THE BOY WHO CRIED BEAR Review

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Series: Haven's Rock #2

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: Feb. 20, 2024

Order Link: Amazon

Many thanks to Minotaur books for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

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. . .

Review:

THE BOY WHO CRIED BEAR is the second book in Armstrong's Haven's Rock series.  With intense characters, a tautly woven plot and a foreboding atmosphere, it's sure to please fans of book one and those who love a good mystery.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, have moved on from Rockton to create a remote town called Haven's Rock in a highly unapproachable area of the Yukon.  Haven's Rock is a haven for those looking to disappear off the map - a sanctuary that can only be entered if approved by Casey and Eric after careful scrutiny and background checks.  Being a new community, most of the residents are unaware of the dangers lurking in the woods of the area and so they're schooled in strict rules about protection and never venturing out alone.  Unfortunately, the restrictions create curiosity in people, especially children like ten-year-old Max who's learning about the wild from Eric.  One day on a hiking trip with a group, Max sees a bear . . . one with human eyes.  Many ridicule him, but Casey and Eric take all potential threats seriously and begin a search of the woods.  It's soon clear something or someone is stalking the town and in spite of being repeatedly warned to stay out of the woods, Max's determination to prove he's not making up stories sends him back out alone.  Max never returns and a search party begins scouting the woods.  When dead bodies start showing up, chaos ensues, and fingers are pointed.  What happened to Max?  Will they find him dead or alive?

THE BOY WHO CRIED BEAR is a take on the old fairy tale The Boy Who Cried Wolf in that a child claims to have seen a bear one too many times until no one believes him when he tries to warn them.  Most of the characters are highly unreliable making it difficult to figure out who's trustworthy and who's wearing a mask.  The setting with its surrounding woods and total isolation gives the story a locked room ambiance which helps drive a tone of malice and impending doom.  The authors manipulation of characters and readers keeps everyone on their toes while trying to solve the mystery.  Several subplot lines muddy the waters a bit, but Armstrong brings it all together by the end.  

Author Kelley Armstrong expertly delivers an intense, mesmerizing thriller in THE BOY WHO CRIED BEAR.  With several characters dealing with past trauma and PTSD, she handles the subject manner with care and grace while rendering a captivating story I found hard to put down. While this book stands alone with great backstory filled in, I do advise picking up book one for the character development of main characters.  Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and suspense thrillers.

Synopsis:

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.