Review: The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

 

The Boy Who Cried Bear (Haven's Rock #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: February 20st 2024 by Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 19min

Narrator: Thérèse Plummer

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Boy Who Cried Bear is book two in the Rockton spinoff, where Casey and Eric have started their own refuge town, Haven's Rock, after Rockton was dissolved. The series is best read in order as there’s a lot of history even though each book has a separate mystery that’s solved by the end.

I have loved the Rockton series from the start! A town off-the-grid, hidden, a shelter for someone when conventional justice has failed, such as a victim of stalking, an abusive partner, wrongfully accused, etc., While Rockton supposedly vetted the people before granting sanctuary, only allowing the innocent, non-violent in, we found out that wasn’t always the case.

 

In this installment, there are several candidates that Emily has sent their way, and unlike Rockton, there are couples and even families in the mix. One family is Dana and her two sons, thirteen-year-old Carson, and ten-year-old, Max. Dana was shot, and their father was murdered. On one of their hikes, Max spots a “bear man” stalking their party. This is the second time Max has seen this and the first time there was little evidence to corroborate his account and so he’s hesitant to even say anything, but another in their group, Gunnar, also spots something. Is there a bear stalking the residents or is something more dangerous afoot?

 

There’s a personal issue that comes up for Casey and Eric, but they must put that on the backburner while they have such a serious, time-sensitive situation.

 

This was a disturbing case that had me on the edge of my seat! As usual, Casey and Eric filter the nonsense out and get to the heart of the matter. I love that Casey and Eric work so well together, mostly a step ahead of nasty people. The revelations about their location set up a potentially dangerous situation as they try and make Haven’s Rock a refuge for the vulnerable! I absolutely love this series and I’m eager to find out what happens next!

 

I alternately listened to and read Murder at Haven’s Rock and recommend either version! Thérèse Plummer narrates the audio version, as with the previous books, and she performs all voices, male and female wonderfully! She’s one of my all-time favorite narrators and her performance here is perfection! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In The Boy Who Cried Bear, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong keeps readers on the edge of their seats while detective Casey Duncan tries to locate the threat before it’s too late. . .

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 against.