A suspenseful mystery with a town full of unique characters. Since this is the fourth in a series it would have been better to have read the previous books as I found it confusing at times. The overuse of crude language, unnecessary for the story line was off-putting.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This book grabbed me at the beginning. The storyline and the characters kept my interest although I couldn’t figure out what was going on. It was about a third into the book before I could put it down long enough to realize that I must have stumbled into a series for which I didn’t have the basis. Yes, this is the 4th in a series.

As it was so very interesting and well written, I’ll now go back and read the first three novels. I’ll have to delay my actual opinion of this one until a later date. However, I want to encourage readers to read this series and read others by this author as she writes extremely well. I thoroughly enjoyed what I read and am looking forward to the rest.

This book was provided to me as an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press. Its review will be published on Amazon and also GoodReads.

Imagine a secret village deep in the Yukons where people are sent to disappear. Released murderers who need to escape from the media, people who need witness protection, criminals who can afford to buy their way into a new life. All they need to do is agree to stay five years in a remote community with no internet, no TV, barely any electricity and a shed load of rules.

Casey Duncan was one of those people, in a previous life she was also a homicide detective and now she has become part of the local police force (of three) of Rockton.

However, when a US Marshall suddenly arrives in Rockton, despite its location and very existence being top secret, looking for a dangerous killer Casey is faced with mystery piled on mystery. Is the marshall who he says he is? How did he find out about Rickton? Who is he looking for and why? Then someone kills the marshall, is the person he was looking for, or one of the other inhabitants? In a town where most of the inhabitants are criminals of some description the whole town is suspect, including Casey's estranged older sister April who was just a little too eager to come to Rockton to consult on an injured man.

This is the fourth book in the series but the first one I have read, although there are references to things that happened in the previous books and there are repercussions from what happened I found it fairly easy to follow and understand what was happening. Like all the best thrillers there is a massive amount of misdirection, in a town of criminals everyone has a motive.

Casey reminded me very much of one of Kelley's other heroines, Nadia Stafford, another woman with a chequered past and a nose for detecting.

I am absolutely hooked and you can expect to read my reviews of the first three books very soon!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is another great book by Kelley Armstrong in the Casey Duncan series. It's a fantastic action packed, mystery thriller. I have really enjoyed all of the books in this series.

Lots of twists and turns in Rockton as Detective Casey tries to solve the murder of a US Marshall. Helped by Eric the Sheriff they do lots of interviews as the whole town are suspects. Lots of action and fantastic secondary characters in this unique town had me guessing until the end. It was a engrossing story with great secondary characters and each had their own pass that they were hiding. I loved it! Look forward to reading more stories about Rockton.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

So I kind of stumbled on this series a couple months ago and have really dug it. I had read Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series and was wanting to check out some of her other stuff. This series is a little different from what I was expecting but I like it.

I like Casey, Eric, and many other residents. I appreciate their banter and their ability to take everything in stride. I like Casey and Eric as a couple and they are just adorable. When they first got together, I was afraid she was going to be too "damaged and reckless" to make it work. I'm glad I was wrong.

In this story, we meet Casey's sister April. We get more of the backstory and it helps explain a lot. I will be interested to see where she and they go from here.

This book moved the hostile stroryline along a little bit. However, I wish we got more of Jacob this book. The previous one started to bring him into the fold more but he was mostly missing from this one.

I will say the ending left a little to be desired. The last chapter wrapped everything up a bit too neatly. I would have wanted to see some of it play out. It definitely leads into the next story. One of my biggest issues is that I got to read this 4 months before its release and now I'm going to have to wait that much longer for the next one!

I’m a huge fan of this series.

Part of me would like to grab my kid, leave civilization, and live in a weird little community like this. Okay, maybe not exactly like this. We could leave out the sociopaths, the crazy forest folk, and maybe the brothel. But otherwise, I’m in.

In our return to the series, Armstrong ratchets up both the action and the suspense. This one is a nail-biter as the reader breathlessly tries to find out who the killer is…in a town full of very dark, lost people.

We also get two new favorite characters. I won’t tell you much about them – I’ll just say they really added to our town and I loved them.

I’m so fully on board with this series and am anxiously awaiting the next book!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Rockton is a secret town in the Yukon for people who don’t want their past interfering with their new lives. Police detective Casey Duncan may have only been in town for a few months, but she’s already dealt with an array of ugly crimes. Then the unthinkable happens and an outsider, a US Marshal, somehow find the town. He’s looking for a resident of Rockton, but before he can get his man (or woman), he’s shot and killed. In a town filled with ex-cons and people hiding from their pasts, how is Casey to determine who the killer is? If you haven’t read the first book in this series, you will probably find yourself lost. Best to start there and then continue on

(Note: I will refer to this novel again closer to publication and a link to review) Watcher in the Woods (Rockton #4) by Kelley Armstrong. I wasn't sure how I felt about the first book in this series, but after feeling more at home with the characters, I have thoroughly enjoyed each new addition.

Description: The secret town of Rockton has seen some rocky times lately; understandable considering its mix of criminals and victims fleeing society for refuge within its Yukon borders.

When a US Marshal shows up demanding the release of one of the residents, but won't say who, Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are skeptical. And yet only hours later, the marshal is shot dead and the only possible suspects are the townspeople and Casey's estranged sister, smuggled into town to help with a medical emergency. It's up to Casey to figure out who murdered the marshal, and why someone would kill to keep him quiet—before the killer strikes again.

I enjoyed the introduction of April, Casey's sister and the way Isobel and Kenny make a difference in the way we see her. The book takes up right after the events in the previous book, but still can be read as a stand-alone. There are changes taking place in Rockton and in the Council. No cliffhanger, but a direction that was indicated in earlier books is obviously about to come to a head.

NetGalley/Penguin Group
Mystery/Police Procedural. Feb. 5, 2019. Print length: 368 pages.

The Watcher in the Woods is the fourth book in the Rockton series. Kelly Armstrong is a fabulous author who pulls you right into her stories. The thought of a town existing like this is scary. This is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

In the Canadian Wilderness there exists a small town called Rockton. This town is miles away from anything, you need a bush plane to get to it, you need to know exactly where it is to find it. But very few people know about it and fewer still about where it is situated.

The whole purpose of the town is to provide a place for people to hide out for two years to allow their troubles to pass them by. The people living there might be hiding from an abusive spouse, an abusive boyfriend, or just society at large. Maybe they are a sociopath, maybe a psychopath, maybe a criminal who has done their time but there are people who want to harm them.

Whatever the situation, they pay good money to come to Rockton and hide. They must commit to a stay of two years minimum. Some have stayed longer, either voluntarily or because they are a risk to society. The Corporation Board who runs the town (from a distance) makes the decision.

But to enforce that decision you need law enforcement. Thus three people have charge of enforcing the rules and sometimes carrying out judgment. It’s not perfectly legal, but then again, those who are there have signed away their rights, they have agreed to the set up.

But sometimes crime happens here. Some times people kill each other. That’s what has happened this time. The law enforcement must root out the killer and deal with them in the best way possible.

The story is very well written. It is very interesting and draws a vivid picture of what life would be like in the wilderness where the summer sun is up 20 hours a day, but the reverse is true, the winter sun only 4 hours a day. Could you survive? Would you want to try and survive there? Would you be desperate enough to sign away your civil rights and move there for two years to let trouble pass you by?

Armstrong has invented a wonderful town with a wonderful story line that combines several plot lines to make it fun and riveting at the same time.

Enjoy!

Watcher in the Woods is the latest in Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton series. It follows immediately upon the previous book, This Fallen Prey, dealing with the aftermath of events therein. Then, an interloper arrives, starting a new mystery tumbling forward. There are many story threads moving through this book at one time, which feels realistic to what could happen in a town like Rockton. This is a great addition to the series, which should definitely be read in order. I look forward to the next book.

I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As book four of this series I have to say it's a smooth transition from book 3. Everything picks up where Armstrong left off. Of course being an unedited draft I found many spelling errors. This series is set in Canada. Yukon territory to be exact. I love the fast pace this series sets. I'm afraid there isn't a lot of depth to the characters. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some ships in the book I think need to be more evolved than others. All in all this book is a great story continuation in the series.

I found this novel to be an interesting, well-plotted and thoughtful novel. I’ve not read any novels by Kelley Armstrong until I read this novel. I was so enamored of her writing, I plan to read more novels by this author.
By the time I was three-quarters through the story, I found that “Watcher in the Woods” was book four of Ms. Armstrong’s “Casey Duncan” series. Which goes to show one doesn’t always have to read the novels in series order. Although it’s much better to do so. There were a few incidents that were briefly described in book four which occurred in the three prior novels. I would have had a better understanding of the current scenes if I’d read the earlier novels. I would have better understood Casey’s motivation in coming to Rockton if I’d read book one. But one doesn’t have to. That’s another reason I liked this novel so much. A lot of us (readers) find it difficult to plunk down $34 (+ tax) to read a series in order.
There were many characters, most of whom played an integral part in the story line. This novel was set in a town called Rockton (population of 200), situated in the cold and frozen province of the Canadian Yukon. The reader knows, upon the first several pages, that Rockton is a “secret town” in which its inhabitants apply to “the Council” for approval to live there. Very few people know about Rockton, as its location is hidden from the masses. There is no phone, TV, or internet service. With hardly any exceptions, once a resident is slated to leave, they can never return. In addition, former residents take a kind of oath to never reveal the existence of Rockton. If one has to leave the town for a medical emergency, he/she can never return. The term of citizenship lasts anywhere from one to five years. Each person is given a maximum time limit by the council, depending upon their situation. At the end of their term they can reapply for an extension, which may or may not be granted. I was surprised to read that many townsfolk enjoy their time in Rockton so much that they reapply for another term.
Ms. Armstrong reveals these fascinating details initially, through one of the main characters Casey Duncan, who is a homicide detective in Rockton. Casey’s boyfriend is Eric Dalton the town’s sheriff. One of their officers, Kenny, is shot in the back by Oliver Brady, a serial killer the council deigned to temporarily house in Rockton. Casey calls her sister April (a neurosurgeon and neuroscience research fellow) to assist a former army medic in the surgery via satellite phone link up. April decides to fly to Rockton to perform the surgery. Because of the council’s residency rules, Casey and Eric plan to sneak April into Rockton,then to sneak her out three to four days later.
And so begins this unique and mesmerizing novel. The drama, gravity and comedy of this novel is demonstrated via polished writing, sharp and vivid descriptions that take the reader into the town’s life.
The pages of this story are populated by eccentric and colorful characters. There’s Mathias, a psychiatrist turned butcher, whose pet is a wolf-dog cub named Raoul; Phil, the council representative, good looking, “impeccably dressed” and disliked by most of the townspeople; Storm, Casey and Eric’s 80 pound Newfoundland pup, a tracker dog in training, who bounces with joy when she goes on a hunt; Will Anders, a deputy and resident sci-fi geek sporting a military buzz-cut and a U.S. Army tatoo, six-foot-two and full of muscle; Diana, Casey’s former best friend who Casey relocated with; Isabel the resident Madam, who looks like she belongs on the set of a wild-west movie; Petra, Casey’s good friend who is steady and dependable.
For readers who are getting a bit tired of those dystopian novels; and novels about teenage girls with “special gifts”; novels of witches and wizards out to save their planets, “Watcher inthe Woods” is a terrific novel that goes against the grain of most contemporary novels.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read and review Kelley Armstrong’s “Watcher in the Woods”.

Rockton is located in the Yukon. With the exception of residents and the Council who approve all residents, no one really knows about Rockton or where it is. Casey is a resident (she killed someone in a previous life) and a homicide detective. She lives with and works with Dalton, the town Sheriff. The residents of Rockton are all there for a reason and must remain there for a set period of time. Most are there because of various crimes and have paid for their “escape” to Rockton. An unknown man comes into town and Casey, after interviewing him, learns he is a US Marshal looking for someone. He is killed and the plot turns over to the investigation of his murder and the fringe aspects of it. It is filled with action and is remarkably visual to the point where the reader could see the adventures taking place in Rockton as a TV series or movie series. Great escapist reading. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an e-Galley for an honest review.

Book was much more interesting then I expected when I turned to page one. The author creates tension from the very beginning. I found it to drag in the middle and wished to skip forward to the later chapters so I could return to that “tension”. Overall I am glad that I was able to hav enjoyed the book thanks to NetGalley.

Rockton is a secret, hideaway hidden in the Yukon frontier for people to escape from either the law or for people who are being persecuted. It's a little town. Everybody knows everybody, or do they? It kept me on the edge of my seat, a real thriller. Highly recommended. ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Watcher in the Woods is the latest in Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series and I would recommend reading the series in order. Holy moley, this series has a lot going on. Rockton is a refuge or hideaway for people with enough money, isolated in the middle of the Canadian tundra. Casey Duncan and her boyfriend, sheriff Eric Dalton try to bring some sort of law and order to town. Casey sneaks her sister, a doctor, into town to treat a town resident with a spinal injury. A US marshal shows up hinting that someone bad is in town and then said marshal is murdered. Casey and Dalton try to solve the murder in a town of secrets and lies when everyone appears not to be who they pretend to be. The suspense is real, as everyone seems to be capable of murder. The hostiles are out in force and the town council is playing its own games. Danger runs rampant and the pages fly by with each twist and turn in the story line. This book keeps you guessing until the end, a definite whodunit that is unexpected. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy.

A secret town Rockton characters so well written each with unusual back stories .Twisty turning multi layered plot,this is an excellent series.#netgalley #watcherinthe woods #minotaur #st.Martinsr books

This was frightening and thrilling. Kept me 9n the edge 9f my seat and kept me guessing. I look forward to redo g more from this author