books by Jane Harper | Rosie Amber

Exiles by Jane Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Exiles by Jane Harper is the third book in the Aaron Falk series of mystery thrillers set in Australia.

This story focuses on a small town setting where a women abandoned her child at a community festival and was never seen again. At the time, Falk was in the town for a family christening which was cancelled due to close ties to the missing woman.

A year later family and friends gather at the opening night of the festival for an appeal for more information. A guest once more, Falk’s investigative skills sift through gathered data to solve the mystery.

Although I always enjoy the Australian settings of Harper’s books, I found the story very slow to get going after the initial chapters which set out the mystery. The circling back round to the missing person only revealed small details each time, and I was impatient for the pace to speed up. However, once Falk began to make some connections, I wanted to race to the end to find out what happened. The ending was worth it and I liked the relationship which Falk had with the local townsfolk and how they affected his future.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Orange rose book description — Book description

At a busy festival site on a warm spring night, a baby lies alone in her pram, her mother vanishing into the crowds.

A year on, Kim Gillespie’s absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family.

Joining the celebrations is federal investigator Aaron Falk. But as he soaks up life in the lush valley, he begins to suspect this tight-knit group may be more fractured than it seems.

Between Falk’s closest friend, a missing mother, and a woman he’s drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge.

AmazonUK | AmazonUS (Due out Jan 2023)

The Survivors by Jane Harper

4.5 stars

The Survivors is a cultural mystery set in the small coastal town of Evelyn Bay in Tasmania. Kieran and his partner Mia have returned with their baby; they are here for a visit and to help Kieran’s parents pack-up the family home.

Coming back is hard for Kieran as it raises his supressed survivor’s guilt; twelve years ago Kieran survived the night of a terrible storm when two others died trying to rescue him.

On their first night back, a waitress from the local bar drowns under suspicious circumstances. It send shockwaves of fear through the community, and the police investigation soon opens up some long buried secrets.

Small town community settings are one of Harper’s strengths; she peels away layers of history and distrust during her stories in a way which makes the settings feel very real. I also enjoy the characters and how they make up the puzzle pieces of a small town community.

The survivor theme is threaded throughout the book; a set of statues sits on the rocks of Evelyn Bay, a tribute to a shipwreck, which is a focal point for local diving enthusiasts. As the story unfolds, almost every character could be labelled a survivor, and I thought that this theme strengthened the book.

I would describe the story as medium paced, certainly not a high octane speed. The ending was my least favourite part; I found it a little disappointing, but this is more to do with my reading preferences than the book itself; it may well work for others.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Coming home dredges up deeply buried secrets in The Survivors, a thrilling mystery by New York Times bestselling author Jane Harper

Kieran Elliott’s life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences.

The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home.

Kieran’s parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn.

When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away..

AmazonUK | AmazonUS