We return to Haven's rock, Casey and Eric's new town after the fall of Rockton. Unlike Rockton, Haven's Rock has children and families.

While out for a hike a 10 year old boy sees what looks like a bear but moves like a human. Days after the town starts hunting for it the boy disappears. While fighting rumors, misinformation and residents who think they know better they struggle to find the boy as well as find the man dressed as a bear.

This book really showcases the differences between Rockton and Havens Rock and also brings into question what is going on at the mining camp that lives next door. I have a feeling we will be seeing much more about that in future books. Casey also finds herself under the weather and struggling to give 100% to solve the case of the missing boy and help track the person who took him. We see prejudices flourish within the community and the difference in running a town full of single people vs. one with families. I flew through this book and love this series. I love returning to these characters and witnessing their trials.

This second entry to the Haven’s Rock series was a great follow up to the first book. Kendra is such a great strong female lead character. When you add in the rest of the cast of characters there is a bit of everything. I like the addition of a family with kids. Dana bringing Max & Carson to the remote outpost is an interesting plot twist, I liked the way the storyline moved between Kendra and Max’ viewpoints. I would have liked more check ins with Max since I felt nervous for his situation. The miners complicated things & I think they are doing something in their area they shouldn’t be. That’s the problem with being so remote….who can stop them? I feel like Kendra & Eric have some of that in their future. I thought the plot line of Kendra being pregnant was great and I thought that story arc had many different aspects to it. It will be interesting to read how that changes Kendra & Eric’s life in the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Kelley Armstrong for an advanced copy of this story..

This is an excellent addition to the Haven's Rock Series! I would recommend reading the first book in this spin-off before reading this one, and well it's a great series so you should DEFINITELY read the Rockton Series as well!!
The Boy Who Cried Bear was entertaining and sucked me in from the beginning! I just love following Eric and Casey in everything they do, and I'm so excited to see how Haven's Rock is going to grow into what they wanted Rockton to be.

In the new town of Havens Rock there are some differences in the town itself, one of those is the addition of couples and families with children. Max is a super adorable kid who along with his older brother and mom has been through some horrible things before arriving in Haven's Rock. When while walking through the woods he thinks he spots a bear, it sends Casey and Eric off to see if they can find him. A bear that is close to the town is a dangerous thing.
But what they discover is something else, and when Max goes missing it sends everyone in the town into a tailspin. Now Eric and Casey with the help of my favorite doggy sidekick Storm are off into the woods to find Max and the person who took him.

Max is scared but also smart and uses what he's learned from Eric to survive until help finds him. As always I love Erica and Casey together and enjoy watching them investigate. Dalton is another favorite along with a few others who've slowly.. very slowly been growing on me. We see more of the miners whom we found out about in the first book and find out all is not what it seems when it comes to them and I think we will get to dig even deeper into them in the next book. Along with all the things going on in the town, and between Eric and Casey (nothing bad!) and the miners I cannot wait to see what's going to happen with it all next!

Kelley Armstrong is one of my top comfort authors: I know I will enjoy anything she writes, in any genre.  

Haven’s Rock is a mystery/thriller series spun off from Armstrong’s Rockton series.  It’s about an isolated, secret town in the wilderness in the Yukon where people go when they need to disappear.

Casey and Eric run the town and also investigate any crimes or mysteries.  In this one, a young boy named Max sees a bear following a group of hikers — but the bear had human eyes.  Is it Bigfoot?  I am always here for a book involving Bigfoot.

I love thrillers with smart kids trying to get out of danger, so Max, the youngest child in Haven’s Rock, is a wonderful addition.  I really looked forward to his scenes and his combination of age-appropriate fear and practical smarts.  Great character.

When a dead body turns up, the story gets nice and twisty...loved the mystery in this one, it kept me guessing.

I’m a little less interested in the politics of the town itself, but very intrigued by some of the other ongoing mysteries — there’s a mining operation nearby that clearly has secrets, and some other fun characters living in the wild.

I wouldn’t recommend reading this one as a standalone. I think it works much better as part of the series, and the ending doesn’t really resolve.  I’m completely hooked for book 3 though and very curious about some of the secrets hinted at in this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for my review copy of this book

The Boy Who Cried Bear is the second book in the Haven's Rock series, which in itself is a spinoff from Kelley Armstrong’s terrific Rockton series. I believe this could be read as a standalone, although as with any good series, you would have a richer reading experience if you’ve read the previous books. Armstrong does give some good backstory without weighing down the current story.

Most of the book is narrated by the female main character, Casey, although some chapters are narrated by a 10-year-old boy named Max. Casey and Eric are a power couple! Casey is a detective and Eric serves as the sheriff of their new town, set in the midst of the Yukon wilderness in Canada. The location is purposeful, as they are trying to be a sanctuary of sorts for people who really need sanctuary. (Rockton was founded on a similar notion but got into problems when the leaders of that town let in criminals; Casey and Eric are determined to make sure that doesn’t happen with Haven’s Rock.)

Armstrong knows how to write gripping stories with wonderful characters. it seems she can write well in pretty much any genre (and she does!). This series is a mystery / thriller and it keeps you on your toes, trying to figure out who is responsible for (NO SPOILERS!). It was great to revisit with old favorites like Casey and Eric, along with Casey’s on-the-spectrum doctor sister, April; Isabel; Will; Kendra, and others, and to meet some of the new residents of Haven’s Rock, which now include a mother and two young sons (one of whom is the Max mentioned above). There is a mining company working the land not too far away from Haven’s Rock, which isn’t ideal in terms of keeping their town safe and separate. Relations with the miners are a bit tense.

There was an excellent subplot that centers on Casey and Eric’s personal lives and I look forward to reading more about that in future installments of this terrific series.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Thérèse Plummer.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The Boy Who Cried Bear was such a suspenseful and thrilling ride. It is the second installment in the Haven’s Rock series but totally works as a standalone. The suspense never let up and I was on the edge of my seat for it all. I really love this spin-off series from the Rockton series. The concept of this series is so amazing and original.

Casey & Eric are just such fantastic characters to follow. I love seeing their growth from book to book and their relationship evolve. Casey is such a badass, she's so smart and the best cop.

Armstrong is one of my favorite writers as she is able to make you see such a vivid image of the scenery and the scenes happening. Her writing always drags me in from the start. This was a great crime fiction/thriller with police procedural and it was truly well done. Can't wait for the third book.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @minotaurbooks & @kelleyarmstrong for my free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely fantastic continuation of the series.

I adored the Rockton series and have been thoroughly enjoying this sequel series as well.

The Boy Who Cried Bear introduced a whole host of new characters and dynamics to the existing plot, by bringing children to the Yukon wilderness. I enjoyed getting to see how the new town is developing and what Casey and co want to keep the same and hope to change. It was definitely amusing seeing certain people not realise quite how in charge they are!

A thriller series I recommend to everyone, I can’t wait for the next book!

Haven's Rock is a small, remote town in the Yukon. Founded by Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, it’s a place where people who need to disappear and not be found can go, but not just anyone can be admitted. There are strict rules the residents must follow. One being not to wander off into the surrounding woods alone where many predators lurk. Casey and Eric know the woods well and take residents on hikes if they’re interested. Max is one of two children living in the town, and he’s very interested in going on hikes and learning to track animals. When Max claims to have seen a bear on one of the hikes, Casey and Eric take it seriously and start a search. What’s strange is that Max claims the bear has human eyes.

This was an intriguing book with many unique individuals, each with their own story. There’s a dead body, twists, turns, trust issues, and more. When Max goes missing, the race is on to find him and bring him back safely. But what will the teams find during the search?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was not aware that this was the second book in a series. It can be read as a stand alone mystery, but I would recommend reading the first book ‘Murder in Haven’s Rock’ to learn more about the continuing characters and understand the reason for the town.

A young boy, Max, while on a hike thinks he sees a bear but with human eyes. Few believe him. Seeking proof, he goes back into the forest. When he doesn’t return, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton go searching for him.
But the rugged dense forest holds many secrets and predators, both animal and human.

The many fans of author, Kelley Armstrong will no doubt enjoy this new book. It was an okay read for me. Slow at first, but with enough mystery that I did want to finish it. Thank you to Netgally and St. Martins for the arc. The comments and review are my opinion.

A great mystery which is atmospheric of The Yukon Territory. Several twists. I look forward to the next installment.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kelley Armstrong’s Haven’s Rock series keeps getting better and better. The Boy Who Cried Bear , the second book in the series, has a significant mystery along with plenty of suspense and atmosphere that keeps readers rapidly turning the pages. This is a spin-off continuation series after the Rockton series ended with book 7, The Deepest of Secrets. The unique setting adds another layer to the tone of the book. Haven’s Rock is a hidden town built somewhere in the Yukon wilderness of Canada. It’s a place for people to disappear and a sanctuary for those that need a refuge.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton met in the original town of Rockton and are feeling at home in their new town. While they know how to navigate the woods, their town’s residents don’t. People aren’t allowed to wander in the woods alone. When ten-year-old Max believes he saw a bear while on a group hike, there are concerns that it was stalking the hikers. But Max says it had human eyes. Casey and Eric take the sighting seriously despite not knowing exactly what it was. When a dead body is found, it adds to the mystery.

Casey and Eric are well-developed characters with plenty of depth. Casey is driven, a great investigator, and frequently finds dead bodies. She’s a good listener, empathetic, and understanding. Eric is a fantastic tracker, needs alone time in the woods occasionally, is truthful and intelligent, and asserts himself when needed. He also gets short-tempered and blunt with annoying or bothersome people at times, and isn’t good at small talk. Max is smart, intuitive, empathetic, and responsible. He is also suffering from a trauma that affected his family. It was great to see some of the secondary and tertiary characters again. Each book adds some depth to them.

Overall, this is well-written and entertaining with a solid mystery and complex characters set in an off-the-grid sanctuary town. An intriguing start quickly accelerates as the plot develops and Casey’s investigation takes off. Murder, trust, secrets, lies, concealment, and respect are all threads that are explored during the novel. It was also great to see more of Casey’s and Eric’s personal lives and how they work through the challenges. While the main mysteries are solved, there are some threads for the next book that should prove fascinating. I can’t wait to read it. While this novel can be read as a stand-alone, readers will gain a better understanding of the key characters and their backgrounds if they read the Rockton series first or start at the beginning of this series. Fans of Kelley Armstrong and the Rockton series will likely thoroughly enjoy this novel.

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. Publication date is currently set for February 20, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

A continuation of the Haven’s Rock series. Casey and Dalton are dealing with some of the same issues as before: wild animals in an untamed and dangerous environment with people who may not be completely trustworthy. There are new challenges when they allow kids in the refuge. Their miner neighbors are hiding something possibly nefarious. And a personal surprise for Casey could change her whole life.
This series never gets old. In fact, I get more and more invested in the characters and want more!

I love to read a good mystery but when the ending is left hanging, it spoils the whole book for me. This story is set in Alaska and the town is "hidden" for those in witness protection. Two of the main characters are married to each other and are also witness protection people. They are starting this second town and allowing children. Keeping the children engaged is tough but on one of the hikes, Max says he saw a "bear man". Without giving too much away, Max goes into the woods on his own and is taken. In hunting for him, the hunting parties engage with the miners. These two groups of people are trying to stay away from each other but for different reasons. Max is found but the person who took Max is not the person who murdered a miner who was found on the searches. The book ends with the safe return of Max but finding the murderer is left up in the air. Not the way I like my murder mysteries to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Boy Who Cried Bear", by Kelley Armstrong.
I have read all of the original Rockton books, which led up to the new series, set in Haven's Rock, where the remnants of Rockton are making their new, even further-off-the-grid town. Casey Butler, Eric Dalton and Will Anders are continuing the legacy of the original Rockton, providing refuge for those who really need it.
Dana, Carson and Max are the latest to join the group, and the first 'family' to do so, plunging Casey and Eric into new territory, while at the same time dealing with their 'neighbours" ( a mining crew and an even more isolated hermitess).
While on a hike in the woods, Max - the youngest - spies what looks to be a bear-man (Bigfoot?); but nobody really believes him, most of all his big brother.
Until Max suddenly disappears, and the hunt is on!
Clashes of personalities abound, between Haven's Rock residents and their neighbours as everyone has their own theory as to what's become of Max. Will they find him? And will he be alive or dead?
Simultaneously, Casey and Eric are dealing with what might become a life-changing situation and how that will affect their community.
If you liked Ms. Armstrong's Rockton series, and have read the first book in this series "Murder At Haven's Rock" you will certainly want to include this one on your reading list. I cannot wait to see where things go from here.

Haven's Rock is a town off the grid in Canada. The residents, because of something in their past, do not want their whereabouts to be known. When Max, the youngest child from the town, witnessed a bear while he was on a nature walk, the leaders of the community look for it, but cannot find it. Then later, when Max disappears the leadership of the town makes it a priority to find him. The presence of a secretive mining camp close to the Haven's Rock area complicates matters, as does the potential pregnancy of the chief investigator. This is the second in a series, but can easily be read as a stand alone, though I will probably look for the first one as I was intrigued by the situation and the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the introduction with an arc, and for no pressure for a positive review.

The second book in the Haven's Rock series has two focuses.

Haven's Rock provides shelter for families, couples, and individuals who need to disappear for a while because of some threat to them. The first family there consists of a mother and her two young sons. Carson and Max are the first children who have been in the program. Max is the youngest and is adjusting pretty well to the isolation and all the nature surrounding the new town. He's learning about the wilderness from Eric.

When Max spots something odd on a hike, Eric and Casey first think it is a grizzly who has come too near the town and who might be sick. They don't find it when they go out searching. Then Max sees it again and is grabbed by someone when he goes out to look for it. Eric and Casey go out looking for him, but neither they nor their trained dog can find him.

His disappearance causes some fractures to show up in the town with suspicions and rumors indicating the mother might have had something to do with the disappearance. Casey works on investigating in town while Eric conducts the search out of town.

Their search has them running into the secretive mining operation going on nearby. The leader asks them to look for a missing miner while searching for the boy. They soon find the miner's body with more than 30 stab wounds on the back and indications that he has crossed tracks with Max. Questions arise about his motive for being near the boy but his death indicates that, if he was the kidnapper, he wasn't working alone.

All the while this is going on, Casey is dealing with a possible pregnancy. She was told, after physical trauma she suffered earlier in her life, that she couldn't have children or couldn't carry a child to term. However, avoidance kept her from finding out which was true. Until Eric, she had no intention of having a child with anyone. Now, she finds herself pregnant and doesn't know what to do. She and Eric are partners as well as a married couple which means whatever happens they are in it together. She doesn't know how she feels about this untimely and unexpected pregnancy and is worried about Eric's reactions.

This was an engaging story. I liked the parts told from Max's point of view. I like seeing how the community is building in the new Haven's Rock settlement. I thought the mystery was least successful part of the story. Casey and Eric find answers, but they don't feel satisfied with them. The whole issue of the secretive mining company is left for solving in a later story which gave this one a slightly unfinished quality.

I'm so glad Armstrong is continuing her Casey Duncan books in this Rockton spinoff series. There's something so appealing about this remote community in the Yukon, and I love Casey and Eric's strong relationship. As usual, there are a preposterous number of unknown people, both alive and dead, in this remote wilderness, and in this installment a young boy from Haven's Rock is kidnapped. The mystery in this one was better than the last few, I think, but mainly I keep reading for all the characters, including the character of the Yukon setting itself. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for a digital review copy.

I'm on the fence with The Boy Who Cried Bear their was aspects of the storyline that was entertaining and enjoyable the characters are well rounded and intresting but the ending was lacking and left you feeling a little disappointed.
I received a advance reader's copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review

I really liked this. When Rockton was shut down I was worried that it would be the end of this town of characters. This book brings them back in a newish setting. They are still out in the wilderness and Havens Rock also seems to have its mysteries. The town is a bit different from Rockton in that they are allowing couples and a family to move in. Emilie is the benefactor and seems to be vetting people and no longer allowing criminals to buy their way in.

One family that has moved in is a woman with two young boys. Eric has been teaching one of the boys, Max, about the wilderness including tracking and survival skills. On a town wilderness hike he notices what he thinks is a bear following the group. He mentions it to his brother who doesn’t believe him. Gunnar hears about it and they hang back. They both see the bear but it is behaving abnormally including walking upright. Max says the bear has human eyes. The next day a search for the bear begins but is unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Eric and Casey meet up with the leader of the new neighboring mining operation and “Mr. Roger’s reports a “wild man” on the loose. Eric and Casey agree to investigate. Suddenly Max is missing and they are worried the wild man has taken him. They begin a search. Searching the wilderness uncovers clues about other mysteries, strange behavior by Havens Rock residents, the menacing mining camp and other ritualistic scenes. Will they find Max in time to save him? Did they make a mistake in allowing children into the town? Is this the right time for them to think about having children?

All in all this is another great Kelley Armstrong book. I love this series and these characters and am looking forward to the next book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a very good read. I loved the twists and turns though the situation with Max was troubling. I need the next book to see what happens next.