I have heard a lot of good things about Belinda Bauer and have bought several of her books on these recommendations, but I hadn't got round to reading any of them until EXIT when given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. I have to say it was not at all what I expected, which I think was some form of physiological thriller, perhaps a domestic noir. EXIT is actually a gentle, funny, sometimes darkly so, mystery about 'assisted' suicide gone wrong.

Felix Pink is a 75 year-old widower, an 'Exiteer', part of a group who attend to those who want to take their own lives, to end their own suffering, to be with them at the end but, crucially, do nothing to cause the actual death. When Felix, and his new, inexperienced, young partner, attend to their latest 'client' something goes terribly wrong and Felix believes he has made the biggest mistake of his life. But later, as he tries to atone for his mistake, Felix begins to believe he may have been setup. Meanwhile, a young detective, Calvin begins to investigate the death and the role that two strangers seen on CCTV may have had in it.

The book is beautifully written and the audiobook narration by Tim McInnerney is sympathetic and entertaining. The main characters are realistic and charming, as are many of the supporting cast. Despite the subject matter, some of the scenes are truly comical and, although I felt those from Felix's viewpoint worked significantly better than those from Calvin's, I really enjoyed the book to its poignant conclusion and will be going back to read those other Belinda Bauer book on my TBR pile.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Audio for access to the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Belinda Bauer and Penguin Random House UK Audio for this ARC in return for an honest review.
This was certainly not what I was expecting to read. This book was oddly warm hearting and had very likeable characters in. I finished this book about a week ago and haven’t been able to start thinking about it. I feel this was quite a unique storyline which was pleasantly unexpecting. I genuinely can’t wait to see more of her books. I think this will be very popular in 2021.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Random House UK/Transworld Publishers/Bantam Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

75 year old Felix Pink is an exiteer - someone who sits with the terminally ill who wish to exit their world of pain and suffering. The exiteers aren’t allowed to assist the person to die, indeed they stay very much within the law. However, when Felix enters number 3 Black Lane with newbie exiteer 23 year old Amanda in tow, something goes very wrong

While Exit contains a number of clever ideas, one of my most significant challenges with the book is one of tone around the premise of the Exiteers. You see, I worked for a number of years as a hospice nurse, and for my entire nursing career as a cancer nurse, so I’ve seen many manifestations of both life and death at the end of the human lifespan. In fact, I believe that people should have a real, controlled way out at the end of their life, if they so choose. So this premise was a struggle, because Felix and his group have truly done a huge disservice to what should be a vital personal right.

The pacing is perhaps the most challenging thing about it. The main plot doesn’t take off until 11%, and the wrinkles that really give it spark aren’t until 35%. Eventually, there are plenty of twists to keep the reader engaged, to the point where it becomes a little bananas, really. There are frequent humorous asides, such as when he tries to help take care of a cat, his accidentally developing relationship with the elderly neighbor lady, and when he tries his luck standing on a boat.

I struggled with the mixed genre and the way the book was written. Unfortunately it wasnt for me.

I listened to the audio version of this book and unfortunately I did not enjoy the story. The premise sounded really good, and the first chapter was brilliant, but by about half way I was bored and found myself wanting to get through the book as quickly as possible. I feel quite disappointed.

The story was told from different narrators point of view, and I don't know if it was just the narration, but i couldn't always tell who's point of view I was listening too. Maybe Chapter names in the narration would be helpful. But I think the issue was was that it jumped around a lot between characters, the storyline was far fetched, and tried to be funny in places but I didn't enjoy it.

I can see form other reviews that many people enjoyed it, however it wasn't what I expected from the description, or from reading the authors other books, which I have loved.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Audio for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Belinda Bauer worked as a journalist, screenwriter and court reporter before deciding to write fiction, and her considerable expertise shines through in many of her novels, including this one. ‘The Exit’ is an unusual piece of crime fiction that is not afraid to touch on taboo issues – first and foremost, the controversial topic of assisted suicide. The protagonist in this novel is Felix Pink, a compassionate and caring elderly gentleman who provides ‘end of life’ assistance to terminally ill citizens. When there is an unexpected death, Felix comes under police scrutiny and it looks as if his life is going to be torn apart, until Felix turns to an investigation of his own. This topic area may sound very grim, but it is to Bauer’s credit that she manages to inject compassion and humour into such a dark storyline, as well as introduce us to an idiosyncratic cast of unforgettable characters: as well as Felix, there are the voice of his deceased wife Margaret, his scruffy dog Mabel, police officers Calvin and Jackie, and several other ordinary individual with whom we become extraordinarily acquainted. It is not an audio book I would normally have chosen but I do recommend it. I would also like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC audio book I received in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

This sounded interesting but not my usual go to but I really enjoyed it. It’s a real heartwarming story of an elderly man trying to go good by those around him. I really liked Felix and became really fond of him as he’d remind you of your grandfather and he could be very witty when he wanted to be. It was an interesting storyline and I really liked how the individual characters were woven together in different ways. I liked the narration but I think it fell short when it came to the female characters as it was very much like someone putting on a voice in a sketch and it took from the story a little. I really didn’t think this world be my cup of tea at all but I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC that is due to be published on the 21st of Jan.

I’ve read and enjoyed a couple of Belinda Bauer’s other books but this has to be my favourite so far. Lots of characters, some likeable and some definitely not. The story had me hooked from the beginning. The idea of the ‘exiteers’ was very interesting and I really liked Felix as a character. I would like to see him in future books. Lots of twists and turns. I thought, multiple times, that I knew ‘who dunnit’ but I got to the end and was surprised. This is the first time I’ve heard this narrator too and I really enjoyed listening to him. I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC.

Oh WOW!
I listened to the audio version of this courtesy of Netgalley and I could not turn it off. I finished it in less than 24 hours as I found the plot so incredibly original and thought provoking as well as gripping as a thriller.
In fact, to start with, this book really upset me. The way in which Bauer writes about death, grief and loneliness is astonishingly perceptive and achingly sad. Just in the choice of a word or two, or a single sentence, I found myself stricken with the plight of Felix Pink and the unusual job he does under the pseudonym of John. He happens to be part of a very small and select group, recruited anonymously by leader Jeffrey/Geoffrey Skeet, to watch over those who have decided to leave the world behind before pain and illness ravages them.
The opening has the reader agog, trying to work out who is who and exactly what is happening. The plot is quirky, profound and as the story progresses actually very funny (Mabel widdling after 6 hours, a stolen tulip costing £50, and a broken pencil at an arrest, to name but a few comic moments).
The plot develops into a crime to be solved because something unexpectedly goes wrong in Abbotsham with new recruit Amanda at the bedside, and Felix is torn between accepting his fate without question and trying to understand how on earth the mistake happened in the first place. He opts for the latter and in the course of his own bumbling investigations we meet next door neighbour Miss Knott, Skipper and his grandson Reggie, the Moon couple and the officers dealing with the case. Calvin/Kelvin Bridge is the acting DC paired with DCI Kirsty King to work out whether the death of Albert Cann is a crime or not. There is a depth to all the characters as we learn about their lives, their relationships, the past which has formed their present day actions, and all of these features are brought to life with brilliant and often very funny dialogue.
I loved the twists and turns, the intrigue and the suspicion, the precarious nature of Felix Pink 's thought processes and the way, very slowly, people become connected to others, who in turn have connections elsewhere, until the story comes full circle and we understand the conclusion.
The ending is as profound and sad as the beginning and simply perfect.
A superbly executed masterpiece of a story, I LOVED it!
You really do have to make sure this is a book you pick up SOON!
With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to listen to the audio version of Exit in exchange for this honest review.
AND THE NARRATION WAS PERFECT TOO. BROUGHT FELIX TO LIFE, AND SKIPPER, REGGIE, HAYLEY etc. I felt the tone of the male narrator conveying the gravity of the Exiteer's role extremely fitting and his melancholy timbre well suited to the concept of death, loneliness and grief. The narration simply added to the way the book made me as a reader FEEL.

A clever, smart, witty, character driven novel about Felix (72) who helps people to die (who want to) until one day something goes wrong and the police become involved. Devoured it in a day. Highly recommend.

It takes a lot for me to re-read/listen, but as this was one of my top reads of last year, I jumped at the chance to revisit Felix and his friends when I saw the audio version pop up on Netgalley.
It was only made better by the excellent narration and I still wholeheartedly recommend everybody read this book. It is an absolute gem of storytelling, plotting and amazing characters, and I defy anyone not to fall in love with Felix Pink!

The joyous bit about reading Belinda Bauer's novel Exit is the off-kilter unfolding of a story headed somewhere you were not expecting. Without fail, her books are amusing, delightful and often gently misleading but in a good-hearted, 'you got me there!' kind of way. There's a lightness of hand in her writing that makes these stories sparkle with simplicity, tenderness and lightly buried genius that makes the world feel ever so slightly better. If you cannot tell, I loved Exit...now to the story.

Exit is about Exiteers who volunteer to be present when an elderly/terminally ill person decides to take his/her own life. Exiteers give guidance on how to proceed but do not physically assist in the act in any way. Instead, they are there to give comfort so the person intending to die does not have to pass away alone. It's a really lovely notion and made me think about how we deal with death.

The audio of this novel is perfectly performed by the narrator. The personalities of the characters, the lack of mental faculties for some of the younger set, was brilliantly depicted. I so enjoyed this warm, sweet story being read to me.

Our main character, Felix Pink, is an old age pensioner who has attended a number of deaths. He's charming, sweet and wants to give comfort to those who wish to end their lives. The trouble is things don't go quite to plan and events spiral out of his control. It's looking pretty dodgy for him but the interweaving of police, Felix, Felix's neighbour and the occupants and visitors of the house where things went off the rails is utterly brilliant. Funny, sweet, touching with surprise twists, too, Exit has not only a moral story behind it but is full of heart as well. This novel is pure delight in these troubled times. It may seem a dark topic but Exit is anything but. Pure joy, honestly. I hope you agree.

This is quite hard for me to give a review. I have read Bauer in the past and I have loved the thrillers like Snap! So I requested this in NetGalley to listen as I thought it was a thriller reading the synopsis and knowing the authors writing style. I can’t say this was the case sadly. I liked the idea and the concept and The EXITeers drew me in and what they do was a unique one.
I just found the story discombobulated and haphazard and not as well executed as it had the potential to be. As it was different to other Books in this category.
I found like the author didn’t know where she was headed at times or someone didn’t proof check this.
I am new to the audio world and only just started to listen more as I don’t have as much time to pick up a book. Sometimes I found it funny and liked the narrative doing all the different voices but just couldn’t get into as much as I would really have liked too which is a shame. I did like the ending that the roles were flipped to who you’d think was the perpetrators for the deaths would be. At least he got his personal ending sailing into the sunset. I think I’d have enjoyed more as a book.
Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC and Penguin in exchange for an honest review

Belinda Bauer’s Exit is a delightful listen. It is darkly comic, full of wonderful characters and the plotting is exquisite – every time you think you understand what is going on, Bauer wrong foots the reader and things turn out to be not at all what they seem.

The crux of the story centres on Felix Pink a 75 year old widower from Devon and member of a group who call themselves ‘the Exiteers’, a bunch of (largely) elderly people who, without actually breaking the law, act in support of those who are terminally ill and wish to end their own suffering.

We meet Felix as he is preparing to embark on an outing with a new recruit, Amanda, younger than most members, but whose own experience of a suffering relative has, she tells Felix, made her understand the importance of the Exiteers cause.

Together they arrive at No 3, Black Lane, the house of Charles Cann, an elderly man whose cancer has taken hold and who has contacted the Exiteers for their help in ensuring an orderly end to his suffering. They key is where it should be and they let themselves in. Felix knows this could be tough for Amanda so he is prepared for her to be upset. But when she breaks the cardinal rule to not actually help a patient Felix is determined that she should not be blamed. She will need to learn, but now is not the time. However, when it transpires that the wrong man has died, things are very much murkier indeed!

Felix is determined to shoulder the blame for what has happened and determines to hand himself over to the police. But wait! First he to make sure Mabel his dog is taken care of. So he hot foots it over the back fence and heads for home just as young pc Calvin Bridge arrives with his partner to investigate after an anonymous tip off.

Calvin is a lovely lad. He’s just finished a spell in plain clothes where his boss, DCI Kirsty King, thought he displayed talent and initiative. But Calvin harbours a terrible secret. He comes from a family whose criminal activities are well known in this neighbourhood and despite changing his name, Calvin knows that his connection to them could end his police career were it to become known. So he sits on his ambition and goes back to on the beat work without a murmur.

Belinda Bauer’s book has a light and quirky touch that belies its body count and controversial subject matter. It is a beautifully plotted and elegantly constructed novel that offers us two charming if slightly sad protagonists in Felix and Calvin both of whom are in search of the real answers as to what exactly is going on. Our joy as readers in following their paths as they converge and diverge again is in seeing how both find a renewed sense of self and a refreshing interest in the people around them.

Bauer’s book is full of wonderful characters and in this audiobook, beautifully narrated by Tim McInnerny. The dialogue is sharp and witty, the characters endearing and the hilarious sets of misunderstandings and fantastic plot points lead to a brilliantly funny murder mystery I think everyone will enjoy. Tim McInnerny cleverly reigns in the irony to give free range to a wonderfully oddball set of characters and his pitch perfect dialogue is a joy to listen to.

Verdict: A fantastic listen. This is a moving and often poignant novel that has real heart, a spritely humour and lots of really clever twists. It celebrates its characters in a way that makes you feel as if you know them. By the time you finish listening, you will both know and love them and that makes this a real wonder of a book and a great listen.

Exiteers help people to die who couldn't afford to go to Switzerland. They travel by public transport to avoid cars being spotted on any cameras. They never assist they just mearly sit there until the end. They advice how to die but how to make it look a natural death. Then they clean up afterwards. Felix has a new partner, but his last posting went wrong when they helped the wrong man to die.

This was not what I expected at all. Despite its serious nature this is quite a fun read/listen. With one bumbling mishap after another. The story has lots of twists and turns but still with jaw dropping moments as the story plays out. Felix is an older man and is quite the character who sees the good in people. Lots of red herrings and a truly delightful 'whodunnit'. I absolutely loved this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. It reminded me of Richard Osman’s book from last year with an older cast at its heart. Felix, the hero had such a nice demeanour but I also liked how each character was more than met the eye. Would recommend.

Just wonderful. Oh I loved this book. The clever and interesting story is delightfully and humorously told in a fashion not unlike Alexander McCall Smith but with much more substance. Felix was enchanting and every single character added enormously to the overall experience.
The audio was fabulous with the reader clearly voicing all the different people.

Exit - Belinda Bauer

When Felix lets himself in to Number 3 Black Lane, he’s there to perform an act of kindness and charity: to keep a dying man company as he takes his final breath . . .

But just fifteen minutes later Felix is on the run from the police – after making the biggest mistake of his life.

Now his routine world is turned upside down as he tries to discover what went wrong, while staying one step ahead of the law.

Felix Pink and Amanda find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation after they accidentally assist the wrong man die. Aware of the repercussions of what he has done, Felix is more than happy to turn himself in for the murder, he just has a few things to take care of first.

Bauer introduces quite a few different characters within this book, from the young Amanda up to the elderly Skipper; each just seems to fit perfectly into the story.

The book is told from the perspective of Felix and Calvin, a young detective who is investigating the murder. This is a fantastic crime book, with many twists and a very surprising ending.

Rating 5/5

I listened to this audiobook in one session, I found myself unable to walk away

A new story and a new author for me.
Pensioner Felix is part of the Exiteers, a group of discrete volunteers who comfort the terminally ill people who have chosen to pass on with dignity. They also tidy up the area so that their deaths appeared to be of natural causes. One such day, Felix went with Amanda, a new recruit to help a dying man. But something happens and Felix had to run, instructing Amanda to slip away.
My first book by this author, I was quite surprised as I thought this would be a great action thriller, but the book had moments of humor along with the need to find the truth. Many eclectic characters along with a different plotline made this an interesting listen. Twists too peppered into the prose as in any mystery.
The narrator could make me interested in the various characters, the voices played were distinct with emotions and intonations.
The concept was interesting, having a thriller-y heart, I would have liked more suspense. But the book had its own charm with a good mystery and a shadowed plotline. Listened to it while doing my chores.

‘It was never supposed to be murder’ - ‘Exit’ cover tag line.

My thanks to Penguin Random House U.K. Audio for a review copy of the unabridged audiobook edition, via NetGalley, of ‘Exit’ by Belinda Bauer. It is narrated by Tim McInnerny and has a running time of 9 hours, 43 minutes at 1x speed.

Pensioner Felix Pink is a member of the Exiteers, a group of discreet volunteers who serve as witnesses for terminally ill people that have chosen to end their lives. They also tidy up, ensuring that the deaths appear to have been by natural causes.

Accompanied by Amanda, a new Exiteer, Felix goes to Number 3 Black Lane where they will keep a dying man company as he takes his final breath . . . Yet fifteen minutes later, after something goes terribly wrong, Felix instructs Amanda to quietly leave while he goes on the run.

Felix realises that he must find out if he's really to blame, or if something much more sinister is at play. All while keeping one shaky step ahead of the law.

This was my first experience of Belinda Bauer’s work and it proved quite a surprise. I came to it with little prior knowledge of the plot, as I prefer to read mysteries and thrillers ‘cold’. I hadn’t realised that despite it being crime fiction, dealing with a sensitive subject, that there would be a strong comedic element running throughout. Still, the choice of Tim McInnerny, well known for his work in comedy, as the narrator for the audiobook should have been a clue.

I loved this novel from the start! It was packed with quirky, memorable characters combined with a charming plot that was also thought-provoking. There were also some great twists. I appreciated the idea of the Exiteers, serving as quiet companions for the final moments of life.

With respect to the audiobook, I thought that Tim McInnerny was brilliant; capturing the novel’s wide variety of characters and range of moods from broad comedy, through to thrills, and poignant reflections on ageing, loneliness, death, and dying.

Overall, an intelligent, well written novel. I was very impressed by Belinda Bauer’s writing and plan to seek out her other books.

It is the kind of novel that I expect will appeal to reading groups for its highly engaging plot, the gentle humour, strong characterisations, and the opportunity it provides for discussion on a range of topics. I also feel that Mabel, Felix’s scrubbing-brush of a mongrel, will prove a huge hit with readers. She certainly won a place in my heart as did Felix himself.

Highly recommended.

**Listened via audio**

This book is very difficult to review. My opinion on this book changed so much while listening.
Firstly, I really enjoyed the narrator I though he was great at playing all of the different characters and he was very funny. But on that point, I was expecting this to be a thriller novel based on the blurb etc. so I wasn't expecting the 'silly' slapstick-style comedy within this book. I struggled with the comedy elements within this book, and at times it made me feel uneasy rather than filled with laughter as i didn't think the subject matter should be made into a comedy.
That being said, I thought the plot concept for the book was a really interesting and unique one. I was intrigued from the start.

This book could fit into a variety of different genres - normally a book going across genres wouldn't bother me, but I just don't feel that this book worked liked this. It was messy and I don't think Bauer quite knew herself where it was going at times.