Novella Review – Dead Letter Days (Haven’s Rock, Book 0.5) by Kelley Armstrong (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 120 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: July 3, 2023
ASIN: B0CB551RVJ
Stand Alone or Series: Prequel to Haven’s Rock, which is a spin-off from the Casey Duncan/Rockton series
Source: Bought ebook for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars
“Eric Dalton spent most of his life in Rockton, a hidden town in the Yukon for people who need to disappear. Now that sanctuary is gone, and he’s holed up in a wilderness lodge with his girlfriend, Casey Duncan, and their friends, as they scout for a place to build their own Rockton. When Eric and Casey find a literal message-in-a-bottle, it leads them to the mystery of a woman who went missing decades ago, having never received that vital message. As they investigate that cold case, Dalton must finally lay to rest the ghosts of his own past and make some overdue decisions before he’s ready to step forward in his new life with Casey.”
Series Info/Source: This is a prequel novella that bridges from Armstrong’s Rockton series to her new Haven’s Rock series.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this a lot. The whole novella is told from Eric’s POV which is something we didn’t get to see in the Rockton series. Eric is such a stoic guy that it was wonderful to get a look into his mind and thoughts.
Eric and Casey are working on picking a site for their new (non-corrupt) hidden town in the Yukon. They hope to create a safe refuge for those who need it that doesn’t have a hidden agenda. When Casey stumbles upon a strange love note in a bottle it is a mystery that Casey can’t resist and it will also lead Eric to question things about his own past.
We get to learn a lot about Eric and his past upbringing in this book. As mentioned above, I loved hearing his perspective and thoughts on things. The mystery was intriguing and I loved how some things tied into Eric’s past. I am eager to read the first book in the Haven’s Rock series. I love these characters so much and always enjoy the intriguing and unique mysteries that present themselves in Armstrong’s books. She is an excellent writer with an engaging and easy to read writing style.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this, it was a great intro to Haven’s Rock and wonderful expansion on Eric’s character for Rockton fans. I think this story will have the most impact if you’ve already read the Rockton series, but it would also be interesting as a stand alone. I would recommend to those interested in survival stories with a good mystery in them. I can’t wait to start reading Haven’s Rock!
