I will continue to say that the Casey Duncan series is underappreciated and deserves to have a larger following than it does. From the first chapter to the last of each book the reader has no idea where they are going. The stories turn back on themselves and since Kelley Armstrong has no qualms in killing off characters, in the end, you will have no idea who will be left standing and whom will make a sudden reappearance to throw your whole supposition off.

With enough money and the right contacts, a person can secrete themselves in Rockton, an untraceable and remote northern community designed as a sanctuary for victims to heal or to hide. With a three-person police force that is compelled to help, protect and to save, they are not prepared for what touches down on their airstrip. A bound and gagged Oliver Brady is dumped into their laps with a tidy sum and no other information. It is not until the gag comes off does the team realize that they are in trouble and there is no way to return their prisoner to the town down south where he belongs.

With an apparent poisoning and secured housing not available, Brady takes off into the forest filled with first settlers, hostiles, grizzlies, and apparently a sniper. The nagging question is – how did he get away? Does he have an ally within Rockton? A person that believes his farfetched story of being framed for his stepfather’s actions. Because Casey and Sheriff Dalton either are gluttons for punishment or have an unnatural need to protect people that do not deserve it, they trudge into the forest to rescue Brady from his own foolishness.

As I said, this story twists upon itself. Who exactly is the sniper aiming at since everyone in the search party is either shot at or killed and Armstrong slowly eliminates the possible leaving only the improbably and yet that doesn’t make much sense until it does. As Kelley Armstrong said,” It’s a puzzle of configuration, and each piece in it has two sides – guilt or innocence – and the meaning changes depending on which side I place up.” This is a perfect description of this book. “Two way of looking at everything, leading to two ways of investigating”.

By the end, your mind is swimming. This is a town where societally rules do not apply, but who needed to die? Did outside forces initiate this or did the town clean up a bad situation? Will Casey relent and let a top surgeon in to help one of their own if that means her own secrets can be revealed? Once again, I am not sure where Kelley Armstrong will go with Rockton, but this town and its inhabitants are nothing short of fascinating.

I tried. I really, really tried. I adore Kelley Armstrong but every time I picked this up and started reading, I found myself putting it back down because I just couldn't get in to it. I just found the main characters sort of flat and I just had no desire to find out what was happening. This was a DNF for me.

I enjoy this series so much. Kelley's trademark twists and complex characters combined with the intriguing concept of a town completely off-grid where people go to escape and hide. I have high standards for Ms. Armstrong and in "This Fallen Prey", she did not let me down.

It's spring in Rockton and Casey and Dalton are burying their dead now that the ground is no longer frozen. Their work is interrupted by a plane dropping off unexpected, and unwelcome, company. The council that runs the town, but lives in civilization, has agreed to take in and keep prisoner a man accused of being a serial killer. Rockton doesn't have the necessary facilities for a long-term prisoner and Casey and Dalton, who is the sheriff, have concerns about the situation.

Armstrong ratchets up the action early on and keeps it going for the most part. There are a few sections where it drags but not for long as the action keeps coming. Oliver Brady's arrival sets a chain of events into motion including multiple deaths, a mini revolt in Rockton, and problems with the local human population outside of Rockton. Armstrong keeps Casey and Dalton so busy that they hardly have time to think and there are plenty of twists that keep them, and the reader, wondering and guessing. You have to pay attention and look beyond the obvious to understand what's going on. "This Fallen Prey" is full of complications and people who are not who or what they seem.

The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger but the major threads are closed up and some new ones set up. I enjoyed the story; it was engrossing, thrilling, and intense.

Rockton is an isolated off-the grid town where those with the money can hide from the world; whether they are victims of crime or the perpetrator. The only law in Rockton is Casey Duncan, former homicide detective and her partner Eric Dalton the sheriff, who has lived in Rockton his entire life.

What Rockton has never been is a prison. Which is what the shadowy council behind Rockton want to do when they drop off Oliver Brady, a suspected serial killer, for them to hold for the next 6 months. And, although Brady professes his innocence everyone around him seems to start dying.

I love this series, Armstrong has created a great mix of thriller, romance and survival that keeps you hooked to the very last page. I had to read on, with each new nugget of information I swung from believing I knew what was going on to not having a clue. It was definitely the latter. This Fallen Prey ends with a fantastic twist that has my hands itching to get a hold of the next book.

But, it wasn’t just the drama surrounding Brady and his possible serial killer status that I enjoyed about This Fallen Prey. I really liked seeing glimpses into what life in Rockton, a small isolated town with no access to modern amenities, was like. I also liked seeing how Casey has fit into the town and with Eric, finding happiness in the last place she ever expected.

This Fallen Prey was a great thriller, with so many twists and turns that it leaves your head in spin. With every new answer you get it just leads to more questions, and not just about Brady, about Rockton itself and the shadowy cabal of people who run it. As well as this you get a great strong, smart female protagonist in Casey Duncan and an understated but powerful romance between her and Eric.

If you haven’t started this series yet, then you need to give it a try, it’s full of action, thrills and a dash of romance, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Last year, when we discovered that amongst the residents of Rockton lived a serial rapist who would abduct a woman, fake her death (by dressing and strategically positioning the mauled and thus hard to identify corpse of another woman of roughly the same dimensions in the clothes the abductee was last seen in), hold her captive for months (more than a YEAR in one case), raping and torturing her until she died (for real this time) before choosing a new victim and beginning his twisted cycle all over again, I thought Armstrong had peaked.

Not that the series itself had peaked, but that future installments would need to seek out alternative avenues to continue the Bigger and Badder trend a series is wont to pursue. The creep factor had topped out.

Armstrong: SILLY HUMAN, I AM KELLEY ARMSTRONG. I DO NOT PEAK. *laughs maniacally* *twirls mustache*

Me:
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You: What is creepier than diabolical serial rapist guy!?

Me: Thrill-seeking equal opportunity serial killer guy.

Which is exactly what Rockton gets when an unscheduled plane lands and discards:

” . . . a thrill killer,” I say. “He murders because he enjoys it. Tortures and kills. Five victims in Georgia. Two men. Two women. And one fourteen-year-old boy . . . Oliver Brady is a killer motivated by nothing more than sadism . . . An unrelentingly opportunistic psychopath.”

You: Okay, I know we learned the “council” could be a bit sketch on the residents’ backstories in A DARKNESS ABSOLUTE, but a serial killer? Really??

Me: YEP. But he’s not actually meant to be a “resident” this time—more of a temporary prisoner—and at least they’re told up front that this dude is a serial killer . . .

. . . Or is he?

*laughs maniacally* *twirls mustache*

But regardless of whether or not Oliver Brady is what he’s accused of being, his presence wrecks havoc on the town created for those who need to disappear. Numerous well-liked citizens are placed on the chopping block, leaving you with decimated fingernails as you frantically read to learn their fate.

It is b/c of this personally experienced terror that I’m going to—for the first time ever—offer you an unnecessary spoiler. In the spirit of doesthedogdie.com :

(view spoiler)

BUT. Despite Armstrong clearly not having peaked, I had a couple of minor issues that kept this installment from the 4.5 - 5.0 star ratings of its predecessors.

1. The council threatening to oust Dalton if he doesn’t walk the line is getting effing tiresome.

There’s only so many time you can use a specific threat before it starts to lose its effectiveness, and I reached that point in the last book.

Shut up, Phil. You’re not sending him anywhere. And if you do, he’ll make a new and improved Rockton elsewhere and be happier for it.

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2. There are suddenly a LOT of various “others” in the alleged Yukon wilderness.

More than I could countenance. Especially considering the convenience of some of their identities.

3. Despite the soundness of her reasoning . . .

(view spoiler)

4. All those bombs dropped in the final pages.

(view spoiler)

All of that being said, THIS FALLEN PREY is still a stellar read in a series of exceptional reads. Armstrong cleanly laid the groundwork for multiple future developments, including some of Casey’s ongoing suspensions concerning the evolution of a “hostile.”

Dalton was his delightful self:

Shortly after we installed the bell someone rang it in the middle of the night. Drunk, obviously. Rang it and ran . . . leaving boot prints in the snow, which I matched to a perpetrator, whom Dalton then sentenced to go to each and every person in town and say, “I’m the fucking idiot who rang the fucking bell at two in the fucking morning. I’m sorry.”
No one has touched the bell since.

Casey continues to wrestle with her darker nature:

I want justification for my rage. I do want to see Brady gutshot for this. Gutshot and left in the forest. And that scares me. It’s the sort of thing Mathias would do, and I tiptoe around the truth of what Mathias is, alternately repelled and . . . Not attracted. Definitely not. But there’s part of me that thinks of what he does and nods in satisfaction.

YAS.

In THIS FALLEN PREY, Armstrong keeps you guessing right up to the end about the true nature of Rockton’s newest (sort of) inhabitant, and when you finally get the full story, I can almost guarantee it won’t be what you expected. I don’t know what the future holds for this settlement and its occupants, but once again, I’ll be impatiently waiting to find out. Still very much recommended.

So far Armstrong's Casey Duncan series as been very solid. This Fallen Prey is an interesting read that kept me guessing about who it was safe to trust in the book.

There were elements that I didn't love. At some points I felt like people were just running around aimlessly and characters were popping up and disappearing all over the place. Also, the story is open ended. I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger exactly, but it was clear that another Case Duncan book was on the way. (At least there BETTER be!)

I did really like the relationship that Casey and Eric have built over the three books. I feel like they really work well together both professionally and personally. I also liked learning more about Eric's past and how it has shaped him.

I also liked getting more Mathias, Jacob and Ty. They are interesting characters and I hope Armstrong goes into more detail about them in the next book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Suspense, Mystery and Romance mixed with murder and mayhem.

This Fallen Prey is book three of Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series. I recently just back into reading Kelley Armstrong, I fell in love with her Women of the OtherWorld series when they first came out but lost track of her book releases. I saw this up for review and I nabbed it, when I saw it was book 3 I quickly hopped on Amazon and ordered the first two. That's how much faith I have in Armstrong I knew without a doubt these books would be amazing, and the freakin' are. Armstrong has such a way with words, her active setting pulls you in and everything else around just falls away and you are completely immersed in this town and tied to these people. This is one of those series where I think it best to read them in order just because background for all the major characters and the town happened in the first book and events of the second book are mentioned.

Spring has arrived in Rockton, the isolated Canadian town where people go to disappear, where Casey Duncan has become Casey Butler. But that's not the only thing that has arrived. The council has send up a serial killer for them to keep safe for six months. Completely unprepared and unsure of how to handle a person like this Sheriff Eric Dalton, Deputy Will Anders, and Casey struggle on what to tell the rest of the town and what to do with Oliver Brady, serial killer, especially when their holding cell isn't big enough to keep him for six months and whenever he gets the chance he's spouting off his innocence. Things only get more convoluted the longer he's there and when he manages to escape it all goes to hell in a handbasket. Casey and Eric have to not only track down Oliver, but face the elements, the wildlife, find Eric's missing brother, a sniper, a traitor, deal with the primitive First Settlers, the string of dead bodies they seem to keep running across, and unravel the mystery of Oliver Brady.

Overall, OMG this book. It's one of those books where I just have to sit back after I'm done reading it and just let my brain absorb everything that happened and the ending, oy vey. I know it's only February but it's going to take a lot to knock this book down from my favorite read for this year.

I have to admit I am totally hooked on this series. I love the lead characters, after 3 books I still find them very intriguing. Casey and Eric are great together and there relationship is getting better with each book.

The premise of dropping a serial killer into the secluded town of Rockton shakes up the small community and the small police force that operates there. It goes downhill from there. There are many zigs and zags throughout the story. I did not see the ending coming! I c an not wait for the next installment in this unique series.

Received as an ARC from Netgally for an honest review.

The Casey Duncan series is set in Rockton, a town off the grid, a refuge town for those trying to escape something in life like a stalker, abusive mate, or punishment from a crime. Supposedly residents are pre-screened for violent behavior, however Eric and Casey, Rockton’s Sheriff and Detective, are finding out that many of the residents are not as their paperwork has presented them. We’ve found out the hard way that there are very dangerous people in Rockton, but Casey and Eric are determined to keep the residents of this little town safe. Both Casey and Eric love their life, limited and imperfect as it is, they’ve found a place to belong, safe and fulfilled with each other.

In this newest installment, all is threatened when the council decides to admit a man, Oliver Brady, who’s accused of horrendous crimes. His stepfather paid a hefty price to have him secured there, but Casey and Eric are given no advance notice of his arrival and are completely unprepared to deal with such a prisoner, and there’s immediate chaos. Half the town feel sorry for Oliver and the other half are ready to exact justice. Of course, according to Oliver, he’s innocent, wrongly accused and being framed. Who to believe?

Man, this installment had so many twists and turns! Just when I thought things would settle down, a new fresh threat would pop up, so I was on the edge of my seat the entire book! I love Casey’s quick, logical thinking. She had an intelligent, deductive mind working every angle, but that didn’t keep her out of harm’s way, even so. Still, she’s a force to be reckoned with, both mentally and physically! I just love a woman with moves, able to kick some ass! LOVE Eric as well! He’s smart, courageous, and protective; they made an impressive team! It’s a delight to see their relationship continue to grow and solidify. They’re just it for each other.

There’s a few twists with some of the regular cast of characters that had me gasping in surprise! Danger, thrills, and action at every turn. On top of that these characters are so very interesting with many layers! I’m totally invested in Eric and Casey’s story, of course, but the secondary characters are captivating as well. I’m hoping we see more with Nicole and Eric’s brother, Jacob. Jen and Diana are just two pieces of work; love to hate them! Mathias, Val, Tyrone, Petra, and Isabel each have their own piece of the story as well.

The story was just sooooo good! Can I just say I love this series?! If you haven’t given it a try yet, you are missing out! Even though every installment is its own mystery, and wraps up by the end, I do recommend reading in order.

A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.

I read the first book in this series, and I think this town is a very interesting premise. This town, in the middle of nowhere, where people choose to live for a short period of time? Lots of possibilities. I did not read the 2nd book, but that did not keep me from engaging with this, the third book of the Rockton series. Even a reader who starts with this book will understand enough to be intrigued. Immediately, the dilemma is that a supposedly dangerous criminal is delivered to be contained, and the town doesn't have the resources to do a great job with that, and things become complicated very quickly. The sheriff and detective already have other things to contend with: unsupportive townspeople, wildlife, hostiles (people who are so wild they are far gone), and residents from other settlements. The action isn't the only reason to read this book, though; the characters are ones you quickly develop affection for: Casey, Dalton, Anders, Jacob, Kenny, and Mathias all have their charms. My warning to you is this: you will miss them when you finish this book, and you will already want to read the next one.

3.5 Once again we return to Rockton, that off the grid community where people are given a second chance. On the run from their parts this community is supposed to offer safety, but it sometimes doesn't seem that way. In this offering, Casey and Eric are not offered the choice, when a man is unceremoniously dropped in their midst. The council rules, and a great deal of money is on offer, an offer they have no intention of refusing. This man, and his past crimes will place this small community in danger.

I am fascinated by these novels,the idea of such a place hidden in the Yukons, the different people that come here, and the many reasons they come. Enjoy the back stories of these characters and their varied personalities. The new life Casey and Eric are trying to forge together, along with their new tracking pup in training, Storm.

I didn't rate this one as highly as the previous two in series, though I did enjoy the reading. Felt there was almost two much going on by books end, hard to keep track of who was doing what to who and why. Too much danger from too many different elements. I did though, like the very end when a person who definitely needed a comeuppance, got one. Looking forward to seeing where that goes. So a good read, but a little too cluttered for this reader.

ARC from Netgalley.

Rockton is a town in the middle of nowhere, completely off the grid with no electricity, email or internet. It has been established as a haven for people running away from their previous lives, most of whom were victims of some sort, although their histories aren’t revealed so a few are more threat than prey. When the council who decides who lives and leaves Rockton drops an unexpected guest in their laps, Detective Casey Duncan and her lover Sheriff Eric Dalton find themselves harboring a serial killer.

Is Oliver Brady a serial killer? Without being able to jump online and check out his story and background, Casey and Eric have to try to contain him safely in a town that wants nothing to do with him. This mystery was a classic is he or isn’t he, and when someone turns up dead and Brady goes missing this classic mystery turned into an action-adventure novel that I could envision in technicolor on the big screen.

This Fallen Prey is the third novel so we didn’t need the back story on Rockton or its inhabitants, so more than the other two novels in the series, we jumped right into the story. The psychology of this story was thrilling. Rockton is full of scary and scared individuals, so seeing their reactions to Oliver Brady’s presence put a twisted spin on an already twisted plot, pitting Casey and Eric against pretty much everyone. I enjoyed the anxiety I was feeling as the plot unfolded, is that weird? Well, regardless, this was an edge of your seat thrill ride.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

After a slight dip, things in Rockton are back in full swing with this latest installment of the Casey Duncan mysteries. Summer has come to the Yukon and Casey is looking forward to taking advantage of the longer days, patrolling the woods around town with her boyfriend Sheriff Eric Dalton and training their boisterous Newfoundland puppy to help with police work. But then the peace is shattered when the powers that be inform Rockton that they will need to make accommodations for a new resident—which isn’t an unusual request by itself, but it soon becomes clear there’s nothing ordinary about this visitor.

For one thing, Oliver Brady is a serial killer. While Rockton may house its fair share of criminals who are trying to keep a low profile, none of them are anywhere near so dangerous. Established as a haven for those hoping to escape their pasts, the town also lacks any facilities or resources to keep anyone in long term imprisonment. But that is exactly what Rockton’s handlers are demanding, expecting the town to keep Oliver locked up and out of the public eye for six whole months. And because he’s the stepson of a rich businessman who is paying handsomely to make this all happen, Eric and Casey have no choice but to do as they’re told.

Still, no amount of warning could have prepared them for the trouble Oliver will bring to Rockton. From the moment he is dumped on their doorstep, bound and gagged, the young man has insisted on his innocence, claiming that he was set up. While Casey is almost certain it is all an act, Oliver does succeed in riling up the townsfolk who are disconcerted by his rough treatment, and before long, there is evidence to suggest he may have recruited a sympathizer or an accomplice. As a former homicide detective dedicated to seeking out the truth, Casey wants to believe in innocent until proven guilty, but neither can she deny that Rockton has become a much more dangerous place ever since the arrival of Oliver.

This series is three books in now, and just when I thought things might be slowing down, Kelley Armstrong is ratcheting up the action and suspense again in this unpredictable sequel filled with murder, subterfuge, and plenty of suspects. No doubt about it, this novel was a vast improvement over the previous one, which disappointed me after the strong start that was City of the Lost. First and foremost, the story of A Darkness Absolute was marred by its predictability; obviously, there was much less fun to be had when I was able to guess the perpetrator by the halfway point. The main characters were also forced into situations where they failed too many times, making me feel frustrated with their incompetence.

In contrast, This Fallen Prey was a roller coaster of red herrings and unexpected twists. As a character and a plot device, Oliver has got to be every mystery reader’s dream come true, simply because there is absolutely no guessing his endgame. He’s a desperate man and a master manipulator, taking advantage of Casey and Dalton’s honorable intentions and desire to do the right thing. Oliver’s sudden arrival in Rockton turns their job into a nightmare, and between all the security issues and chaos of trying to keep everyone from poking around asking too many questions, it’s amazing they were able to keep the town from tearing itself apart. I also liked that we got to see more of the surrounding areas of Rockton, with the warmer weather giving our characters more time to spend outdoors rather than stay cooped up within the confines of the town. Isolated and in the middle of nowhere, you’d think there wouldn’t be that many suspects to consider, but the author pulls out all the stops in this one, reminding readers that there are plenty of unknown factors out there lurking in the woods, including hostiles, settlers, and even the local wildlife. For the first time in this series, we also end on a significant cliffhanger where not every loose end gets resolved. Although the big questions get answered, things are still far from over.

Still, the highlight for me was being able to return to Rockton and catch up with the characters. Casey and Eric make a great team, and I’m liking how each book sees them growing closer. That said, the romantic drama has been downplayed with each sequel, which incidentally is what I prefer—after all, Casey Duncan is a mystery-thriller series, and Armstrong appears to have found the perfect balance between focusing on the suspense and action while continuing to develop character relationships without distract from the story. I can’t wait to read the next one.

This is the third book in the Casey Duncan series and I thought it was the best. It takes place in Rockton, the secret town for people who need to hide. Casey is the town's detective and her boyfriend Eric, is the town sheriff.

The pace is quick from the start as the city council has negotiated for a dangerous and conniving criminal named Oliver Brady. They were offered $1 million to keep him safe and imprisoned for 6 months. Casey and Eric are caught off guard as a helicopter has delivered him and taken off before they could refuse delivery. Rockton isn't really equipped to house a criminal like Oliver.

Oliver starts scheming and may have someone to close for comfort aiding him. What crimes was he accused of will Casey and Eric be able to keep him in jail for 6 months?

I enjoyed this action filled story which had several heart pounding moments. The setting and the woods people make it very creepy and unpredictable.

This book is the next installment in the Rockton Series. This time, a man accused of being a serial killer is flown to Rockton with no notice and they are expected to hold him for the next 6 months. They are not equipped for this and that is quickly evident. Oliver, of course, loudly proclaims his innocence and claims he is being set up by his step-father. Casey must decide where the truth lies, before it is too late.
I am a huge fan of the Rockton Series and this book was no disappointment. It is full of action and suspense, and it keeps you glued to your seat until you turn the very last page. This is definitely a must-read!

Yes!!! Another chapter in the Rockton saga. I love these Casey Duncan books. I somehow stumbled on them right at the beginning and have enjoyed them all. I did not realize that the author was the one and same Kelley Armstrong who did all those paranormal books. I finally put 2 and 2 together! SMH

The town of Rockton is somewhere up in Northwest Canada. The reader isn't really given a lot of detail and neither are the residents. Rockton is about 15 square miles (I think?) and is surrounded by forests and mountains in which a lot of bad things, animals and people reside.

Rockton is a town of victims. Each resident has paid a huge sum of money to disappear off the grid.

The books have many attributes in that they are mysteries, action thrillers, family life, survival and together with a little romance (no sex scenes).

This series became one of my favorites with book number 1!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I read the first two books and really enjoyed them so I very much looked forward to the third in this series. I can't imagine reading this if you aren't already familiar with Rockton, Casey, and the others because Armstrong gives you virtually no back story in this installment. And that's a mistake. The strong characters I'd come to appreciate turned into cartoon cutouts in this fast paced but soulless chase through the woods. I found myself struggling to remember who was who, why they were in Rockton (it didn't seem to matter this time), and to care about the whole thing. My favorite character this time around was Storm the dog. Look out for the scene with the big cat- totally implausible but ...Dropping an alleged serial killer into a renegade town and then having him escape would have made a great plot if it hadn't gotten so darn convoluted. It becomes one big violent chase scene, which just wasn't what I expected or the two previous books were. It's very unusual for me to pan a novel but I found myself clicking pages in my kindle to find out who lived, who died, who was good and who was bad. There's a lot of twists here but by the time we got to them, I didn't much care. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The third novel in Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series, after City of the Lost and A Darkness Absolute, begins with an unexpected arrival on the landing strip that services an isolated settlement. Rockton, in the Canadian Yukon, is inhabited by people who are running away from their pasts. There is no internet, no electricity, no cell phones, no mail, and no way of getting out. Rockton is surrounded by wilderness, and the only people living outside the town are even further off the grid. The mysterious town council, who operates outside the settlement itself, makes all decisions regarding who is admitted. This time, the council has dropped a significant problem for Town Sheriff Eric Dalton and Detective Casey Duncan. The new arrival is Oliver Brady, and they are told he is a serial killer. The town is supposed to keep him secure for several months, after which his wealthy stepfather will make other arrangements. That's a tall order for Eric and Casey, with a one cell jail, one other deputy, and townsfolk who are supposed to be kept in the dark about their prisoner. News travels, though. Very quickly, factions form; those who believe Brady should be disposed of and those who think he is being deprived of his fundamental civil rights. When he escapes, with what could only be assistance from the inside, and people start dying, Eric and Casey must find him. The fact that the council stands to be paid a considerable sum for a successful resolution (whatever that might be) is not the primary consideration, but the safety of Rockton.


I am a fan of all of Kelley Armstrong's series, from Otherworld, Nadia Stafford, and Cainsville to Rockton. She writes characters that stick with me and has a gift for original settings and stories. I liked This Fallen Prey, but not as much as the first two. The action was well-written but Eric and Casey seem to bounce from one crisis to the next. The question of Brady's innocence or guilt was ongoing and kept me guessing. This Fallen Prey is a transitional book, setting up for new developments and ending with a bit of a cliff-hanger.

Thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 3 Stars

This Fallen Prey was a brilliant installment that not only provided an engaging tale about Oliver Brady but allowed us to spend time in the woods surrounding Rockton. We get up close and personal with the Others, deep in the woods surrounding Rockton. This encounter was downright chilling. Armstrong has a diabolical mind, and I loved every moment of it. We meet a council member, see death and become caught up in a wicked game of cat and mouse.

I've loved this series from the very first book, from the rawness of it right down to the crazy residents that reside in Rockton and after reading book three, I can say without a doubt, that this series is just getting even more awesome as it goes.

From a fast paced mystery to the slow burn of romance to the unusual setting and the even more unusual characters that make up Rockton, this series stand out and not only shines, but blinds.

I loved this latest installment even more than the others, and with five star ratings for the other two books, that is saying something.

Casey, Eric, Will, they are all just more that ever before. More fleshed out, more lovable, more crazy and even more outstanding. Mathias, Petra, Diana, Jacob, Val...heck all of the characters are just ones that are unforgettable and with that hint of never quite knowing who you can trust, this series is hard to put down and even harder to stop thinking about once you've picked it up. I simultaneously want to devour the books and make them last forever.

So very much happens in this. More backgrounds are revealed and exposed, more trust is broken, more friendships are made, and more than ever it is getting harder and harder to know the good guys from the bad guys.

And while the big mystery was solved at the end, even smaller ones are just beginning and are unraveling and that makes this installment even more exciting and even harder to wait for the next. Armstrong is one author that will continue to be on my auto-buy list and one I can continuously count on not to disappoint.