Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Therese Plummer
Series: Haven's Rock #4
Published by MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books on February 18, 2025
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 352
Length: 11 hours, 18 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are entering a new chapter of life as parents to their six-month-old baby. Their family is hidden away in the sanctuary town of Haven's Rock where they can live safe and private lives. But when they encounter hikers too close to the borders of Haven's Rock, they realize they're in danger of being exposed.
When they find one of the hikers dead the next day, they realize that their paranoia was justified, but they're no closer to finding out who these people were and what they were doing in the vicinity of Haven's Rock. Only by tracing the hikers' movements, as well as examining the recent behavior of their closest neighbors, the workers of a secretive mining camp, will they be able to figure out where the threat is coming from and shut it down. Otherwise, the lives of everyone in Haven's Rock--and their safe, secure new existence--are at risk.
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 provides our point of view for everything. Her compassion and intelligence, plus her skills from her police work give her a solid perspective of things. She and Eric are out enjoying a hike on their day off with Rory, when they meet a couple who say they are out hiking. The husband has hurt his ankle. Being in a remote area, Casey finds it hard to believe any hikers are out this far without a nefarious reason. Eric and Rory go back and Casey helps wrap his ankle.
Once she gets back to Haven’s Rock, they put the town on lockdown. There are a few possibilities, some related to the miners’ camp and some related to the corporate types trying to run Rockton without Casey and Eric (which is going poorly). Lockdown isn’t easy for some to follow the rules. One woman seems to be going out early every morning to have her own space. But when bodies turn up, some shot and some eaten by a bear, it is more urgent to keep people out of the forest on their own.
The husband has been found dead and they search for the wife to keep her safe. Are the miners after women to abduct for sex? Is it people from Rockton trying to take Eric or Casey? Haven’s Rock feels unsafe until they can ferret out the answers to the situations and murders. Thankfully, Eric and Casey have the resources and ability to find solutions and protect their home.
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:
- 26-Audio
- 26-COYER
I hope I can start the Rockton series this year!
I hope so! I love them so much.
I’m listening to this one now and enjoying it!
They are so fantastic! I love Therese Plummer too.
Plummer is such a pro. Great review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta. I really enjoy her.
Oh yes, this latest was fabulous! I love Therese Plummer’s voicework so I’ll have to go with audio when I come back to this series for a re-read.
She really is great. I love these stories.
I love this series and I’m reading this book right now. Just started, but I’m already invested, as expected.
yes I loved it. I’m always looking forward to this series.
Glad you’re enjoying this series. Therese Plummer is an awesome narrator, she does alot of the Robyn Carr books.
Therese Plummer is excellent, a favorite of mine.
Mmmmm I am intrigued. I’ve been in a mystery vibe lately.