WOW-WOW!!! Ok now that I got that out of the way. WATCHER IN THE WOODS is a GREAT read. I understand that this is book number 4 in a series, but can also be read as a stand alone. This story is the first I’ve read from this author and I will not be the last. Great, great, great read that you will not regret. You’ll be staying up to finish reading.
Ok this story is being told by Casey, a very important character, she is basically this secret towns detective. There is a place hidden deep in the woods in Canada. They are giving crimainals a second chance at turning their lives around. Well, not everyone wants their life turned around. Someone is hiding in the think woods watching this “town”, but who.....
This story will keep you guessing from the very beginning and you won’t know who it is until the very end....but, everything in between is also amazing......
Happy reading!!!!! :)

Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters…
Caring, sharing…
But in tight places
We think and we act as one... uh-huh
These song lyrics from White Christmas are most definitely not written about Det. Casey Duncan and her sister Dr. April Duncan. Casey has a very problematic relationship with her genius sister. However Rockton needs Dr. April Duncan, so Casey and her lover/boss/best friend Sheriff Eric Dalton sneak April into Rockton to remove a bullet from the spine of a Rockton resident.
Let’s keep talking movies. Big strong lawman, either Wayne or Eastwood finds his way into town to arrest a serious criminal. In Watcher in the Woods the arrival of a Deputy U.S Marshall (DUSM), Mark Garcia, at the seemingly protected and extremely hidden Yukon town of Rockton is far more serious than the news of a dangerous criminal hiding out. After all, the entire town is made up of the wrongly convicted, or survivors hiding out from abusers and stalkers, and maybe a few white collar criminals who bought their way in. But sanctuary for serious criminals, nah, couldn’t happen. BWAHAHAHA.
The DUSM refuses to tell Casey and Eric who he has come to arrest and take back to the States; and even more worrisome, how he found Rockton, a supposed impossibility. When the DUSM Garcia is shot dead, Rockton’s problems just went from dreadful to dire, because sure enough this guy really was a Deputy U.S. Marshall. The killing of a U.S. lawman is an extremely serious event, a Federal agent even worse.
Garcia is incorrectly referred to as a U.S. Marshall. Marshall’s are high political appointments, one over each U.S. judicial district. The correct nomenclature for Garcia is Deputy U.S. Marshall. DUSM are the worker bees of the Marshall’s service.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Casey discovers that her perceptions of her parents, her life and her sister might be partially wrong and wouldn’t that be a kick in the backside. It’s touching to watch Casey make these realizations first with not a small amount of push back and chagrin, then with grace.
As much as I love Rockton; the fascinating stories, the splendor of Yukon's boreal forest, the terrifying hostiles that live outside of Rockton, it is the residents of Rockton I miss from book to book. Where else can you find a madam asked to treat someone “on the spectrum”, or a butcher to treat a sociopath, or even find an assassin/comic book illustrator?
Rockton gains some fascinating new residents, while losing a few. Some old relationships are partially mended, others are shattered.
Watcher in the Woods is a terrific, serious crime story, but it has some extremely amusing dialogue and situations; sometimes the same scene. Bear bowling, anyone?
Armstrong is revered for her various world-building series. Rockton might be the most normal; I think it might be the best.
One thing hasn’t changed. The rabbits. They are still waiting.
Thank to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've been a fan of this series from the beginning but...I didn't like the last one. This installment took me back to the Rockton I knew when Armstrong first wrote about it- the small town in the Yukon filled with people hiding from something policed by Casey and Eric. There's a charm to the locked room aspect of this as the back stories of various characters are only now, in the fourth book, being revealed. At the same time, I caution that it would be difficult to take this up without knowing WHY things are what they are. Now- in Rockton 4, Casey has smuggled her sister April, a neuroscientist/surgeon into Rockton to help Kenny, who was shot in the back in book 3. April is an interesting one- keep your eye on her. Then a mysterious man, claiming to be a US Marshal, arrives. Keep in mind that this is Canada so this raises a lot of questions. No spoilers- you need to find out what happens as you read it. Remember always that in Rockton things are not what they seem. There will be some good twists, some real turns, a couple of confrontations, and all in all, it's a darn good story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC. Highly recommend to fans.

Another awesome book in the series. If you like strong female characters, Casey is your girl. The isolated off the grid setting is pretty rocking too!

Watcher in the Woods is a fantastic addition to this series. If you haven’t read the earlier books I recommend reading them before this you don’t have to but there is a lot of reference to earlier books. Again we have a thrilling mystery and several very complicated characters. This is pure entertainment for the mind. A devious puzzle and a masterful storytelling.

This is another excellent installment in an excellent series. I was so delighted when Netgalley notified me that I had been approved for an advanced copy, because I've been impatiently awaiting this book. While I had some minor complaints, overall this was another gripping installation in the most unique murder mystery setting I think I've ever read. I love the remote, off-grid, yet modern lifestyle of Rockton. I enjoy the glimpses of what it must be like for Eric to constantly hear cultural references he doesn't know--and I LOVE that he is such an avid reader and so widely knowledgeable despite or because of his sheltered life. I enjoy the extra challenge that law enforcement faces in Rockton, since everyone is always a suspect and no one is ever what or who they seem. it makes the mysteries more challenging and tense.
I did get a little tired of reading about Casey and Dalton's relationship in this book. I get it. they kiss. they share food. they have sex. they walk the dog. The dog gets mentioned a lot, and while she sounds charming, I really don't feel that Storm adds anything much to the story. a few mentions of mundane domestic details can set the tone of the relationship in a story. Repeated descriptions of any and all of the above gets tedious, in my opinion. And while I appreciate that Casey and Dalton communicate so well as a couple, I felt like there were some repetitive and/or long-winded conversations between the two of them, as well as between Casey and other characters, like April.
I don't know that it's a flaw in the book, as much as it is of my memory, but I did struggle to remember who everyone in this story was. Roy? Brady? Paul? There are unforgettable characters, of course, like Anders and Jen and Matthias, but a lot of the recurring minor characters kept getting confused in my head, and I'd have to reread sections once I figured out who they really were/ what was going on.
Also, it's not a flaw, but a trigger warning--there are at least two scenes in this book where a very misogynistic male character assaults a female. It's not rape or anything explicit, but they weren't my favorite scenes in the book, and I disliked reading any scenes with his character, because of his unrelenting prejudice and tendency to violence. If that makes you uncomfortable, be warned.
I did enjoy the addition of April to the story. While it seemed like there was a lot of navel-gazing and repetitive conversations regarding Casey and April's fraught relationship, the overall development of April as a character and the relationship between the two sisters is interesting and engaging and added a different element to the story. I look forward to seeing where April's story develops from here.
In general there's a lot to look forward to, since this book leaves a lot of questions unanswered and problems unsolved. It seems that the ending of each novel in the series has become more and more of a cliffhanger. I have the feeling, however, that this book leaves as many questions open-ended as it does as we head into what is apparently the last book in the series, because everything is coming to a head, and we can expect some resolution in the fifth book. I have my theories of some of what is actually going on, and where this is all headed, but I'll keep them to myself for now.
For now what I will say is that I stayed up hours past my bedtime finishing this very enjoyable installment of the series. I highly recommend that you read the rest of the series before reading this book, so that you have a fuller sense of what is going on--I'm not really sure how rewarding the story would be without the context of previous books. And reading all of the books in close proximity to each other should help avoid any confusion over which character is which and what they did. Then we can all wait together eagerly for the next book to come out already!

Watcher In The Woods – Kelley Armstrong
I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.
This novel was a very pleasant surprise!! Even more so when I learned that it was part of a series! I can’t wait to become fully immersed in Rockton and its people!

Rockton, buried deep in the Yukon of Canada, can’t be found on any map. There’s no internet or cable, and electricity and other desirables are carefully rationed. It is a small society, full of persons who need to hide, some seeking asylum due to crimes committed, others are victims, in a sanctuary of sorts, shielded from those who seek to harm them. It’s an invisible town, run by ‘the council’ and policed by Sheriff Eric Dalton, along with Detective Casey Duncan and a deputy. People have job assignments, sign on for specific spans, and there’s even a militia, who patrols the borders and keeps people safe within.

I’ve surmised that this story starts shortly after a prior one ends – a townsperson has been shot, with a bullet lodged in his back, and no doctor among them who can extract it. Casey’s estranged sister is a neurosurgeon – and she and Eric head out on a supply run and use the time to intercept her to see if she’s be willing to help. Much to Casey’s surprise, she agrees, and unbeknownst to the council, they sneak her into the compound. Meanwhile, a US Marshall has been found sniffing around the grounds, but is unwilling to share with Casey & Eric, who or what he’s after. Then he’s shot dead, leaving the duo to investigate the possibilities. Just what was the Marshall up to? Who can Eric & Casey trust? How much can ‘the council’ be trusted in a place where no one is who they claim to be??

This book was actually quite good!! I love the references to, and mysteries of both Casey’s and Eric’s past, as well as the crimes or situations that have brought some very colorful characters to Rockton. Certain characters, although bad people, resonated with me, and others intrigued me. I cannot wait to read more of Eric & Casey’s adventures, as well as backtrack to put the missing pieces together. Definitely an intriguing series, and well worth the read!!

This book worked pretty well as a stand alone. There were even flash backs to the previous book which was a huge help. I have read Kelly Armstrong before but never anything from this series so I was a little wary. Luckily I was still able to enjoy this riveting who done it thriller. I loved the depth of her characters, part of the reason I enjoy Armstrong's work so much is how much detail goes into her writing. It automatically pulls you in.
I love the small town feel of 200 or so people, a lot of them hiding for some reason or another.
This book was a winding path that led to one awesome conclusion.

I did not care for this book! It is a Sanctuary City you can pay to get into, regardless of what crime you have committed! It is a place, Charles Mason could pay to get into, where the Sheriff, his Marvel Comic girlfriend keep these Sociopaths under control!? Too much for me, I am a law and order person, you do the crime you pay the time! I believe in the death penalty! This is very much like America today!
I do not recommend!
carolintallahassee.com

Sometimes, I wish I could escape to the Yukon, to Rockton, a place where you are secluded, know nothing about the world's problems, and feel a sense of safety. Well, perhaps safety is not quite the proper word, if living in a town where most residents come from nefarious backgrounds and are there hiding out from those seeking to punish them, reside. For you see, Rockton houses those running from all sorts of goings on that would land them in jail, dead, or even worse. Even more sobering is the fact that there are many looking to deliver their just desserts to the residents.

We are back in Rockton once again in this third book of the series. Much has happened as it always does in this "quaint" little town. Our intrepid police are always prepared for any eventuality, but when a US Marshall finds the town, that is not on any map or GPS coordinate, something is wrong, very wrong. How did he find this town and who and what is he here for are some of the questions plaguing our police people, Casey and Dalton, want answers to. Adding to their woes, is Casey's brilliant yet quite different sister, April, brought by them to the town to perform surgery on one of the townspeople who had been shot in the back. April and Casey have had not much of a sisterly relationship so we expect sparks to fly between the sisters.

All comes to a very surprising halt when the marshal is shot and dies. Who did this? Since this town is the place where many a law breaker resides, it could be anyone. Now Casey and Dalton are on the hook to find exactly who the murderer is and how all of this is tied together.

I found this to be the best book of the series as Ms Armstrong seems to have fallen into a comfort zone with her characters. It's like she is writing about family and figuratively she is. I do recommend the entire series, but this book in particular is I feel the crowning jewel of the lot. An adventurous, gripping tale, making one truly like Casey and Dalton even more, this book is sure to make those who love adventure, murder, and mayhem quite happy to turn those pages.

Thank you to Kelly Armstrong, Minotaur Books and NetGally for a copy of this book.
This book is due to be published on February 5,2019

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

A town that seems not to exist. Citizens hiding from the rest of the world looking for a second chance at life… and murder. Kelley Armstrong’s WATCHER IN THE WOODS has all of the intensity of a wonderfully dark suspense. It also has three preceding books in a series that apparently MUST be read first!

Anti-heroes abound, iffy calls and actions are taken, but, to the clueless reader who accepted the invitation to review, unless you have background, it is not rehashed.

There was so much potential missed for me, so much reading enjoyment lost, but I can say, this is edgy and dark. For followers of the series from the beginning, you are surely in for a treat!

The town of Rockton, hidden deep in the Yukon, is made up of a mixture of criminals and victims fleeing from their troubles. But you can’t just walk into this town and decide to move there. You must be approved by the council, and you must be able to contribute to the upkeep and well-being of this hidden town. The residents of Rockton could be in danger though. A killer who doesn’t want to be discovered is hiding among them.

Casey Duncan is the town’s only detective. Estranged from her doctor sister, she traveled to Rockton to escape troubles of her own and fell in love with the remote town. There is an injured man in Rockton, and this man needs the expertise of Casey’s sister, who “reluctantly” agrees to return with them and help this individual out.

Casey’s boyfriend is Sheriff Eric Dalton. When a U.S. Marshal shows up demanding the release of one of the town’s residents who is wanted with a federal warrant but won’t specify which resident, the two are skeptical. Then the U.S. Marshal is killed.

This book was a great read. Full of suspense and edge-of-your-seat moments, you won’t be bored at all while you’re reading. If you’re a fan of spine-tingling mysteries, you’ll love this book.

Now, it is up to Casey and Eric to find out which of the town’s residents eliminated the U.S. Marshal, potentially putting the rest of the residents in danger. The list of suspects includes everyone in Rockton. Bit by bit, more is learned about each of the residents’ dark past. Most have a reason to want to do away with the marshal, but which one is the killer?

A very good thriller, fast paced, engaging and entertaining.
It was the first one I read in this series and sometimes I missed some background but I think it can be read as a standalone.
The book was well written, fast paced and with and interesting cast of characters.
I loved the plot that keep me hooked till the end.
I knew Kelley Armstrong was a good writer but this was her first mystery I read and it confirmed that she surely can write.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC

When the U.S. marshal sneaks into Rockton to apprehend a dangerous fugitive, Casey and her sheriff boyfriend, Dalton, want to handle in discretely. They had just successfully sneaked Casey's sister, a neurosurgeon, into the small town to work on a wounded deputy. Unfortunately, the marshal takes it out of their hands and exposes her sister as well. Rockton is a town where everyone has secrets and it is a refuge for those who need to hide. Someone might kill to kill their secrets. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. Since I had not read the previous books in the series, it took me a couple of chapters to pull me in. After that, I was hooked. So this book can be enjoyed as a standalone, but it would be better to read the previous books to have the back story on the characters. Casey and Dalton are at the heart of the story, but the town has many interesting and eccentric characters. The book kept me guessing on who the villain/villains were until the end of the book. I plan to read more by this author. I liked this book. It was intriguing.

The series seems to have been renamed Rockton on Goodreads, but still shows as Casey Duncan on Amazon (where they refer to her as Casey Butler). Ugh. Whatever series they decide on it is fine by me because it rocks!

Watcher in the Woods is the fourth book set in the remote/off the grid Yukon town of Rockton where people go to hide and trouble seems to find them. Addictive and suspenseful Armstrong has me hooked on this series.

A full review will be published at Caffeinated Reviewer on February 5th. A review will be posted to Goodreads and Amazon. Links to review will be shared across social media. Thank you!

Rockton is a small town, hidden deep in the Yukon, designed for people who need to get away from mainstream society. Their council approves or disapproves of every resident who applies, so there’s an interesting mix of residents, ranging from the criminal element to those who are hiding from someone – or something. Casey Duncan applied to Rockton three years ago, and became the town deputy on the small police force. When one of the residents is shot in the back, Casey and Eric, the sheriff, decide to contact Casey’s sister, April, a neurosurgeon, for help. Without discussing it with the council, they smuggle April in to perform the surgery, but before they can return her to Vancouver, a US Marshal comes to town, creating havoc with the residents and somehow ending up dead.

There’s a lot happening in this book, and with it being the fourth in the series, I missed a lot of background. It reads fairly well as a stand-alone, though. I liked the way the residents, for the most part, came together in a crisis, and their protective instincts for one another. This is an exciting story, with a lot of action and intrigue woven throughout.

While I genuinely enjoyed this book I will say that it was a little difficult to get into. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read the previous ones. I will have to come back and read it again once I’ve finished the others.

Having read the other books in the Rockton series, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this fourth one. The story of Casey Duncan and Eric Dalton continues as they strive to keep their small community safe. Rockton is not a normal little town; it is a refuge for people escaping their pasts and as such there are dark elements of society settled here. This book is a fast-paced thriller which introduces a new character, April, Casey’s sister who is an arrogant neurosurgeon. Throughout the book the relationship between the sisters is revealed and is fascinating. The real focus in the story is the newcomer who suddenly appears in town and is then murdered before Casey and Eric can find out how he got there and how he knew about the town, since it is a well-kept secret from the rest of the world. The town of Rockton is definitely off the grid, without the use of modern conveniences or technologies and one of the things that draws me to the series is the sense of adventure and survival at all costs that is portrayed in the fast-paced thrillers. I enjoy the character development and learning more about each character as the series evolves. The author definitely kept me reading this book that is very well-plotted and entertaining. This book can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series.

I was intrigued from the beginning when it became clear that this “secret” city was like a time capsule in a way. Limited electricity powered by generator, no outside visitors or stimuli of any kind, no TV, radio or newspapers. Who could live cut off from the rest of the world? As it turns out, quite a few people need hiding, for one reason or another. There is a lot of back story that I was not privy to since I had not read the previous books in the series, but I caught on pretty quickly. The setting itself is the story, supported by the cast of characters, most of whom seem to have been criminals in their previous lives. It is so interesting to see how these people interact and how they manage to survive in the Canadian Tundra. Are these people really who they say they are? Or is their own personal story fiction? How can you tell the good guys from the bad? That’s the job for the sheriff and his deputy to solve, even though they are hampered by the ruling, totally secret and anonymous “council” from beyond, Just read it already!

In this latest book in the Rockton series, someone who says he is a federal marshal shows up to take one of their residents, and then winds up dead. Everyone is a suspect, and they are making little headway in finding the true killer. Also, Kenny needs surgery for the bullet lodged in his spine, and Casey enlists the help of her estranged sister who is a doctor.
I love the Rockton series, and this book was just as great as the others have been. They are a great combination of a compelling storyline, mystery and suspense. I highly recommend this book and this series for fans of mysteries and thrillers.