in the book. I think it would have been better enjoyed if I had read the other 2 previously. I loved The Survivors, so was excited to read more of her work, but found myself feeling disconnected from the characters and the town, which was absolutely not the case in The Survivors. The narrator was great, and the bones of the story were there - I just couldn't get excited and it took me forever to get through it. I kept putting it away to read something else and then coming back to it. Harper is an excellent writer with unique ideas and develops her characters well - they have a way of seeming like people you might already know. I do recommend this for fans of mysteries / investigative novels, especially if you've read the other 2 Aaron Falk books. I want to rate this higher because I think I'm a fan of Jane Harper's writing style, but it just didn't wow me.

Aaron Falk is back in the new Jane Harper book “Exiles,” and—even better—he’s reunited in this outing with Greg Raco, the state policeman he met and became friends with in “The Dry.” Falk has travelled to the charming Australian wine country town of Marralee, home of Raco and his brother, Charlie, for the christening of Raco’s son, and looks forward to a week of catching up and relaxing at Charlie’s Marralee winery. But it’s also the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, Kim Gillespie, who tucked her one-year-old daughter into her stroller at the Marralee Valley Food and Wine Festival and then vanished, leaving behind only a single white tennis shoe in a nearby reservoir. Charlie and Kim shared a daughter, Zara, and the now 17-year-old is determined to use the anniversary of her mother’s disappearance to re-open the investigation, enlisting Aaron’s reluctant help to discover what really happened to Kim. As with all Harper’s previous books, the pleasure in “Exiles” comes as much from getting to know her tight-knit and fully developed community of characters and reading her vivid and evocative descriptions of the Australian landscape—a character in itself—as from solving the mystery; I actually didn’t want anyone to be guilty because I was so invested in the characters. But Harper, of course, plots an expert mystery full of red herrings and twists that I never saw coming en route to a wholly satisfying (and devastating) climax. “Exiles” is apparently Aaron Falk’s swan song, but I can only hope that Harper has planned one final twist for us and brings him back in a future book. (This review is for the audiobook version of “Exiles,” expertly narrated by Stephen Shanahan—his straightforward Australian-accented reading is perfect for the material, as it has been for Harper’s previous books.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review. Highly recommend.

This audiobook was great as the narrator was perfect for the story. The writing was very atmospheric of a lush vineyard region. The mystery was solid with an in depth investigation of the disappearance of a local woman.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Exiles is a slow-paced mystery novel that takes its time in unraveling the story. While Aaron isn't officially investigating the disappearance of Kim, he's asking questions on his own. The other characters have been conducting their own investigations, and there are many questions surrounding a hit and run that occurred five years prior to the disappearance. The narrative explores the lengths we go to for the people we care about.

Although I listened to the audiobook, I think it would be better to read the book, given the number of characters to keep track of, and the fact that the story jumps back and forth between multiple time periods and POVs. The author's descriptive writing style makes it easy to visualize each scene and intertwines Aaron's personal life with the mystery. The ending was satisfying, as Harper wrapped up both mysteries well.

The Australian accent of the narrator, Stephen Shanahan, posed some challenges, as I sometimes struggled with words and missed sentences. Overall, I rated this story a 3 out of 5.

I only made it 47% through the audiobook. It seems like an interesting story, but it is just very long and very slow. I may like to read it physically at some point. The audio book just wasn't for me.

As with all Jane Harper books, this was a winner! Aaron Falk is back. This time he's helping his friend find a missing friend and along the way he just might find love too.

Sadly I dnfed this book. I tried my best and got just over 35% in.

I felt like this book was much slower than it needs to be and I really couldn’t figure out how all the characters connected.

When I read a mystery thriller I need something fast paced that grabs my attention right away. Unfortunately that wasn’t for me in this book. Hopefully y’all like it more then me.

This book has a decent story but I felt removed from the story for most of it. Almost as if I was observing everything and trying to piece it together myself.

Jane Harper delivers another bestseller in this captivating mystery about a missing mother.
Federal investigator, Aaron fall arrives in a small town in Southern Australia for a christening and ends up getting pulled into the one year anniversary of a the case of missing mother, Kim Gillespie. Fall gets pulled into the investigator questioning what would make a mother abandon their child.
Good read. Recommended.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review

While I truly thank Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this one as an audio book, I only made it about 2/3 of the way through. While I lnow the story is great and in line with Jane Harper's books, I could not understand the narrator very well. He had an accent but , in my opinion, spoke very fast and not very comprehensible. I wanted to love the story but the narrator unfortunately ruined it for me. He just couldn't kept me captive to listening as he was difficult to understand.

A smart, no-nonsense crime thriller with a smart, no-nonsense protagonist. Excellent writing with powerful descriptions of the Australian landscape and richly drawn, deeply intelligent characters struggling to figure themselves out as they work to solve the crime at the center of the novel. I have since read another novel by Jane Harper and can give it the exact same review-- so I will (copying this to put as the review for the that one). Feel free to read all the Jane Harper books and trust you're in excellent hands.