Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Therese Plummer
Series: Haven's Rock #1
Published by MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books on February 21, 2023
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 352
Length: 13 hours, 10 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
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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 the still missing man. The woman stumbled upon something she wasn’t supposed to see, and the longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.
The Rockton series is much loved by me, and one of my most anticipated releases each year. I would say I have grown to be a huge fan of this author in a variety of genres and her recent series. I would not try to read this as a standalone because of character development and knowledge of the Yukon. Murder at Haven’s Rock is a fresh start with their own town and rules rather than the corporation which ran Rockton. So Haven’s Rock series is a spin-off as well as a direct continuation of the previous series. Our point of view has been and is Casey.
I am so excited to see this new home for Casey and Eric, April, Will Kenny, Isabel and more characters. Their new town is a more pure form of setting an environment for people who need shelter. One example of this is people in domestic abuse situations, or the type of folks who need witness protection. Many of the Rockton inhabitants, like Casey, made a horrible mistake, but overall are great trustworthy people. Casey and Eric make choices with such kindness and integrity.
Now they are a month or so away from moving into their new town and Casey and Eric get called in to find two of the construction crew who have gone missing. There is the wilderness tracking, murders, unknown people out around the town, old time forensic technology I have loved in the rest of the books. Then some of the new residents are in dire need and are coming much earlier than expected.
I figured out some of the things but far from enough. It was well paced with plenty happening and new evidence every day. Casey and Eric are off to a tenuous start in this new area and town they have created. I absolutely, as usual can’t wait for more. The whole series is amazing and I highly recommend them.
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.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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:
- 23-COYER
I’ve wanted to start this series for a while, and your review reminded me of that! I’ll definitely start from the beginning. Awesome review, Anne😁
Thank you! I really love this series and think you would enjoy it.
I’m so jealous that you’ve already gotten to read this one! I’m am waiting very impatiently for my library hold to come in of this one. Casey and Eric are such great characters. I love them. And I’m so glad Armstrong decided to keep writing about them. 😀
yes I am thrilled that KA is continuing their story. It’s just been awesome from the beginning. I do feel very fortunate to have good connections with the publishers to review this one.
Yes, it was like a wonderful reunion for me to get back into the world of Rockton with this new series.
I love it so much.
hmmm, this is on my play list Anne bc Sophia Rose and so many of my other friends loved it. So I hope I’ll like it being this is my first by this author
I’m loving 3 different series by this author currently plus she has written a few standalones recently. She is just amazing.
I really enjoyed this one too! I would imagine that the series is fantastic in audio.
yes I love Therese Plummer. I have them all on audio.
I absolutely love this series. I’m so happy to have another Rockton (Haven Rock) story to read. I’m a quarter of the way through and am already dreading the book ending. I feel like this series could never get old. Everyone should give this series a chance. It has something for almost everyone. I’ve been in search of something somewhat similar with no luck thus far.
yes I think it’s an amazing series. There isn’t much like it unless it’s dystopian.
Another reminder that I must read a Kelly Armstrong book soon! Therese Plummer is one of my favorite narrators. Wonderful review, Anne
Therese Plummer is awesome. I really enjoy this series and the previous one. I would start at the beginning. I think it would be hard to pick a Kelley Armstrong book which wouldn’t be great. She has options in several genre too.
This was one of my most anticipated reads too! I love this series so much and this was such a great installment! I’m excited for the next book after the way things ended here! Never a dull moment!
So true Rachel. It will be a favorite for this year and the next one will be highly anticipated. I love these characters.
I got stalled on Rockton but this review is making me rethink that one. Excellent review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta. I’m sorry you got stalled. It’s one of my favorite series. I just love the characters and the almost dystopian survival feel.
I have the first book that Casey Duncan appears in on my shelf for ages but have yet to read it. I’m really hoping to read Kelley Armstrong soon and this looks like such a great read.
I love these books so much. I hope you enjoy it. The wilderness can be harsh and the people are weird so they aren’t cozy mysteries.
Looking forward to getting this!
It’s awesome. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Gotta love when a narrator owns the series in your head. Some voices are just too perfect
yes! She does own my head space for this series.
I’ve read some great reviews for this book, including yours, and it’s on my list to read for sure.
I am a huge fan of this author. I hope you enjoy it!