great series, even through I need to re start it since I've only ever read this one and maybe one or 2 others but the author Kelley Armstrong has never let me down when it comes to her story telling.

I haven't been able to keep up with this series, and didn't realize right away that this was a Rockton. I prefer to read series in order.

I will not be giving feedback on this book. I started it, and was not in the right mindset for reading it. When/if I do pick it up again, I will definitely leave a thoughtful review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

The Rockton / Casey Duncan series is so good—tight, compelling mysteries, competence p***, & a romantic relationship that’s sexy & loving & emotionally mature. Yum.

In Alone in the Wild, Casey discovers a dead woman frozen in the middle of the forest, with a still alive baby covered by her clothing.

Casey & her Sheriff boyfriend Dalton take the baby & woman back to Rockton where they can try to figure out who this woman was, what outside “community” or group she came from, & who the baby’s parents are if the woman she was found with was not her mother.

The mystery in this one is great per usual but I did feel like its conclusion is somewhat rushed & in general a lot is happening.

As always, I’m such a fan of Casey & Dalton’s relationship: how they trust each other, how sexy it is (though very little on page steam; it’s fade to black), & how they have the “hard” convos that bring them closer together.

& I love the characterization of the Rockton community & its residents: it’s as eccentric & potentially violent & also cooperative as ever.

This book isn’t my fave of the series but I’m really looking forward to the next one.

5/5 Stars. I picked up City of the Lost, the first book in the series from the library, and ever since I have been hooked on this series. I really enjoyed the fifth book in the series even more so than the last one. It was a great reader with familiar and favorite characters. I hope there will be more novels set in this interesting world.

I didn't know this was part of a series when I picked it up, I had previously read the description and thought "hey, this sounds interesting". This turned out to be an accurate assessment and now I want to go back to book one and start from the beginning of the series because I really need more background on the events leading up to this book. That being said, aside from not really having the foundation for the relationships and history of the characters, I wasn't too confused jumping in at book five.

Almost immediately the story draws you in. It is winter, and the main character Casey, quite literally alone in the wild, discovers the body of a dead woman who appears to have been murdered. She wouldn't have found the body except for the fact that cries of a baby drew her near. Who is this woman, why was she murdered, and who is the baby she was protecting?

Of course the story is about trying to find the answers to all of these questions, which we eventually do, and it's a riveting adventure through the wilderness of the Yukon with a cast of characters all trying to fly under the radar and keep their pasts hidden.

I love it when stories feature places other than the typical settings of most books (beaches of California, streets of London, boroughs of New York...), this was so refreshing, and especially since it's a place that most people don't immediately think of. Yukon Territory, Canada, way up north in the middle of nowhere, it's just trees and has two seasons: eternal sunlight and eternal darkness, right? Wrong. It's also a magical and mysterious place. Having been to the Yukon a couple of summers back I was able to really visualize the wilderness and imagine the secrets it hides. So now I'm wondering if people and places like this really exist...

Thank-you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy.

Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kelly Armstrong is back with the next installment in her Rockton novel, and Casey is about to find the unthinkable in the forest:

Dalton and Casey are enjoying some much needed alone time on a camping trip when Casey hears the strangest sound in the forest, a baby crying. She knows that there are no babies in Rockton and that they are not close to any of the settlement camps, and the crying is getting more and more frantic. She takes her dog Storm into the woods and discovers a grizzly site. The murdered body of a woman, with a very much alive baby hidden beneath her jackets. Casey is able to determine that this woman is not the baby's mother, but who is? Casey won't just give this baby back to anyone and who would murder a woman who was carrying a baby? There are two mysteries to solve and Casey has to decide that if she does find the mother of the child alive is the baby better off in Rockton?

The previous book in this series was not my favourite, I felt it was a little slow and had a lot of filler that didn't need to be there, so I was hoping that that book was not going to start a downward trend in this series. I am happy to report that I loved this book, if I would have been able to read this in one sitting I would have, but you know life sometimes catches up to you. I was sneaking every minute I could reading this book as I did not want to put it down.

I liked the new dynamic the baby brought not only to Casey and Eric but to the whole town. It was like the baby was such a foreign thing that people did not expect to ever see again, or at the very least a long time and it kind of brought out the better in everyone. The baby really affected Casey as well, it has been said many times before that she is unable to have children due to the beating/assault that she received as a young woman, I liked that is showed more a Casey’s compassionate side with trying to find the babies mother, but in a way you can tell secretly hoping that the baby is able to stay.

There was a drastic increase in the interaction with the settlers and others who have chosen to live in the forest, away from all civilization. I like that Armstrong was able to show that not all of the settlement and groups are the same and each has their own set of rules and values that they live by.

April is a really strong addition to the town and the story line, not only is she a doctor and Casey's sister but she is also on the Autism spectrum so she see the world different and relationships differently from other people. I like the blunt perspective that she gives, but also that she is working on having relationships with not only Casey but other people in Rockton as well, something I don't think her or Casey thought could/would happen.

This is great mystery/suspense series that I have really enjoyed. I love the uniqueness of the characters and the need to get back to basic for investigation and tracking just based upon the location of the town. I enjoy that the mysteries differ in each book and it's not serial killer after serial killer (i'm sure there might be one or two in the town but you know...). I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series.

Enjoy!!!

this was a really good read, I loved the characters and I loved the setting itself. Ms. Armstrong is always able to write a great story, i look forward to reading more in this universe.

Casey and Eric are on a well-earned camping trip away from their duties at Rockton when they discover a dead woman with a baby hidden under her coat. They suspect the woman is a hostile and that she has been murdered. They wonder if she stole the baby and the parents are searching for her or, since it is a winter baby, a burden few are willing to accept in the Yukon wilds, if she was abandoned. Still, Casey and Daniel are determined to find the parents to discover what did happen and, if she was stolen from them, return her. The search will take them to the two other settlements, something that is sure to put them in considerable danger.

Alone In the Wild is the fifth installment in Kelly Armstrong's Casey Duncan series and is quite the adventure. The story picks up speed right from the first page. There are some draggy parts especially as Casey and Eric debate what to do with the baby but, overall, the novel retains its fast pace throughout. Casey is a strong female protagonist, smart as well as tough but still with flaws that make her easy to relate to. Eric is also well-rounded, capable and extremely likable, a perfect match for Casey. Other characters are also interesting but less three-dimensional. often split between good and evil, perfect foils to the beautiful but wild and dangerous setting in the Yukon and adding to a dystopian feel to the story despite or perhaps because of the occasional references to a normal world to the south.

Alone in the Wild can be read as a standalone but why do that when this is such a well-written and compelling series. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series. Definitely a high recommendation from me.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

As always, I loved Casey and Eric's characters. Armstrong continues to impress me with how she constantly keeps me on my toes with this series. While the mystery was not as strong for me as the previous books, I did enjoy this installment. I was particularly excited to learn more about the different groups of people surrounding Rockton. I hope we get to see more of this series and these characters.

Minotaur Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Alone in the Wild. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Detective Casey Duncan loves the hidden town in which she lives and will do anything to protect its citizens. When she and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, go on a camping trip, the last thing they expect to come across is a murder scene. As the town does not have any couples or people under 18, it is immediately apparent that the woman is a stranger, due to the baby clinging to her body.

I had a difficult time finishing Alone in the Wild. There was not much of a story here and there was nothing to set it apart from other police procedural thrillers, except for the hidden nature of the town. The character development was minimal, though there was some background information given. The plot was not all that memorable and my attention often went elsewhere while reading. For the reasons listed above, I would not recommend Alone in the Wild to other readers.

Armstrong's Rockton series keeps going strong, as she fills out the surrounding areas of the Yukon wilderness in this installment. Her writing is tight, her characters are intriguing and multifaceted, and the mysteries are compelling.

A simple 2-Day camping trip sets Casey and Eric onto a whole new disturbing mystery when they find a murdered woman clutching a still living baby. With each new installment comes more intrigue and some answers about this wild area of the Yukon where a lot of secrets are hiding.

Alone in the Wild is book five in the Casey Duncan (Rockton) series. These all connect closely so work best when read in order.

Casey and Eric have had a fairly quiet six months in Rockton after the last harrowing case and have earn a bit of time out for themselves. They choose to go off on a camping trip for a few days leaving Will in charge and every one in festive spirits for the Christmas and Winter Solstice holidays. They are enjoying their time away when Casey stumbles upon a woman’s body buried in the snow and a crying baby. The woman has been murdered and the least of the mystery is the murder because this woman is dressed like a settler from one of the other settler towns and yet her skin under the clothes bares the markings of one of the wild people. April also confirms that the woman is not the baby girl’s mother.
At the same time, the wild woman, Maryam, who was once a member of Rockton has slowly become sane again and gives Casey the answers she has been hunting for why some people lost their sanity and went crazy in the wild.
So, off they go on the hunt even while Casey and Eric struggle with the private question of do they want children even as they grow attached to the little one they found.

I’ve been making my way steadily through the books in the series over these past few months and loved each suspenseful tale I got as well as the deepening relationship between Casey and Eric. They have all given a nice balance of romance and suspense. But, somehow this one felt like it dug a little deeper by forcing Casey and Eric to solve an internal mystery even while tracking down the answers to the murder case they have as well as finally getting the answers to the wild people’s existence.

When Casey was attacked many years before, the doctor told her that she probably would never be able to carry a baby to term. In the scheme of things, it hadn’t mattered before and Eric said he was content with it being just the two of them. Now, baby Abby is with them and stirring feelings and thoughts that they have to address. The dead wild woman and the live Maryam stir up even more. Their trail takes them out away from Rockton this time and I did enjoy seeing how Rockton fit with the other groups of peoples.

These people groups are always so fascinating out there in the Yukon wilderness. The intro to the trade family and their cut throat ways, the two other settlements, the lone people, and Rockton people living out in that vast wilderness is quite the melting pot.

In one of my previous reviews, I was disappointed in the way Storm their dog was a handicap and Casey’s impetuous need to prove herself to Eric and everyone else was the catalyst for some bad to worse situations. I was happy to see that along with her own personal growth and strengthened relationship with Eric, Casey has worked hard to keep Storm from being a liability and her weak point. She has also worked hard not to leap into danger without thought and is developing her own wilderness knowledge She also approached her personal and relationship issues with such maturity and Eric has opened up to her and is slowly unpacking things from his past to allow her to help him work through all that with him. This is all what I like to see over the long haul of a series.

Alongside Casey and Eric’s maturing, it is always fun to see recurring characters like Tyrone, Jen, Will, Kenny, April, Petra, Isabel, and the new council liaison, Phil, filling in the cast of characters around them.

The mystery itself led them on a merry chase and gave them some danger moments to deal with. Again, it twists along and seems obvious until yet another twist happens. I enjoy that about these. I can figure some of it out, but an always left with some good surprises.

So yes, all in all, I thought this was the best one yet and now that I’m caught up, I’ll have to try to patiently wait for the next Yukon wilderness adventure mystery for the hidden town of Rockton. Thriller romance fans who want something a bit off grid and gritty should definitely give this series a go.

I rec’d this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Alone in the Wild: A Rockton Novel
By Kelley Armstrong
Minotaur Books
2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

In the isolated Yukon town of Rockton, Casey Duncan serves as the Detective over a community populated by fugitives running from stalkers, criminals, and the law. What Rockton doesn’t have are residents under the age of 18, which is why the baby Casey discovers protectively cradled in the body of a dead woman is so unsettling. Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, keep a close watch over the less than 200 members of Rockton, and with none of the them having been pregnant, the baby’s parents could have come from only a few places. The First Settlement and Second Settlement had branched off from Rockton in the sixties, with unpredictable “hostiles” roaming in nearly primitive conditions. While too many in Rockton encourage Casey to keep the baby herself, she and Dalton are intent on solving the two mysteries; who murdered the woman who was not the mother, and what happened to the infant’s parents.

This continues to be an extraordinarily compelling series that explores a community where everyone has a secret, all are running from their pasts, and trust is not given easily. Or at all. This fifth in the series expands on the outer communities, especially the once-mythical rogue hostiles whose tribal and near-feral status baffles Casey considering that many were formerly “civilized” scholars and scientists. The anthropological examination of the communities truly is fascinating, especially considering how the Rocktons consider themselves to be colonists and the branched-off Settlers to be natives who are either threats or prey.

At its heart though, is a the more traditional police procedural that has Casey and Dalton questioning suspects and often being led astray by those with self-centered motives. In the communities where men vastly outnumber women, outdated mentality has set in where the latter are often viewed upon as property to be earned or taken. That sexist attitude makes Casey’s and Dalton’s relationship so refreshing and entertaining, as both are overcoming their pasts and help each other to move forward. Dalton’s origin and link to the Settlements has helped them to bridge differences, but his personal history also has him conflicted as they track down the baby’s parents. Already a “mother” for her beloved 140-pound canine companion Storm, Casey’s maternal instincts are being triggered by caring for the baby they’ve nicknamed Abby. The recent arrival of Casey’s on-the-spectrum sister April has allowed the siblings to mend their estranged relationship, with the latter’s skills as a neurosurgeon proving to be vitally helpful to the town. Her sense of humor may be a work-in-progress, but April’s attempt to adapt is a delight in itself. The exploration of the communities, examination of human nature, and a thrilling, action-packed ending propel readers along throughout this outstanding novel. There is still so much more to unwrap as the communities, not to mention Casey and Dalton, learn more about one another, promising many future installments in this unique series by a bestselling author of so many paranormal and thriller novels.

Kelley Armstrong is an author whose books I’ve read since I was a teen, and someone who I’ve met twice at book signings. As I got older and started to read outside of YA, classics, and Shakespeare, I delved into Armstrong’s other series including, mostly recently, Rockton.

There’s something about Armstrong’s writing that is just so easy to read. She has a very specific voice and style that’s similar across all of her adult books. I’m so used to it that it feels so easy to slip into each story, even this one. I like knowing what to expect from her books because it means I don’t have to work hard at reading the book (and that’s a good thing for someone who doesn’t like more traditional thrillers).

Like I said, I don’t typically read normal thrillers. When I have for book clubs, I rarely (if ever) end up liking them. And that’s okay; it’s just not really a genre for me. But somehow I like the way Armstrong balances mystery, thriller, and romance. I ship the ship, I know there will be some messed up discoveries made by Casey and Eric throughout the book. And it’s a fun ride.

I think, however, this book suffers a bit in terms of plot. I wasn’t as engaged with this story as I usually am with the series. I’m not sure why, except maybe I struggled with some of the choices characters made this time around. The mystery itself was also a little convoluted and drawn out with oddly convenient clues that were misleading but took up a lot of page time.

Something that’s always bothered me about these books is the judgemental way women are often discussed — even by the heroine. There’s some cliche female characters that I wish weren’t there. It felt like the last book improved upon this and relaxed its stance that women can’t be good friends because they’re catty and not to be trusted. But this book undid all of that progress. And I think that left me feeling disappointed.

Overall, I liked the book but not as much as I wanted to. I’ll still read the next book in the series because something about it keeps drawing me back in. But hopefully I’ll have a better reading experience next time.

Rockton, the remote settlement in Yukon where you go when you’ve got money and need somewhere to hide…whether you’re a victim or the criminal.

When Detective Casey Duncan and Sheriff Eric Dalton take a camping trip to relax and escape their responsibilities in Rockton for a few days the second to last thing they expect to find is the body of a murdered woman. Of course, finding the, thankfully still living, baby with her is the very last thing they expect to see. Who is the child? Where did she come from? Who left her in the snow and cold to die? As Casey and Eric investigate it takes them away from Rockton and into the remote settlements where alliances are uneasy and reluctant and where they may just find a ruthless killer.

I’ve really come round to thrillers in the last few years, there’s something about them that just entices me in and makes me want to stay and read more. Much like with romance. It got me thinking…why do I love such seemingly different genres? Then I wondered…how different are they really? In romance you follow the relationship of two (or more!) people until they find their happily ever after. With thrillers, you’re also watching the relationship between two (or more!) people until a happy ending has been reached. Granted the relationship is usually between a cop and the killer and the HEA will come when that killer is either dead of in prison, but it follows a very similar pattern. There’s a structure and predictability to it where, usually, everything works out how you want it to and clearly this is the kind of book I love.

This leads me merrily to the Rockton series and the latest instalment Alone in the Wild. It’s a thriller series in a unique setting, with a very strong romance thread between Casey and Eric. Their relationship has constantly evolved and grown as Rockton throws challenge after challenge their way. If you’re looking at getting into thrillers from the romance genre, this series would be a good place to start.

Most of this series has had the main bulk of the problems and the action set in Rockton itself. In this book, Armstrong expands and has us exploring some of the surrounding territory and peoples that have been spoken about in previous books. We learn more about the hostiles and the other settlements. This led to a different kind of thriller from the previous books. Usually in these books, despite the vast amount of land and wilderness these books are set in, they feel very claustrophobic. You never know who you can trust and it makes for a very nail biting read as you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. This wasn’t the case in Alone in the Wild.

Casey and Eric are searching for the lost baby’s parents and so it’s a lot of walking from one place to another and it lost a lot of the tension I have come to expect from these books. This book felt more like a tool to progress the relationship between Eric and Casey. The presence of the baby makes them both confront painful wounds in their psyche, wounds that they otherwise ignore. In Alone in the Wild they look at these problems dead on and must decide how they’re going to deal with them both individually and as a couple.

But, that doesn’t make for a fast paced atmospheric thriller. I still very much enjoyed the book as I have come to love all the characters, but it wasn’t the tense, nail biting thriller I was expecting. As I am a die hard romance reader I was perfectly happy with the shift in focus, but I think any purely thriller readers may find this one a bit slow.

A great read, maybe it wasn’t quite what I expected from this series, but it was still a real page turner.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

I adore Kelley Armstrong and I love supporting Canadian authors, but I couldn't make it through this novel just because of what I am currently going through in my life. Just having had a miscarriage, it is really hard to read about this child. I may be able to go back to it in the future, but right now I can't possibly read any further.

I was not able to finish this book. At 40% through I’ve decided not to finish this book. The storyline was intriguing at first but the pace is slow and not enough to keep me reading. I’ve enjoyed the author’s books in the supernatural genre in the past but the detective/police stories have not held my interest. Others who enjoy that genre may like this book but it’s not for me.

1 Mar 2020: added link to Amazon review

<b>READ 11 Feb 2020 (★★★½ rounded up)</b>

One reason why the Rockton/Casey Duncan series intrigues city-bred-me so much: it’s one thing to live off-grid, yet quite another to live <i>waaaaaayyy</i> off-grid w/ dubious natures of some Rockton residents. Not everyone’s a prepper, survivalist, ex-military or otherwise experienced/trained, right?

Delayed by series re-read/catch-up & ARC for <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3050403651">another Minotaur/SMP book</a>, I blazed thru ALONE IN THE WILD in nearly one sitting. Armstrong’s tight, snappy writing = effortless reading = very happy me. 👍👍

Then email alert = #2 in line for audio. So yeah, I sat on review & waited… & waited… Srsly, this book is the *one time* that Patron #1 d/n return w/in 2-3 days?

So... When ALONE IN THE WILD opens, 32yo Casey Duncan has been in Rockton for @ 16mos. Now married to Sheriff Eric Dalton (wait, when did *that* happen?), navigating a do-over w/ older sister April, and training adorable Storm (Newfoundland pup), Casey has never been happier. And it must be true love for her to go on freakin’ weekend getaway camping trip—in freakin’ December in the Yukon.

Alas, finding a dead woman clutching a barely-alive newborn puts a kibosh on Casey’s idyllic weekend.

Unlike previous books, ALONE IN THE WILD is rather ‘quiet’ in mystery & tone. Yes, there are chases, shootings, etc. But for me, there was a distinct lack of urgency once care/feeding of Baby Jane Doe was addressed. More important is that each trip out serves as vehicle to advance series arc and further expand its ‘footprint’ & cast of players to include the Second Settlement, as well as an…interesting trader family group. (Alright, they are downright skeevy/ruthless. Expect to see more of them—or at least, particular couple—in future.)

For me, ALONE IN THE WILD felt almost like a ‘bridge book’. Nws its quieter moments, I enjoyed the little twists/red herrings and movement re: certain plot threads (hence bump up in rating). The final reveal/resolution worked for me. Also, given that much of this installment takes place outside Rockton, I appreciated that Armstrong inserted scenes (however short) so to touch base w/ certain residents.

My major peeve/con? WTH happened to Cypher? Getting soft in old age or by thoughts of provisions from Rockton & periodic visits to the Roc? 😉

The best? Storm’s out-of-blue suitor. 😂😂

~ 28 Feb 2020 ~

NB: Above is abbreviated review, as posted on Amazon (review being processed). See link #1 for full review on GR.