Exiles set in Australia – Jane Harper
Exiles set in Australia – Jane Harper – There’s a new Jane Harper in town. Maralee, South Australia being that town. A fictional place but she creates it so well that you honestly feel that it’s real. So real, that you are right beside Falk as he investigates why a mother would leave her baby behind in its pram at a festival. A mother who never returned. Do those left behind know something they won’t or can’t tell?
BookTrail Travel to Exiles
Boarding Pass Information: Maralee, South Australia
Author guide: Jane Harper
Genre: crime. mystery
Food and drink to accompany: Dry goods to survive in the bush
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A novel to transport you to Australia’s wine country
BookTrail Travel to Exiles
Heading down to South Australia’s wine country for the latest Falk outing and from the start I was drawn into the Australian culture and landscape. The setting shines from the start and the set up is immediately captivating and mysterious all at once.
We start off in the present day and flip back to the day of the fair when the baby was left in the pram alone with the mum still missing. Falk is there to attend a christening but soon becomes intrigued by the mystery and more over, people’s reactions to it.
What works is that this is a slow build – pieces of the jigsaw falling into place bit by bit – much like it would in real life. Falk is an outsider and we see events through his eyes. Brilliant as we discover things together as this man with a police brain who is always thinking what it is that he is not seeing. That one thing that niggles him – well he’s like Columbo and doesn’t let go until he’s got his answers. I love getting into this kind of mind and the way Jane Harper writes, it’s as if I was sitting on Falk’s shoulders throughout.
BookTrail Travel to Exiles
BookTrail Travel to Exiles
The central story might centre on the missing mother but other story threads weave their way through the land. A bit of romance for Falk too. Why did I feel envious? Maybe as I now picture him as Eric Bana but that scene in the rain was just magical.
Anyway, I digress – Falk is a good man. He worries more than anyone about the mssing mother and why her disappearance has not provoked the kind of reaction he would have expected. He is not there to investigate officially but he soon gets in deep but still manages to stay on the sidelines and it’s quite a compelling place to be. This town has secrets and shadows and it’s only by hiding in them does he have half the chance to find out what happened to the missing mother.
With top notch writing, clear and compelling characters, this is one visit to Australia you want to pack early for to be sure you get a front row seat.
BookTrail Travel to Exiles
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Books set in Australia
BookTrail Boarding Pass: Exiles
Twitter: @janeharperautho Web: //janeharper.com.au/
