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jacki_f's review against another edition
3.0
Lonely widower Felix is a member of a volunteer group who help terminally ill people to take their own lives. His role doesn't entail any active involvement, merely sitting with them in their final moments and then removing the evidence after they die (so their families can remain unaware). But one day he and a fellow volunteer inadvertently assist the wrong person to die, and now he is a fugitive in a murder investigation.
I adored Felix, an endearing character who feels like he stepped out of an Anne Tyler novel and into a Kate Atkinson one. I also like the quiet humour with which Bauer writes - early on, a bumblebee drones by heavily "as if it were in the wrong gear". But as a mystery, this is a bit all over the place - so many strands and red herrings that it gets a little annoying. If you liked [b:The Thursday Murder Club|46000520|The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)|Richard Osman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582287822l/46000520._SY75_.jpg|70861405], this has many of the same feels, but I struggle with the disparity between the plot and the jovial tone. And as with Thursday Murder Club, I find bumbling and simplistic cops irritating.
I adored Felix, an endearing character who feels like he stepped out of an Anne Tyler novel and into a Kate Atkinson one. I also like the quiet humour with which Bauer writes - early on, a bumblebee drones by heavily "as if it were in the wrong gear". But as a mystery, this is a bit all over the place - so many strands and red herrings that it gets a little annoying. If you liked [b:The Thursday Murder Club|46000520|The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1)|Richard Osman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582287822l/46000520._SY75_.jpg|70861405], this has many of the same feels, but I struggle with the disparity between the plot and the jovial tone. And as with Thursday Murder Club, I find bumbling and simplistic cops irritating.
rozlev's review against another edition
4.0
Good mystery. Fun read with great characters and some interesting plot twists I didn't see coming. 4 stars because the book got a little bogged down in the middle. But the last 25% was worth the whole read.
caseysilk's review against another edition
4.0
A smart, page-turning mystery with likable characters and an ending I didn’t see coming.
kyledhebert's review against another edition
3.0
“Exit” is full of dry humor and interesting characters, and goes places I didn’t expect. My kind of crime novel.
joweston's review against another edition
4.0
Unusual storyline, quirky with empathy for a difficult subject matter but scattered with wonderful black humour. Great narration and characterisation by Tim McInerny
meganlee3001's review against another edition
4.0
Book Review Time!
Exit by Belinda Bauer.
Swipe➡️ for synopsis.
*My Thoughts*
I loved the sound of this book. The premis I thought, was really interesting.
The first few chapters I found a little slow and by the time the actual mystery was unfolded, we were about 40% through so definitely a slow burn.
However, once the mystery kicked in, I was hooked. I loved the characters, just laugh out loud funny and totally loveable.
The mystery itself was flawlessly written. It really kept me guessing.
It really is a heart warming book despite the plot! I think if you liked The Thursday Murder Club, then this could be your next favourite!
4 stars for me!
Thanks to Grove Atlantic, Netgalley and Belinda Bauer for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Exit by Belinda Bauer.
Swipe➡️ for synopsis.
*My Thoughts*
I loved the sound of this book. The premis I thought, was really interesting.
The first few chapters I found a little slow and by the time the actual mystery was unfolded, we were about 40% through so definitely a slow burn.
However, once the mystery kicked in, I was hooked. I loved the characters, just laugh out loud funny and totally loveable.
The mystery itself was flawlessly written. It really kept me guessing.
It really is a heart warming book despite the plot! I think if you liked The Thursday Murder Club, then this could be your next favourite!
4 stars for me!
Thanks to Grove Atlantic, Netgalley and Belinda Bauer for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review
marilynw's review against another edition
5.0
Exit by Belinda Bauer
Seventy five year old Felix Pink is an Exiteer, being present for the last breath of those who are ready to let go of the suffering and pain in this life. Felix supported his wife through all the heartache, tears, and bewilderment of dementia and that experience prompted him to help others avoid such a fate. Felix's "friends" had been through his wife and now he's alone except for his much loved, much doted upon little dog, Mabel. Felix is here for Mabel, to her last day, but once she is gone, he's already bought his own canister and mask, so he can exit this life, too.
On Felix's latest charity mission, he's accompanied by a new Exiteer. Things go wrong, protocol is not followed by the newcomer, and Felix realizes that they have murdered a man who was not the client that was ready to die. Willing to take full responsibility for what has happened, Felix first needs to tie up some loose ends, such as make sure his neighbor will take care of Mabel. So Felix ends up being on the run from the police, as he also tries to figure out just how things went so wrong.
Enter the local law enforcement, featuring Calvin, a young uniformed policeman, who failed his one try at being a plainclothes officer. Calvin never wants to work another murder but here he is, having to deal with this latest death. At first I wasn't sure about Calvin but by the end of the story he and Felix were favorites of mine. And I loved the silly comradery of the police headquarters, with their constant battle against the thieving snack machine, jokes about ever present fruitcake, and Calvin's daily contest with his partner for who has had the "worst day ever".
And the dogs, Bauer knows and loves dogs, without a doubt, and she knows dog talk, dog think, the love of a dog by the dog's person. I laughed at her dog bark translations and could have read an entire book about Mabel going through her day, doing doggie things, as presented by Bauer. The characterizations of the "good" people (not perfect but well meaning, without a doubt) left me with such a good feeling, once I finished the book. I had some questions, in my mind, about little details mostly to do with the gambling part of the story, which I could have done without, but this story was a solid 5 stars from me.
Publication: February 2, 2021
Thank you to Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Seventy five year old Felix Pink is an Exiteer, being present for the last breath of those who are ready to let go of the suffering and pain in this life. Felix supported his wife through all the heartache, tears, and bewilderment of dementia and that experience prompted him to help others avoid such a fate. Felix's "friends" had been through his wife and now he's alone except for his much loved, much doted upon little dog, Mabel. Felix is here for Mabel, to her last day, but once she is gone, he's already bought his own canister and mask, so he can exit this life, too.
On Felix's latest charity mission, he's accompanied by a new Exiteer. Things go wrong, protocol is not followed by the newcomer, and Felix realizes that they have murdered a man who was not the client that was ready to die. Willing to take full responsibility for what has happened, Felix first needs to tie up some loose ends, such as make sure his neighbor will take care of Mabel. So Felix ends up being on the run from the police, as he also tries to figure out just how things went so wrong.
Enter the local law enforcement, featuring Calvin, a young uniformed policeman, who failed his one try at being a plainclothes officer. Calvin never wants to work another murder but here he is, having to deal with this latest death. At first I wasn't sure about Calvin but by the end of the story he and Felix were favorites of mine. And I loved the silly comradery of the police headquarters, with their constant battle against the thieving snack machine, jokes about ever present fruitcake, and Calvin's daily contest with his partner for who has had the "worst day ever".
And the dogs, Bauer knows and loves dogs, without a doubt, and she knows dog talk, dog think, the love of a dog by the dog's person. I laughed at her dog bark translations and could have read an entire book about Mabel going through her day, doing doggie things, as presented by Bauer. The characterizations of the "good" people (not perfect but well meaning, without a doubt) left me with such a good feeling, once I finished the book. I had some questions, in my mind, about little details mostly to do with the gambling part of the story, which I could have done without, but this story was a solid 5 stars from me.
Publication: February 2, 2021
Thank you to Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
sandin954's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable read with a unique plot, memorable characters, and humor from one of my favorite authors.
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
Funny, clever, surprising, with a lot of heart, loved it! Highly recommended!
emjay2021's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this. You may note that I have tagged it as “funny,” which probably seems like an awfully weird way to describe a novel about medical assistance in dying with a slightly depressed main character. However, Exit is really quite humorous at times! I was surprised at how often I laughed while listening to it. The narrator, Rupert Degas, does a very good job, doing different voices for different characters but not being over the top about it. I particularly liked the bits about Felix’s dog Mabel.
The mystery is almost beside the point, although it was fine. If I’m being honest, I kind of lost interest a little once the mystery was revealed about two-thirds of the way through. But really, the best parts are spending time with the characters. Felix, despite his sad sack nature, has a lot more feistiness than you might think at first. Calvin the policeman, too, has more depth than he seems to when you first meet him. Even the minor supporting characters are well drawn, like the cleaner, Hailey, and Felix’s neighbour Miss Knott. There is a scene with Hailey in her chaotic family home that features a parrot which is utterly hilarious but also kind of heartbreaking. (I’m probably spelling the characters’ names wrong because I listened to the book and never saw them written down.)
Anyway, it’s a well done audiobook, not too long, and really engaging, especially at the beginning. I would recommend it to someone looking for a good audiobook mystery who likes a bit of lightness in their mysteries.
The mystery is almost beside the point, although it was fine. If I’m being honest, I kind of lost interest a little once the mystery was revealed about two-thirds of the way through. But really, the best parts are spending time with the characters. Felix, despite his sad sack nature, has a lot more feistiness than you might think at first. Calvin the policeman, too, has more depth than he seems to when you first meet him. Even the minor supporting characters are well drawn, like the cleaner, Hailey, and Felix’s neighbour Miss Knott. There is a scene with Hailey in her chaotic family home that features a parrot which is utterly hilarious but also kind of heartbreaking. (I’m probably spelling the characters’ names wrong because I listened to the book and never saw them written down.)
Anyway, it’s a well done audiobook, not too long, and really engaging, especially at the beginning. I would recommend it to someone looking for a good audiobook mystery who likes a bit of lightness in their mysteries.