Watcher in the Woods - Kelley Armstrong

I have been addicted to Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series, aka City of the Lost, from the very first book. I've been eagerly awaiting this fourth entry - Watcher in the Woods. 

Rockton is a hidden town of two hundred in the Yukon where people go to disappear. They're either running from something or someone. It's not on a map and is 'hidden by both technological and structural camouflage.' Casey Duncan arrived in Rockton nine months ago. She was a cop 'down south' and is still a cop on a the Rockton staff of three.

Watcher in the Woods picks up two weeks after the end of the third book. Still picking up the pieces from a murder, Casey and company are caught unawares when they find a man who says he's a US Marshall, lurking in the woods surrounding the town. He says he's there to take one of the residents into custody and demands that he be turned over. But most of the residents go by an alias and the Marshall doesn't know that name. Within hours of being taken to Rockton, the Marshall is shot and killed. And Casey and Sheriff Dalton have another murder on their hands. Is the man really a Marshall? How did he find the town? Who killed him? And how did the killer have a gun - they're banned for residents. In a town full of fugitives how do you ferret out the truth? Rockton is 'governed' by a Council - and their latest edicts are raising questions about their motives and directives.

There is so much to love about this series! First off, I am fascinated by the idea of a hidden town up in the North. A town full of liars, thieves and criminals provides a wealth of opportunities for story telling. It's not just the town. There are those who have chosen to leave the town and make their home elsewhere in the wilderness. There is First Settlement who live a rough but recognizable life. But there are also Hostiles - people who have reverted to an almost animalistic state. And a few who live alone. Armstrong has eked out the details on these outsiders through each book - and it's done nothing but make me more curious.

The characters are just as engaging as the premise. Casey is a strong female lead - tough, intelligent and determined - but not perfect. She has also found love with Sheriff Eric Dalton. I like the relationship between the two. It adds another layer to the books and is well written, steering clear of cloying romanticism. With Casey and Dalton, what we know as readers is the truth about them both. Dalton is also the only resident born in the town. His experience and outlook is different having not lived down south. There is a large supporting cast that features in each book. They too are just as well written. Given the reason for the town, they are an eclectic bunch and we're never sure if they are what or who they say they are. A new character has moved to the town and I think she'll add an interesting sub plot to the next book.

And that brings me to the whodunnit. The reader is along for the ride as Casey and Dalton try to determine who the killer is. It's not a straight path to the guilty party as all, which I really appreciate. Casey's reasoning and deductions ask the reader to pay close attention. But, I was still happily kept guessing until the last pages.

And best of all? There's more stories to come from Rockton. And this reader can't wait! Watcher in the Woods is another five star read from Kelley Armstrong. Here's a excerpt of Watcher in the Woods.