Category Archives: Rockton Series

February 15, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong
A Rockton Novel
Casey Duncan Series Book Seven
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspese
Length: 345 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

#1 New York Times bestseller Kelley Armstrong returns to the captivating town of Rockton in The Deepest of Secrets, the next installment in one of the most imaginative crime series on shelves today.

“This is a series that covers all the bases.” St. Louis Post Dispatch

It’s not always easy to live in the hidden town of Rockton, something Detective Casey Duncan knows firsthand. Tucked away in the Yukon wilderness, the community survives—and thrives—because the residents’ many secrets stay just that—secret.

But what happens when these secrets start to come out? Overnight, no one is safe. It’s not a question of if your secret will come out—but when.

Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, need to find the culprit while protecting those who have been thrust into the spotlight. For a place built on privacy and new beginnings, Rockton isn’t handling these revelations very well. People are turning on one another, and when one of the loudest complainers turns up barely alive, it’s clear that their trickster is actually a murderer.

The threat of exposure is reaching its breaking point, and no one knows what’s going to happen next.

Review:

The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong is a spellbinding mystery that is also a little bittersweet. Although this newest release is the seventh novel in the Casey Duncan/Rockton series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous mysteries in the series.

Detective Casey Duncan and her common law husband Sheriff Eric Dalton have been certain the remote town council is planning to shut down Rockton. While waiting for the announcement, they, along with Deputy Will Anders and a few other townspeople, are making contingency plans for what they will do in the aftermath. In the midst of their concern about their future, someone is attempting to make trouble for Will. In a town with people hiding the truth about their pasts and identities, Will’s secret has just been revealed. With the residents taking sides, Casey sets out to find out not just who, but how, this person uncovered the truth. And she hopes to prevent anymore revelations that will divide the town and sow distrust of those in charge of keeping the peace.

Casey’s mind is whirling with worries as she begins her investigation. She is already aware that information about the residents is kept tightly under wraps. Will’s past is known to a select few, so she methodically begins questioning people who appear to be deliberately trying to raise doubts about her, Eric and Will. In the aftermath of a break in at Will’s place, Casey’s beloved dog, Storm, leads her to her first suspect.

The Deepest of Secrets is a clever mystery set in the wilds of Canada’s Yukon Territory.  Casey, Eric and Will are fighting hidden enemies both in Rockton and the distant town council. Throughout the investigation, the possibility of  the town closing looms large. Although the council is uninterested in finding the person or persons responsible for the revelations and unexpected violence, Casey continues trying to uncover the truth. Alongside shifting loyalties within the town, Casey and Eric are relentless as they attempt to complete their investigation. With one final edge of the seat scene, Kelley Armstrong brings this final installment in the Casey Duncan/Rockton series to a thrilling conclusion.

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Filed under Casey Duncan Series, Contemporary, Kelley Armstrong, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Rockton Series, Suspense, The Deepest of Secrets

February 2, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: Alone in the Wild by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Alone in the Wild by Kelley Armstrong
Casey Duncan/Rockton Series Book Five
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 369 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In #1 New York Times bestseller Kelley Armstrong’s latest thriller, the hidden town of Rockton is about to face a challenge none of them saw coming: a baby.

Every season in Rockton seems to bring a new challenge. At least that’s what Detective Casey Duncan has felt since she decided to call this place home. Between all the secretive residents, the sometimes-hostile settlers outside, and the surrounding wilderness, there’s always something to worry about.

While on a much needed camping vacation with her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, Casey hears a baby crying in the woods. The sound leads them to a tragic scene: a woman buried under the snow, murdered, a baby still alive in her arms.

A town that doesn’t let anyone in under the age of eighteen, Rockton must take care of its youngest resident yet while solving another murder and finding out where the baby came from – and whether she’s better off where she is.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong again delivers an engaging, tense thriller set in perhaps the most interesting town in all of contemporary crime fiction.

Review:

Alone in the Wild by Kelley Armstrong  is a fast-paced and compelling mystery. Although this  latest release is the fifth installment in the Casey Duncan /Rockton series, it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous books as well.

After months of little crime, Detective Casey Duncan and her boyfriend Sheriff Eric Dalton take off a few days to camp in the woods by themselves. But when Casey hear an unexpected sound in the forest, she, along with her dog Storm, are hot on the trail. When her instincts prove to be correct, she makes two stunning discoveries: a murdered “hostile” and a very much alive baby. Who does the baby belong to? But most importantly, who killed the woman protecting the infant?

Despite not allowing anyone under the age of eighteen,  Casey and Eric are granted permission to keep the baby in Rockton until they locate her family. Casey has mixed feelings about caring for the baby and she is surprised by how easily Dalton steps into a foster father role. Despite her conflicted emotions, the couple juggle childcare duties with their search for the baby’s family.

Although solving the murder is not within her jurisdiction, Casey cannot help but ask probing questions as their investigation takes them out into the surrounding wilderness.  With little interaction with the two settlements and “hostiles”, there is not much doubt the baby is most likely from one of these areas. Their first inquiry provides an interesting lead, but both Casey and Eric have doubts about the motivation for these revelations.  They feel obligated to check out the information but they are also keeping an open mind as they continue asking questions within the other settlements around them.

After stumbling across former Rockton resident Maryanne, Casey seizes the chance to find out more about the woman who has recently escaped from the hostiles. Maryanne is fragile but she is finally ready to tell much of her story. Dalton and Casey learn invaluable information about the tactics used by the hostiles to keep their group under control.   Will these new details help them on their quest for the baby’s family?

Alone in the Wild is a fascinating mystery with a clever storyline, a cast of eccentric but likable characters and a beautiful but harsh setting. Casey and Eric continue to grow and evolve as they balance their close relationship with law enforcement duties. With much of the investigation taking place outside of Rockton, this fascinating peek into the various groups offers intriguing insight into the dynamics and beliefs of each settlement.  Kelley Armstrong  brings this multi-layered  mystery to a poignant but completely satisfying conclusion. Old and new fans of the outstanding Casey Duncan /Rockton series are sure to enjoy this latest outing.

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Filed under Alone in the Wild, Casey Duncan Series, Contemporary, Kelley Armstrong, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Rockton Series, Suspense

February 3, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong
Rockton/Casey Duncan Series Book Four
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Watcher in the Woods is the next gripping installment of #1 bestselling Kelley Armstrong’s riveting Casey Duncan series.

The secret town of Rockton has seen some rocky times lately; understandable considering its mix of criminals and victims fleeing society for refuge within its Yukon borders. Casey Duncan, the town’s only detective on a police force of three, has already faced murder, arson, and falling in love in the several months that she’s lived there. Yet even she didn’t think it would be possible for an outsider to locate the town and cause trouble in the place she’s come to call home.

When a US Marshal shows up demanding the release of one of the residents, but won’t say who, Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are skeptical. And yet only hours later, the marshal is shot dead and the only possible suspects are the townspeople and Casey’s estranged sister, smuggled into town to help with a medical emergency. It’s up to Casey to figure out who murdered the marshal, and why someone would kill to keep him quiet—before the killer strikes again.

Review:

Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong is a thrilling mystery that takes place in an off the grid community in the Yukon wilderness. This newest release is the fourth installment in the Rockton/Casey Duncan series and can be read as a standalone. But I HIGHLY recommend the previous books as well.

Detective Casey Duncan and her boss/significant other Sheriff Eric Dalton have made a unilateral decision to ask Casey’s neurosurgeon sister April to provide assistance for a serious medical  issue with one of their residents. With April in tow, the two head back to the highly secluded community of Rockton where US Marshall Mark Garcia unexpectedly shows up. Very concerned about how Garcia knew how to find them, Casey and Eric are also unwilling to allow him to question their residents. Garcia refuses to provide the identity of the person he is seeking nor does he have a warrant. Casey and Eric refuse to co-operate but when he flees into the neighboring woods, they begin searching for him in order to protect their enclave. As Casey and Eric are bringing Garcia back to Rockton, he is shot and killed by one of the townspeople. Casey and Eric are now faced with investigating their residents in order to unmask Garcia’s killer. At the same time, they are attempting to unravel the political machinations of the council in charge of Rockton.

Casey and Eric are a formidable investigative team but of the two, Casey has the most hands on experience. Their police force consists of the two of them and former soldier and current Deputy Will Anders. They rely heavily on a militia to guard the town’s border. The town is mostly made up of criminals who have committed a variety of offenses before moving to Rockton. Needless to say, Casey, Dalton and Anders have their hands full trying to maintain the peace. Their search for Garcia’s murderer is hampered by their lack of basic technology like a crime lab or internet, but they are surprisingly adept at unearthing and tracking down leads.

In addition to the murder investigation, Casey and Eric are very uneasy about the unrest in the council who are charge of Rockton. With the death of Val, Phil is now the onsite council member who will serve as an intermediary between Rockton’s law enforcement and the rest of the board. Unbeknownst  to Casey and Eric, the council has planted their own spies amongst the residents who act on their orders. Very uneasy about these recent discoveries, Casey and Eric are acting with more autonomy since the board in disarray.

Watcher in the Woods is a fast-paced and engrossing mystery. The colorful cast of characters is multi-dimensional and likable. Casey and Eric have continued to grow both in their personal and professional lives and they work well as a team.  Through a series of well placed red herrings and clever misdirects, Kelley Armstrong keeps the killer’s identity and motive for the murder tightly under wraps until the  novel’s exciting conclusion. Old and new fans are going to love this latest addition the Rockton/Casey Duncan series.

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Filed under Casey Duncan Series, Contemporary, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Rockton Series, Suspense, Watcher in the Woods