Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Kelley Armstrong’s latest installment in the Haven’s Rock series, Cold as Hell, is a masterclass in suspense and atmospheric storytelling. Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the Yukon, this novel plunges readers into a chilling mystery that is as relentless as the blizzard that engulfs the town.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are no strangers to the dangers lurking in Haven’s Rock, a sanctuary town for those seeking to escape their pasts. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, a new threat emerges when a resident is found drugged and nearly abducted. The stakes are raised when a frozen body is discovered in the snow, leading Casey and Eric into a labyrinth of secrets and lies.

Armstrong excels in crafting complex, relatable characters. Casey’s determination and resilience shine through, even as she navigates the physical and emotional challenges of her pregnancy. Eric’s protective nature and unwavering support add depth to their relationship, making their partnership both professional and personal a cornerstone of the narrative.

Armstrong’s prose is evocative and precise, painting a vivid picture of the harsh, yet beautiful, Yukon landscape. Her ability to build tension is unparalleled, with each chapter leaving readers on the edge of their seats. The dialogue is sharp and authentic, further immersing readers in the world of Haven’s Rock.

Cold as Hell explores themes of trust, survival, and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones. The isolation of the setting mirrors the characters’ internal struggles, creating a poignant and gripping read. Armstrong deftly balances the mystery with moments of introspection, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters’ journeys.

Cold as Hell is a compelling addition to the Haven’s Rock series, showcasing Kelley Armstrong’s talent for blending suspense, character development, and atmospheric storytelling.

Fans of the series will not be disappointed, and new readers will find themselves quickly drawn into the icy grip of this thrilling mystery. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a well-crafted plot, engaging characters, and a story that keeps you guessing...

4.5 rounded up

This was so good! I always love returning to these characters and seeing what’s new in their town. Some big developments are happening for our sheriff and detective, during this time someone is drugged and attacked. Thankfully they are saved in the nick of time, but a snowstorm hits and someone else isn’t so lucky. Eric and Casey race to find answers, while maintaining the health of Casey and their unborn child during these rapidly declining weather conditions. They worry for the safety of the female residents, people who came to Haven’s Rock for sanctuary! They also worry that someone among them is behind these horrific attacks, but who? Who can they trust? With the weather continuously raging outside, they are in a race against the storm (erasing evidence and making travel hard) and the baby’s clock, and the killer. It was really enjoyable to see some new character development for some that we have come to know in town. Highly recommend, but I would check for possible triggers before starting.

Set in Canada's Yukon Territory, the private city of Haven's Rock is a place to go and hide from your past.

Police Chief Det. Carey Butler and her husband, bush pilot Eric Dalton are expecting their first child when a gruesome murder takes place in the forest at the edge of town. Is there a serial killer in the population? How could that even be possible with all of the prescreening protocols in place?

The characters in this series are memorable, their investigations thorough, the dedication to the town & the concepts that founded it are noble.

I have read all of the previous episodes and strongly suggest reading those to fully understand the who, what, and why of Haven's Rock, though reading this as a stand-alone could be possible.

A Canadian author from rural Ontario setting this series in the Canadian Yukon is a boost to Canada's people and geography.

Thank you to Net galley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this arc. This is an honest review.
This review is complicated by the fact that I have not read the first 2 in the series and so there were many times where I had to guess at why certain things happened or were said nd if it mattered. I have read other books by this author most of which I liked better. The characters are well drawn, the setting is great and the storyline is intriguing. The supporting characters are well defined and things should come together well but for some reason they don't. Maybe there was way to much self recrimination on the part of the lead character, over and over again any failure was her fault. And I mean repeatedly. Some was just foolish actions on the part of a supposedly very bright police team. Just didn't quite work for me.
This story involves the mystery of abducted and murder women from a secluded Yukon settlement. Members of this community all have pasts which require them to change their identity and remove themselves from the general population. To complicate matters Casey, the lead detective , is 8 months pregnant. I would actually rate this book a 3 1/2 stars.

This is the third book in the Haven's Rock series, I have read the previous two and all the ones from the series that preceded this one, Rockton, both books take place in remote northern towns that had been created as a place for people who need to disappear (usually because they have either done something wrong or because someone is after them), you have to have deep pockets to get into Haven's Rock. Although you could read this as a standalone it would probably help if you read at least one of the two before this one, there is a lot of back story that would provide a lot of information of the inhabitants of the town. In this story a woman has left the local, and only, watering hole after having a couple of beers, she finds herself out of sorts and staggering, although she's not a heavy drinker (no one can be alcohol is limited) two beers should not have her feeling like she does, someone takes her arm and starts to help her though she soon realizes they are leaving the town and going into the woods, she screams which attracts the attention of a person on patrol and she is taken into the clinic where a tox scan reveals she had been drugged. Casey and Eric, the detective and Sheriff of the town, start to investigate, Casey is 7 months pregnant and though her pregnancy is going good so far, she and Eric are going to head to Whitehorse for her to have the baby. But that doesn't stop her from investigating and when a woman is found naked and frozen on the nearby lake, the investigation heats up, someone in their town has killed. I found this to be a really fast paced story and the pregnancy just added a whole other level of stress, especially when Casey has false labor and finds the baby is breech. The ending was really nail biting, I zoomed through that part. I would highly recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaur Books for the ARC.

4.25 Stars ⭐️

This is the third book in the new spin off series Haven's Rock. By this time, long term readers- who started in Rockton and followed Casey and Dalton to their new camp- are pretty much loyal fans.

This storyline starts with the drugging and attempted abduction of one of the female staff members of Haven's Rock. Unfortunately, the settlement is a closed settlement in the middle of the Yukon, so the suspect field is definitely limited. Add to that that Casey happens to be very, very pregnant. 8 1/2 months pregnant. Eric is trying his hardest to curb his protective tendencies, but when you are in the middle of the wilderness, and very far away from a medical facility (well, not counting her sister April) let's just say that he is having hard time.

So this case comes at the very worst time. As usual, things move fairly quickly and the tension continues to build until we get to the crazy climax. Was this circumstance a bit out there? Yep, but then to be fair, most of them are.

So, those of us that have been here since the beginning just do what we do best. Suspend belief just a little bit and go with the flow. Trust me....it works.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be available for publication on February 18, 2025.

My Thoughts

If you were to ask me what place on earth I would be the least likely to choose as a place to live that would have to include anywhere these fictional characters resided.

Casey Duncan, now known as Casey Butler, and Eric Dalton are great characters that have once again found themselves with a dead body.

Add in the added impediment of Casey being hugely pregnant along with the bitter and dangerous weather that Haven’s Rock residents are dealing with you get some serious obstacles our couple has to overcome during their investigation.

I can truly say that winter in the Yukon may be a beautiful sight to behold in photographs but in person for Casey and Eric this particular winter has turned into a foe even more deadly than the human one they are trying to find.

The intensity of this story never stops and it is my favorite read in the series so far.

[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Kelley Armstrong has done it again! I go back and forth with wanting to escape to Haven's Rock, and then being worried that a lot of people seem to die there! But I think I would give it a go. Lots of action and suspense.

As with previous books in this series, I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley.

When I finished it, I checked with other book reviewers to see whether it was just me.

First point: do not start reading the Rockton or Haven's Rock series with this book. You will not understand anything. I have been reading this (combined) series since 2016, when the first Rockton book was published, they have been all four or five star reads.

The stories are told from deep third person, Casey's point of view. Casey used to be a police detective, and with her husband, is in charge of looking after Haven's Rock, a town in the Yukon. In these books we are immersed deep in her reality of day to day running of the town, her relationships and problem solving.

Something went a bit wrong with this book. As per the blurb first someone is roofied but rescued. Then a frozen body is discovered. They then have to work out what is happening and why, as with any mystery novel. The problem for me to start with was that the problem person was pretty obvious really early in the story without Casey or Eric (experienced investigators) noticing? Or anyone else?

What really jolted me out of the story though is suddenly Eric and Casey become to stupid to live. They are really really stupid and do needless really really stupid things and are just ... stupid. So a situation arises that was completely avoidable because they are so stupid.

Armstrong is one hell of an experienced writer, and a skilled mystery writer, and this was traditionally published. They all need to fix what went wrong in the process of writing and editing this book. They usually do much better.

I did not realize this was the third book in the Haven’s Rock series. My bad, but I must say while I am sure there was background information I missed, I never felt lost reading this book.
Haven’s Rock is a very unusual town. Set in the Yukon, the people who settle here all have one thing in common. They are fleeing something and have left everyone and everything behind. They are here to start over and what they crave, is safety.
Detective Casey Duncan and her husband sheriff Eric Dalton want that too. Preparing for the birth of their first child, life is good. That is until a woman is almost abducted, and Casey must figure out who is responsible. When another woman is killed in a brutal manner, Casey trys desperately to decide who in Haven’s Rock has quite a different agenda.
Casey and Eric were a great couple. Both smart and caring. Casey is barely slowed down by her pregnancy. Well, except for needing help taking her shoes off. When she finally figures out the killers identity, it is a race against the clock to capture him or her before she is otherwise occupied having a baby.
I was busy trying to guess whodunnit and why, and barely picked the right person before the author reveal. No spoilers, but these two were not only extremely lucky, they also are determined to make Haven’s Rock safe again. I would definitely read the next book and I plan to go back and read the first two.

As a longtime Kelley Armstrong novels, I was thrilled to get to read the third installment in the Haven's Rock series, and it does not disappoint.

New characters, a compelling storyline, and a new mystery kept me reading. Highly enjoyable, I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had the pleasure of reading an Advanced Reader Copy of Cold As Hell, and it was absolutely worth all the catch-up I had to do on the series! This installment might just be the best of them all. Without spoiling too much, I have to say I loved the ending—it was perfect! Though, I do wonder about the choice of the baby's name... Is Kelley Armstrong a Gilmore Girls fan?

I really hope there are more books to come. I'm still holding out for Anders to get his happy ending, but I'm not sure any of the current women in Haven's Rock are the right match for him.

As for the story itself, I had my suspicions about the red herrings, and they turned out to be just that. However, the killer did catch me by surprise, likely because they weren't a huge focus in the book, which was fine by me. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can't wait for the next one! Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#ARC #KelleyArmstrong #stmartinspressbooks #bookstagram #AuthorsWhoRead

Kelley Armstrong does it again. Another not so straight forward mystery for Casey, Eric and company. What a crazy twist. I don't want to spoil anything so I will just say, loved it. Please read this book. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I apologize! I did not realize this was part of a series. I don't feel comfortable reading and reviewing this as I've not read any of the series.

As a long-time fan of Kelley Armstrong’s Casey Duncan character, “Cold as Hell” did not disappoint. This is the tenth Casey Duncan mystery, and third in the "Haven's Rock" arc, and Armstrong continues to deliver dark-edged storytelling that fans of the Rockton books have come to love. Despite the series utilizing an "impossible crime" theme, due to the limited number of characters/suspects that live in a hidden and isolated Yukon community, Armstrong continues to creatively craft gripping storylines.

The mystery in “Cold as Hell” is fairly fast-paced, keeping me engaged from start to finish. However, it does get overly expository at times, as Armstrong provides backstory and context for new readers. Despite this, the plot's momentum and tense atmosphere -- especially in the final few chapters -- make it a compelling read.

Overall, “Cold as Hell” is a solid addition to the Rockton/Haven's Rock series, blending suspense and the unique Yukon setting. I look forward to seeing where Armstrong takes Casey Duncan, and her growing family, next.

This was an ARC review for NetGalley.

Book 3 of the series that picks up 8 months after the last. Life has settled, there are more residents to the hidden community now and Casey is very pregnant. As it seems ideal right now the peace is shattered as a staff member is drugged and dragged into the forest, with a last minute save by another resident. The investigation gets started as a blizzard comes in and the town locks down from the whiteout conditions. Morning comes with a missing wife that not too many are worried about. That investigation is looking for her until they find her, then real mystery and plenty of suspense begins. Multip.e stories are moving at the same time and detective Casey along with Dalton and Anders have to figure what happened and who did it. Running concurrently with the attacks, Casey is another story with her pregnancy, not a typical one at that. Her mystery is only knowing her past and her injuries can lead to high risk carry and delivery. Just as all mysteries are coming together, everything explodes and their idealic little hidden town has some major loopholes and questions of just who vetted these people. Very suspenseful and well written. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this exciting read.

Another Winner in the Wild!
Armstrong returns to with the 2nd book in her Haven series, which carries on with many of the characters from her original Rockton series. The book is well written, with a new mystery for the intriguing location and set up. Haven is a hidden town in the Yukon, where people flee to escape from danger in their lives for a few years. Unlike Rockton, which often gave a very expensive refuge to criminals- Haven is a sanctuary for innocents. But if everyone in the new town is an innocent escaping from danger, who is attacking the women of Haven? Casey, an always unique character, is even more fun in this book because she is heavily pregnant and physically miserable. Her hormones often temper her common sense. I strongly recommend this book. I was given an advanced copy to read for free by Netgalley. This fact did not influence my review.

Hell's Bells are ringin' throughout this one.

It seems that I slid onto third base in Cold as Hell without even touching first and second base. Cold as Hell is the third book in the Haven's Rock Series. I've never read the two previous books. Now what drew me into this one was the fact that I've been previously gripped by Kelley Armstrong's time travel novels. Great author and great novels. Got my foot in the door........and walked totally in.

Without even previous experience, I landed in the sanctuary community of Haven's Rock set in the frozen terrain of the Yukon. Just know that this is a hidden town filled with people of questionable characters and natures who chose to live without the heavy impact of a larger society. It's filled with just 70 people who have set up daily living with designated jobs and initiatives willingly executed by these residents.

Now to keep law and order you need law and order. We'll meet Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton. You'll immediately take a liking to Casey. She's eight months pregnant and doesn't let her protruding stomach keep her from doing her job. I can just feel the analytical vibes coming off her.

Peace and tranquility is disrupted when one of the town's women is dragged into the forest, but she escapes her attacker. The next woman isn't so lucky. Her body is found in that same forest not too far from the town. It appears to be death by hypothermia. Casey and Eric believe it's murder. But how can that be when all town members have been vetted? A frozen chill up the spine shakes the realization that there's a killer among them.

It's probably advantageous to have read the first two books in this series. But like me, you can slide in now that you have a bit of background. Just the name Kelley Armstrong on the cover guarantees a mighty read. Plenty of action in this one and plenty of resounding applause. I'm locked in and can't wait for the next one in this series. Be sure to check it out.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to the talented Kelley Armstrong for the opportunity.

OMG! THIS IS MY NEW FAVOURITE SERIES😭 this new book in the havens rock series had me in suspense the whole book! Even when there was only a few pages left 😅 I honestly hope there is going to be more books for this series! I never want it to end 😭