Jane Harper: Exiles, 9781529098440, Macmillan, hardback, ebook available, paperback September 2023

Jane Harper is an Australian crime writer whose new books I always look forward to.

 "Exiles" features Aaron Falk again, an investigator for the Melbourne financial police, this time on leave  visiting his best friend Raco in the Australian wine county for the christening of his godson. It also happens to be the one year anniversary of the disappearence of their friend Kim who uncharacteristically left her young baby unattended at a festival, never to be seen again.  While Aaron is having a fun time with the tight knit group of friends around Raco, both are drawn again to Kim's unresolved disappearence  involuntarily beginning their own investigation. 

Jane Harper has a subtle way of building her plots but I thought "Exiles" was too long drawn out before the novel starts to gather momentum and is not as strong as her previous Falk books. Still, the plot is solid, had a fine time being transported into the Australian wine country, particulary with Falk enjoying a personal stroke of luck this time.