kendramb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
afox98's review against another edition
4.0
Aaron Falk is visiting his colleague and friend Chris Raco in Raco's hometown, where a young woman walked away from her 6-month-old baby without a trace a year before. Turns out she's connected to Raco's family and Falk's interest is piqued in the case. As he spends time with Raco and his extended family, he learns more about the bonds of family, friendship, and place while he looks into the mysteries of the missing woman and the town. Great read.
ktxx22's review against another edition
4.0
More like a 4.5 i loved this ending to this series! Sad to be exiting this characters life but really loving for this ROMANCE and the update on the characters from book one that I loved! The mystery here is also interesting. It’s not anything crazy twisty or special but you do care a lot about the characters and the outcomes which is a serious skill that Jane Harper has.
blueashbobbie's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
laurenjodi's review against another edition
3.0
Exiles
3 Stars
Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to the small South Australian town of Marralee to attend a Christening and is drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Kim Gillespie from the local food and wine festival on year earlier. Why would a young mother abandon her baby in the crowd? Was she simply tired of motherhood? Was she depressed and suicidal? Or did someone harm her deliberately? As Falk looks into the case, dark secrets emerge that cast suspicion on everyone around him, even his closest friends.
Series note: This is the final installment in the Aaron Falk series. While the plot is standalone, there are references to events in book #1.
Despite the compelling mystery, the pacing of this book is exceedingly slow and tedious. Moreover, the flashback scenes interspersed within the present-day narrative add very little, and all of the information could have been provided through conversation. Were it not for my interest in the explanation for Kim's disappearance, I would have DNF'd.
That said, the characterization is excellent, and each person in Kim's life, whether it is her husband, her ex, her daughter or her best friend, comes to life on the page. As to the investigation, there are several possible reasons for Kim's disappearance and it is interesting to see how Falk pieces the events and the evidence together to reveal the truth. To be honest, the eventual explanation bumps the rating up to 3 just because I didn't see it coming.
Overall, the first book in this series, The Dry is excellent. However, the second and third installments fail to live up to their potential.
3 Stars
Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to the small South Australian town of Marralee to attend a Christening and is drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Kim Gillespie from the local food and wine festival on year earlier. Why would a young mother abandon her baby in the crowd? Was she simply tired of motherhood? Was she depressed and suicidal? Or did someone harm her deliberately? As Falk looks into the case, dark secrets emerge that cast suspicion on everyone around him, even his closest friends.
Series note: This is the final installment in the Aaron Falk series. While the plot is standalone, there are references to events in book #1.
Despite the compelling mystery, the pacing of this book is exceedingly slow and tedious. Moreover, the flashback scenes interspersed within the present-day narrative add very little, and all of the information could have been provided through conversation. Were it not for my interest in the explanation for Kim's disappearance, I would have DNF'd.
That said, the characterization is excellent, and each person in Kim's life, whether it is her husband, her ex, her daughter or her best friend, comes to life on the page. As to the investigation, there are several possible reasons for Kim's disappearance and it is interesting to see how Falk pieces the events and the evidence together to reveal the truth. To be honest, the eventual explanation bumps the rating up to 3 just because I didn't see it coming.
Overall, the first book in this series, The Dry is excellent. However, the second and third installments fail to live up to their potential.
ipekreading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 rounded up, decent mystery but felt repetitive.
gemmamari's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0