Title: A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong
Casey Duncan Series Book Six
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 359 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
In the next riveting thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, the paranoia increases – along with the stakes – as the town of Rockton tries to solve the latest mystery at their door.
Detective Casey Duncan has noticed fewer and fewer residents coming in to the hidden town of Rockton, and no extensions being granted. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, presumes it’s the natural flux of things, but Casey’s not so sure. It seems like something bigger is happening in the small town they call home.
When an injured hiker stumbles from the woods, someone who seems to have come to the Yukon for a wilderness vacation but instead is now fighting for her life, it’s all hands on deck. What – or who – attacked this woman, and why?
With the woman unconscious, and no leads, Casey and Eric don’t know where the threat is coming from. Plus, the residents of their deeply secretive town are uneasy with this stranger in their midst. Everyone in Rockton wants this mystery solved – and fast.
Review:
A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong is a riveting mystery that is quite suspenseful. Although this newest release is the sixth installment in the Casey Duncan series, it can be read as a standalone.
Sheriff Eric Dalton and Detective Casey Duncan are surprised when they cross paths with a frightened, injured woman in the forest surrounding Rockton. She does not speak English, but one their new residents, Jay, is able to translate for them. She is not able to give them much information other than she and her companions were attacked by a “wild man”. After Casey’s sister April stabilizes the victim, they transfer her back to Rockton to care for her. Casey and Eric leave to search for the other people in the group and they are stunned by what they discover.
In their personal and professional lives, Casey and Eric are doing well. But Casey still struggles with feeling comfortable with telling Dalton her theories as they work on their latest case. This is not because of anything he has said or done. It is due to her past experiences with her parents and former co-workers. Casey is improving and she realizes what she is doing and reveals her thoughts on their cases. Casey is an extremely intelligent woman with keen instincts and she continues to teach Eric the intricacies of police investigations.
Dalton and Casey have little doubt the attack on the Danish tourists was perpetrated by the Hostiles. Before they can make progress on finding out exactly what happened, they discover three more murders that appear to be similar to their other case. Just as they are hoping to return to their investigation, unexpected visitors turn up in Rockton. Although they are not spending much time working their cases, Casey is starting to put the pieces of the various puzzles together. Answers to some very important questions reinforce her theories, but what exactly is the endgame? And what will she and Eric do once the answers become clear?
A Stranger in Town is a compelling mystery with a clever storyline and a fantastic cast of eclectic characters. Casey and Eric continue to grow and evolve individually and as a couple. Their investigations are interesting and move quickly despite the obstacles that interrupt their quest for evidence. With stunning twists and turns, Kelley Armstrong brings this suspense-laden mystery to a jaw-dropping conclusion. Old and new fans of the Casey Duncan series are going to love this latest installment.