“The Boy Who Cried Bear” was a good sequel. Haven Rock has taken in its first family, which brings its own complications, especially when the younger son, Max, goes missing. As Haven Rock is a hidden town in the Yukon, the “neighbors” are limited, but not necessarily friendly. There are sightings of a wild bear man, who is a prime suspect in Max’s disappearance. However, there are residents in Haven Rock who question the backstory of Max’s mother, Dana, and raise concerns about her past catching up to her. Dana is suspicious of Gunnar, who has taken an interest in Max. Her fear is understandable but misplaced. However, these concerns serve as a distraction for Casey and Dalton. And adding to the chaos, Casey might be pregnant, which she was not sure was possible and could be dangerous. The truth of Max’s disappearance is worse than suspected, and raises questions about the “mining camp” nearby.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong. This is the second book in the Haven’s Rock series. I love that Haven’s Rock is almost a character, being a place for people who wanted to hide, and the way Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton are building the town and making sure everyone is safe. The story was really good and kept me reading to figure out what was going on. The standout character for me was Max because he was self-reliant and smart. This is a fast, entertaining read that will really keep you guessing, even though I picked up a clue before Casey and Eric did. I look forward to the next book in the series, to see the characters and town develop further.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Boy Who Cried Bear by David Gibbins from Kelley Armstrong and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Almost a year ago I received an ARC of the first book in this series, Murder at Haven’s Rock, and read it at first not realizing it was a new series picking up after the author’s wildly popular Rockton series. Once I did realize, I kept on with it, and had this to say at the end of the Book Report: “May be next year before I get back to the Rockton series, but that’s OK. I feel comforted knowing it’s out there to enjoy at some point. Kinda like knowing there’s a box of something yummy but not necessarily great for me in the house but yet to be eaten. 😎”

Well, y’all, all that went right out of my head until just a few days ago, when I got the ARC of The Boy Who Cried Bear. This time, though, before starting the second in the new series, I went to the library and checked out every book in the first. Yep, holiday goodies for the brain in the house! Woohoo!

OK, to the book at hand. It was good, but not great. I wish I could give it 2.5 stars. But it did keep my interest, more because of the interactions between the characters and their respective back stories. I was quite annoyed at some of the convoluted-y-ness and the cliffhangers at the end, but I do get that there’s a necessity for both of that latter. What I _don’t_ get is all the various typos and subject-verb agreement issues and flat-out missing words, which I of course hope will be addressed before final publication.

Also, I questioned the use of the term Latinx, which is not reader-friendly in terms of ease of reading; the x makes the eyes come to what is usually an unncessary stop. Now, as a middle-aged white woman, I got no dog in this particular hunt, about what is correct and isn’t correct to use when describing people of Latin American heritage. So maybe Ms Armstrong (and her editors) had good reason to use it. On the other hand, maybe it was “trendy” at the time the book was being written and now it already seems dated?

If anyone is interested, here’s a link to a good piece on the term: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/why-...

To wrap this up: I am very much looking forward to starting the Rockton series the day after Thanksgiving, and definitely want to read more Haven’s Rock.

DESCRIPTION
In The Boy Who Cried Bear, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong keeps readers on the edge of their seats while detective Casey Duncan tries to locate the threat before it’s too late. . . .

Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it’s supposed to be, being that it’s a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town, which reminds them of where they first met in Rockton. And while they know how to navigate the woods and its various dangers, other residents don’t. Which is why people aren't allowed to wander off alone.

When Max, the town’s youngest resident—taught to track animals by Eric—fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they’re taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they’re not sure what they’re up against.

Another quick, mostly entertaining read in these two series set in remote northern wilderness. It's always been the setting which has appealed to me most, followed by the mystery aspect, while I cringed through the romance aspect. Now it seems the series is becoming even more domestic, and it's time for me to drop out. No big loss to the author as I suspect I've always been an outlier among the series' readers.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

contemporary, thriller, mystery, Canada, spin-off-series, family-dynamics, sanctuary, wilderness, Yukon, murder, murder-investigation, crime-fiction, relationships, procedural, local-law-enforcement, brothers, missing-persons, riveting, hostility, lies, secrets, falsely-accused, false-conclusions*****

Haven's Rock is a place of sanctuary for persons who are persecuted. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton are experienced law enforcement and also the only law enforcement for the town. The major mystery is the disappearance of an at risk eight year old and the search and ensuing problems which include a feral human wearing bear skins. Running alongside this urgency is Casey's disbelief and dilemma at finding that she is pregnant despite what she was told some years ago. The pace is fast, the plotting intricate, the distractions stupefying, and the plot twists diabolically amazing. The characters are all clearly and convincingly developed. Loved it and am loving this series despite never having read the Rockton series.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.

#CanadianWriter #HavensRock

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong is a worthy addition to the Casey and Eric ongoing saga that carried over into Haven's Rock, blending some old, familiar characters with new ones to create a page-turner of a book.
This book has everything you've come to expect - a fascinating yet dangerous setting, subtle social commentary, a gripping mystery, suspense, and intrigue. But beyond that, itis the character of Max, the boy who cried bear himself, that steals the show. This ten-year-old is both young and impressionable and resourceful and courageous. He is, in short, the hero of the story. The characters around him run the gamut of good and evil, making for a wonderful storyline.
This book sets up storylines for many more to come, and I look forward to reading about how Casey and Eric face the new challenges coming their way, be they from the mining town nearby, the town they are trying to establish and its residents, or their own personal challenges.
Armstrong is for me one of those authors whose work you automatically put on your to read list, because you know it will be fabulous.

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

“We underestimated the human capacity for blame. In the real world, I wouldn’t have made that mistake. I’ve seen how the most innocent of victims are treated…No crime is so horrific that someone won’t blame the victim.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, thank you @minotaur_books @netgalley and @kelleyarmstrongauthor for the advanced copy of A Boy Who Cried Bear in exchange for an honest review.

The Boy Who Cried Bear is the second book in the Rockton spin off series, Haven’s Rock.

If you have seen my review of the first book in this series you would known that I was apprehensive about this spinoff at first. I felt that Rockton had run it’s course & I wasn’t sure how a new spin off series would work. But boy did it work!

The mix of old faces from Rockton with new characters, original to Haven’s Rock, allows for more diverse characters allowing for complex themes to arise in this series that were only lightly touched on before. Which is exactly why I’m rating this five stars. Armstrong is not shying away from important conversations, nor beating her readers over the head with them. She is able to balance important social commentary that has the reader self reflecting while enjoying a well paced story.

Because, not only are we seeing rare disability rep in regards to Parkinson’s Disease, Prosopagnosia, and Autism but the central theme of this particular novel revolves around the treatment of a Latinx mother and the damage that racial stereotypes have on protecting victims, especially those part of marginalized communities.

Besides the above mentioned, the story is well written, we have fantastic character development, the pacing is spot on and that ending leaves you with so many questions that you need more.

I will mention that this series is not without its content warnings. There are some very dark themes here that I haven’t even mentioned so I strongly suggest checking out the warnings before reading. StoryGraph is a fantastic place for this!

But overall I’m very excited to see where this series goes!

Kelley Armstrong is a phenomenal writer. Even more impressive is that she can write in multiple genres (something I really struggle with). I’ve really enjoyed this series and seeing their dream town really come alive. Even better are the characters. She has a real knack for getting you so attached to people that you feel real anger for them when the twists and turns of the story come along. This book is no exception. I generally don't read books that deal with child abuse, but the way this one was done was so respectful. Not like she was trying to capitalize off a painful subject. An awesome story and I can’t wait for the next one!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Another great entry in the Haven's Rock series!

The Boy who Cried Bear has the same fast pace, same crazy twists, and wonderful characters you expect from Kelley Armstrong.
From start to finish, this book has surprises. I thought I had everything figured out, so I was a little shocked by the ending...and by the possibilities Armstrong introduced.
If you are looking for a twisted whodunit, look no further. Armstrong has given us another wonderful story.

The Boy Who Cried Bear is a standalone story, but the characters are *mostly* the same as the first book, so you get a richer story starting at the beginning. If you really want to dig in to the characters, start with City of the Lost which is the first book in the Rockton series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, my opinions are shared voluntarily.

Loved reading the exciting and entertaining story. When Max, a ten-year old boy, sees a bear with human eyes and is later taken, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, work diligently day after day to find Max. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story by the fabulous author, Kelley Armstrong. Can't wait to read the next story in the Haven Rock series!

Thank you Kelley Armstrong and St. Martin's Press for this NetGalley advance copy.

I've recently become a big fan of Kelley Armstrong this last year. I love the variety of genres, no matter what kind of reading mood I am in. I absolutely love the Haven's Rock series so far. I hadn't read the Rockton series yet when i first started this series and it did not matter at all. The characters and backstory are filled in perfectly so you can read it without the full background story. That being said, I immediately dived into the Rockton series and I am really enjoying them.

The setting of Haven's Rock is great, hidden away in the wilderness with a select few people hiding from various situations in their lives. Who can you trust? What dangerous situations could you possibly find yourself in? I love them mystery behind it all!

Haven's Rock was supposed to be a new beginning, and a chance to return to what Rockton was supposed to be, but setting up a hidden sanctuary town isn't easy. In book two of this series, Casey and Dalton find that maintaining order in the face of everyone's secrets is a bit like herding cats. Lots of intrigue and unknowns in this series to keep you coming back.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

This is the second novel in a series, and I clearly should have read them in order. I could follow along, but I would have gotten more out of it if I’d read Murder at Haven’s Rock first.

Haven’s Rock is hidden in the forest in the Yukon for people who need to hide from people who wish them dead. There are only two youngters among them, 10-year-old Max and his 13-year-old brother, Carson. Max sees what he describes as a bear with human eyes. When Max goes missing, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Duncan, explore the woods—and investigate suspicious behavior among the residents. However, they have no jurisdiction over the miners’ camp nearby, a group that is secretive. Casey manages to get enough of a truce between them to look for what might be a strange recluse who dresses up like a bear but could be even more sinister.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 20, 2024.

Set in a Yukon refuge community as part of a witness protection program, the second book in the Haven's Rock series focuses on Dana and her 10 year old son, Max, and his brother Carson who have moved into the program after their father was murdered. Max wanders into the woods because he knows he saw a man dressed in bear skins. Max is kidnapped and then is lost in the wilderness for two days. Mystery revolves around the search when residents begin to question Dana's story. Additional plots include the guarded mining community adjacent to Haven's Rock and Detective Casey Duncan's unexpected pregnancy. The Boy Who Cried Bear is an oddly curious novel that readers will stick with till the end.

Kelley Armstrong does it again!

If you haven’t read the Rockton series I would highly recommend starting there. The Haven’s Rock series is a break off of Rockton with a lot of the same characters as well as always adding new ones in each book. It is always the series that made me a forever fan of Kelley Armstrong!!

I really enjoyed this additional to the series! Haven’s Rock is a getaway for people that need to escape bad things that have happened to them in their real lives. A safe HAVEN if you will ;) Both series take place in the Yukon wilderness in little towns built for people to hide much like witness protection.

❤️ The returning characters and the continuation of their backstories
❤️ Addition of children
❤️ The story line, the suspense
❤️ That there will be another one for sure and it will continue the story of the miners
❤️ Dalton’s burly attitude and sarcastic humour
❤️❤️❤️ Dalton and Casey’s new adventure coming

I love this series (and Rockton before it) so much, I sailed through this book in record time. This installment showcases some of the differences between Rockton and Haven's Rock in terms of residents, rules, etc., but we still have frustrating personalities, mysterious characters, odd behavior, solid friendship and found family. And murder. Because there's always at least one murder, right?

One of the unique differences between Rockton and Haven's Rock is that Casey & Eric decided to allow couples and children to join the new settlement, which adds an unexpected security element to the mix. The story is told partly from the missing child's perspective, but mostly from Casey's POV. There are also some major changes coming for Casey & Eric, which are hinted at early on in the story and then confirmed later, but final resolution on the matter doesn't come until the very last chapter. (Sorry, I'm trying not to spoil anything...)

If you love this series like I do, this new addition will not disappoint. There are some loose ends at the close of the story, but that's to be expected and allows for overarching story lines in the series.

I'm a HUGE fan of Kelley Armstrong (I've been reading her for 20+ years!) and the Rockton series was amazing. The Boy Who Cried Bear is the 2nd book in a spin off series, where Casey and Eric have gone off to create their own little town in the wilderness. I will be honest, I'm struggling to get into this new series. I feel like the author is leaning into the good old repetitive behaviors and thoughts of these characters a little too much, and it keeps it from feeling fresh and different. In this book, a child named Max reports seeing a bear with human eyes, which launches a new mystery. I'm giving 4 stars because anything Kelley is excellent, but I'd love to see this feeling fresher for book 3.

I am a huge fan of the Rockton books and am excited for the new direction the spin off series is taking. Book 2 keeps the suspense rolling, with different pressures in the new community, including how to accommodate couples and families. A few of the new characters are really settling in and I enjoyed this volume. Very curious about the over arching villain that seems to be developing too. Excited for the next one!

The Boy Who Cried Bear is the second book in the Haven's Rock series by Kelley Armstrong, a spin-off of her popular Rockton series. The book follows detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, as they investigate a series of strange events in their new town, a refuge in the Yukon for people who need to disappear. Haven's Rock is now accepting children and when ten-year-old Max reports seeing a bear with human eyes stalking a hiking party, the mystery gets underway.

The book does a good job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere and introduces some new and interesting characters, Casey and Eric take centre stage in this book, which I found to be a plus as some of the later Rockton books focused on too many secondary characters whom I didn't love.

While it was a good mystery, the resolution was a bit unsatisfactory and left some questions unanswered, This seems to be purposefully done to set up the next book in the series but may frustrate some readers who want a more satisfying conclusion.

Overall, The Boy Who Cried Bear is an enjoyable and entertaining read for fans of Kelley Armstrong and the Rockton series. It is a solid addition to the Haven's Rock series, and it promises more mystery and adventure in the future

4.5/5 stars

I love Kelley Armstrong, loved the Rockton series, and also love the Haven's Rock spinoff. This was book 2 in the spinoff series, and we're currently getting to know the residents and workers in Haven's Rock. This is Rockton 2.0, and you can definitely see the difference in the two settlements already - for one thing, families/children are allowed here. This is new, and not altogether a bad thing...until one of the kids goes missing, possibly abducted, in the woods. As always, Casey and Eric spring to the rescue - but this time they're also dealing with an issue of their own, that may or may not be more complicated due to events in Casey's past. Will everything turn out okay? I'm not spoiling it for you - read and find out!