Title: The Boy Who Cried Bear
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Haven’s Rock
Source: Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Murder Mystery.
Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, child endangerment.
Explicit? Not explicit, but gruesome.
Summary: Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it’s supposed to be, being that it’s a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town, which reminds them of where they first met in Rockton. And while they know how to navigate the woods and its various dangers, other residents don’t. Which is why people aren’t allowed to wander off alone.

When Max, the town’s youngest resident—taught to track animals by Eric—fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they’re taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they’re not sure what they’re up

Every time I think Kelley Armstrong won’t top the last book she wrote, she proves me wrong. This book was everything I wanted, and needed it to be, as a longtime reader who was nervous about a new series with familiar characters.

As with any Rockton, or now Haven’s Rock book we are introduced to a small new cast of characters, keeping with the theme of the Haven’s Rock being that haven for someone needing to escape a bad situation in their life, or seek protection.

Like with Rockton money talks, but not as much as the morality of the characters who live their, with Casey and Dalton wanting to genuinely be able to help people without being worried about what they might’ve done prior to arriving in Haven’s Rock.

In this book we are introduced to the curious, and frankly adorable Max, his angst ridden older brother Carson and their injured mother, Dana.

When Max disappears, the Haven’s Rock squad is on the case to find him and get him back to his mother. But as always there are sinister forces at work, some of whom despite their nickname of Mr. Rogers I do not trust.

I also might not trust Gunner, and might have lost my mind at the very real problems that faced Casey and Dalton in this book.

But as always, as long as Haven’s Rock exists in literature form, I will keep on reading.