Review – Alone in the Wild (Rockton, Book 5) by Kelley Armstrong (4.5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Mystery/Thiller
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: February 4, 2020
ISBN-13: 978-125025428
Stand Alone or Series: 5th book in the Rockton series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
“Every season in Rockton seems to bring a new challenge. At least that’s what Detective Casey Duncan has felt since she decided to call this place home. Between all the secretive residents, the sometimes-hostile settlers outside, and the surrounding wilderness, there’s always something to worry about.
While on a much needed camping vacation with her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, Casey hears a baby crying in the woods. The sound leads them to a tragic scene: a woman buried under the snow, murdered, a baby still alive in her arms.
A town that doesn’t let anyone in under the age of eighteen, Rockton must take care of its youngest resident yet while solving another murder and finding out where the baby came from – and whether she’s better off where she is.”
Series Info/Source: This is the fifth book in the Rockton series. I got this book from the library.
Story (4/5): This story deals with a baby and a dead woman that Casey finds in the woods. Casey and Eric are trying to find the baby’s original parents so that they can return the baby to them. The story ties in with the Settlements and the hostiles that exist in the area outside of Rockton; a lot of mysteries around these communities are revealed. I did feel like this story was a bit…tired…compared to others in this series. I am hoping this series comes to a close soon before it gets too worn out.
Characters (4/5): I really love Casey and Eric and continue to enjoy reading about them. There are some new characters introduced but none of them really had a lot of staying power or were very engaging.
Setting (5/5): I always love this secluded setting in the middle of the Yukon wilderness. I love reading about what it takes to survive out there and the unique challenges the characters face.
Writing Style (5/5): This is very well written and easy to read. I always enjoy Armstrong’s writing style. I do feel like this series and these characters are getting a bit tired, so I am hoping she wraps up this series in the next book (I actually thought that this fifth book was supposed to wrap it up, but it doesn’t really seem quite finished yet).
Summary (4.5/5): Overall while this was a good addition to the Rockton series it wasn’t my favorite book of the series. There just didn’t seem to be as much tension in this book and the focus really strayed from Rockton out to the people around Rockton. Some of the mysteries revealed weren’t as interesting or mysterious as I thought they were going to be which was a bit of a letdown. I plan on continuing the series but hope it wraps up soon.
