In Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series, there was a town in the Yukon wilderness where people on the run could disappear... for a fee. But things fell apart when the council became ruled by greed and the town was eventually shut down. A small group of these settlers has decided to rebuild their own town based on Rockton but able to make their own decisions not relying on an outside council. This new town will be called Haven's Rock. The site was chosen and a build team had been hard at work, almost finished. But when two of their team disappear. detective Casey Duncan and her husband and sheriff Eric Dalton are sent in early to investigate. Shocked and worried that a crime has been committed before they can even move in, Dalton and Casey must discover the truth and ensure the safety of the town before their whole plan is at risk.
Rockton was such a unique crime thriller series and I quickly fell in love with the concept and the characters. I was so sad to see it end but now <squeeee!!> IT'S BACK! Some of my favorite characters have come back for this whole new adventure set in a beautiful new town. I can't wait to read more!I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kelley Armstrong books can always pull me out of a slump, reading mystery/thriller you start to feel like you've read the same book over and over but this book had me reading well into the night. The characters are great it's nice to see the old ones you already know and meet knew people who you hope will stay. The setting always makes me feel like I'm right there tromping through the forest. I love the mystery so many twists that you never truly know what happened until the last page. I'm so excited to continue in the Yukon with these characters.

I loved this book! This is the first book of the Haven’s Rock series which is really just a continuation of the Rockton series but in a new location. It was great to be back with Casey, Dalton, Storm, and other familiar characters along with some new ones as they work to solve a new mystery. I have to admit that I was rather stumped by the mystery in this one. I knew that everything had to be connected but I couldn’t guess how it might be. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the thrilling end.

With the closing of the Rockton community, Casey, Dalton, and some of the other members of the community came together to build a new community, Haven’s Rock. They haven’t moved in yet but the construction is nearing completion. Casey and Dalton, along with their dog Storm head to town early to see if they can figure out what happened to the man and woman that have gone missing from the group there to build the town. They soon find the body of a woman but it looks like there might be more going on than they originally thought.

I will definitely be recommending this one! I don’t think that it is necessary to have read the Rockton series prior to this book but I think that fans of that series will get a bit more out of this book than readers unfamiliar with these characters. I had a fantastic time catching up with this group of characters while trying to figure out what was happening in their new town. I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Minotaur Books.

As a new reader to the world of Kelley Armstrong, Murder at Haven’s Rock is my first. The book is set in the wilderness of the Yukon and is about a group of people building a town/haven for people running from something. It’s the first in the series that follows another seven-book series called Rockton. Having never read any of the Rockton series, it felt a little like watching season two of a Netflix series, never having seen season one. The couple is together but you missed all the drama leading up to it. There are lots of references to other characters and events that happened (and apparently failed) in Rockton that make you feel you are missing out on important secrets. However, the characters are likeable. Casey Butler and Eric Dalton (the couple I referred to earlier) are capable investigators, although their super-smart tracking dog Storm often steals the show in the woods. There are a couple of twists and turns in the plot and the end builds to an action-filled climax. The final pages also show you where the next book, and the series, is heading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the advanced readers copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first in the Haven's Rock series, but a spinoff from the Rockton series with the same main characters, just a new location. In this one detective Casey Duncan and her husband Eric Dalton who are creating a haven for those seeing refuge in the Yukon wilderness. There are a lot of twists and turns in this mystery as people go missing, are hurt and someone is found dead.

Kelley Armstrong is a talented writer and this story is well written. I enjoy the intrigue and that I myself was also trying to figure things out alongside the characters. Although this is the first in the series, it's not truly a standalone. I had read some of the Rockton books, but not the most recent one, and I think it would have been helpful to read before this one. I did like that we not only get new characters in this one, but we also see some of the ones from the other series. I can't wait to see what is coming next for Casey and Dalton!

2.5 🌟

This book starts out interesting enough. A detective and her significant other are continuing their plot to build a secret town to house people who would be otherwise unsafe. It goes through their trials and tribulations, but zooms in on a murder that happens in town when one of their own goes missing. Upon finding their missing person, they discover two other victims.

It is a who-dun-it, but she lost me when she kept going on and on about all the different theories of who could have committed this act all the while I didn’t feel their was a clear picture of what exactly we are doing with this town.

I would not continue with this series.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, and it did more than deliver. It surpased all expectations!!

5 stars!!!

Casey and Eric are arriving at their new home to find two people involved in building their new town who have broken the first rule of Havens Rock... DO NOT ENTER THE FOREST..
.
This was an amazing book, even better than I hoped it would be. I love coming back to the Yukon and Casey and Eric, we meet some new intriguing characters and get to see some old favorites. Storm, as always, is one of my favorite canine sidekicks, and watching Casey and Eric figure out what happened to these missing people kept me on the edge of my seat while trying and failing to solve it first.

I can't wait to see what's in store for Casey and Eric once all the residents are moved in! And I hope we get many more books in this series!

Since I thoroughly enjoyed the Rockton series, I was delighted that the author was writing a spinoff series with the main characters still taking center stage. Eric Dalton is still sheriff and Casey Duncan is a detective, building a new home in Haven’s Rock, when they are called to the site early because two of the construction crew members are missing. The mystery deepens quickly as the two investigate, discover a body and some weird things going on in the woods surrounding their new town. Without spoiling the story, I can say that this is a fast-paced suspense book with action on every page and constant surprises as one person after another is eliminated as a suspect or just eliminated, period. I really enjoyed seeing some of my favorite characters again, especially the intrepid Casey, Anders and Storm. But for those who did not read and enjoy the Rockton series, this new book that introduces a new series can be read as a standalone without any difficulty at all. Part police procedural, part survival story and part mystery, this book hooked me from the beginning and kept me engaged until the end. I am already looking forward to the next book set in the wilds of the north!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Murder at Haven’s Rock is a continuation of the Rockton series. With Rockton closing, Casey, Eric and some of the other residents decide to continue Rockton’s original purpose in a new town, but they can’t escape trouble. Construction of the new town hasn’t even finished when Casey and Eric are called in to find missing crew members. They have to learn the terrain and new neighbors in their search. I really enjoy Ms. Armstrong’s writing, her world building, character development and mysteries are all well developed.

Everyone knows the first rule of fight club is that you don’t talk about fight club. Well the first rule of Haven’s Rock is stay out of the darn forest! But of course you know the old saying: rules are made to be broken. While I’ve read some of Kelley Armstrong’s previous novels (mostly from her Otherworld series) I hadn’t read any of the Rockton series. Now that I’ve read Murder at Haven’s Rock, which is the first in a new spinoff series, I will most definitely be correcting that oversight. The unique and fascinating setting, great characters, and wonderfully twisty storyline completely hooked me. As I said this is a spinoff of another series but I can easily attest to the fact that you don’t need to be familiar with that series (because I haven’t read it…yet) in order to enjoy this book. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me access to an eARC of Murder at Haven’s Rock.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3TK52VBSJ378I/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Rockton series is much loved by me, and one of my most anticipated releases each year. I would say I have grown to be a huge fan of this author in a variety of genres and her recent series. I would not try to read this as a standalone because of character development and knowledge of the Yukon. Murder at Haven's Rock is a fresh start with their own town and rules rather than the corporation which ran Rockton. So Haven's Rock series is a spin-off as well as a direct continuation of the previous series. Our point of view has been and is Casey.

I am so excited to see this new home for Casey and Eric, April, Will Kenny, Isabel and more characters. Their new town is a more pure form of setting an environment for people who need shelter. One example of this is people in domestic abuse situations, or the type of folks who need witness protection. Many of the Rockton inhabitants, like Casey, made a horrible mistake, but overall are great trustworthy people. Casey and Eric make choices with such kindness and integrity.

Now they are a month or so away from moving into their new town and Casey and Eric get called in to find two of the construction crew who have gone missing. There is the wilderness tracking, murders, unknown people out around the town, old time forensic technology I have loved in the rest of the books. Then some of the new residents are in dire need and are coming much earlier than expected.

I figured out some of the things but far from enough. It was well paced with plenty happening and new evidence every day. Casey and Eric are off to a tenuous start in this new area and town they have created. I absolutely, as usual can't wait for more. The whole series is amazing and I highly recommend them.

First off I want to thank @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @kelleyarmstrong for my free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

As usual Kelley always hits the mark for me. I loved this new spin off of the Rockton series, a promising debut. I love the whole concept and world the author has created and to see the characters come back is awesome.

The atmosphere and unique setting of Haven's Rock, Yukon is just amazingly done, you feel like you are there with them. The setting is so unique. The mystery and suspense in this book is wild, it will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to find out who the culprit is. The research that Armstrong goes through to make sure every thought process and investigation process is realistic is amazing.

The characters are so well developed and relatable, their feelings are well expressed throughout the pages. This is such a well written book, Kelley always engrosses me in her stories with her gripping writing.

This can be read as a standalone, as Armstrong does give some details to their prior life in Rockton, but readers will definitely gain more understanding if they read the previous series. If you've read The Rockton series, you will love this spin-off!

If you want a well written, suspenseful, atmospheric, mysterious new series with complex characters, definitely try the Rockton series.

I love these novels. They are the perfect mix of eeriness and comfort. That sounds weird but I feel like I know these characters so well that it’s easy to just slide back into their story, despite the mystery being new. Murder at Haven’s Rock is a new location, yet not too far away from Rockton so the landscape they are tromping through (or investigating) is very familiar. What is inside these woods are not. So there is an element of surprise that maybe the previous series had lost. I liked not knowing what was in the woods beyond a bear or two. It made me pay a bit more attention to the text not wanting to miss a nuance. That added to my reading experience and helped in creating that sense of eeriness and comfort.

Familiar characters, with a few new ones thrown in also meant I was kept on my toes. I didn’t know everything so there were surprises within the town as well. I really enjoyed the quirkiness of a couple of these characters and am looking forward to seeing where their future lies. I’m also looking forward to seeing how Haven’s Rock will be different than Rockton. Will it be Shangri La? My guess is that there will continue to be mysteries to look forward to in their new Haven.

If you have not read the Casey Duncan series you may miss some nuances to the story but should be ok starting fresh with Murder at Haven’s Rock. Either way you’re in for a great mystery and a fun weekend of reading. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review and it was honest.

The first in a spinoff series, Murder at Haven's Rock presents a new locale with strangely familiar problems. Casey and Dalton are on the case when two workers go missing at Haven's Rock. Casey quickly realizes how different it is for them in a place they don't know the forest in. Then they find a body and have a list of never ending theories - until a new piece of the puzzle comes into play.
I really liked the kind of fish out of water feeling with this one. They may have more control than in Rockton, but that doesn't mean they have more help. It's a great way to continue their adventures and crime solving in the wilderness, and the series remains a solid recommendation from me.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I love Kelley Armstrong!  This is the 20th book I read by her.  This series deals with what happens to Casey Duncan and gang after the events of Rockton's ending.  If ye have not read that series, I do not recommend that ye start here.  The author tries to give the new reader enough information to jump in but there is so much history and interpersonal relationship drama that enrich and explain the set-up for this new series.

Casey and Eric were excited about moving into Haven's Rock, the new off-the-grid town in the Yukon.  The town is supposed function like Rockton did but  now with the two of them in charge, life should be much easier.  Then the duo is called in early when two construction workers go missing in the forest.  Finding them is anything but easy.

I loved this!  It is still over-the-top but was so much fun.  It was lovely to see many of the characters I loved from Rockton appear and I can't wait to get more of how they adapt to the new town.  The mystery aspects were entertaining and I enjoyed watching Casey try to solve the case.  I can't get into things because spoilers but I want the next one!  Arrr! 

***SPOILERY THOUGHTS BELOW****
Much like the Rockton books, I am amazed at how in the lonely and sparse Yukon wilderness there are insane amounts of random animal encounters and random people encounters.  Animal-human run-ins in this novel included a moose, a bear den (with sleeping bears), and a wolf-dog hybrid. Random people encounters included a nature photographer and a miner.  The miners are the set-up for future drama in books.  I am both entertained and slightly annoyed.  Seriously how are all these people's camps so near each other?  Arrrr!

Kicking off a new series spin-off, Casey and Eric are back. This is now maybe version 3.0 of this experiment to have a safe haven for people. They are going to be off the grid in Alaska and perhaps in a nicer facility than the previous "encampment". As the title hints at, things go awry even before they can open up and move into their new home.

I LOVE IT! There are already subplots created as well as conspiracies going on that make me wonder if Casey does attract all the crazies. This is a wonderful start to a new series and I'm so excited for them. This is their chance to make their Haven their own. This kind of off grid and setting things up always makes me happy and excited. The logistics of it makes me swoon in delight.

The murder part of it makes me a little more nervous and whilst I understand few here are allowed to carry. . . you betcha that I'd be one that would get in line to be carrying. It helps that I also am licensed. I enjoy how Ms. Armstrong sets the stage in this "new world". I also appreciate the frustrations Casey goes through as her work takes precedence and overshadows this new joyous occasion. Following along with Casey to solve the murder and determine who these other players may be is riveting. I started this book and ended it all in one reading. Yes, I stayed up all night and ended up with a terrible book hangover. It was worth it.

Many of our favourite characters show back up here at Haven's Rock. They each have their parts and the insight in how they set up their place to be off grid is helpful. It gives me ideas to research. I hope never to be in this situation but at least I will have some ideas instead of being completely in the dark. This is what I love about great authors like Ms. Armstrong. They do the research and create a story that unintentionally educates their readers about subjects we would never normally read or learn about. The method of this information comes in such an easy to understand way, that it helps readers expand their knowledge. This murder mystery is highly recommended to readers who enjoy stories with mayhem, murder, and new beginnings.

Murder at Haven's Rock (Haven's Rock #1) is written by master writer Kelley Armstrong. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton can’t even get moved into the new sanctuary of the Yukon Haven's Rock before worker’s are reported missing. Bodies and injured victims are found, not necessarily all of the ones reported missing, Casey and Eric are on the hunt. While Haven’s Rock will be unusual, off the grid, these two still maintain police procedural as they work.

Casey and Eric are such amazing characters with some unique personalities joining in this story. Like Casey and Eric, I suspected just about everyone and anyone in this story of being guilty. When I was sure I know who the culprit was, a twist came that blew that idea out of the water. Amazing police work with sheer determination for this one to be solved by Casey. Absolutely fast paced with several threads that must be tied together by the end. Still there were other area secrets are revealed that could affect the town in the future.

A top-notched murder mystery with a unique setting and colorful characters.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary electronic ARC of this excellent novel from Netgalley, author Kelley Armstrong, and publisher Minotaur Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Murder at Haven's Rock of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. This is the first of a series that I will want to follow, and Kellye Armstrong is an author I will follow, and happily recommend to friends and family.

This mystery is set in the wild, forested western lands of Canada layered with rivers, lakes and mountains, and our protagonists Casey and Dalton Butler are the policing force of a tiny structured community, about half-built and privately owned, in the middle of that wilderness. The town, Haven's Rock, is built from scratch, utilizing some of the accruements and personnel from the now-defunct community of Rockport and incorporating leading-edge utilities. Construction is dynamic, making the small community almost invisible in the forest. Though rumored to be a center for climate and environmental research, or perhaps an oil-drilling operation, Haven's Rock is to be a rescue center for abused and misused women and children, a new beginning to replace the now-defunct Rockton, a small community with the same aim, but one beleaguered by the misapplied and mistaken set-up that grew untenable over time. This time it will work - the community is funded by the inheritance of former detective Casey Butler and her physician sister Alice, and by the grandmother of Yolanda, who is heading the build. These dedicated folks are in this for the long haul.

If they can just finish the build and get started. They are running out of time. And body bags.

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

NYT bestselling author Kelley Armstrong of the popular Rockton Novels returns with a new spin-off series, (Haven's Rock #1) — MURDER AT HAVEN'S ROCK, set in the wilderness of Yukon.

Detective Casey Duncan (a former homicide detective) and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton (Sherriff and tracker), are financing a new town, Haven's Rock—a place for people to disappear. They have a tracking dog named Storm. Casey's sister, April, is their physician on the autism spectrum.

A modern wilderness town with a touch of the old west. They have a crew of 30 working on building the village and have isolated for more than two months.

The couple met in Rockton, a Yukon town, to serve as a refuge for domestic abuse victims and those for whom the legal system's protections were insufficient. Casey and her sister are using their inheritance to fund the construction of a similar community, Haven's Rock. Evidently, things at Rockton were compromised.

This is an isolated secret sanctuary, and shortly after the book opens, the architect, Penny, and the engineer, Bruno, disappear. What does Yolanda, the contractor, know?

They do not want any outsiders. They need privacy. They must find who is invading their space.

As the book opens, Penny is eavesdropping on a heated conversation as the participants storm off— Bruno, the engineer, and Yolanda, the contractor.

There is one rule at Haven's Rock. NEVER GO INTO THE FOREST. Wolves, moose, grizzlies, and more dangers exist in the dark woods.

Where are Penny and Bruno, and did they leave together? Who can be trusted?

Someone steals Casey's backpack, and then she discovers a woman that had been stabbed. Who is this woman, a stranger? The woman was murdered. It is not Penny.

There are lots of dark secrets in this atmospheric mystery whodunit.

I have not read the Rockton series, so this can be read as a standalone; however, it may be more enjoyable if you have read the previous series, as there are cameo appearances and some major characters back in the spin-off series.

Haven's Rock, like Rockton, is a new town designed to provide a temporary refuge for people in danger. The protagonists of the previous novels, who managed the last village and protected its residents, plan to continue in those roles.

I enjoyed Casey and Eric's characters and look forward to seeing how the town develops and what new crimes the duo will be called to solve in the upcoming books. I did not care for Yolanda's character or her attitude.

AUDIOBOOK: I listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Thérèse Plummer for an outstanding performance and listening experience for all voices. I also enjoyed the accompanying ebook.

MURDER AT HAVEN'S ROCK is ideal for those who enjoy danger, nature, wilderness, cop procedurals, and mysteries.

Thanks to #MinotaurBooks #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review. #MinotaurInfluencers #SMPInfluencers

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My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 21, 2023
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