Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong is the first novel in the Haven Rock series. This a spinoff series of the Rockton series. Suspense and a murder mystery await you as Casey & Eric arrive at the town during construction when two of the crew go missing.
by Kelley Armstrong
Genres: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven's Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start... with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.
Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0
Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.
There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town's construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate the still missing man. The woman stumbled upon something she wasn’t supposed to see, and the longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.
I was so sad when the Rockton series ended but excited for the spin-off Haven Rock series. Armstrong brings us to Haven Rock about a month before the town’s completion. Casey and Eric arrive to find that the designer and engineer are missing. It appears they ventured into the woods.
We get a feel for the town and dangers that will await them in this series as they begin a search of the woods and discover a dead body. Things get complicated when the body doesn’t belong to the crew’s missing.
Armstrong pulled me in from the relationship between Eric and Casey to the granddaughter of one of Rockton’s founders. She is the overseer of the project and has her own secrets. I am going to love Haven Rock despite the dangers this remote life will offer.
The mystery was clever with twists and new characters, including a recluse photographer and her wolf. I am excited to see that even though this is a spinoff that it felt fresh with new dangers, characters and storylines.
Fans of remote settings, suspenseful mysteries, and strong characters will want to pick this up. This will work as a standalone series. Armstrong gave this start a firm base of its own and plenty of background. I recommend new readers add the Rockton series to their reading pile if they haven’t already read them.
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed. Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Rolé @ Hooked By That Book
**groans** Just added another book to my ever-growing list of books to read. I’m not complaining, not really. I love finding new authors and I especially love suspense. So, thank you for your inspiring review.
Kimberly
Sweet…happy to be your book pusher 🙂
Katherine
This sounds really good! I have the first book that Casey is in but still haven’t read it. This is definitely on my To Read list for this year.
Kimberly
Ooo you are in for a treat!
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
Yes! I was happy for the spin-off too, and the story was so good! Glad we have some of the old characters joining as well as some new interesting ones.
Kimberly
Agreed!
kara-karina
Ooh, I do love rural settings in mysteries! Sounds great, K!
Kimberly
Rockton was fantastic and I am excited we are getting this spinoff.
Debbie Haupt
Good to know since it’s on my playlist and my first by this author
Kimberly
Sweet!
Ethan
This is the second review of this book I’ve read today, and I have to say it sounds like something I would enjoy. The idea of remote settings in a murder mystery is so fun!
Kimberly
Yes, I think you would enjoy this and the Rockton series Ethan.
Wendy
Kelly Armstrong is on my list of authors to try. This new series looks good.
Kimberly
Oh yes, I hope you do. I enjoy her books and love how diverse she is.
Emma @ Words And Peace
This sounds very good indeed!
Kimberly
Thanks Emma.
Anne – Books of My Heart
yes! Excellent review. I am so happy there is more. My review is tomorrow.
Kimberly
Me too.
Michele
I haven’t checked this series out yet, but I definitely need to!
Kimberly
I hope you do.
Nadene
This sound great. I really need to start the Rockton series.
Kimberly
Yes….so good.
Jessica @ a GREAT read
Ooh nice! I can’t wait to read this one! I kind of thought of it as an extension of the Rockton series just with a new name since Rockton itself is over. I am eager for Casey and Eric’s new adventures! Nice review!
Kimberly
Yep, old faces and new.
Verushka
This sounds like a great spot to get to know Armstrong’s crime writing again. I haven’t read the Rockton series, but I’ve seen so many good reviews of it.
Kimberly
I loved the series. I also love her time-slip books.