Watcher in the Woods: A Rockton Novel

Kelley Armstrong

Feb 2019 · Casey Duncan Novels Book 4 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

Watcher in the Woods is the next gripping installment of #1 bestselling Kelley Armstrong's riveting Casey Duncan series.

The secret town of Rockton has seen some rocky times lately; understandable considering its mix of criminals and victims fleeing society for refuge within its Yukon borders. Casey Duncan, the town's only detective on a police force of three, has already faced murder, arson, and falling in love in the several months that she's lived there. Yet even she didn't think it would be possible for an outsider to locate the town and cause trouble in the place she's come to call home.


When a US Marshal shows up demanding the release of one of the residents, but won't say who, Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are skeptical. And yet only hours later, the marshal is shot dead and the only possible suspects are the townspeople and Casey's estranged sister, smuggled into town to help with a medical emergency. It's up to Casey to figure out who murdered the marshal, and why someone would kill to keep him quiet—before the killer strikes again.

Ratings and reviews

Jumping in at book 4 of this series, the characters and world were about as well-developed as you would expect. The only way I could tell it wasn't first in the series was because of how solid the relationship was between Casey and Eric as well as a few minor references to past events. No major spoilers were given that I was able to pick up on. This was another time that I had decided to read a couple chapters before bed only to stay up all night reading until the very end. I had the kind of book hangover that you can't even regret because the book was just so incredibly wonderful. It had been quite awhile since I had read anything by Kelley Armstrong; I had forgotten just how enjoyable her writing is. Now, I have to go back and read the rest of the books in this series. Strong characters with excellent development throughout blend beautifully with the plot. I still don't know how I feel about the U.S. Marshall introduced. The dialogue was witty, fun, and interesting. I felt that I got a good idea of how the town was set up as well as how it's routine with the outside world was established. There was a wonderful cat and mouse game set up followed by a "whodunnit" that kept me on my toes. All and all, I felt like this was a very solid story. I would definitely recommend it. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the chance to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

Rockton is a little known town in the Yukon area of Canada. Casey Duncan is the only female detective in a team of three. She's only lived there for a few months, but she's already seen more crime than anywhere else she's been. A stranger appears in town claiming he is a US Marshall looking for one of their residents... but won't give her a name. She and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are highly suspicious of him and his claim, but when he's shot and killed, they start taking a closer look. Since most of Rockton's residents are criminals or victims fleeing or disappearing from society looking for a safe refuge from all their secrets, the number of possible suspects are countless. This may be closer to personal for Casey, as her sister is also a resident. Although 4th in this unique story, it is easily read as a stand-alone. As usual, I highly recommend starting at the very beginning. The residents .. and their stories ... are well worth reading about. The characters are memorable. This one is a real page turner. Many thanks to the author / St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this distinctive crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Loved this book and loved Casey too. Not one to sit on her haunches, when things heat up with the Marshall showing up she is quick to take control. Will has no problem with her taking charge it's the little schemes she puts in place to prove a theory that get his panties in a bunch. A great read filled with action and twist that will keep you pondering guilt over guiltier. With plenty of stuff going on and keeping your interest this author proves her salt by keeping us on track and the killer at large until the very end. Throw in some personal battles for Casey and you have a well rounded clean read. This is the 4th book in the series of standalones. Yes there is mention to past actions but nothing that you have to read the others to understand but hey if they are as good as this one they will be added to my tbr stack.

About the author

KELLEY ARMSTRONG graduated with a degree in psychology and then studied computer programming. Now, she is a full-time writer and parent, and she lives with her husband and three children in rural Ontario, Canada. She is the author of City of the Lost, the first book in the Casey Duncan mystery series.