When the Rockton series ended, I was very sad to have to say goodbye to that world so when I heard that Kelley Armstrong was writing a spin off series I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. This book was everything I expected and more. It had everything that was great about Rockton and the connections between the books were perfect, just enough to leave the old readers nodding along but not enough to alienate the new readers. The book has our two main characters back, Casey and Duncan as they go back to their new town in order to find two missing construction workers. When a body turns up on their search the case quickly turns into a murder investigation. I loved that the main characters of the Rockton series are back because with a spin off you never know what exactly you are going to get. This book was very similar to the other books, same characters, same feel and style of writing but all set in a new town with new challenges that come along with it. While it gives the reader a lot of background information if you have read the pervious series, it isn’t necessary in order to get deep into this book. This mystery book has a very strong pull without being too clinical in its writing. Kelley Armstrong takes her fantastic writing abilities and shows the world yet again that she is a forced to be reckoned with not only in the fantasy world but any world she decides to conquer.

What an amazing start to next chapter of the Rockton series! OMG this is wonderful! My patrons are going to be so excited!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Gritty and smart.

Kelley Armstrong has long been one of my favorite authors so I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read an ARC of Murder at Haven's Rock!

This was a great introduction to the new Casey Butler series, with all the heart of the old town of Rockton, and lots of new locations and characters to explore!

As ever, Kelley weaves an intricate web of a story, with twists and turns galore! Some I saw coming, but others were a welcome surprise.

I'm excited to see where this new series goes, the ending leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to read more!

After the demise of Rockton, Casey and Eric are starting again - a new hidden town, new residents (chosen the right way this time) and some familiar faces. But before Haven's Rock can get on it's feet, the construction crew calls in help finding 2 missing members who have wandered into the woods and haven't come out. Casey, Eric and Storm are on the hunt to find the missing people before they become victims of the environment.

This very much feels like a Rockton novel - same building mysteries, same wilderness setting with a more modern living situation in Haven's Rock. There is a twist at the end to hint at future trouble. The only thing that seemed a little odd to me was the geographical placement of Haven's Rock at 15 km from the Rockton site - that seems a little close to me, but perhaps will allow for visits from Eric's wandering brother.

I was worried how the story would continue after Rockton, but there was no need. A new mystery in a new location but with the same feel that I love. I very much recommend.

As much as I was looking forward to a fresh start for this spinoff series, while still featuring both characters and a similar setting to the original series, this felt a liiiiittle too samesies for my liking. I'm worried I have to maybe call time of death on this one even after only one book (even if, technically, the other series makes it more like book eight).

In this post-Rockton existence, Casey and Eric are trying to build a new home, with a similar purpose but less corrupt bureaucracy, but before they can even get their town finished, their residents installed, two workers have gone missing. Along the way there's an unexpected dead woman to deal with, a miner and associated claims to navigate, and a new set of locals who will undoubtably be trouble for Haven's Rock's future.

This didn't do anything wrong. There was no particularly heinous addition to the cast. We had a good red herring or two along the way to solving things. But.. neither did this feel like it added anything new. We just have different scenery and less hierarchy to contend with. Equally, the familiar faces felt fairly cardboard-y which certainly didn't help with my overall feelings about wanting more time with them.

I may push on but this was not the exciting fresh take I expected it to be. But, you know, your mileage may vary if all you wanted was to not say goodbye to the main characters of series one.

This book is the first in a spin off of a previous series by this author, which I was not aware of and have not read. Despite this, I was able to invest in and follow the storyline as enough background information was provided. I also feel like I could go back and read the original series as there were not too many spoilers, which I appreciated.

As for Murder at Haven’s Rock, I enjoyed many aspects of this book. You can find a complete summary elsewhere, so I won’t go into it here, but basically a group of folks is setting up a settlement in the Yukon and murder and shenanigans ensue. Personally, I enjoy stories set in remote locations such as Alaska and Iceland and felt the author did a good job of describing this new settlement and the surrounding terrain. The character and environment development were thorough and involved, which made me feel like I was a part of this community. I could picture the settlement and the surrounding areas clearly, as well as the characters. I loved that a tracking dog was prominently featured and the cast of characters was diverse.

That said, in my opinion, there are a lot of players in this story. Perhaps the author is trying to tell this story as well as set us up for the next book, but there are times it was hard to keep straight who was interacting with whom and in what way. Maybe this would not have been as difficult if I had read the original series, but as a newcomer, I found myself having to step back here and there to remember where x character was in the story arc.

This book is well-written and the actual storyline was well developed and engaging. I tried to figure out “whodunnit” throughout and while I had my suspicions, but the author did a good job of keeping you guessing. Overall a really solid book that I would recommend to others. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next book in this series!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Kelley Armstrong for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

A new town is being built in the Alaskan wilderness, hidden and secretive. The contracted crew knows they’re not allowed to go into the forest so when Penny, the architect, sees the contractor go off into the woods, she follows, gets lost, and then gets hit on the head and blacks out. Turns out she isn’t the only one to go missing that night and Casey and Eric are contacted to track down the missing employees.

I loved the Rockton series and was thrilled to find there would be a spinoff. Casey and Eric are designing a new community, Haven’s Rock, to replace Rockton. Only this time they will be in charge of who is allowed in and what the rules will be. There is a new forest to explore, new characters to meet, and hints of the old characters that will be returning. Starting off with a suspected murder is not the way Casey and Eric expected to start their new life in Haven’s Rock, but it is a way to dive into this new series.

I liked meeting the new characters who are building this secretive community, even as they have no idea of its location and they are totally isolated while building it. Some I hope to never see again, and some I really want to get to know and hope they will stay around after construction is completed. And then there are some favorites from Rockton that I know are coming to the new community.

Although the book can be read as a standalone, it was more enjoyable knowing the history that led up to building a new town and Casey and Eric’s backgrounds.

Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of Murder at Haven’s Rock. This review is my honest opinion.

Stay out of the forest, stay out of the forest, stay out of the forest! This often repeated warning is ignored by the several characters who end up being reported as missing. Thus starts the new Haven's Rock series from Kelly Armstrong. Haven's Rock is being built, possibly illegally, in the Canadian Yukon Territory. Much secrecy and security surrounds the construction of this new settlement. It seems many of the characters are being reprized from Armstrong's previous Rockton series. I am sure her fans are delighted with this continuation of sorts. However, I have not previously read that series which put me at a disadvantage. Vague hints are given regarding the back story but there were still many unanswered questions for me. The characters, for the most part, were not very likeable and appear to have hinky backgrounds that are not clearly explained. Sadly I must say this is not a series for me.

I thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

Kelley Armstrong's Rockton was one of my favourite series and I was so sad when it looked like it was coming to an end. I was thus beyond excited when she announced Haven's Rock as a new spin-off series with our favourite characters and new mysteries to be solved! Although this new series could be read on it's own, I would highly recommend picking starting with the Rockton series (Book 1 is The City of the Lost) to get all the needed background/history on the story and on the characters.

In Murder at Haven's Rock, Casey and Eric are weeks away from opening their new town and welcoming those who need refuge and a safe place. When two members of the construction crew disappear into the surrounding forest, Casey and Eric rush to the Yukon to try and solve this mystery, only to discover a body, one that does not belong to any of their crew members. Now, they must solve the mystery of what happened to this dead women while also searching for their missing crew.

The mystery in this kept me guessing and I could not put the book down. Rockton is on of my comfort series so it felt incredible to pick up this new book, to get to see my familiar characters, and dive into a new story with new layers and new stories. I can't wait to see what comes next in the Haven Rock series (especially after what was set up in the last chapter!).

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this one due to the unique setting of a town built as a "haven" or "refuge" town, where the mystery and suspense take place. This is evidently a spin-off of the Rockton series which started as a similar town with the 2 main characters, Det Casey and her husband, Sheriff Dalton. I have not read that series but will be picking it up to read before the next book in this new series drops. IMO, you do not need to have read the other series as the author seamlessly lines up the dots for you so that you quickly become familiar with what transpired in Rockton. This story and its mystery is self contained in the new town located in the Yukon of Alaska.

In this story, Casey and Dalton are called to come into their new town early as 2 of the construction crew are missing. A dead woman is found but not one of the 2 missing that they are looking for. The characters are well developed, the mystery is suspenseful and overall a great read!

Highly recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This is the first book in a new series that is a spinoff of another series. I have not read the previous books and was very confused at certain parts in this story and by the end I didn't really care who did what or how. I have no interest in reading the previous books.

The suspense in Murder at Havens Rock really propels the reader toward the climax of the novel. However, not having read any of the previous books, I was disadvantaged at not knowing enough of the backstory to understand the main character’s motivations - but the characters of Casey Duncan and Eric Dalton are interesting enough that I plan to read the earlier books. I give Murder at Havens Rock - 4-1/2 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and the opinions expressed are my own.

Received a complimentary ARC of Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books/NetGalley. Scroll to the very end for a cut-and-paste of the flyleaf copy for if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of a summary.

OK, right out of the gate I’ll admit that I didn’t read the aforementioned flyleaf copy closely enough, and/or do any Goodreads research into author Kelley Armstrong, to realize that the main characters in Murder at Haven’s Rock were going to come into this first in a new series with so much backstory. So, so very much backstory.

But that’s my own fault. I mean, it’s all right there, plain as the nose on my face. Can I plead the “I’m still dealing with lingering side effects of the flu” defense? I did realize about 5 to 10 pages in; something along in there made me stop and go look up the author and Rockton. Then I had to make a quick decision: Stop reading and go to the library and get all the books in the Rockton proper series? Or just read this book as a one-off, because I can’t commit to a full book series right now because we are watching a new-to-us streaming TV series. (My brain works like this, I’ve finally realized; I can read a series and watch one-off movies, or I can watch a series and read one-off books. Just can’t handle two series at once.)

Decided I would read the book because I was in the mood for just the sort of varied and interesting characters, fast pace, mystery/ies, and appealing geographical setting that it offered. Figured I would know by the end of it whether I wanted to go back and read Rockton, in addition—of course—to knowing whether I wanted to continue with this series.

Yay! I do!

My only nit to pick is one that I seem to bark on about so often with books of this sort….the convoluted-y violent action chase scene toward the end. I guess these sorts of books are written with TV series in mind, and all of that sort of thing plays out much better on screen than it does on the page, to me.

May be next year before I get back to the Rockton series, but that’s OK. I feel comforted knowing it’s out there to enjoy at some point. Kinda like knowing there’s a box of something yummy but not necessarily great for me in the house but yet to be eaten. 😎

FLYLEAF COPY
New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven's Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start... with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town's construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

Murder at Haven's Rock (Haven's Rock #1) by Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: February 21, 2023

Murder at Haven's Rock is the first book in the new Haven's Rock series by Kelley Armstrong, which is a spin-off of her Rockton/Casey Duncan series. I haven't read the other series yet, so I was grateful the author provided enough backstory that I could catch on.

If you are looking for a book to get lost in, this is it! I actually missed text messages from my mother (& made her worry) because I was so engrossed with the section I was reading.

There is so much depth in this book. I found the characters to be fascinating and I look forward to learning more about them! The mystery is intense. There are so many viable suspects and everyone seems to be hiding something. It was awesome!

I highly recommend this book! I will definitely be diving into the Rockton/Casey Duncan series because I could not get enough of Murder at Haven's Rock! I can't wait to see what happens next. I know it'll be intense!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This author and series was new to me, struggled a bit with the tiny secret community concept. Since this is a spinoff of another series, I don’t recommend reading this as a standalone, too much unknown. The futuristic, eco-conscience building design set far off the grid in the remote location of the vast forested Yukon is distinctly isolated and practically inaccessible. There was never a clear picture of who the residents are going to be and what the purpose of this sanctuary is.
Casey, a former detective with no real legal authority here, and husband/sheriff, Dalton, are the visionaries and financial contributors of the project. They had already tried and failed at a similar town project. They are also building their dream home here with an architect, engineer, contractor and crew already onsite. It’s a little like an old west lawless territory after climate change.
The disappearance into the creepy forest of two crew members puts the project in jeopardy. There is a good cast of diverse characters. The mysterious missing people is a many layered plot with plenty of intrigue, twists and turns that kept me guessing. I like to find clues and solve the mystery. This story has the character’s own suspicions, theories, speculation and what ifs extensively detailed, it became tedious. The fictional town concept lends itself to food for thought on both the positives and negatives of having no legal system, etc.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Murder At Haven’s Rock” by Kelley Armstrong and to Minotaur Books. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Want to start with thank you NetGalley for my ARC.

I loved this book and I’m really interested in seeing where this series goes with the new start for everyone. I have to say the first chapter made me worry. I thought we were going to get this series from a new characters perspective. For the first in this series it wasn’t too bad. There were some characters from the last series I can’t wait to see again. In this series we see Casey and Dalton coming in to their new town early to find 2 missing people. And of course it doesn’t go to plan and a dead body shows up and injured people. They bring in April since they need a doctor to help with the injured party. April brings back Will with her to assist. Isabel and Phil are mention and show up at the very end. Same with Kenny. Mathias is only barely mentioned. It’ll be interesting to see how the new characters meet and start interacting with the old characters. There was a lot of recapping from the Rockton series which is helpful for readers who might not have read the Rockton series. It wasn’t a bad read and I’m excited to see where this series goes. I have a feeling Haven’s Rock isn’t going turn out being the great new settlement that’s nothing like Rockton. Casey and Eric will have a lot to learn.

I greatly enjoyed the Rockton series and though the last one felt like a natural ending, I was sad to see it go. But it made sense bc how much more could she squeeze out of such a remote area?

What a delight to find out that where one series ends, another begins. I am forever impressed by Ms. Armstrong’s ability to take what should be a limiting environment and invent new ways to work with it. This brings in new characters, new problems, etc. And I loved it.

I do feel like some characters were substitutions for those in the previous series, but I don’t really mind. It works.

The mystery itself is compelling. There’s always so many threads to follow and untangle. Whereas they could come across as convoluted, I think it’s written in such a way where it just works.

I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

Thanks Netgalley for the Advanced Review Copy!

I was so pleased to learn that Armstrong was writing a spin-off (spin-on?) of the Rockton series.

In this book, they are setting up a new town and two people go missing. Our two main characters go to the construction site to find them. Rockton-type hijinks ensue.

I missed seeing the whole Rockton gang. I'm looking forward to all those dynamics in subsequent books. I was a little frustrated by not being clear about the legal status of the new town, but that's just me. No one else will probably notice or care.


All in all, this addition to the story of the people who used to live in Rockton is exactly what you expect. There is a mystery or two, and one of them was pretty much "d'uh", but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one.