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John Barron/Nicholas Marten #1
The Exile
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Day After Tomorrow and The Day of Confession comes The Exile, an all new heart-pounding thriller
The Los Angeles Police Department's famed 5-2 squad boards a commuter train in an attempt to take a cold-blooded killer into custody. John Barron, the newest and youngest member of the elite LAPD unit, learns quickly that the 5-2 has their own deadly system of justice, and that even the slightest protest will result in his suffering the same swift fate. Thus begins a dark, explosive struggle between good and evil--pitting Barron's squad against an exceedingly imaginative and brutal killer.
Suddenly the game widens when John flees to London with his sister, Rebecca, and they are thrown into a race against time. Pursuing them is a baroness, beautiful and cruel, who will stop at nothing to protect her family, her fortune, and her global ambitions. Her secret--spanning oceans, continents, the collapse of the USSR, even the death of the Tsars--is a stunning revelation that could catapult her to the pinnacle of world power.
The Los Angeles Police Department's famed 5-2 squad boards a commuter train in an attempt to take a cold-blooded killer into custody. John Barron, the newest and youngest member of the elite LAPD unit, learns quickly that the 5-2 has their own deadly system of justice, and that even the slightest protest will result in his suffering the same swift fate. Thus begins a dark, explosive struggle between good and evil--pitting Barron's squad against an exceedingly imaginative and brutal killer.
Suddenly the game widens when John flees to London with his sister, Rebecca, and they are thrown into a race against time. Pursuing them is a baroness, beautiful and cruel, who will stop at nothing to protect her family, her fortune, and her global ambitions. Her secret--spanning oceans, continents, the collapse of the USSR, even the death of the Tsars--is a stunning revelation that could catapult her to the pinnacle of world power.
690 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
76 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
Allan Folsom
14 books157 followersUntil the international success of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, Allan Folsom was a jobbing screen writer, contributing to such series as Hart to Hart. He lived in Santa Barbara with his wife, an artist, and their young daughter. Mr. Folsom died of complications of melanoma.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
August 13, 2016
I can't say enough about this book. A tightly packed action novel that by no means seemed as long as its 700 pages. I read this without feeling the presence of the author--almost like the story told itself. Very well done, no back paging to refresh or remember characters, every detail vivid and memorable.
In my mind this was flawless and not a single page was boring. I will follow up this book by reading another Folsom book, and if it's as good as this one, then I will have found a new favorite author.
In my mind this was flawless and not a single page was boring. I will follow up this book by reading another Folsom book, and if it's as good as this one, then I will have found a new favorite author.
February 9, 2017
I found this an exciting read. It was full of action, especially the first 250 pages. It took quite a while to figure out just why Raymond was killing all the people. Just what was the motive? When we finally find out, it is very unexpected. This is kind of what I've come to expect of Allan Folsom's novel though. Well thought out plots that you'd never expect the kind of twists that he thinks up. I encourage you to read it. As for me, I'm reading the next one in the series.
July 13, 2009
The first hundred and fifty pages of this novel was slam-bang page turning action. This was followed by several hundred pages of really good thriller material. This was followed by an uneven and less than thrilling hundred pages, and then suddenly we were back to some exciting action again.
The point was that this novel was somewhat uneven. The author proved he could write slam bang action, the problem was he couldn't provide a serious reason for it. I don't offer the premise of his novel here in order to prevent spoiling for those who choose to read it, but I will tell you is is grade A - RIDICULOUS!
The story begins on a train and can any book with train action be all bad. The action heats up as Folsom writes in short sections (semi-chapters) which makes the reader feel as if he can read just one more section.
However, the story goes on much too long, has an unsatisfying up in the air conclusion, some stupid stuff in between.
Novels aren't supposed to JUMP the SHARK!
The point was that this novel was somewhat uneven. The author proved he could write slam bang action, the problem was he couldn't provide a serious reason for it. I don't offer the premise of his novel here in order to prevent spoiling for those who choose to read it, but I will tell you is is grade A - RIDICULOUS!
The story begins on a train and can any book with train action be all bad. The action heats up as Folsom writes in short sections (semi-chapters) which makes the reader feel as if he can read just one more section.
However, the story goes on much too long, has an unsatisfying up in the air conclusion, some stupid stuff in between.
Novels aren't supposed to JUMP the SHARK!
January 9, 2018
Loved this book. It was filled with excitement, a plot to obtain the Russian throne, that takes the reader all over Europe and other lands. The story is amazing that it takes the reader inside the LAPD, the French Police H.Q. the Russian Police, and a Royal Family, with a member that continues to assassinate anyone remotely related to the Russian Royal family. It is a love story, and a true adventure.
That is as far as I will go, as I don't want to spoil this book, however, the last paragraph made me gasp, is there another book and will our hero have to continue to run?
The good news is, I just found two more books to continue the story, and already ordered. Hope they are as good as this one.
That is as far as I will go, as I don't want to spoil this book, however, the last paragraph made me gasp, is there another book and will our hero have to continue to run?
The good news is, I just found two more books to continue the story, and already ordered. Hope they are as good as this one.
May 31, 2020
This was an excellent gripping thriller that had me riveted to my seat for nearly all of its 702 pages.
It's divided into three parts, Los Angeles, Europe & Russia. The first part, Los Angeles centres around a mysteriously violent man who emerges from the midst of the take down of another criminal getting caught up as he is taken hostage, then murders police to escape resulting in a thrilling manhunt.
From here it moves to Europe, which I shan't describe for fear or ruining the exciting flow of the novel, then the story moves to Russia where all of the mysteries and motivations of people are full exposed in a captivating manner.
My description really does not do this justice, it was a great story and I think I shall be checking out some more Folsom soon.
It's divided into three parts, Los Angeles, Europe & Russia. The first part, Los Angeles centres around a mysteriously violent man who emerges from the midst of the take down of another criminal getting caught up as he is taken hostage, then murders police to escape resulting in a thrilling manhunt.
From here it moves to Europe, which I shan't describe for fear or ruining the exciting flow of the novel, then the story moves to Russia where all of the mysteries and motivations of people are full exposed in a captivating manner.
My description really does not do this justice, it was a great story and I think I shall be checking out some more Folsom soon.
August 9, 2025
mi libro policíaco favorito, casi leía cada episodio con palomitas. De principio a fin. Leído en 3 semanas a los 16 años.
January 18, 2025
Part 1 of this book is 5/5 fast paced and great action. Part 2 and 3 the pacing falls apart - it drags and feels repetitive. It just had no business being that long. The ending was also frustrating.
January 29, 2013
I've now read all his books. He never dissappoints!
September 26, 2013
Another fantastic story-telling by Allan Folsom. The plot again is a little far-fetched but master story telling indeed..!!
January 9, 2016
Moves really fast as all Allan Folsom books do. Very gripping story. However,not as tightly knit as 'The day after tomorrow' and a little too long.
April 5, 2018
John Barron is the youngest member of the legendary 5-2 squad, part of the Los Angeles police department. He boards a train one morning with his squad members in search of a killer. As the events of that morning unfold, Barron realizes that there is a reason his squad is so famous. It metes out its own kind of justice, and any member of the squad who protests that or is in any way opposed to it simply won’t live long enough to register a complaint.
Unbeknownst to the squad, there are two killers on that train—the one it is focused on and another man whose stealth and success in previous murders means he’s not even on the radar. That man is Raymond Thorne, and he is connected to a truly evil woman who will use his talents for her own power-grabbing reasons.
When Barron objects to the manner in which the arrest on that train was handled, he finds himself bereft of a job, forced to change his name and nation of residence, and worried about protecting his mentally fragile sister.
The book is a fast-paced twisty account of Barron’s efforts to stay alive—efforts that will bring him ever closer to the stealthy killer who was on that train that day who was never arrested.
This is a book on which you’ll need to concentrate and focus. The plot is intricate, and Barron, who changes his name to Nicholas Marten, must play cat-and-mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to achieve political dominance, even if he must kill Barron/Marten’s sister.
Unbeknownst to the squad, there are two killers on that train—the one it is focused on and another man whose stealth and success in previous murders means he’s not even on the radar. That man is Raymond Thorne, and he is connected to a truly evil woman who will use his talents for her own power-grabbing reasons.
When Barron objects to the manner in which the arrest on that train was handled, he finds himself bereft of a job, forced to change his name and nation of residence, and worried about protecting his mentally fragile sister.
The book is a fast-paced twisty account of Barron’s efforts to stay alive—efforts that will bring him ever closer to the stealthy killer who was on that train that day who was never arrested.
This is a book on which you’ll need to concentrate and focus. The plot is intricate, and Barron, who changes his name to Nicholas Marten, must play cat-and-mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to achieve political dominance, even if he must kill Barron/Marten’s sister.
July 20, 2020
This events in this book were just too implausible to me.
Would a new police detective take off with a cold blooded killer suspect and evade the rest of his
squad because he didn't like their method of dealing with suspects?
Would said unit be disbanded after years of activity because of a new members actions?
Would members of said unit go after the new member with a vengeance and keep it up
indefinitely?
Would a man randomly meet a female professor in London who just happens to teach a
subject he majored in before he went into policing?
Would a woman who was so traumatized that she becomes mute and unfunctional be
taken in as a nanny for a wealthy Swiss family?
Would the French police allow an American reporter and his "buddy" into an unsecured
room where a murder had taken place? And would the reporter pilfer a piece of evidence while he's there?
Would a reporter researching a killer who has killed at least a dozen people go out alone to
a rendezvous in the middle of the night?
The killer is almost superhuman in his ability to escape from people that are right
behind him hot on his trail. Also, able to escape from custody with all fingerprints, records,
etc. expunged. If this is ever made into a movie you don't want to be a minor character or
an extra. They are killed like ducks in a shooting gallery.
This book doesn't really end. It sets up for the next book in the series.
Would a new police detective take off with a cold blooded killer suspect and evade the rest of his
squad because he didn't like their method of dealing with suspects?
Would said unit be disbanded after years of activity because of a new members actions?
Would members of said unit go after the new member with a vengeance and keep it up
indefinitely?
Would a man randomly meet a female professor in London who just happens to teach a
subject he majored in before he went into policing?
Would a woman who was so traumatized that she becomes mute and unfunctional be
taken in as a nanny for a wealthy Swiss family?
Would the French police allow an American reporter and his "buddy" into an unsecured
room where a murder had taken place? And would the reporter pilfer a piece of evidence while he's there?
Would a reporter researching a killer who has killed at least a dozen people go out alone to
a rendezvous in the middle of the night?
The killer is almost superhuman in his ability to escape from people that are right
behind him hot on his trail. Also, able to escape from custody with all fingerprints, records,
etc. expunged. If this is ever made into a movie you don't want to be a minor character or
an extra. They are killed like ducks in a shooting gallery.
This book doesn't really end. It sets up for the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
Overall I thought the book was very good and action packed as a good thriller should be. The book is broken up into three distinct parts that are set in different locations which I though was cool. However, the book is LONG. Be prepared to hunker down and to read the end of the book. My recommendation is to read each section like a book and take a break from it then come back to it. I would also say sometimes the paragraphs were repetitive I would sometimes read a whole page and would be able to get out what was needed in one sentence. I did like how the book changed its main character by the end switching from the good to bad main character and what they were thinking. Very little sex in this book maybe three scenes at the max. Not saying I always like them in books like this but more is always better.
February 24, 2024
Do you like to read? Do you love a good page turner, a book that will make you want to stay up all night and hole up all weekend to read? If yes, then have I got a book recommendation for you. The Exile is my fourth book by author Allan Folsom; the first three I read were The Day After Tomorrow, The Machiavelli Covenant and Day of Confession.
This story takes place in Los Angeles with rogue cops and has an added global intrigue with the characters of an international assassin and a Russian baroness just to name a few.
If you do read this book, you may be inclined to do some Google research to see if the story was written as historical fiction or just great imaginative storytelling by the author. Needless to say, I am not giving any further details or revealing the plot line. If you're intrigued and looking for a great read, I will just say ‘read the book’.
This story takes place in Los Angeles with rogue cops and has an added global intrigue with the characters of an international assassin and a Russian baroness just to name a few.
If you do read this book, you may be inclined to do some Google research to see if the story was written as historical fiction or just great imaginative storytelling by the author. Needless to say, I am not giving any further details or revealing the plot line. If you're intrigued and looking for a great read, I will just say ‘read the book’.
February 23, 2018
This book is a Chase. Period.
The whole premise of the book seemed a waste. The start of the book is a moral dilemna of a 27 year old cop. Personally, his conscience was over active. Had he not succumbed to the mental frailties and life ethic this book would have been over in a hundred pages and not dragged on for over a thousand.
To my mind it’s really simple. Mad man on a rampage. Encounter works. It’s not murder. You’re saving yourself the horror of the legal system.
And to add the cream to the cheese. The book ends again with an encounter. So really, wast worth it?!!! I want to ask the main lead. All that agony. And you lost in the end anyway. Dude. Could have saved us all such a long and tedious read.
The whole premise of the book seemed a waste. The start of the book is a moral dilemna of a 27 year old cop. Personally, his conscience was over active. Had he not succumbed to the mental frailties and life ethic this book would have been over in a hundred pages and not dragged on for over a thousand.
To my mind it’s really simple. Mad man on a rampage. Encounter works. It’s not murder. You’re saving yourself the horror of the legal system.
And to add the cream to the cheese. The book ends again with an encounter. So really, wast worth it?!!! I want to ask the main lead. All that agony. And you lost in the end anyway. Dude. Could have saved us all such a long and tedious read.
December 24, 2020
The book starts out good with some nice written action sequences, and a mystery to boot.
However then the novel dips in pace somewhat, but this is okay as eventually it is being used a setup for the final part...
... Or so we think. What I thought was the final part was just another middle piece for the REAL final part.
Which honestly they could have done without. Because at that time, the reasons and plot becomes a bit too much convoluted and things just feel like they happen at the whim of the author and not because it's what people would do.
What also annoyed me is that EVERYONE seems to belong to the Nobility somehow.
So yeah, I'd say 2.5/5.
However then the novel dips in pace somewhat, but this is okay as eventually it is being used a setup for the final part...
... Or so we think. What I thought was the final part was just another middle piece for the REAL final part.
Which honestly they could have done without. Because at that time, the reasons and plot becomes a bit too much convoluted and things just feel like they happen at the whim of the author and not because it's what people would do.
What also annoyed me is that EVERYONE seems to belong to the Nobility somehow.
So yeah, I'd say 2.5/5.
January 17, 2022
A murder in Los Angeles leads LAPD detective John Barron all the way to Paris and points east. This book is a hybrid featuring a favorite American villain, the psycho serial killer, and a favorite European villain, the ambitious heir eliminating everyone who stands between him and a title and fortune. The American part is faster-paced and more enjoyable, with Barron chasing the killer even as he flees from corrupt vigilante cops. The pace slows and the plot strains once the scene shifts to Europe.
Read
December 12, 2021Vond dit boek, zonder stofomslag, 15 november 2021 op Utrecht Centraal, gedoneerd door Emmaus Domstad.
Qua spanning lijkt Folsom erg op Follet. De thematiek is echter anders.
De hoofdpersonen (Barron=Marten en Thorne hebben zo'n intense band met elkaar dat uiteindelijk één van de twee moet verdwijnen (vinden ze). De story, in drie delen, is geplaatst in de VS, Europa en Rusland. De verschillende culturen zijn zo beschreven dat er gemeenschappeijke grondlijnen verschijnen.
Qua spanning lijkt Folsom erg op Follet. De thematiek is echter anders.
De hoofdpersonen (Barron=Marten en Thorne hebben zo'n intense band met elkaar dat uiteindelijk één van de twee moet verdwijnen (vinden ze). De story, in drie delen, is geplaatst in de VS, Europa en Rusland. De verschillende culturen zijn zo beschreven dat er gemeenschappeijke grondlijnen verschijnen.
Read
January 31, 2020Though interesting and full of action, I just couldn't bring myself to read a storyline that was moving at a snail's pace. And, the reading was a bit tedious. Just not my style. I like quick-moving stories but with fewer words. To be fair, I'm not rating it, because the writing was good, but a bit long and it wasn't my style.
August 15, 2018
Couldn’t put it down!
A true thriller. A vast and expansive story that spans across the globe and decades of time with well drawn characters hat immediately hook you in. Highly recommended
A true thriller. A vast and expansive story that spans across the globe and decades of time with well drawn characters hat immediately hook you in. Highly recommended
December 20, 2021
If you've read the trilogy you'll realize the action scenes are amazingly written very suspenseful, but it's simply just all over the place, and by the end of it all, a lot of things are never answered and or never explained.
July 21, 2024
Finally finished this needlessly wordy novel. Murder mystery basic, but getting there boring. Put down many days, in favor of my computer. Once the book is started, I feel compelled to finish. Or my daughter shames me to finish.
November 12, 2018
Not always plausible, but nearly always entertaining. Quite a ride in its most suspenseful moments!
November 20, 2018
Good story, too long. The autor is spreading to much.
December 26, 2018
The Day After Tomorrow
Day of Confession
Day of Confession
December 31, 2018
Long but fast reading. The beginning and end were especially exciting and hard to put down. It could have been shorter.
January 27, 2019
4 star beginning 3 star middle 31/2 star end. It became too long and a little improbable but I had got to the point of needing to know the end!!
March 28, 2019
Strong on detail and great job following the journey of the protagonist, John Baron. His search for a new life fused with his nagging thoughts to end the last; was Raymond involved.
February 21, 2020
The first couple of hundred pages were great, the next 500 were not at all exciting.
June 15, 2020
Gripping and I could not put it down. Another great thriller by this underrated author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews