Murder at Haven's Rock (Haven's Rock, #1) by Kelley Armstrong🎧Narrated by Therese Plummer

Synopsis (via Goodreads): New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven's Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start... with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.

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.

I was told by several people to read the Rockton series before staring Murder at Haven's Rock, but I didn't listen. 🫣 Would it have helped me know and understand the characters better? Probably. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and never felt lost when references were made to someone's past. Armstrong does a good job of describing who they are to new readers without overexplaining - and potentially annoying - people who have read the other books and have a solid foundation for the characters and how they all know each other. I think you can start with this book and be just fine, but if you want to know how they got where they are, then definitely start with the Rockton books.

Armstrong is easily one of my favorite authors, and I absolutely love how she tells a story. I was kept on my toes the entire time, and I wasn't sure whodunnit until the very end when Casey herself figured it out. I like when I'm kept in the dark with the characters and learn/experience things as they do. It makes it feel more real, and I end up being more invested in the story. Casey's good at solving problems and piecing together information, but she can't predict every scenario or situation. 

I loved Casey's relationship with Dalton. It feels like it's hard-won between them both, and I enjoyed their interactions throughout the book. They have each other's backs, but also know when to give the other space to sort out their thoughts or work through a problem. They don't always agree with one another, but they respect each other enough to communicate what they're feeling, be understanding, and not pick unnecessary fights. It's a healthy and wonderful relationship that I felt was portrayed really well. 

Murder at Haven's Rock starts off with a bang and never slows down. It's one thing after another while Casey and crew try to solve a kidnapping/disappearance and get their town ready for it's first inhabitants. There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of potential suspects, and a vast wilderness where anything can happen. (★★★★★)