City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong (Epub)

Description

Detective Casey Duncan has a dark past, and it’s about to catch up with her. When her best friend Diana is attacked by an abusive ex, the two women realise they have to disappear, fast. Diana’s heard of a hidden town that’s so remote it’s almost impossible to reach. A town that desperately needs a new detective.

Casey has barely arrived in Rockton when a body is discovered. A man’s been murdered and there’s no time to waste. Casey’s job won’t be easy: everyone in town has a secret. Meanwhile her boss, Sheriff Eric Dalton, is a troubled man who’s hard to read and even harder to please.
With no chance of help from the outside world, Casey will have to rely on her wits to solve the case. But she’s running out of time. Rockton’s killer is on the hunt, and this deep in the wilderness, no one is safe.

User’s Reviews

Review “…this was such a phenomenal listen. I also don’t doubt that a huge part of my love of this book was due to the format and the incredible performance by the narrator Therese Plummer. This is the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to her read, and I am beyond impressed with her voice acting. She reads beautifully, pulling me into the story so that I hung on to her every word. Her timing, accents, and inflections were all perfect, and the way she dramatized the suspenseful scenes had a way of making [me] feel like I was right in the story, or sitting around a campfire listening to a tale told by an extremely talented storyteller.” -BiblioSanctum.com –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Review “[A] locked room mystery on steroids; readers should prepare for an all-nighter to finish it.” ―Booklist”Excellent first in a new thriller series… A highly unusual set-up sets the stage for a distinctive cast of characters and a page-turning plot.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)”One of the best new series debuts this year! With its compelling characters and completely original set up, Omens delivers a powerful combination of suspenseful thrills and supernatural chills. I can’t wait to read more!”-Lisa Gardner on Omens”Through a series of surprises and sleights of hand, [this book] had me conspiring for ways to get back to the gripping story, the colorfully bizarre cast of characters, and the clever, strong, smart heroine at its center.”-Lisa Unger on Omens”Fast-paced and mysterious.”-USA Today on Visions”The town of Rockton’s strong, atmospheric presence will interest readers of Armstrong’s Cainsville series and appeal to new readers, particularly fans of C.J. Box.” ―Library Journal –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ I really liked the premise. But something just wasn’t right about the writing. I found myself re-reading paragraphs at a time because the writing was so choppy and difficult to follow at times. Two or three characters would be talking about people not present and referred to him or her, using those pronouns, without explanation and I wondered who they were talking about. The various people living in the forest were too numerous to keep track of. And this place is in the middle of nowhere but these “groups” of hostiles/cave dwellers/walk-always/forest creatures always seemed to be looming nearby. And, ok, there were murders, (of course) but why all the dismemberment. That was just weird and unnecessary. And the Diana character was so annoying. I’m not sure I like any of these people to Keep reading the series. I really wanted to like this book.

⭐ Kelley Armstrong is an author who continues to amaze me! She has such a widespread of reads from paranormals to thrillers to spy and espionage…she’s just freaking awesome! City of the Lost is the first in her new mystery series starring Casey Duncan. Casey has a dark past, one she’s tried to put behind her and has done remarkably well at. But when her best friend’s life is in danger, and an opportunity comes along to hide and start over, she takes it, at her friend’s behest.When Casey was eighteen, she killed her boyfriend, it was totally warranted once you get that backstory. And the action has always kind of haunted her. She doesn’t really regret doing it, but she knows that one day repercussions will come calling for her. Her best friend, Diana, has her own problems going on as well. Her ex is in town and is sort of stalking her. It was an abusive relationship and one Casey helped her get out of, so when they are given a chance to escape to a town where you can pretty much hide from your past and start over, they take it.Except with Casey, she’s got a very limited stay ahead of her while Diana is likely to stay for two years, the general stay for most of the residents. When Casey comes into town, she’s given the role of detective for the sheriff as she was a detective in her “old life”. And she’s come just in the nick of time for there are missing persons and murders happening in this quiet little town hidden in the middle of nowhere.I really enjoyed this mystery. The mystery elements were pretty spot on! We have missing people, people turning up dead, past murders coming into play and a town full of suspects. Everyone in this town is basically hiding out. A good amount of them are criminals in some sense, others are hiding out for other reasons. The price to live here is high, and the work is grueling and hard. And since everyone here is not likely to be the best of people, trying to uncover a murderer is going to take a lot of work.I really enjoyed seeing Casey and the sheriff, Eric, interact. Eric comes off as a bit cold. He’s not the friendliest of people, but he’s well respected, and respectful. You can actually see him change a bit when he’s around Casey. Little moments, little gestures. The cold brute who was so standoffish to her when they first met definitely has a different side to himself.The other characters of the novel were just as good! I enjoyed There’s Will, who is another deputy in town, and he’s got that kind of carefree kind of personality to him. He’s nice and flirty. I was actually a bit worried we’d be walking into a love triangle of sorts. I can’t say we aren’t in one just yet. Casey did leave behind a boyfriend of sorts in her life before this town. And it’s a tough call to say if things are all romantically resolved just yet. It is after all only the first book!But yes, you will see sprinklings of romance. I loved that it played so little of a role in the story. This is a mystery, not a romance, but if you’ve read Kelley Armstrong’s books before, you know she does romance incredibly well! LOL! So just those little sprinkles we get are enough to tantalize and delight readers.Another thing that makes this novel so incredible? Cannibals! Yup! We’ve got cannibals in this one! Or so the locals say! While we don’t get a whole lot of details on that front, it is made very clear that the little town of Rockton isn’t completely alone in the woods! And that leads to quite a few secrets!!The resolving of the mystery was pretty good too! There were quite a few shocks along the way. And I can honestly say that I did not see this murderer coming. Of course as I read this, I was under a bit of stress at work, so being stressed out and trying to read the whole revealing scene moments didn’t pan out all too well. But it’s no big deal really. That’s just me. So me being a bit confused over this character or that one’s involvement in things is my own fault. But regardless, I found the whodunit to be very surprising! I cannot wait to see what other adventures await us in this new series! And yay, I have the next book to read! But after that, we’re backing to waiting 365+ days! Boo!There’s still a bit of mystery left to this story too. Not the mystery itself, but more like the town, it’s inhabitants, and the mystery council who remains off site. Still so many things left unsaid and I cannot wait to see what direction this series will take! I need more and I need it now!If you’re a fan of mystery series, you’re going to want to pick this one up asap! Not only is it by Kelley Armstrong, but it’s also an incredibly amazing and GREAT read that I enjoyed every moment of it! Even when I was confused! LOL!Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

⭐ I see Kelley Armstrong’s name on a book and I start making assumptions, lots of them…. and I was so very wrong… The novel is, pardon me here, novel. It is not a tale of Werewolves, Witches, and Mediums.. this is not your standard urban fantasy buttercupYes, it starts in a city, full of the ugly that man does to woman. We are trapped in the whirlwind with Casey Duncan, a former rape survivor turned special victims unit detective. The demons she meets are both her own and man made. She lives an isolated life in the midst of the city. She has one close friend that she will do most anything for… even leave everything she knows.Rockton is a place off the map. No cell phones, no tv, no internet. A place where the cash you bring in is useless. You work at labor the community needs and get paid in credits. A place where electricity is limited and chemical toilets are the norm. It is a place where a murder has happened and a detective is needed. Rockton is a place where you can change your name and not bring your past. It is a place where victims and criminals can begin again.The intensity is brought by the balance, how do you investigate a murder without all the modern tools? And what do you do about what lives out in the dark woods?

⭐ I enjoyed this book enough that I went to the library and got the next three books in the series. It moves at a good pace; I really like Casey, the protagonist, and I love the unique nature of Rockton.Casey and her friend Diana have to find a place to hide for their own separate reasons. Rockton is a town that offers refuge to people who need to hide. Casey is a good detective, and that happens to bring a skill setthe town needs help with some unsolved murders. There is a sheriff named Eric who is one of my favorite damaged, alpha male heroes, mostly because he has what I prefer in my protagonists – a strong inner core of good morals even if he can behave like a jerk on occasion. Or several occasions.There are a host of other interesting, engaging characters who fall all over the spectrum of good to bad, and it kept my interest from beginning to end.

⭐ Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a dark secret. When her friend’s ex-begins stalking her again, and Casey’s past meets her present, the two relocate with the help of a contact to the remote town of Rockton. The community is rustic, and the residents are all hiding from their pasts. Casey joins the local law, as a detective under Sheriff Eric Dalton and begins working the murder mysteries. Things get complicated as bodies pile up and Casey gets the lay of the land so to speak.The worldbuilding was brilliant, providing readers with just enough information to visualize Rockton and the surrounding landscape. There are no cell phones, electric or computers. Rockton is wholly cut off from the outside world with its own currency. No one can get in or out without the help of the council. The “council” is a secretive (faceless) group who have control over the town. Sounds like a government experiment right? The town is full of dysfunctional folks, most for safety reasons but we quickly learn that politics and money sway the council. For every detail, we learn new questions arise.Armstrong does an excellent job of delivering characters that allow the readers to become emotionally connected. Some you admire and others you will loathe. I like Casey. She is a tough, somewhat jaded heroine who is a damn fine investigator. Sheriff Eric Dalton seems cold at first, and the man can be gruff, but we quickly learn his story, and I enjoyed the interaction between Eric and Casey. Secondary characters, suspects and others added depth and kept the pacing tight.The story has some dark elements from rogues in the woods to mutilated bodies. I loved this darker thread. When you add in the town, council, and residents you get a creepy vibe. We are treated to a romantic thread that moves from trust and respect to something unexpected. It felt genuine from wicked banter, to shared interests. While I don’t necessarily need a romance, this thread was useful in making the characters, and their circumstances feel realistic.

⭐ There’s so much to love about this book and the whole series. One thing I love the most about it is the menacing atmosphere – there is this small town hidden from the world and surrounded by woods filled with danger for anyone who ventures beyond the town. The environment itself is hostile as it is incredibly easy to become lost, a simple fall can be fatal, and blizzards can blow up without warning. There are wild animals out there – grizzly bears, wolves, mountain lions, and even wilder people.Rockton is a small town in Canada carefully hidden in the middle of the wilderness and difficult to stumble upon. Residence in the town is by invitation only, strictly controlled by a mysterious council, and it is expensive to be allowed to move into the town. The members are people on the run – sometimes from the law, and sometimes from violence. There is an interesting cast of characters including the sheriff, Eric, and his deputy, Will.Casey and her friend Diana are both on the run but for different reasons. Casey is allowed in because she has a skill needed by the town – she is a homicide detective and the town is in need of one. Her friend, Diana, is on the run from an abusive husband. Casey is assigned to work with the sheriff, Eric, who is pretty abrasive. I wasn’t sure at first that there was going to be a love interest for Casey but there is. Not going to give any spoilers here, as it was fun to see it develop.

⭐ Want a ticket into the town of Rockton, an off-the grid secret town?You will need to qualify to gain access and if granted you will need to cut off all ties of your former life and start over! Its in Canada and it is remote and primitive-no cell phones, internet, electricity, mail and few modern comforts.Casey Duncan is a detective who has skills she can offer the town that has just had its first murder. She is able to negotiate a contract to get herself and her good friend, Diana into Rockton to start a new life. Diana gains entry because she is a victim of abuse and needs to get away from her ex.I enjoyed the secret and mysterious atmosphere of the city, but the beginning of the book seems to be bogged down in setting up the plot. Around 50% the pacing improves and things start getting strange in the city- eerie sightings in the forest, more murders, revelations that some of their citizens may be criminals and not just seeking asylum.The story was good with an almost supernatural feel, a bit of romance, some creepy elements and lots of mystery. I’m looking forward to book two and hoping the pace stays steady.

⭐ Holy guacamole!!! Ok, so I don’t read this genre often. I prefer sci fi/fantasy. And yet, this is my go-to genre when I feel in need of a palate-cleansing book in between reading my usual fare.I saw that this book received quite a bit of praise. It is also highly rated. Yet, never would I have anticipated such a GREAT story! The plot was riveting, to say the least. The characters surprised me, and did so on many occasions. I did not see so much of the storyline coming. And as if this alone is not plenty to convince others to read the book, Armstrong even packed in wonderfully yummy trivia. For instance, the arctic ground squirrel, which hybernates from Fall through Spring, allows its body temperature to drop to a miniscule negative three Centigrade!!! And yet, it wakes with no cellular damage, mysteriously able to survive these insane temperature extremes. I’m a junkie for knowledge, always hoping to learn something new. That this book was so expertly executed earned it a 5/5 rating, hands down; the bonus material included therein? Like whipped cream frosting on a yellow,custard-filled cake!!!So whether this book falls into one of your favorite type of novels, or whether it’s something you’d never pick up on a normal day, I urge you: download the sample. That was enough to seduce me into buying and inhaling the entire book. Finished in under 3 days. And it still crosses my mind from time to time. It’s just THAT good! It has so much more in it than a crime story! Another one of my favorite features? It allows us a peak into the functioning of a mind very few of us will ever actually meet. A few such minds, actually.And the protagonist? I think she was composed of the most curious and relatable features shared by us all. This makes it so effortless to relate to her, even though her life story will resemble none (or very nearly so?) of ours, and yet resonate with most of us.Yet another brilliant stroke by Armstrong. I finally understand why this author has always been so highly recommended! Enjoy!!!

⭐ (No spoilers) So, this is a police procedural, and more or less, the entire town is the locked room for a locked room mystery. The people in charge of this town are faceless and unaccountable, as well as the way in and out are completely at the whims of this unaccountable group. Although this is modern day, for all intents and purposes, the city runs like a 1950s small town, except that everywhere outside the town has modern post-2000 technology lying around.Unfortunately for the protagonist Casey, this 1950s small town mentality extends to the police force, which is incredibly understaffed considering the conditions in the place. The story is no more and no less than Casey trying to run away from her problems, when she is really running into them. The execution of the story is passable until the end, which the end stretches credulity as it not only subverts the very rules of the town, but cannot square away with the leadership having good intentions toward having the town exist. Maybe, the overarching mystery is going to be why this town exists and how can it exist.The authorial contract for suspension of disbelief hinges on the idea that if the author says that these are the rules, then they are the rules (even if impossible). If the author sets up unbelievable rules by realistic standards, then they need to be consistent. The ending breaks that trust, where a specific rule that was harped upon as being a pillar of the community values was definitely violated, and Casey should NOT be allowed to remain in town here despite the resolution as this is completely inconsistent for non-plot reasons with the town’s values.A decent first effort, but if this sort of rulebreaking continues to the next book in the series, it’s not worth it to continue.

⭐ WOW! City of the Lost will suck you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. Kelley Armstrong has a winner in this series.Casey Duncan is a smart homicide cop who let fear and anger create a circumstance where she killed a man. Yes he was the scum of the earth but she shouldn’t have killed him. She has been living with this for 12 years as she climbed through the ranks of the police force. Now her past has caught up with her and she needs a safe place. Enter Rockton a safe harbor for those who have made mistakes and victims that need to disappear. Casey’s best friend, Diana, needs to get away from an abusive ex so they both arrange to move to this town in the middle of nowhere with few modern amenities but a chance to start anew. But despite Rockton’s billing as a safe haven it does have crime and Casey’s skills are needed.I fell for Casey. She is a smart overachiever with debts to pay but she isn’t angsty about it. I really enjoyed this book and am diving into the next installment asap.

Keywords

Free Download City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) in Epub format
City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) Epub Free Download
Download City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) 2017 Epub Free
City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) 2017 Epub Free Download
Download City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1) Epub
Free Download Ebook City of the Lost (Rockton Book 1)