Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Exiles

I love Jane Harper’s mysteries. I love reading about Australia and an environment that is often foreign to me. I love her intelligent plots, strong character development, and quirky dialogue.

This is the third in her Aaron Falk series. He’s visiting his best friends in wine country where, despite the happiness of family get-togethers, there’s a pall of grief. One widow and her teenage son lost their husband and father in a hit-and-run six years earlier. The mom of a 6-week-old baby disappeared a year ago, never to be seen again, leaving sadness and dissatisfaction in her absence. The stories are connected through the shared trauma of a small town where everyone is close to everyone else.

There’s a lot here about family and love, but also about how people who are depressed can be increasingly isolated from their best friends. If something happens to them, it’s chalked up to their depression, an easy scapegoat for unusual behavior.

Despite the sadness there’s more warmth here than in Harper’s previous books. There’s so much caring and concern for friends and neighbors that the overall feeling is of welcome and comfort. This is a satisfying mystery as well as a rewarding novel of friends and neighbors.

Content Warnings

lbw's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Jane Harper has not yet let me down when I’m seeking a good, solid thriller. The ending is never a complete surprise, but that’s how I like them and what makes an intelligent suspense novel.

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katiejohns's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

darumachan's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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