New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven’s Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start… with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.
Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0
Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.
There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town’s construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.
What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong is the first book in a series that originated in a now-completed seven-book series about another sanctuary town called Rockton. Led by married couple Casey Butler, a former detective, and Eric Dalton, the former sheriff of Rockton and a lifelong resident of the Yukon, Haven’s Rock is designed to be a secluded sanctuary for people who need it.
Actual Reading Experience:
Wow! What an incredible start to a new series! I loved it and enjoyed every page of this murder mystery. Armstrong completely duped me into following red herrings to the wrong conclusion, for which I applaud her.
I found Casey and Eric so richly developed and authentic that it was as if I knew them in real life rather than on the page. And the atmosphere of a remote town in the middle of a dangerous forest is just the cherry on top of what’s going to be an excellent mystery series. Casey is the first-person narrator, and her detective background makes her the perfect character to tell the story. She quickly leads the reader into exciting action scenes and through a myriad of red herrings that are delightfully deceptive.
In this first book, two people from the construction team working on Haven’s Rock disappear into the forest – the one place they were told not to go. Casey, Eric, and their tracker dog, Storm, travel to Haven’s Rock ahead of schedule to find the missing workers. However, what they discover is much more complex and dangerous than they could have ever expected.
Read if you like:
- Deceptively intricate mysteries
- Relatable, authentic central character team
- Dangerous atmospheric setting
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| Originality | 10 |
| Writing Quality | 10 |
| Pace | 10 |
| Character Development | 8 |
| ‘Couldn’t Put It Down’-ness | 10 |
| Use of Setting | 10 |
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.
Tessa Talks Books 
The idea of a secluded sanctuary is interesting and I’m already curious to know what they find in that forest. Amazing review, Tessa!
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It was a very good start to a series. I’m definitely intrigued to read more.
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This sounds really good, I like it when I think I have solved it but then I’m shocked when it changes, great review 😊
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Totally floored me because I just knew I had it figured out. 😂
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Fantastic review. This is going on my TBR.
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It’s definitely going to be an intriguing series if this first book is any reflection. I just loved the characters.
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This sounds so good, and I love that the entire series is out. Wonderful review!
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This one appeals to me on all levels. Thanks for sharing, Tessa.
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It’s even better than I thought it would be. ❤️
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This sounds like a good one, and the setting really appeals to me. I also love when an author pulls out the rug out from under me by setting up red herrings and then delivering unexpected shocks instead!
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Me too! And I loved the setting ❤️
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Sounds like a great book.
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Kelly Armstrong is on my list of authors I want to try soon. This series looks like one I would enjoy.
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I think you might. With all the camping you do, you could definitely relate to the setting.
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I never finished Rockton and now you’re making me rethink that. Great review, Tessa💜
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Then you’ll have to read this new series!
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I haven’t read anything by Kelly Armstrong yet, but after reading a few positive reviews about this book, I’m definitely going to give them a go.
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I like her writing. I definitely recommend!
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I had always wanted to read the Rockton series, but never got to it. When I saw that this new series was starting, I decided it would be a good one for me to jump in at the beginning. I am going to be reading this one shortly, so I saved your review to closer to that time. You have definitely got me ready to read it Tessa. Wonderful review.
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I really enjoyed it. It’s got just the right amount of suspense and creepiness.
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