Title: The Boy Who Cried BearAuthor: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Haven's Rock #2
Published by: Minotaur Books on Feb. 20, 2024
Genres: Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: Minotaur Books
Book Rating: 8.5/10
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.
Review:
Gritty, suspenseful, and addictive!
The Boy Who Cried Bear is a twisty, unnerving tale that takes us back to Haven’s Rock and into this newly created refuge for people who need to hide. But after the first family moves in and the youngest boy suddenly goes missing shortly after reporting a bear with human features prowling the woods, no one feels safe, everyone is considered a suspect, and at least one person ends up dead.
The prose is sinister and tight. The characters are layered, troubled, and clever. And the plot is an intricate, action-packed tale full of secrets, surprises, community, suspects, deduction, hostility, desperation, manipulation, deception, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Boy Who Cried Bear is another ominous, atmospheric, unsettling addition to the Haven’s Rock series by Armstrong that ultimately left me captivated, surprised, disturbingly entertained, and undoubtedly confident that there’s a lot more danger still to come in this series.
This novel is available now.
Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Photograph by Kathryn Hollinrake.
