City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong

Title: City of the Lost

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Published: 2016

Pages: 468

Series: The Rockton Novel Series

Format: Physical Book

I was very lucky to be able to meet Kelley Armstrong, years ago at Indigo North London, when she made an appearance for a YA novel that my daughter just had to have. She was so kind to my daughter. I have looked at her other novels in the past but have not picked up a copy until recently.

Synopsis

There is a secret little town in the far North where the hunted go to hide ... and where a hunter has now come to play.

Casey Duncan, a talented young detective, once killed a man and got away with it. But that's not why she needs to disappear. She's been hiding her best friend, Diana, from an abusive ex, and now he has found her again. Diana believes the only way she'll be safe is in a mythical town she's heard about where people can shed their old lives. Turns out the town really exists - it's called Rockton - and the town council will accept Diana, but only if Casey comes too,

Recently the town has been rocked by a series of brutal murders. Have the victims' past lives caught up to them, or is Rocton turning on itself? With crime threatening the town's survival, the sheriff needs the outside help Casey can offer,

As for Casey, coming to the far North starts out as a sacrifice she's willing to make for her best friend. But she may need Rockton as much as the town needs her.

My Two-Cents

I loved reading City of the Lost. I have read my far share of mysteries and thrillers and this book rates right up at the top.

I loved the characters because they are all morally gray. You really can't trust any of them because they have lots of secrets about their pasts. But even characters with questionable morals still deserve a second chance. And this is where Rockton comes in.

Do you need to make a new start? Need to hide away from an abusive ex? Need to hide out and avoid going to jail for a crime you most certainly committed? If the town council lets you in, Rockton is your new start. Rockton isn't a squeaky clean town. There is a drug problem, a brothel, and there is a wee murder problem. People go into the forest and only a portion of their body parts are found. Is there a murderer in Rockton or are the Hostiles, who live in the forest, to blame? This is a very interesting premise which I really loved.

Rockton is in the middle of nowhere in the Yukon Territorry of my lovely Canada. When the murders start happening, there really isn't any place the residents can escape to. You can either take your changes in Rockton or there is the forest - your survival is not guaranteed. I loved the setting. A locked-in mystery is one of my favourite types of settings - it all started with Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None.

The writing and story telling was stellar. I did not figure out who the killer was until it was revealed in the final pages. I also like the bit of spice and the romance. Not too much - not too little - just perfect.

Will I continue reading the Rockton series? A resounding YES!

Rating

5/5