I hate that this book took me so long to read just because life is busy! I really liked it. I am a huge fan of the entire series and I love the new addition to Casey and Eric’s story!

It is hard to describe these books if you haven’t read the entire series so I would suggest starting at the beginning!

The constant suspense is fantastic, the humour is fantastic, the friendships also so great and the family that had been built on trust.

Every book gets better than the last!

Every book in this series is hugely enjoyable, just like its predecessor series set in Rockton. The mysteries are always well done and believable, but it’s always the characters that stand out for me. They feel fully realized and very real, and their relationships are very well developed. Casey and Eric face another set of challenges in their newly built town of Haven’s Rock, all made more difficult by worries over Casey’s advancing pregnancy and bad winter weather. As always, they work together so well in both their professional and private capacities, aided by friends who remained after Rockton and some new characters. I’m already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

2.5⭐️

To start this review, let it be known that this book is part of a series and while you may think mystery novels such as these can be read as a standalone, this is the exception. It can be read on its own, but it takes majority of the book for plot points to be connected or for you to connect them on your own.

The entire mystery was solved by talking to people in the town, which came off as tedious to me since there’s quite literally almost no evidence for the main characters to analyze. I also liked the dynamic between the two main characters that are in a relationship, but I felt this book was more about pregnant women being independent rather than the actual mystery. The circumstances of the murder was really interesting and not something I’d read before, but it was hard to get sucked in by the mystery when I’m constantly hearing about how the main character can’t investigate because of her pregnant stomach. I have no vendetta about pregnant women to be clear, but after a certain point I do get tired of hearing about it.

The overall mystery was intriguing, but I could tell from a mile way what the main characters issue was going to be at the end of the book, and that issue overshadowed the entire mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced e-copy.

I found Kelley Armstrong through the Twist in Time series she put out starting in 2022. Excellent story that I am still reading! What a pleasant surprise to find that she is skilled enough to write well in other areas as well!! This was a total delight.

This was a strong return to Haven's Rock and enjoyed the way this was written, it had that suspenseful atmosphere that I was looking for and was glad everything worked together. The characters had that feel that I wanted and thought they worked in this universe. It had that element that I was looking for from Kelley Armstrong and was glad I read this.

This is probably my favorite so far (#3) of Kelley Armstrong's series Haven's Rock. Detective Casey Duncan is 8 months pregnant and it is the middle of winter in Haven's Rock. It's bitterly cold yet a woman from Haven's Rock is found frozen to death and it is up to Detective Casey and her work/ romantic partner Sheriff Eric Dalton to figure out what happened and who the killer is in their small, isolated community. There's a baby on the way but can Casey and Eric solve the crime before the baby comes? There was a lot of action in the book and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. A great read.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for an ARC of this book.

This is the latest, and darkest, in the Haven's Rock series, and I could not love it more. The characters are unique, strange but believable, and the forbidding, dark, and cold settlement in the Yukon wilderness is the perfect setting for a serial killer, who must be one of a small group of friends and neighbors, all of whom have somewhat sinister pasts. The suspense never lets up as the story unwinds, with main characters Casey and Dalton, sheriffs of the tiny township, at special risk because of Casey's advanced, high-risk pregnancy. The pace is great, and red herrings abound as the mystery unfolds. If you love a dark mystery with a wonderful sense of place and stellar characters, this is it.

I was beyond thrilled to be given the opportunity to review “Cold as Hell” the second book in this series. Author, Kelly Armstrong is very eloquent in all her writings and I love this book picked up with where the other left off. Even if you did not reads the first book, you would be able to quickly have a full understanding of the environment and characters from the start. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the chance to read an ARC of Cold as hell by Kelley Armstrong. I wanted my first book of 2025 to be "a kickass, Can't put down book" and Cold as hell was the perfect selection! It is the 3rd book in the Haven's Rock series, and is by far my favourite one!
From the first page, to the last it was a fast paced, bone chilling thrill ride, made even more chilling by reading it during a heavy snowfall! Even though Casey is in the last stages of her pregnancy, with Dalton being over-protective you know she will not stop investigating the murder of a resident.
Haven's Rock is the spin-off series from the Rockton books, and while you can read Cold as hell by itself, the character development has been building since the 1st book in Rockton, City of the lost.

After reading this book, I was curious to know more about the series, so I hit up my local library and found the rest of the books in the series. I have a love/hate relationship with this series. It’s well-written and intriguing and most of the characters are either likable or easy to relate to. The character that annoyed me the most is ironically the main character. She feels whiny sometimes and acts like a victim, when she is both victim and victimizer. I get tired of feeling like she thinks her story is so different from everyone else’s. She’s also impulsive and doesn’t always think things through putting herself or others in dangerous situations. I have trouble believing she could have been that great of a cop.

While the main character grates on my nerves a lot, it didn’t take away from the story. There are enough minor characters who play nice sized support roles, helping to keep the storyline fresh and moving along. I’m curious to see where this series will end up and plan on continuing to read it, even if it’s not one of my favorites.

I received a copy of this book in return for my unbiased opinion.

Imagine a town where people come to find peace, a town where everyone knows each other, you work together to put the community first, a place to find sanctuary. Now, imagine a killer among you. Haven’s Rock is the community build deep in the Yukon, where husband and wife team, Casey and Eric work together to keep all the citizens safe and working together. When crime starts occurring including a murder of one of their own, Casey and Eric must unite the community to find out who is behind this horrible death. Is it an outsider who has wondered into their town or is it a resident?

This was definitely a page turner. Lots of suspenseful action, the pregnancy of the detective Casey added another layer to the story, suspects abound as the reader is never quite sure who can be trusted. Well written, the descriptions of the location made me want to put another layer on, sinister but in a good way. Thoroughly enjoyed this advanced read

I’ve read this author before, and I did enjoy her books. Lately, I’ve been sticking with paranormal, but I finally decided I needed to read a book in this series and requested this one. You don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. Yes, it probably would have enhanced my enjoyment, but I still really loved this book. It is suspenseful, engaging, and very well-written. I sort of had a glimpse who the killer was, but I was still shocked. I was also shocked about how the killer was…well, read the book and you’ll see what I mean. Fans of this series should love this latest. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

WOW!!!

Love this series to bits!
This author never disappoints. Another chilling page turner that you can not put down. Cold as hell is full of everything that you would like from a book and being third in this spin off series it did not disappoint. tension, suspense, danger, gripping, chilling page turner!

This is my favourite book from the Havens Rock series so far! Combine a twisted psychopath who is sadistically preying on women with Casey’s pregnancy and I found myself on a rollercoaster ride. It kept me guessing all the way through with all the twists and turns and all the while, I kept hoping Casey wouldn’t go into labour until a more appropriate time.

I’m enjoying the storylines, the crimes, and the fleshing out of the characters in this Rockton spin off. Really looking forward to more.

“I’d like to stanch the tears and dowse the anger and control the frustration but retain that ability to show people that I love and value them. And if it’s not possible to have all that, then maybe keeping the tears and the rage isn’t entirely a bad thing.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨

I cannot think of a better way to start 2025 than with a review of a book by my favourite author, Kelley Armstrong.

But before we jump in, please know that this was an advance readers copy sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

Now let’s get into it!

For those that do not know, this is the third book in the Haven’s Rock series which is a spin off of Armstrong’s Rockton series.

I really did not see the point of having this spin off series, initially. I thought the story had ran its course but Armstrong keeps proving me wrong and Cold as Hell drives it home that there is more story to tell.

So what I liked:

1. I love Armstrong characters and character development. The strong portrayal of woman along with the fact that she keeps adding in more complex conversations around social constructs, mental illness, disabilities, and the systemic issues/bigotry that racial and minority groups face.

2. Her writing style is very readable/digestible making her works hard to put down and Cold as Hell is no exception.

3. The plot was very fast paced in this one and I was engaged the entire time.

Now for what I didn’t like:

1. This one felt rushed and more of a filler book. The issues that were previously raised, that we would assume would carry over into the rest of the series, were hardly mentioned and played zero part in this book.

2. The who-do-it aspect was incredibly predictable. I guessed it right away and I think most people would as well.

But overall I enjoyed it. If you are a fan of thriller/mystery novels, with an off the grid setting, you need to check this series out. This one does deal with some very dark themes, however, and I do recommend checking out and CW before hand.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic addition to the series.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

After discovering the previous series connected to Haven’s Rock, I could not get enough of Kelley Armstrong’s writing. I followed the stories through to the development of this new series and have been just as enthralled with the writing. Haven’s Rock is a hidden and private community tucked into the Yukon Territory in Canada’s North. It has limited access, but all the problems of any community, including infighting and criminal activity. When Detective Casey Duncan and Sheriff Eric Dalton are called out to help with a woman who was drugged and almost attacked, they are on edge. Soon thereafter, another woman goes missing, with more drastic outcomes. A killer is on the loose and a winter storm is pushing in, sure to cover all evidence under a pile of snow. Now Casey and Eric must rush to find the killer and set things right. Armstrong delivers a gripping thriller that had me hooked until the final pages.

Haven’s Rock has made a discrete name for itself as a place people can go to disappear from the mainstream, for reasons determined by the local council. Nestled in the backcountry of Canada’s Yukon Territory, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, run a tight ship, though many are quite respective of the community rules. When a knock comes on their door in the middle of the night, news that a local woman had been drugged and almost attacked in the woods leaves many to wonder what is going on. The drug in her system is not commonly found and only a single resident has a prescription. Could this be an assault that went sideways?

As Casey and Eric continue their investigation, a severe winter storm blows into the region, sure to create havoc for many. Soon thereafter, the naked body of another resident is found, likely tossed to face the elements. With no hope of bringing her back to life, Casey and Eric ensure she receives a thorough autopsy, which might shed some light on what happened. Beginning to question those who last saw the victim. Casey and Eric cobble together the truths they are meant to believe.

All the while, Casey is working through the final trimester of her pregnancy and Eric is overly protective, worried about any exertion. Casey cannot accept bedrest, especially with a killer on the loose, and must piece things together to stop the killings while fingering the guilty party. Haven’s Rock was supposed to be a place away from this sort of violence, but no one can truly trust their neighbours, with their backstories a mystery to everyone. Armstrong adds another wonderful novel to this series that has had me on the edge of my seat from the outset.

I love a good thriller series and Kelley Armstrong has never failed to impress. Using the Canadian North as its setting adds increased mystery to the story and keeps the reader from feeling they have entered anything too repetitive. The narrative clips along in this story, tossing out many storylines for the reader to follow. The momentum is propelled with numerous happenings in a great setting, providing something that lurks in the background for something to derail. Great characters offer up a flavouring to keep the reader curious and provides added depth to Haven’s Rock and the community as a whole. Plot points not only expound on the various characters in town, but also offer surprises to keep the story clipping along and adds new wonders that are sure to be addressed in future stories. I cannot wait to see what Kelley Armstrong has to offer with this ever-evolving series.

Kudos, Madam Armstrong, for another winner in this series!

I absolutely love this series, but I have a question. How can there be so many murders in an isolated village with so few residents such as Rockton or Haven's Rock?

That thought aside, Cold As Hell is another great installment to Shannon Mayer's series.

The book can be read stand alone but you will be missing the back story of how Casey and Dalton came to be in the Yukon with a motley crew of people who cannot be protected by Witsec.

The characters are well developed and continued to evolve with each book in the series.

Not a cozy mystery

In the third book of Kelley Armstrong’s Haven’s Rock series, all is not what it seems:

Blizzards are a natural occurrence when one lives in an isolated town in the middle of the Yukon. What is not common is Haven’s Rock is for a woman to be drugged during that blizzard and someone attempts to kidnap her. Even though the plan is thwarted Casey still needs to investigate where the drugs came from and who would was trying to drag her into the forest. The hunt is on for a dangerous person who uses the blizzards Mother Nature provides to their advantage.

The original series, Rockton, and this new spin off is one of the my favourites out there. I love that Armstrong is still inventive in her storylines and I each book does not repeat what has occurred before. Is there a bit of a formula sure, but Armstrong is always adding new factors to it.

Just when you think you know what is going on, it totally flips on you and i loved that about this book. I should know by now that Armstrong is more than likely going to surprise me. This one is my favourite so far in the Haven Rock series so far.

The addition of Casey being pregnant in this book added a new dynamic not just to her relationship with Dalton but also her ability to investigate. One can only do so much with an 8-9month pregnancy especially in the wilderness in the winter.

I would be okay if Armstrong decided this was the last book in the Haven Rock series, but I dont hink that it will be. There are still some loose end and avenues for stories to come but I really enjoyed not only this book but Dalton and Casey’s story arc.

As long as Armstrong writes with series I will read it. I really enjoyed this addition to the series.

Enjoy!!!

Kelley Armstrong’s Cold as Hell delivers a thrilling and intense entry into the world of supernatural mysteries, mixing gripping suspense with fascinating character development. The novel follows the strong-willed protagonist as she navigates a world where danger lurks around every corner, with a compelling blend of supernatural elements, mystery, and action.

Armstrong’s world-building is fantastic, as she expertly crafts a universe full of dangerous creatures, complicated alliances, and shifting powers. The pacing is well-balanced, keeping readers engaged with heart-pounding action and intriguing plot twists. Armstrong’s writing style is engaging and fluid, and her ability to create vivid, multi-dimensional characters shines through.

However, there are a few moments where the plot feels predictable, and some secondary characters could have been more developed. While Cold as Hell is a solid addition to the series, it doesn’t quite reach the emotional depth of some of Armstrong’s previous works. Still, for fans of supernatural thrillers, this book offers plenty of suspense and intrigue.

Overall, Cold as Hell is an enjoyable read that will leave fans eagerly awaiting the next installment. Armstrong once again proves her skill in blending the supernatural with real-world stakes, delivering a story that’s both dark and captivating.