Title: This Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong
Casey Duncan Series Book Three
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
In This Fallen Prey, the next installment of New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s thriller series, Casey Duncan is about to face her toughest job as police detective in Rockton yet.
When Casey first arrived at the off-the-grid town, an isolated community built as a haven for people running from their pasts, she had no idea what to expect, with no cell phones, no internet, no mail, and no way of getting in or out without the town council’s approval. She certainly didn’t expect to be the homicide detective on two separate cases or to begin a romantic relationship with her boss. But the very last thing she expected was for the council to drop a dangerous criminal into their midst without a plan to keep him imprisoned, and to keep others safe.
Of course Oliver Brady claims he’s being set up. But the longer Brady stays in town, the more things start to go wrong. When evidence comes to light that someone inside Rockton might be working as his accomplice, helping him to escape, Casey races to figure out who exactly Brady is and what crimes he’s truly responsible for committing.
In the next page-turning entry in Kelley Armstrong’s gripping series, life in Rockton is about to get even more dangerous.
Review:
In This Fallen Prey, Kelley Armstrong’s latest novel set in the remote off the grid town of Rockton, Detective Casey Duncan and Sheriff Eric Dalton are blindsided when an extremely dangerous criminal is literally dropped in their midst without warning.
With nothing but a letter from the council detailing his savage crimes, Casey and Eric are tasked with guarding Olivier Brady for the next six months. Not only does Rockton lack a secure facility to house him, but Casey and Eric attempt to keep depravity of his crimes under wraps in order to minimize the residents’ reaction to Brady’s incarceration. Rockton’s citizens are divided on the police force’s handling of the prisoner and half of the town thinks he might be innocent while the other half are demanding immediate punishment. Before work on secure building is completed, Brady manages to escape with a hostage. Casey and Eric immediately send out search parties but will they recapture Brady before it is too late?
Before Oliver escapes, Casey cannot quite decide whether or not his protestations of innocence are the truth. She remains highly suspicious he is attempting to manipulate everyone into letting down their guard. She also tries to isolate him from Rockton’s residents but key members of the militia want to ensure the prisoner receives fair treatment. The situation quickly careens out of control and Casey and Eric are then forced onto the defensive after Brady is on the run.
With very limited resources and no way to contact anyone outside of Rockton, Casey and Eric must rely on their skills and trusted townspeople to search their escaped prisoner who has quickly disappeared into the surrounding forest. They are not only battling the elements as they try to locate him; they must also contend with the first settlers and the Hostiles. Various residents make dubious choices and there is plenty of self-doubt and self-recrimination when things go wrong. Underlying all of these issues is the question of whether or not Oliver is guilty of the atrocious crimes he is accused of committing. Casey and Eric encounter more problems with the unexpected arrival of more outsiders and Oliver’s guilt or innocence becomes even more murky.
This Fallen Prey is another intricately plotted mystery that is full of shocking twists and turns. The storylines becomes rather convoluted at times but there is plenty of action to keep readers glued to the pages. The town of Rockton is on the periphery of the unfolding drama since most of the hunt for Oliver takes place in the forest surrounding the enclave. Kelley Armstrong skillfully builds the tension to a fever pitch as Casey and Eric frantically try to recapture a wily and potentially dangerous felon. While the main mystery is solved by novel’s end, a few dangling threads will leave fans impatiently awaiting the next installment in the Casey Duncan series.
