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City of the Lost 9780751562538 Books

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City of the Lost 9780751562538 Books

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


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City of the Lost 9780751562538 Books Reviews

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 buttercup

Yes, 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?
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.
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