ARC Review: Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Cold as Hell
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Haven's Rock (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 18, 2025)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Haven’s Rock in Cold as Hell as Casey Duncan hunts down a dangerous killer during a deadly blizzard.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they’ve settled into their life here. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock.

When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust―and who they can't―in their seemingly safe haven.

My Thoughts: With meticulously vetted residents and Casey and Eric's supervision, serial killers aren't supposed to be able to sneak into Haven's Rock. It looks like one has managed it though.

When a resident is attacked and barely escapes, Casey who is eight months into a difficult pregnancy sees a gap in their security. With less than 100 residents, Haven's Rock should have to worry about roofies and date rape. At first, that is the conclusion that Casey and Eric come to. 

But when Lynn disappears during a blizzard and is found staked out on the lake when the weather breaks, it becomes clear that a murderer has made it into Haven's Rock. An unknown murder that is. Haven's Rock is a refuge for a couple of people, including Casey, who have committed murder. 

With Casey nearing the end of her pregnancy and suffering from potential complications, it becomes necessary to leave the investigation and fly out to Whitehorse to be nearer to medical help. Casey is tron between the needs of her unborn child and the needs of the investigation. 

This was another excellent addition to the Haven's Rock series. I like the way Eric and Casey are growing their relationship. I also like catching up with some of my favorite residents including Mathias and Sebastian. The story was very suspenseful. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.