Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Therese Plummer
Series: Rockton #5
Published by MacMillan on February 4, 2020
Genres: Mystery
Length: 10 hours, 32 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Every season in Rockton seems to bring a new challenge. At least that's what Detective Casey Duncan has felt since she decided to call this place home. Between all the secretive residents, the sometimes-hostile settlers outside, and the surrounding wilderness, there's always something to worry about.
While on a much needed camping vacation with her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, Casey hears a baby crying in the woods. The sound leads them to a tragic scene: a woman buried under the snow, murdered, a baby still alive in her arms.
A town that doesn’t let anyone in under the age of 18, Rockton must take care of its youngest resident yet while solving another murder and finding out where the baby came from - and whether she's better off where she is.
I continue to love the Rockton series. I would not try to read this as a standalone. The characters grow and change throughout the series. But mostly, each book is so good I would hate to miss any! I highly recommend them.
This remote wilderness town is in a beautiful, primitive place. Rockton is more set up and has more things than the others in the area. There are lone hunters, two groups who used to live in Rockton, hostiles, and a violent trading group. Each murder brings Eric and Casey into contact with the others as they search out the killer. I worry about those contacts.
I enjoy this world full of unique, well-developed characters. Each time we learn more about them and how things are handled in the settlement. Alone in the Wild is primarily time with Eric and Casey. Their relationship as a couple has strengthened, and they are facing some new issues as a couple. Issues which are brought forward by the current case.
We do get a bit more insight into April. The others like Will, Jen, Diana, Isabelle, Mathis and Phil are barely involved with the case taking Eric and Casey out to the other people in the area. Jacob is out of the area on a trip.
There are heart-wrenching emotions with loss, forgiveness, and bitter jealousies. The groups have quite the attitude differences between the young and the old, with changes inching forward, violence barely under the surface. While they solve a case, I felt the story was Eric and Casey and the decisions they are considering for their futures.
Narration:
I am a huge fan of Therese Plummer who is the narrator of this series. I am so thrilled to listen to her performance. The voices, both male and female, seem distinct to me. I recognize many character voices now. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
About Therese Plummer
Therese Plummer is an actor and voice over artist living and working in New York City. Favorite roles to date include TV: Rose Nerrick, The Good Wife, Andy in Law and Order SVU. Stage: Celebrity Row; New York Theatre Workshop, Under Tillage, The Irish Repertory Theatre. Off-off Broadway credits include The Vagina Monologues, Suzanne in Twilight of the Gold’s and Madeline in the Award Winning Samuel French Short play The Sweet Room. Comedy Credits include Improv at Upright Citizens Brigade and Stand-up at Caroline’s Comedy Club. Therese also performed her one woman show, Ribbons Undone, at the Here Arts Center.
Therese records audio books for Audible.com, Recorded Books and Talking Books, Inc. As an adolescent counselor, Therese spent five years utilizing Drama therapy techniques in individual and group settings before moving to New York. She shares a passion of creating, helping and entertaining and feels incredibly lucky to do all three.
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could
write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a
story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls
and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. Today, she continues to
spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked
away in her basement writing dungeon. She lives in southwestern
Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
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i love armstrong and every time i see this cover i wonder why i haven’t read this one. she’s on my library reading list
I love this series so much. I have really enjoyed everything of hers I have read and need to read more of her backlist I haven’t gotten to read yet.
I’m late with this series I need to read book 2!
I don’t know how you can wait! I devoured them as fast as I could get them.
I’ve got book four to read and then, woohoo, I can move on to this one. Love seeing your five star. I’ll have to try these on audio at some point.
The audio is amazing. I really enjoy Therese Plummer, especially in this genre.
I just love an author that creates such unique characters in a story, really grabs my attention and makes the story stand out more. So happy to see such a high rating for this one.
Great review.
It’s really good. I like how the case, the mystery and all that is also a lens for looking at this couple and their relationship, which is a bit different in this one as compared to the others in the series. But they are all wonderful.
I really enjoy this series. Glad to see the audiobook delivers.
I love it too. The audio is amazing for me.
I have this on my list and I’m so thrilled that you loved it!
Thank you. I really do love this series.
Oh, wow, that is a great narrator, Anne. I have read the first one or two Rockton novels and I enjoyed them. It sounds like I need to read more of them for sure. Lovely review.
Thank you! I really do recommend this series highly, also on audio.
I have not read this author although I did watch all of Bitten when it was on tv and liked that. I also just bought the first two books in her Cainsville series and I’m looking forward to those. This does sound intriguing too. Glad you enjoyed it!
I have enjoyed everything I have read by this author. I have read some other series but not Cainsville. I am very interested in Cainsville and have thought about starting it more than once. I’ll be interested to see how you like it and have to think about getting it back into my plan for reading.
I am currently reading book 2 and so far I really enjoy it :). It’s a great series. And that’s great to hear the characters will continue to grow throughout the series. I am reading these in ebook format, but that’s good to know the narration is well done too.
It’s one of my favorite series and an author I like very much. I hope you will love it too! This last one was so well-written with a personal story fitted perfectly into the case.