This is #3 in the Haven's Rock series.
Hands down my favorite so far in this series. I was hooked almost immediately, and I stayed up WAY too late to finish it.
I'm not sure what it was about this one that I enjoyed so much more than previous books, but whatever it was, worked.
Casey is super pregnant at the onset of this book. This brought a new level of vulnerability to our lead, and I really enjoyed seeing this character able to show us this kind of growth. Her willingness to ask for help (on rare occasion!) felt right.
I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series, so see how having a child changes all the things for Casey and Eric!

I've loved Casey and Eric since the beginning when they fell in love in the Rockton series, and now in the third book of this spinoff series, they're settling into their new sanctuary town, Haven's Rock, somewhere in the Yukon wilderness. Despite the dangers of being so far off the grid, Casey is eight months pregnant and Eric is overly protective. They're hoping for a quiet remainder of the pregnancy away from her detective duties, but no such luck. When a woman is drugged and dragged into the woods, she's rescued but all of the women in town are on edge. Then during a snowstorm another woman is found dead and Casey is forced to investigate, despite Eric's protective warnings. Maybe their little town isn't the sanctuary they had hoped...
I'm more addicted to this town with every book in the series! I can't wait to find out how they navigate family life and running the town. It was fun to catch up with all the side characters from previous books like April, Will, and Storm. I love Kelley's writing and her books are an automatic must read on my TBR.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book finds us in the Yukon, in a hidden town called Haven’s Rock. Haven’s Rock is for those who want to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are settling into life in the Yukon and Casey is expecting their first child.

It may be toward the end of Casey’s pregnancy, but she cannot sit idly by when a victim has been drugged and assaulted. The pool of suspects in this tiny, hidden town is so small. While investigating in the woods surrounding Haven’s Rock, keep in mind in the Yukon, in the winter, a snowstorm comes in to slow them down. While trying to uncover clues on the assault case, Detective Duncan finds a body. A woman who is frozen and naked. Witnesses as to the murdered woman’s last movements in town are telling different stories about what they saw.

It took me entirely too long to realize the first and last names were used interchangeably, more specifically as to the husband. This may not have been an issue had I read book 1 or 2 prior to diving into this one. Or if I had gone back and read the blurb for the book. Having said that, this book was a bit long winded, but very well written. I’m still freezing cold from reading it and personally don’t know if the Yukon is for me. I definitely didn’t guess whodunit and can't wait to check out books 1 and 2 in this series! When you start to question how much more can go wrong, well, a lot given the climate, isolation and terrain in this book.

KELLY ARMSTRONG'S STRONG STORYTELLING JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER WITH THIS INTRIGUING SERIES AND "COLD AS HELL" IS NOT TO BE MISSED SINCE IT IS A SPECIAL NOVEL FOR HAVEN'S ROCK FOLLOWERS!


Hidden in a secret location in the Canadian Yukon lies a community, unknown to the public for certain individuals to escape from their former lives and find safety and solace with new identities to live in the harsh and sometimes very cruel wilderness without any modern conveniences e.g. as in anything electrical etc. Sounds similar to witness protection but it is not any type of government sanctioned agency. This new story has many exciting subplots evolving not excluding detective Casey, who is now eight months pregnant and has a high risk pregnancy as well and to travel to the nearest hospital a small plane is the only transportation to any nearby city. A member of the community who is single is kidnapped but she is able to get away from her attacker but when a second married woman goes missing during a blizzard,, Casey and Derek know they must hurry to find her due to the freezing temperatures and storms that are headed their way before they become snowbound for several days. There may be a killer in their midst and everyone will become a suspect even some members of their policing team unless they can find this vicious predator before they get the chance to get away amidst all the continuing chaos. Oh, no! What if Casey goes into labor while they're stranded because of blizzard conditions?


I enjoyed this book so very much as I've enjoyed every story that I've read in this exciting series. This book so was hard to put down since something new was happening in every chapter and I just needed to know more so I just couldn't stop turning the pages. Finishing these stories always carry bittersweet emotions as I love getting to the end of the mystery but I hate that I have to wait awhile until 'Kelley Armstrong' writes her next "HAVEN'S Rock" book and I sincerely hope this author continues this series for years and years to come.

These books can be read a stand-alones although I would recommend starting with the first or second books to really understand how this secret community came into existence and how they are able survive in the Yukon wilderness. Readers will not be disappointed! I highly recommend this book and I really can't wait to read the next book book hopefully before it's published!


I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press /Minotaur Books" and Netgalley" for the opportunity to read 'COLD AS HELL' and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 5 ATMOSPHERIC AND EXPLOSIVE 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!

Cold as Hell is the third mystery in Kelley Armstrong's Haven's Rock series. Taking place in the Yukon in deep winter, this mystery is chilling in more than one way. With Casey very pregnant, it's not a good time to find a dead body in the woods outside of Haven's Rock. One of the things I love about this series (besides the dynamite mysteries) is how Armstrong balances the returning characters with new residents. I still hope these characters make their way to a screen eventually, but until then, spending a few days with them every year feels like visiting old friends or family, albeit with more murder. This one had one really clever twist that made my jaw drop.

I love this series as well as the previous Rockton series from which this is a spin-off. I've read them all. At the start of this one, it felt as though it was going to be all about Casey's final days of pregnancy and not as much action as usual. About a quarter of the way in, though, that changed. Although the pregnancy continued to be a big part of the story, it certainly didn't hold the action back. Another strong element of the plot was the powerful winter storm. In fact, when I had to set the book down (and believe me, I didn't want to), I would be amazed that there wasn't a storm raging outside. Much of the plot action is based around the cold, snow and wind brought in by the storm.

Casey and Eric are more complex than usual in this book, as they struggle with handling the exigencies of an end-of-term pregnancy with a killer in their midst and a storm cutting off both communication and travel. Both are usually the strong, tough-as-nails type, but in COLD AS HELL they must temper that with the needs of their immanent childbirthing. The storm and the killer it seems to protect also make them reflect upon the shortcoming of the policies they've put in place in Haven's Rock even as they deal with the consequences of those shortcomings.

The ending is one of those that kept me reading deep into the night, absolutely unable to set the book aside. Armstrong is among the best at making an impossibly implausible resolution feel possible in the moment. No spoilers here, but you'll know what I mean when you read this.

This is a strong addition to the series that has me wondering how Haven's Rock will change in book #4.

This book was well-written, mysterious, and action-packed. I was dropped in this atmospheric cold world and I never looked back. Excellent characters. Excellent story. I will admit I was skeptical about this book for two reasons. One - I read a couple of books from this author, and I had some issues with them. Second - normally, when I discover that I've picked up a book that's third in the series, I would shy away. I like reading a series in order because a lot of authors don't do a good enough job filtering in the past. That's not the case with this book on either point.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love the setting of the Yukon Wilderness and the atmosphere. Excited to the continue the goings on of Haven's Rock and Casey and Eric's story. Cold as Hell continues setting up the series as complex, atmospherics thrillers and well-developed characters that grow along the way. I love the relationship dynamics of Eric and Casey. And the supporting cast of characters are interesting and entertaining. The mystery is solid and looking forward to the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Detective Casey and her husband Eric run a brand new, off the grid community called Haven's Rock, in remote Alaska for individuals who need a safe place to hide, similar to witness protection. In this third book of the series a woman is dragged into the woods, but manages to escape her attacker, but then realization dawns that one of the other women in the community has gone missing. When she is found dead Casey and Eric must determine whether it was exposure as it seems or if there is something more sinister going on. Casey deals with a lot in this one, she truly is one bad ass woman!

I listened to the audiobook version with my hubby as well, and the narrator does an excellent job of capturing the emotions throughout the novel.

This book gave me one of those "book hangovers" and it was a while before I could get this book out of my head. I just love it when that happens, so that's why I'm giving it 5 stars. There's plenty of tension and suspense as a serial killer is uncovered among the Haven's Rock closed community. It wasn't supposed to be able to happen with the extensive background checks and such, but that was the cool part of this -- there was a great explanation for how everyone was fooled.

Casey and Eric are not only running this investigation into the killer among them, but Casey is in the last trimester of her pregnancy, and there's quite a bit of anxiety happening there. But it was the action sequences as Casey and Eric are stalking the killer that kept me on the edge of my seat and I just could not put this book down until I completed that incredibly suspenseful ending.

I just love this series. While this third book does reference action and people introduced in the first two installments, you won't have any trouble reading this without reading the others. Casey is an awesome heroine, and she really proves it in Cold as Hell.

Kelley Armstrong is back in Haven's Rock with her best story yet!

Cold as Hell has all the twists and mystery that if you have read Kelley you have come to expect, but this time there are even higher stakes! This story is so thrilling, but not in an over-the-top way. There was so much mystery and so many moving parts that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Honestly, I do not have any critiques of this book. I will say that you should check out any trigger warnings because there is murder etc.

I love this series, but this particular novel is my favorite yet. All the plot nuances that I have come to appreciate came together perfectly to create a story that surprised me and kept me on edge. Kelley Armstrong has created something really special with her Haven's Rock series and I cannot recommend it enough!

A wonderful, well written book incorporating well drawn characters that pulled me in immediately.. Simple to get back to after a short absence. I look forward to more of this series.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are settled into their life, and Casey is pregnant. She is nearing delivery time, but she has a new case to investigate. Someone is taking women from the town and leaving them to die in extreme pain. One escapes, but the next night another disappears and is found dead. During a snowstorm, no one could hear her scream. The town is now in turmoil. Someone who lives there is a killer. Suspicions cause issues and Casey is afraid to leave, but knows she must for the safety of herself and her baby. Will they be able to find the killer before someone else ends up dead?

I enjoyed seeing what is happening in Haven's Rock, seeing the residents living their lives and supporting one another. When Casey's sister April discovers that there is a problem with Casey's baby, she tells her she needs to leave to have the baby. She and Eric try to prepare the others in their police force, but the murder puts a wrench in the works. I will say that this killer is really sick. As we learn more about previous deaths that were rather gruesome, I was scared for Casey. This was a complex story, one that was very atmospheric, had well developed characters and pulled me in from the start until the ending. I definitely recommend you read this series in order to see the growth of the community and meet the characters. The audiobook was well narrated by Thérèse Plummer. She is definitely the voice of this series. I enjoy the voices she gives the various characters with their accents and individuality. If you like audiobooks, I recommend you listen to this one.

I feel as though I would have enjoyed this one more if I’d read the first couple books. There was a lot of reference made to people/places that weren’t explained in this particular book. I do really like Casey and her grit!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This was the perfect addition to this breakoff series! I highly recommend starting with the initial Rockton series to get the full experience...

I love how this series has evolved especially with my favorite couple Casey and Eric (Dalton) who are about to become parents in this book. Talk about full circle! Pause while I do a happy dance!!

This series has complex, well-developed characters. There is always a mystery and great suspense as well as moments of friendship and domestic intimacy that helps take the edge off from those heart pounding times.

Our detective Casey is close to the end of her pregnancy (one that has had some complications.). Eric and Casey are in the middle of investigating who drugged a resident when another woman goes missing. Then a snowstorm hits to make the gravity of the situation even more dire. Did I mention our heroine is about to have a baby!

We have so many interesting, not your run of the mill characters. The cast of suspects includes some of our favorites, too. I admit I suspected who the killer was but HOLY COW...the storyline was so intense as little by little layers were revealed. And the final showdown and the ending absolutely EPIC!! This was some masterful storytelling...I can hardly wait to see where this series goes!

5 stars

Totally forgot that this book was part of a series. However, I wasn't disappointed and enjoyed this knew to me author. Will go back and read the books before it.

I received this book as an arc through NetGalley so thank you to Kelley Armstrong and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Details:
1. Plot and Storytelling: ★★★★☆
Cold as Hell continues the journey of Casey and Eric in their remote Yukon town. While the mystery was engaging with a satisfying twist, I found this installment less captivating than previous books. The story’s premise—though surprising—felt like something that might have occurred earlier in the series. Side characters carried much of the interest for me, and while Kelley Armstrong’s storytelling remains excellent, this wasn’t my favorite book in the series.
2. Characterization: ★★★★☆
The side characters truly shone in this book, showing significant growth and adding depth to the story. Casey and Eric, though still complex and relatable, felt more settled in their roles, with less personal development compared to earlier books. That said, they remain flawed yet compelling protagonists who anchor the series.
3. Writing Style: ★★★★★
Kelley Armstrong’s writing is as sharp as ever, with tightly woven plots, vivid descriptions, and atmospheric tension. Her dialogue is crisp, and her ability to immerse readers in the harsh Yukon setting is unmatched.
4. Originality: ★★★½☆
While the overarching premise of Haven’s Rock remains unique, some elements of Casey’s journey have become predictable at this point in the series. However, Armstrong’s ability to craft an original and engaging mystery keeps things fresh overall.
5. Emotional Impact and Resolution: ★★★½☆
This book didn’t evoke a strong emotional response for me—it lacked the gripping intensity of earlier installments. However, the resolution was satisfying and could easily serve as a conclusion to the series (though it isn’t). While enjoyable, it didn’t leave me obsessed or deeply moved.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Cold as Hell is a solid addition to Kelley Armstrong’s Haven’s Rock series. Though not my favorite installment, it offers an intriguing mystery, strong side characters, and Armstrong’s signature atmospheric storytelling. Fans of the series will appreciate revisiting this world but may find themselves longing for the spark of earlier books.

Kelley Armstrong has done it again!
Cold as Hell-the third book in the Havens Rock series.
AMAZING!
Kelsey Armstrong is one of my all time favourite authors, so when I was accepted to view this book as an ARC I was so excited!
This series is one of my top favourites as well!

Casey Duncan- Badass ex detective
Eric Dalton- Tough "Sheriff"

These two will always have you looking for the next twist! The first chapter hooks you in right away, and never gives way. You will feel yourself gripping the book with anticipation just waiting for what's going to happen next.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me an opportunity to read Cold as Hell as an ARC.

Another great book in the Haven's Rock series. I loved the Rockton series and the Haven's Rock spinoff does not disappoint. Kelley Armstrong continues the series of a secret community hidden in Yukon for people who need to disappear from their lives "down south". There are several characters from the Rockton series who have moved to Haven's Rock as well as new residents to the town. Sheriff Eric Dalton and Detective Casey Duncan have their hands full protecting the residents as unfortunately trouble always seems to find it's way to the secluded town. Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available.

I did not realize this is book 3 in a series as enough background information was given, I was completely confused. I do however suggest starting with book 1. I know I am still left with questions over this little settlement.

Overall, I loved the story and the mystery. Several times I was holding my breath when it came to the pregnancy and labor of the MFC.

I will be reading the first two and excited for the next book.