Return to Havens Rock for another intense mystery. The characters are wonderful. I love Casey and Dalton. I really like that this new series brings along my favorite characters from Rockton. This story kept me guessing right up to the shocking reveal. I can't wait to read more.

I am so glad I stumbled on this series! I am a long-time fan of Armstrong, but in her paranormal writing capacity. As such, I always assumed the Rockton books had a supernatural element, and had them in the back of my mind as a series to look into when I had time. When I saw this latest Haven's Rock book (after seeing but not requesting the two previous on here), I assumed more of the same, but something about this latest drew me in more than the others and so I requested it, knowing I'd be able to catch up on the series through my local library. I started the first book and finished it in a day. The second quickly followed and I consumed it with the same voraciousness.

This is a marvelous series with such a fantastic construct! I love when an author just dances the line between weird things going on and *natural* explanations. It's so realistic and heightens the tension for me in a way that is delightful. This is a fabulous cast of characters and their world - the Yukon off-grid - is so unlike anything I know or have experienced, yet Armstrong brings it to life through her marvelous descriptions and the experiences of her characters.

While I do have to engage in some significant suspension of disbelief, especially as the series develops (if you lived in a town populated by only dozens of people and had already lost 6 or 7 to murder, wouldn't you rethink your decision to stay??), I find that I don't care or mind, because the stories are so well presented. I'm definitely going back to check out the Rockton books while I wait for the next Haven's Rock!

I adore both the Rockton and Haven’s Rock series, but Cold as Hell really tested my patience. While I completely understand Kelley Armstrong’s commitment to keeping her main characters at the forefront, there are limits to how much suspending disbelief one can muster. Picture this: a woman, eight months into a high-risk pregnancy, traipsing through the remote Yukon wilderness to pursue a killer. It's infuriating and, frankly, baffling that her partner Eric, would venture off in the opposite direction, leaving her vulnerable. This narrative choice felt downright frustrating.

You won’t believe how much this book made me talk back to its pages. Of course, I acknowledge that women are strong and capable, but let’s be realistic—this portrayal made Casey come off as both reckless and narcissistic.

On a more positive note, the core storyline is engaging, with your mental murder board in constant flux. Mathias and Sebastian remain my favorite characters and I enjoy every moment they make an appearance. Their unique code of ethics adds an interesting layer to the narrative, even if they aren't universally loved.

Despite my frustrations, I will continue with this series and other works by Kelley Armstrong. However, I will be scrutinizing Casey Duncan closely, especially considering how their child will need a village to raise them while mommy is off saving the world.

Cold as Hell is the third book in the Haven's Rock series by Kelley Armstrong. This can be enjoyed as a standalone mystery or as part of the series. Haven’s Rock is a spin off of the author’s Rockton/Casey Duncan series and can be enjoyed without reading those first. (I’m definitely going to read them soon though!) This book was so good that I read it all in one day!!! I could not put it down!

There is so much depth in this book. I found the characters to be fascinating and I look forward to learning more about them! The mystery is intense. There are so many viable suspects and there is so much that is hidden. It was awesome!

I highly recommend this book! I will definitely be diving into the Rockton/Casey Duncan series because I could not get enough of Murder at Haven's Rock! I can't wait to see what happens next. I know it'll be intense!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Cold as Hell (Haven's Rock #3) by Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: February 18, 2025

I really love this series. Casey is a relatable character with demons in her past but she doesn’t let them hold her back or define her. She’s heavily pregnant but still determined to do her job as much as she can. It’s refreshing to see the struggle of balancing responsibilities with family needs and actually seeing the realistic blowback that happens when the two collide. I enjoyed all of the twists and turns that happened through the investigation of the murder and it kept me guessing until pretty much the end. I’ll definitely be looking for the next book in the series.

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cold As Hell is a great addition (book three) to the Haven’s Rock series. Set in the Yukon at a remote location, this fast paced mystery kept my interest from beginning to end.

Although it is part of a series, the author gives enough backstory to read this book as a standalone.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense.

I look forward to more titles in this series.

Cold As Hell is #3 in the Haven's Rock series by Kelley Armstrong. Though I grew up in a very cold Canadian province and winter is my enemy, it is different to read about it from afar in a much more hospitable climate. Still, it gave me mental chilly vibes!

Detective Casey Duncan is expecting her first child with her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton in the wintery wilds of the Yukon. Haven's Rock sounds both blissful (the wilderness and seclusion) but the isolation can take its toll on residents. I sought adventure and lived in such a town up north for two years as a young married adult and absolutely loved it. But not every aspect is rosy as the characters in this series know. The forest has secrets and is off limits. But not for a female resident who was dragged into its mysterious depths.

Kendra is a social worker and northern climate plumber who has fallen for the unique charms of Haven’s Rock. April, Casey's neurosurgeon sister, is another fascinating character in this sanctuary town. Each person has special skill sets suited to the northern way of life. But death has a sneaky way of yanking victims into frozen places.

I like the setting and atmosphere but am less enamored with this particular novel in the series. It doesn't click with me even though I can relate to northern isolation. I'm not fond of or invested in the characters. It was OK but didn't reach my heart.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this captivating novel.

I DNF’d this book at about 10%
I just don’t think this authors writing is for me! Also my bad for not realizing this was part of a series, that probably didn’t help.
There was just too many characters for me to try to keep up with, something about it was just hard to read. From what I read, it felt like more mystery than thriller.
I’m sorry this one didn’t work out for me :(
Thank you for the e-arc NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!

This was a very suspenseful mystery set in the Yukon! I honestly love anything Kelley Armstrong writes, so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read this one! 🙌

While this is the third book in the Haven’s Rock series, I read this as a standalone and had absolutely no issues connecting with the characters and understanding their dynamics. Now I want to go back and start with the Rockton series! 🤓

Definitely recommend this one to thriller and mystery lovers! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press, and Kelley Armstrong for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Mysteries are not my normal genre, but I love Kelley Armstrong's writing. She has developed an interesting cast of characters in Haven Rock. The latest installment is a twisty ride.

Didn’t care for this at all. The story was laughably bad at times and the writing felt like a slog. Plot was predictable and not enjoyable.

No wonder I was confused! I was so excited to see another book on NetGalley written by Kelley Armstrong that I forgot to check if it was the first book in a series.

It turns out that “Cold As Hell” is the third book in the “Haven’s Rock” series. Definitely read these in order. I managed pretty well after my dumb mistake but still kept having the feeling I was missing something about the story. In addition, Casey Duncan is also the main character in a previous series, “Rockton,” which comprises eight books. I’d recommend starting at the beginning for maximum enjoyment.

Casey and her husband, Eric Dalton, work in law enforcement in a small community in the Yukon, Haven’s Rock. Its residents are people who want to live safely out of sight. They are screened so as to ensure the safety of all. Unfortunately something goes wrong. Haven’s Rock suddenly seems like quite a dangerous place.

This murder mystery is a bit gritty but Casey has a pretty snarky sense of humor, especially considering that she is nine months pregnant. That eases the tension a bit. “Cold As Hell” has well-drawn characters and the plot has enough twists to keep the reader engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Holy crap Kelley Armstrong! That was a messed up story. That killer is crazy and the situations they place their victims in are reminiscent of the Saw movies, very imaginative and twisted.

I loved the ending and I cannot wait to read the next book in the Haven's Rock series (no pressure, I know you are working on multiple different series right now) so we can see if this killer had any lasting effects on the community and the way they do things. In the meantime, I will read Death at a Highland Wedding while I wait.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
Unfortunately, this book was not my cup of tea. With that being said, I may try to read this book again at a later date to see if I like it more.

I’ve been excited about finally getting around to this new installment. The Haven’s Rock (HR) gang, Erik, Casey, Will, April, and the rest of the staff and residents of this secret sanctuary, in the Yukon, are all back for the latest mystery and drama that comes from living off the grid like they do. HR was specifically established for folks who need to “disappear” and unlike the former compound, Rockton, HR allows couples and families with children, which creates a whole new level of challenges for Sheriff Eric and lead detective, Casey, and the rest of the folks that make up the small staff that run HR.

The book summary introduces the primary storyline that picks up several months after the last one because Casey is now eight months pregnant and is experiencing a mixture of excitement and anxiety about the impending birth. Casey has never gotten this far along before and is trying not to worry about all the things that “might/could” happen. She misses her ankles and is sooo over hubby Erik’s over protectiveness and coddling. So, when HR resident/staffer, Kendra, is drugged, attacked, and dragged out into the forest, in the dead of night, Casey wants to go all in to investigate who attacked her and bring them to justice. Fortunately, a fellow resident, Sebastian, heard her screaming and came to her rescue and scared off the attacker. Or did he? Hmmm…

Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the Kendra’s attack and Erik, Casey and Will, the other detective, focus on the HR men, assuming that Kendra’s attacker is a man who wanted to rape her. It’s not long before another resident, Lynn, goes missing and is found the next day in the forest, not far from HR; she was naked and frozen to death. Or was she? Hmmm…

There is also the secondary storyline of Casey’s impending childbirth that is complicated with a bout of false labor concerns. Because of the complications that could arise and her doctor’s concern for her and the baby’s health, Casey and Erik are going to fly into Whitehorse (where the closest medical facility is), but are grounded because of a huge blizzard that has blown in. This also makes it more difficult to investigate the case.

The end comes fast and in a wild and crazy flurry of freaking scary and intense scenes and passages. It had me both on the edge of my seat as well as cracking up. OMG!!! All #%!! breaks loose and Casey is a total bad@$$!!! LOVED the final ending too!!!

The continuing character development of Casey and Erik along with a couple of other staff members was well done. I like how Armstrong revealed more about the backgrounds of some of the staff members and residents. The pace was steady to fast with a very interesting storyline. The writing was on par for the series, which is to say that there are still the comparisons of HR to Rockton. Three installments in and those comparisons should be getting less and less. HR is its own location and is different than Rockton. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio #ColdAsHell

60/100 or 3.0 stars

This had so much promise, and while I did have a good time, it didn't quite do it for me. The setting is cool, and the writing is well done. The plot was a little boring and convenient at times. The ending is what gave it the 3 stars for me, no spoilers, but that last 10ish percent was actually pretty wild!
I would be interested in trying other works by Armstrong in the future, as I think perhaps another storyline might work a little better for me. Solid thriller though!

Another mystery in the Yukon by Kelley Armstrong!

This one was a bit more intense for me personally with our detective being pregnant and possible complications she experiences - otherwise as far as a Rockton/Haven’s Rock book I really enjoyed it! I did get to a point of wondering “how do bad things keep happening with them” with the trying to start new outside the corruption we saw in Rockton- but Armstrong found a way that made sense.

If you’re a fan of this series I think you’ll enjoy it! If this is your first time picking up a Rockton/Haven’s Rock I would recommend starting with a different one.

Amazing story, Overall the plot was good. I did not like the universe of detective that much, but overall it was good.

This was such a well written book. It is the first Kelley Armstrong book I have read, and I have to say I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I could picture the tight knit community in the little town and how everyone would come together to help when needed.

I liked the amount of suspense, action, mystery and twists included in this story. It was a page turner for sure! Great job to the author because of how many times I guessed wrong as to who the culprit was. Every time I thought I knew who it was, she proved me wrong!! I would definitely read this book again! I recommend to whoever enjoys fast reads with lots of mystery and suspense!!

This was a 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me!!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Cold as Hell is the third of Kelley Armstrong's new series Rock Haven. Fans of her Rockton series who have not discovered this series will be jumping for joy as the story continues. With the new situation, Casey and the others can do things their way.

This fast-moving and twist-turning story keeps the reader turning pages and both wanting to know who is killing the women in the community but also not wanting the book to end. Cold as Hell is highly recommended and while it can be read without the first two in the series, reading the previous entries will continue the story without any holes. Readers of the thrillers who have not tried Kelley Armstrong's Rockton or Rock Haven series are missing a fantastic storyteller, who never seems to disappoint her readers.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, in exchange for an honest review.