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.
