Casey Duncan accompanied her friend to Rockton, a tiny spot in the forbidding Canadian northern forest, where white collar criminals can buy their way in. She was brought in as an investigator to help the sheriff and another deputy keep order. There are some issues in Rockton, years ago, one group lead a rebellion and broke off from Rockton; they are known as the First Settlement. Then, another group broke off and became the Second Settlement. From the Second Settlement arose the wildings who have completely reverted to living in the forest; they kill anyone who bothers them. A group of Danish hikers are ambushed and Casey and Eric, her boyfriend and boss, find one survivor, but when they bring her back to Rockton, it sets in motion a disturbing turn of events. One of the founders of Rockton arrives in her private plane and Casey and Eric uncover many truths about what is actually going on under the surface. An intriguing chapter in the history of Rockton, worth the read.

I find these books fascinating. The idea of a town completely in the wilderness. The premise of this book brings back the question of the origins of the hostels. I felt that it was dealt with well and all of our questions had been answered. Based on the ending of this book I'm curious what direction this series will take.

Stars⭐⭐⭐..4
My first novel by [author: Kelley Armstrong] She has written many series and my guess over 250 novels.
This is #6 in the Rockton series, and yes my first. Needless to say, I needed some back stories on the main characters. Rather than going back and reading earlier novels in this series, I choose to read reviews and hoped for some spoiler reviews!
Rockton is small towns in the Yukon ~ Yep in the middle of nowhere but as we all know small towns have the MOST interesting characters!
Story starts when the ‘Stranger’, a hiker comes into town injured. They don’t understand what she is asking. Not sure if she is with others who injured her. The Mystery starts ~ and so do Casey, Eric, and Storm!!
Number 7 in the Rockton series is around the corner!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 2, 2021

This series never fails to disappoint. Even though I found some of the story a little convoluted - I had to reread a couple explanations to make sure I was still following along - everything always ties together in ways that make sense. There’s always so many moving parts but they all fit in the end. And even if you can guess one piece, it’s impossible to tell how it plays into the overall mystery.

My biggest gripe is how I have to wait too long for another. (There will be another.. right!?)

Kelley Armstrong is an outstanding author and her Casey Duncan/Rockton series is terrific. 'A Stranger in Town' is the 6th book in the series that started with 'City of the Lost' - I own all the books and will purchase her most recent when its released. Characters are outstanding the town/environment has significant impact on the storyline without taking over. Casey and Eric have a great relationship but even more so, I love Casey's interaction with April. This book starts with an injured stranger and ends with events that will potentially have a big impact on subsequent books - I was captivated the whole time. Can't recommend Armstrong enough but caution that this series really should be read sequentially because of the world building and character development.

3 for neutral, as I did mot realize this was a series and need to read the 5 before. I did try to read as a stand alone, but was lost, and don’t think it’s fair to rate when if done in order I think I would enjoy. Will update when able to finish all books.

A Stranger in Town is a series about a town called Rockton. Though there is no need to read others first, it is a fast paced read that will keep the reader enthralled and entertained from page one. There is a new mystery to solve and the residents want it solved fast. A woman is badly hurt and found in the woods, luckily still alive, it sends the police on a chase to catch who is responsible. Will they find out what really happened and will the secret that is keeping people away be found out in time to save Rockton?

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of A Stranger in Town from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a very interesting novel. With a unique backstory of a hidden town full of secrets, this novel had me interested from the very beginning, when a wounded stranger shows up at a small, community gathering. Nothing was predictable in this book, which is a quality I love. The storyline allowed for characters of all kinds and was quite believable in the way that it unfolded. As a rural-woman familiar with forest living, I really enjoyed reading A Stranger in Town.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Another great addition to the Rockton series. I’m pretty sure this book had every kind of threat from hostiles, settlers, outsiders, council, and nature. Basically, everyone and everything was giving Casey a hard time. If you have been following the series, <i> A Stranger in Town</i> is certainly a must read since it makes some big progress on the overall plot. I love getting to read more about Rockton and spend more time with its large cast of characters, and I can’t wait to see where Armstrong will take the series next.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's/Minotaur Books, #KelleyArmstrong and #Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review "A Stranger In Town" - the 6th (cannot believe it's six books already!) instalment in the highly entertaining Rockton series.

As with every one of these books, things happen at an almost breakneck speed - it's almost like the 'Perils of Pauline" as each chapter seems to end with someone in danger and someone exclaiming "What the f**k!"

Casey and Eric stumble upon a gravely injured tourist while out is the woods with some of the Rockton inhabitants - or should I say she stumbles up to them - and thus begins Casey's search for the ultimate answer to what happened to the "Second Settlement" and how the hostiles came about.

We learn, slowly but surely, some cold hard truths about what was done to those who decided to split from Rockton - mainly the peace-loving hippies of the Second Settlement, and how the hostiles may have come about. And it seems that Rockton itself is in peril.

I don't want to give too much away (and I won't) but I was particularly enthralled with their bear interaction(s).

Armstrong has also injected a lot more humanity into some of her characters, as they are growing and maturing in their isolation - in particular Sebastian, Petra and Phil - and she has filled in more of the backstory.

All in all, a very worthy addition to the Rockton stories - and I cannot wait to find out 'what happens next'. Absolutely deserving of my five-star rating.

Just like the others in this series this book packs a punch. I loved the character development the longer the story goes along the more you get to know the characters backstories and their relationships. This series is fantastic and even though this is book six it is still as interesting and relevant as the first book which is hard to do the longer a series continues. The book this time surrounds Casey and Dalton as they find an injured woman in Rockton.
No one knows who she is or how she got injured or even to the city so it is up to the pair to figure out what is going on and get to the bottom of things before it is to late. I really enjoyed this addition to the series is gave a narrow focus on the injured woman and what happened to her why she is there etc., but it also gave a different spin on the series so far because it was so focused instead of open ended find out what is happening in this town. Our characters still managed to captivate me even this many books in and I know that they will for a long time to come. This series is one that will hook you in the beginning and never let up until the very last word is written. Great read and I cannot recommended this book more. Check it out if you are a fan of Kelley Armstrong or just like good novels in general, you won't be disappointed.

A woman hiker is found in the forest wounded. Casey and Eric think she's a lost European tourist but the deeper they look into her identity the more they find out about the history of Rockton.

Before I started reading this installment of the Rockton series, I was wondering where the storyline was going. Was it going to be Casey solves murder case while dealing with the hanging Damocles sword that is the counsel above Eric's head? Apparently, I didn't give enough credit to those two figuring out a contingency plan. At the end, I felt more on steady ground with the direction of the series.

This review is based on an advanced copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

2020 has been a crazy year but one thing that helped me was finding a new-to-me author, Kelley Armstrong. I first found out about her Rockton books in March at the library I worked at not long before we closed for Covid. It was the fifth book of the series that I saw on our library website and it intrigued me so much that I immediately searched for the beginning books of the series. I have since read all of the Rockton books and the Cainesville series.

A Stranger in Town picks up where “Alone in the Wild“ left off. You’ll learn all about the beginnings of Rockton in book 6, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t start at the beginning.

Of course there is a new mystery for Casey and Eric to solve and we get to see more of the Rockton residents.. We also learn more of the history of the two settlements out in the woods. I’m very much looking forward to book 7 of this series!

You really can’t go wrong with a Kelley Armstrong book. She’s written in many genres so it’s easy to find something you’d like and then go on to her other series from there.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

For existing fans, this will be a welcome addition to the series. I don't want to spoil anything here, (though honestly, with all the twists and turns in the plot, I don't think I could accurately reveal anything anyway), so I won't review what happens. Besides, y'all can read the summary description, so there's no need. :)

Rockton is by far one of my favorite series. I definitely enjoyed this latest installment, and it's fun to see how all the political intrigue with the Hostiles situation and the Council plays out. I felt like there were a few overarching subplots that were left open, and I'm hoping it was intentional so that there can either be another book in this series, or a spinoff series. Personally, I think a spinoff series would be more interesting and provide more opportunities to introduce new characters and storylines.

I definitely recommend this book, and if you haven't read any of the other titles in the series, start with City of the Lost. The series moves forward chronologically and a lot of stuff will be extra mysterious/confusing if you don't have the backstory.

It’s always a great adventure when we revisit Rockton. This town hidden in the wilderness is full of quirky and sometimes dangerous characters.

Casey Duncan and Eric Dalton are a great couple.

“You checking me out, Butler?” As relief washes over me, I grin wider than the soft teasing warrants. “Looking good, Sheriff. Wet T-shirts suit you.”

She is strong and like all Ms. Armstrong’s female characters takes center stage. Eric is protective alpha but let’s Casey take the lead where she shines.

We find out so crazy history of the early settlement and some big secrets come to light. All the drama and mystery this series is known for. After six books it’s just as good as the first.

thriller, crime, mystery, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, action, dog, Canada, procedural, series****

I did not realize it was part of a long running series so it took me a while to figure out the back story. The town of Rockton seems to be a sort of sanctuary/rehab out in the wilderness and an injured woman stumbles in and causes all sorts of issues. Cassie’s relationship with her sister April, a neurologist on the autistic spectrum and some other nonstandard characters add to the baseline. I found it interesting but would have enjoyed it more if I'd read an earlier book or two.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.

I really hope this is the beginning of a series because I want to know more about the town of Rockton and its residents. Casey is very sympathetic as a main character. I would like to have had a little bit more information about her backstory, but Rockton is very secretive of its citizens' pasts.
Casey and her boyfriend are detective and sheriff, respectively, of a strange little community called Rockton. People of means come to Rockton to take a break from their lives, or to start a new one. However, located in the Yukon, it is surrounded by wilderness and danger. The plot of the book moves purposefully and quickly to its resolution, but unfortunately feels incomplete. I'd gladly read the sequel to this book and I am looking forward to there being more to come!

I am really enjoying this series as the characters grow, change and their true backgrounds are revealed. The interactions between the townspeople and the other settlements are more and more interesting. I also really enjoy the origins regarding the history of the founding of Rockport. Armstrong is a fantastic writer, and has built a very interesting world.

Disclaimer: Kelley Armstrong can do no wrong in my mind, everything she's ever wrote has been a 5 star read for me. A Stranger In Town is no exception to that rule.

This story is a perfect continuation to an already great series and it leaves you excited to return to Rockton. The town itself is so well described you feel like you are a member of the community yourself and you're right there watching these characters grow.

The ending was emotional and it opened so many doors for where the story can go from here and I'm excited to see where it's heading.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. When I got approved I was so excited!

This is book 6 in Kelley Armstrong's series set in the Yukon. Rockton is an off the grid town set up to help people who need a new start, and either know someone who helps to get them in or they have enough money to bend the rules. The story is told in the first person through the eyes of Casey Duncan, the town homicide detective who came to Rockton to escape a catastrophic event in her past.
This book can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series. This would give you a deeper understanding of many of the characters and events which occurred earlier in the series.
One of the really interesting things is the creature comforts which we take for-granted but most in the town have learned to do without. The mystery at the heart of the story involves a strange woman who Casey brings to town after finding her injured in the woods.
If you like a well-built world with a strong female protagonist, I highly recommend this series.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Minotaur and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this title.