Haven’s Rock, having reached a population of seventy, now faces a perplexing mystery. When one of its residents, Kendra, is drugged and dragged into the woods, Detective Casey Butler and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are thrust into a challenging investigation to uncover the culprit behind this heinous act. Fortunately, Kendra managed to get away safely. Haven’s Rock is a spinoff of the seven-book Rockton series, and is just as compelling.

Casey, heavily pregnant and struggling to relax, finds herself in a town plagued by a perpetrator. With only three police officers in Haven’s Rock, she faces challenges in focusing on her upcoming birth amidst the strict environment and limited amenities. Compounding her concerns are worries about her pregnancy and the impending snowstorm.

When another woman from town vanishes and is later discovered dead, Casey and the others must determine the cause of death. If it was indeed murder, then it becomes critical to exercise caution and be wary of the town’s residents.

As this is the third book in the series, readers would really benefit from reading the first two books, and even the Rockton series. Although, the backstory is touched on in this book, these previous novels are compelling reads.

Thérèse Plummer’s exceptional narration, a hallmark of her previous books in the series, set the perfect atmosphere for this remarkable novel. Sinking into its pages was an absolute delight.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Kelley Armstrong brings plenty of suspense and action, as well as a unique setting to her latest book, Cold As Hell!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

Cold As Hell is book 3 in the Haven's Rock series which is a spinoff to the Rockton series. I have truly enjoyed each and every book in both series and trying to solve the layered mysteries. Not to mention the setting and winter atmosphere add a bit more to the danger and suspense.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Bad ass FMC
Mystery
Sweetest scene stealing dog
Strong married couple
Mystery
Drama
Spin-off series
Isolated community that gives everyone a fresh start

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Fast! This series as a whole is quite riveting and you just can’t stop once you start.

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿?

Nope! Each book in this series and the previous one can easily be read a stand-alone.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

I love listening to Kelley Armstrong’s books on audio because they become a complete cinematic experience full of tension, suspense and characters that pull you into their world.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

If you are looking for a captivating series, then pick this one up!

P.S. You guys have to go read the about the author section on Amazon for Kelley Armstrong😂

Thank you Minotaur books and MacMillan Audio for the gifted copy.

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong
Haven’s Rock series #3. Spin off from the Rockton / Casey Duncan series. Thriller. Police procedural. Best read in series order but can be read as a stand-alone.
In the hidden small town in the Yukon, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband Sheriff Eric Dalton are the main police force. They’ve had some harrowing close calls and when one of the women in town is drugged and dragged into the forest, they immediately lock down and find out where all residents were at the time. Snow storms and limited resources don’t stop the investigation, nor does the pregnancy slow Casey down. Much. There are only seventy residents. They need to figure it out before someone else dies.


🎧 I alternate between an ecopy and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Therese Plummer who does a fantastic job with voices, emotions, and keeping the suspense intense when appropriate. This narrator does the full series and it’s like being with Casey each time and following her life and cases.
Too cold for me up on that isolated frozen tundra. And because of the frozen land, they plan out exactly how many toilets there are per person as well as having to ship in almost all supplies. And no internet! What would I do without new books every week?

Thrilling and intense.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio

✨ ARC Review ✨

Thanks to @netgalley and @kelleyarmstrongauthor for this advanced copy!

I had not read the first 2 books in the series but I’ll definitely be going back to check them out! Detective Casey m and her Husband/Partner, Eric, were fun characters to get to know.

In the middle of a deadly blizzard one of the townspeople went missing right after a different one was drugged and almost taken.
Detective Casey is very pregnant and on bedrest with a high risk pregnancy after unfortunately suffering pregnancy losses before. She can only be on her feet for so long but she’s determined to help figure out what’s going on. Went the missing woman turns up dead she knows she can’t sit this one out. Someone has clearly infiltrated their private little small town.
I found the concept very intriguing that the people of Havens Rock have all done something in their real life that made them change identities and escape/ hide here.
This one really kept me on the edge of my seat as each piece of information was revealed to us. It was impossible to figure out and I love a book that can keep me stumped on who the killer is!

I most definitely recommend this to my thriller loving friends on here!

It’s #coldashell here today and this wind is ridiculous!!! ❓How’s the weather where you are?

And yes, I just HAD to use #iceicebaby as the song choice since ice was a big part of this book and Casey was very pregnant 🤣 iykyk

Cold As Hell, is the third book in the Havens Rock mystery series by Kelley Armstrong, when the book starts, Kendra is going home from the rock, which is the bar in the small community and she’s only had two drinks, but feels immensely intoxicated when someone grabs her and tries to drag her into the woods. She is saved only because Sebastian, was out walking Raul. when Cassie and Eric find out despite her being almost full-term, she wants to investigate it and she does. The investigation is hampered by a blizzard and when the blizzard is over, another resident is missing, but everything only gets worse when Cassie has a pregnancy scare and must leave Haven’s rock to get medical attention. Will they be able to find out the predator before they leave or will they find out at all? Is there a serial killer among them? let me just say, I listen to the Kindle and the audio version of this book with the great narration of. Terez Plummer and this author‘s books are among some of my favorites, but as far as this book goes, although I love the series I did find everyone in the villages overwhelming concern for Cassie‘s pregnancy really got all my nerves. I mean, they really overdid it not to mention how they refer to everyone by both their first name and that other times by their last name which really confuses things for those who are new to the series or doesn’t have a great memory to begin with. I love the whole concept of this book, but in this one, I found everything to be so packed and perfect and something about it annoyed me because no one is perfect and the fact that they don’t judge anyone because they immediately know the psychology of why they feel that way just really graded on me. I don’t know why. I still enjoyed the mystery but not as much as I did the other books in the series. It made it be me IDK. I still recommend this book, but you must read it in order because I do think if you read it as a standalone, you will be lost as this is an ad junk series to a whole Nother series. You can still start with the first book in the Haven’s rock and know what is happening, but I wouldn’t start with this one. furthermore, I did find it odd that people can create their own village their own rules, their own police system, and if Eric is in charge, why does everyone do what Cassie says? These just things I ponder while reading the book. This is still worth reading don’t get me wrong. I’m just being a negative nanny because this is a book I recommend as it’s a book by an author love her books so much but this one wasn’t amongst the best of them. #NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #TheBlindReviewer, #KelleyArmstrong, #Haven’sRock, #ColdAsHell,j

I received an ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of this audiobook from NetGalley & Macmillan Audio.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Another great addition to the Haven’s Rock series. I very much enjoy the small-town survivalist feel of these books.

Casey and Eric are about to embark on a brand new adventure becoming parents, but first, they have to find out who is luring their residents into the woods. But it’s a race against time because their baby may or may not want to come a little earlier than planned. Also, the weather is giving them all fits it’s not easy to live remotely, but then you add in winter storms, and anything can and will go wrong.
The world-building and character development only get sharper and smarter with each book.
Even if I am not a huge fan of all the pregnancy talk throughout the book it still didn’t detour me for wanting to know who and what will happen next.

I would love to see more of April in the next book she is a favourite character of mine.
The narration as always is top-notch. It’s rare to find a narrator who can give you all the emotions, and give each character their distinct voice the way that Thérèse Plummer does with this series.

When I picked this book up, I didn't realize that it was book 3 in a spin-off series, but the author did a great job informing me about the town and people in the town without making it an info dump. I loved Casey and Dalton, as investigators and as a couple. The blizzard and cold setting increased the tension and suspense. It made the investigation harder, which kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how Casey was going to solve this problem. The solution to the mystery was nothing I would have expected! It was such a great twist.
If you are new to this series, you can pick up here and not be lost. Be aware though. It will make you want to pick up all the previous books in the series.
If you have read this series before, I think you will be pleased to see how the members of the town of Haven Rock are progressing, as well as how this mystery gets solved.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I love this Rockton series, now Haven's Rock series which is a spin-off as well as a direct continuation of the previous series. I personally would start with the previous series because of the background and character development but also because it is amazing! Haven's Rock is a new town with Casey and Eric along with a few others as the owners, making a fresh start and hopefully better situation than Rockton.

Casey is the whole point of view for this world. She is smart, skilled and compassionate. She does so well at keeping her capabilities strong or she'd have died in at least 7 of the 10 books already! I was pretty worried about her in Cold As Hell with her being pregnant and all. Casey handles everything with her usual strength and intelligence.

Women are being drugged and hauled off into the wilderness, it seems. It starts with someone who is obviously drugged and wondering but found and brought back to town. Then another woman goes missing as a big snow storm starts. They have to search in the snow. The evidence makes it clear it is not their unwanted gold mining neighbors. As more women are abducted, it's a race against time to save them before they die.

Casey and Eric look at the information about when the women were last seen and try to mesh up the accounts. No matter how they analyze, it's clear the threat is in their town, someone they probably trust. It's heartbreaking for them trying to set up a good place for people.

Casey and Eric are hard working, and better people than I could be at times. My respect and love for them continues to grow. Casey in addition to her marriage, pregnancy and detective work, manages to deal with all the personalities including her neurodivergent sister April. I'm not exactly a fan of Yolanda who got some FAFO here. Casey and Eric learned a lot this time about safeguards they need as they process applications for living in Haven's Rock.

I'm excited to see how a baby works into their lives and the community. I hope Casey doesn't always have to be the one facing danger for her child's sake. I really love this series and will read every one Kelley Armstrong writes.

Narration:
Therese Plummer is completely in my head for this series and I love her work. She has distinctive voices for the characters and I recognize them easily. Her performance IS Casey, Eric, Will, April and more. I was able to listen comfortably at my usual 1.5x speed.

I aways get excited when I see that Kelley Armstrong has a new book out. Especially when it's a Haven's Rock novel! The third entry, Cold as Hell, has just arrived. And I feel like I’m settling down with old friends. What’s happening?!

Haven’s Rock is a hidden village up in the Yukon, for those who don’t want to live in a regular town…or can’t.

Armstrong has given her lead characters rich personal lives that are always moving forward. I am just as curious about their personal lives as I am in the newest mystery. Detective Casey and her husband Sheriff Dalton are the law in Haven's Rock.

The book is told from Casey’s point of view. The reader is privy to her thoughts and investigative skills. There's been a horrific murder and it looks to be one of the residents that is the culprit. But who? Armstrong's mysteries are not easy to solve. And a blizzard is not going to make things any easier.

I find that some stories are even better in a audio format. That's the case for this title for me. The narrator was Thérèse Plummer and she did a great job. The voice matched the mental image I'd created for Casey. She has an interesting undertone to her voice that works. She's pleasant on the ears and enunciates well. Voices have been created for other characters including males that are believable and recognizable. Plummer captured and presented the story very well!

When I started this, I had no idea that it was book 3 of a spinoff series until I went to mark it on goodreads. I still went for it, and you can easily read this without reading the others. I'm sure there is plenty of backstory that explains the setting and history, but I was able to follow the story easily with no issue.

That said, it was pretty good. A classic whodunit situation in a very small, secluded town of people, each hiding from their past. I honestly couldn't figure it out, but I was mainly just enjoying the story. It was a bit slower as to be expected with police procedural type of stories, but the ending was crazy! This is the second book I've read by this author, and I would definitely read more.

Book 3 in the Haven’s Rock series
I read the book and listened to the audio about a month apart. I give it a 5-star rating for both versions.
We see Casey and Eric dealing with the latest problems in the newly established safe area. A woman disappears out the camp during a major snowstorm. This after one other woman had been drugged and abducted. Luckily, someone else appeared, leaving the abductor to flee into the woods.
Casey has a tough time at 8 months pregnant to accept the limitations of her body. A good thing Eric and her sister April are managing to enforce a couple of rules for her safety and that of the baby. This does not stop Casey from getting herself into a predicament. To be fair it really was not her fault.
I really loved the audio book. Now I admit that some of the reaction might be from hearing the story for a second time. The emotions came through more by how the narrator presented it. The scene while been in the plane. The husband wife relationship. The worry of the snowstorm.
Casey’s fear after been captured and her worry about her unborn child not surviving. Even with already knowing the outcome the Narrator had me captivated.

Imagine you find your safe haven, only to discover there is a perpetrator in your midst.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, have made their home and their respective law-enforcement careers in Haven’s Rock, a small, secret town with 70-odd residents in the middle of the Yukon offering sanctuary and refuge to those that need to disappear from their previous lives. With mere weeks weeks from the birth of their first child, Casey and Eric’s seemingly only worry is whether her high-risk pregnancy will require her to leave Haven‘s Rock to deliver the baby. But when one woman narrowly escapes an abduction into the forrest at the edge of Haven’s Rock, and the naked body of another town resident is found mere days later, Casey and Eric realize that their safe haven has an intruder in its midst.

The idea of Haven‘s Rock as a community of people fleeing their former lives for various reasons is certainly interesting and had me hooked, though its execution reminded me of a socialist commune at times. I also enjoyed Casey and Eric‘s relationship, their wonderful dog, Storm, and some of the quirkier residents of Haven Rock. And the weather was very much a character in its own right in this novel.

However, the further into the story the book got, the more security issues there were with the town - that seemingly no one seemed to have previously thought of (and mind you, this is the third book in the series, so the residents have been there a while)!

I also wasn‘t crazy about the use of Casey‘s pregnancy - with it being high-risk, it basically unnecessarily complicated everything during the investigation, but then when it came right down to it, Casey still ended up making the most irresponsible choice most of the time.

Because of this, there were certainly some frustrating, eye-rolling moments.

Overall, this was a solid and creepy mystery, but I‘m not sure I‘ll be returning to Haven‘s Rock.

I listened to the audiobook, which was impeccable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„Cold as Hell“ is slated to be released on February 18, 2025.

Book #3 in the Haven’s Rock Series.
To be released tomorrow, February 18, 2025!

So, Detective Casey and Sheriff Eric are back and trying to keep the small, off the grid town, safe…as always.

When one of their good friends ends up drugged and led into the woods and almost gets killed, they are in an uproar…trying to track down WHO the culprit is, and why…

As they are investigating, another woman goes missing. One who’s been having some problems with her husband… So now they are investigating the attempted murder, AND, the new missing woman.
Unfortunately, things do not turn out as planned, and they realize that there is a murderer living among them…

Now remember, from book #2… this town is off the grid. (Think Witness Protection type of off the grid…) Strict process for getting admitted into the town. No cell phones/service. So, really, you’re out there on your own…except for the townspeople…one of which MIGHT be a murderer! 😮

Oh, and the way the women were found…. the first one, who actually escaped, but still almost died….and the second… just horrible.

Oh…and Casey and Eric are VERY pregnant…but as usual, nothing is going to stop her….not…even…labor…

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

#ColdAsHell by #KelleyArmstrong and narrated beautifully (by another of my favorites), #TheresePlummer.

Terrific psychological thriller read!!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which releases 2/18/25! So, look 👀 for it then!

Thanks so much for checking out my review!!
You can find them all on: Goodreads
Insta: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

If you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if YOU read it!! 📚⭐️

Kelley Armstrong delivers another gripping mystery in the Haven’s Rock series, and what a ride it is! This book is packed with suspense, tension, and enough twists to give you whiplash. The snowy, isolated Yukon setting adds to the eerie atmosphere, making every discovery more chilling—especially when a body is found frozen in the woods. Detective Casey Duncan is as fearless as ever, despite being near the end of her pregnancy. Her dynamic with Sheriff Eric Dalton continues to be one of the highlights of the series. The final face-off scene is absolutely off the charts crazy—I can't stop thinking about it! The narration by Thérèse Plummer was outstanding, adding an extra layer of intensity to an already chilling story. Her delivery gave me actual chills! I love how this series remains binge-worthy with its strong character relationships and unpredictable mysteries. Hoping for many more books to come!

Kelley Armstrong returns with her popular Haven's Rock Series COLD AS HELL #3, The Boy Who Cried Bear#2, and Murder at Haven's Rock#1.

This time around, things get scary as their haven may no longer be secure. Casey hunts down a dangerous killer among them during a deadly blizzard while ready to deliver her baby in this spine-chilling latest installment, Whodunit Suspense thriller.

About...

As you may know, if you have read this series, Haven's Rock is a sanctuary town hidden in the Yukon for those who need to escape from the world.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family, but of course, they must make plans since they are in the middle of nowhere.

As Casey gets close to her due date, there is a crime, and Casey will not rest until the murderer is found. Who among them is a killer?

What starts as one of the women in town is drugged and then carried into the woods, luckily saved, but now everyone is worried.

Then Casey and Eric are investigating an assault, a brutal crime that shakes the entire community. This leads them into a snowstorm blizzard, where they discover a frozen body naked in the snow, adding another layer of mystery and danger to their investigation.

TRUST NO ONE!

My thoughts...

COLD AS HELL is another gripping suspense thriller to the Haven's Rock collection. This time around, the stakes are high as their small community needs to feel safe, so who among them could be a murderer, and what is the motive?

From Murder, Mystery, and Intrigue in this twisty and complex WHODUNIT.

With Casey being pregnant and her hubby worried for her and the baby, they get stuck in the storm with a killer, making this another riveting suspense thriller.

Atmospheric, the author keeps you in suspense with each gripping page turn, introducing red herrings and suspects in their (off the grid) now not-so-safe haven. The action is packed with a diverse and engaging cast of characters, each with their secrets and motives.

Audiobook...

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulously talented Thérèse Plummer, which elevated the story and made the characters come alive in this atmospheric setting with intensity and suspense.

I recommend reading the first two books in the series to get to know the characters! I have enjoyed all three.

Recs...

COLD AS HELL is for fans of the author, the series, and those who enjoy cop/detective procedurals by Robin Mahle, Tami Hoag, and Willow Rose.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for an advanced review and listening copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars (book); 5 Stars (audio)
Pub Date: Feb 18, 2025
Feb 2025 Must-Read Books
Feb Newsletter

Gosh this is a dependably good series! As thrillers go, they're pretty dark and lurid, but it's impossible to put them down. Ms. Armstrong is a pro at plotting and pacing, but I think the special sauce here is the terrific cast of characters she's assembled. Knowing the history of this series and the one that preceeded is nice, but additional kudos on how well each installment stands on its own. They may be slightly guilty pleasures, but the pleasure is real!

Thank you to MacMillan audio for the ALC and Minotaur for the ARC!

I really love the Haven’s Rock series. In the third installment, we pick right up where the second leaves off. It’s winter now, our FMC Casey is heavily pregnant, and due to her past injuries, is high risk. But she and her husband/partner Eric still have a job to do when a resident of their community is found disoriented and another goes missing.

Casey is the ultimate badass. She doesn’t let anything (small spoiler - even giving birth) - stop her from protecting the people she and her husband are responsible for. The concept of Haven’s Rock has always appealed to me - a safe, separate community that is a fresh start for people. All the books in this series are very atmospheric, with the Yukon wilderness playing a big role in the story. But the winter weather in this story gives the wilderness an added layer, reminding readers of how dangerous it could get.

“Cold As Hell” is out February 18, 2025! This review will be shared to my Instagram blog @books_by_the_bottle shortly :)

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

This is the third installment of the Haven Rock series and it continues to be worth the read. The style of writing Armstrong provides is fast paced, easy to read, and keeps you wanting more. I hope this story line continues, but this book gave good closure if it does not.

I really enjoyed this thriller mystery audiobook. Had me hooked from the first chapter. Narrator was really good too, she didn’t seem robotic like some I’ve heard. This is the first book I have listened to by this author and I now understand it’s part of a series but that didn’t seem to affect anything. I could easily follow along and understand everything that was happening.

I loved the first two ch l books but I just couldn't get into this one the same way. What a bummer because I was looking forward to it