In , I read our review of City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong, thought, t hat looks interesting and promptly forgot about it. I read all seven books—the final book in the series came out in February—and enjoyed them all individually and as a series. Imagine a town, created decades ago in the remote Yukon, where people who need to disappear can. Rockton only admits people who have a skill the town can use or—and this is something the reader learns over time—who have paid a vast sum to the Council, the shadowy remote group who controls the town.
Rockton is in large part self-sustaining and civilized, unlike the areas around it which are peopled by other more primitive groups one of which, the hostiles, are terrifying. Both are escaping violent pasts. Casey is a homicide detective and is professionally trained, something Eric who was born in Rockton is not. Over the seven books in the series, Armstrong keeps the suspense and the tension coming. I love good long plot arcs and this series has many.
Who are the hostiles and why are they so violent? Who is the Council and what are their motives? Is Rockton made up of criminals, victims, or both? Armstrong also excels at character. Rockton is a small place and we get to know many characters, none of whom are quite what they seem.
The final book in the series, The Deepest of Secrets , answers all the questions the series posed. The story about the hostiles is especially well resolved as is the true motives of the Council. What happens, in a small town where secrets are necessary in order for the community to function, when those secrets all spill out?
And who would we ally with? If you are looking for a smart, addictive, romantic suspense series, the Rockton novels are for you. While not every book in the series is a DIK, the overall experience the series is superb. I recommend it highly. Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need.
