What do you think?
Rate this book
Rockton/Casey Duncan #1.1
City of the Lost: Part One
In City of the Lost, a thrilling new eBook in six parts, New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author Kelley Armstrong delivers us to Rockton, a secret little town in the far north where the hunted go to hide. And where a hunter has now come to play.
Casey Duncan once killed a man and got away with it. Since then she’s become a talented police detective, tethered only to her job, her best friend, Diana, and the occasional evening with her sexy, no-strings-attached ex-con lover, Kurt. But then Diana's abusive ex finds her again, despite all Casey has done to help her disappear. And Casey’s own dark past begins to catch up with her. The two women need to run—and Diana’s heard of a place where they won’t be found, a town especially for people like them�.
Casey Duncan once killed a man and got away with it. Since then she’s become a talented police detective, tethered only to her job, her best friend, Diana, and the occasional evening with her sexy, no-strings-attached ex-con lover, Kurt. But then Diana's abusive ex finds her again, despite all Casey has done to help her disappear. And Casey’s own dark past begins to catch up with her. The two women need to run—and Diana’s heard of a place where they won’t be found, a town especially for people like them�.
80 pages, ebook
First published June 30, 2015
21 people are currently reading
1,575 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
302Ìýbooks32.7kÌýfollowersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 20, 2018
Edit : After my huge disappointment in Part 3, I decided that I won't read the rest.
WTF is this? I don't usually read serials, and frankly, I don't want to post 6 long reviews about what should be a book. Therefore, I decided to post short reviews like this one for each part of 's story.
� Plot : Casey, the MC, has killed someone 12 years ago. While she works as a cop and tries to help her best friend against her crazy stalker of her ex-husband, they learn about an hidden city where people who want to disappear can start a new life. Unbelievable, you say? That's exactly what Casey thinks (me too). More generally, to enjoy this story you'll need to suspend your disbelief - a lot. From the way she got out of any murder charges to the mafia chase, many things seem completely out of reality.
� Writing : As usual with , I find myself grinning at several interactions and the writing keeps its addictive effect.
� Characters : Well, I'm not used to judge characters on less than 100 pages, so the only thing I can say so far is this : they are a little stereotypical and lack depth, but perhaps it can be explained by the serial support. Anyway, Casey appears to be a strong heroine for sure, and I can't wait to learn more about her.
� Trigger warning : Violence, rape threats, domestic abuse (so far, I'm a little unsettled by the dispassionate way they are handled. I hope it changes in the future)
� Favorite quote : "You..." she says, "killed a man?"
The apprehensive look. I know it well - that moment where they're certain they've misheard. Or that I mean it in a metaphorical way. I broke a man's heart. Which is technically true. A bullet does break a heart. Irrevocably, it seems."
� Part 2 : ★★� (click on the stars to read my review)
For more of my reviews, please visit:
August 25, 2015
Once again I have to stress how awesome an author Kelley Armstrong is. Her writing is always attention grabbing, her stories always interesting. This is the first part of a six part serial about a female cop whose past has come back to get her. She escapes with her best friend--also in trouble--to a place like no other. A place for people who need to fall off the grid and disappear.
Because KA is Canadian and has a Canadian publisher, this series is in a serial format with all parts already released in Canada. Unfortunately, For my friends who aren't Canadian like me, the serial isn't available through her U.S publisher so the series will be released in a full length novel in early 2016. If you can wait until then ;)
I loved this first part and I can tell it's only going to get better. I'll do a full review of the series after I'm done but rate each part individually.
Because KA is Canadian and has a Canadian publisher, this series is in a serial format with all parts already released in Canada. Unfortunately, For my friends who aren't Canadian like me, the serial isn't available through her U.S publisher so the series will be released in a full length novel in early 2016. If you can wait until then ;)
I loved this first part and I can tell it's only going to get better. I'll do a full review of the series after I'm done but rate each part individually.
January 23, 2022
**Updating my review**
FYI this is a short story... I never really look at the length before I started reading, so if you're like me, this is a heads up. Also, I originally gave this 3 stars, but tbh, it's more like a 2.5.
THE PLOT
Casey shot a guy at point blank and got away with it, and lucky for society, she's now a cop! When she's not having casual sex with randoms, she's solving crime... This time, her BFFs abusive ex is back in the picture, forcing Casey and her friend to go on the run,
MY OPINNI
It was *shrug emoji*... A quick lil read if you need a distraction or you're waiting for your doctor apt (because it's a universal fact that doctors are always late).
My main gripe is I'm TIREDT of female cops being written this way: short, rough, tough, sex-loving, gun toting, motorcycle riding chick with a MAJOR chip on her shoulder and something to prove. The coolest girl on the block who doesn't know how pretty she is.
Can we get a little more creative here? Give me a 6'2 cop who loves Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and has a stable, monogamous relationship. Mix it up a bit.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Fast paced, engaging
Cons: Stereotypical female cop character
FYI this is a short story... I never really look at the length before I started reading, so if you're like me, this is a heads up. Also, I originally gave this 3 stars, but tbh, it's more like a 2.5.
THE PLOT
Casey shot a guy at point blank and got away with it, and lucky for society, she's now a cop! When she's not having casual sex with randoms, she's solving crime... This time, her BFFs abusive ex is back in the picture, forcing Casey and her friend to go on the run,
MY OPINNI
It was *shrug emoji*... A quick lil read if you need a distraction or you're waiting for your doctor apt (because it's a universal fact that doctors are always late).
My main gripe is I'm TIREDT of female cops being written this way: short, rough, tough, sex-loving, gun toting, motorcycle riding chick with a MAJOR chip on her shoulder and something to prove. The coolest girl on the block who doesn't know how pretty she is.
Can we get a little more creative here? Give me a 6'2 cop who loves Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and has a stable, monogamous relationship. Mix it up a bit.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Fast paced, engaging
Cons: Stereotypical female cop character
June 9, 2021
Promising start...
July 8, 2015
3.5 stars rated up
I think the concept behind this story is pretty unique and intriguing. To have a new part of the story published weekly, eventually creating a full novel, is a smart marketing decision. It makes for a fast paced and quick read that leaves you with a longing for the next installment once you have reached the end of each section.
I wasn't really sure where this story was going until about 75% of the way through. Honestly, I'm still a little unsure of where this story may go. I went into this one blind and didn't read the synopsis before hand. For the most part, I decided to pick up City of the Lost because (1) it was a mere 99 cents on the Kobo website and (2) the cover was quite intriguing. I hate to admit that I judged this book by it's cover, but it reminded me a lot of one of the variations of the Station Eleven cover by Emily St. John Mandel.
The writing is fast paced and easy to follow. I'm hoping for some more character development as the story goes on. I enjoyed the back story of the main character Casey, but I'm also hoping to learn a little more about her and the other secondary characters, Diana and Kurt.
I found out about this series a little late in the game, so part two has already been released! I'll definitely be purchasing it as I am excited to see where this story is going. I'm especially curious about this mysterious town...
I think the concept behind this story is pretty unique and intriguing. To have a new part of the story published weekly, eventually creating a full novel, is a smart marketing decision. It makes for a fast paced and quick read that leaves you with a longing for the next installment once you have reached the end of each section.
I wasn't really sure where this story was going until about 75% of the way through. Honestly, I'm still a little unsure of where this story may go. I went into this one blind and didn't read the synopsis before hand. For the most part, I decided to pick up City of the Lost because (1) it was a mere 99 cents on the Kobo website and (2) the cover was quite intriguing. I hate to admit that I judged this book by it's cover, but it reminded me a lot of one of the variations of the Station Eleven cover by Emily St. John Mandel.
The writing is fast paced and easy to follow. I'm hoping for some more character development as the story goes on. I enjoyed the back story of the main character Casey, but I'm also hoping to learn a little more about her and the other secondary characters, Diana and Kurt.
I found out about this series a little late in the game, so part two has already been released! I'll definitely be purchasing it as I am excited to see where this story is going. I'm especially curious about this mysterious town...
February 19, 2016
Quick Thoughts
1. Not Kelley's usually style but I can tell it's going to be good.
2. I'm really excited for the mystery town!
3. Loving the main character. Could she be any more badass?!
4. I'm kind of liking this whole parts thing. It forces me to stop and take breaks.
5. I'm also hating this parts thing because I want to read it all now!
1. Not Kelley's usually style but I can tell it's going to be good.
2. I'm really excited for the mystery town!
3. Loving the main character. Could she be any more badass?!
4. I'm kind of liking this whole parts thing. It forces me to stop and take breaks.
5. I'm also hating this parts thing because I want to read it all now!
October 25, 2017
The following is a review of the entire City of the Lost collection, as I waited for it to be released in its entirety before reading�
Kelley Armstrong is one of those authors to have quickly worked her way onto my favourite authors list, doing so after just a couple of books. As it stands, I’ve been working my way through her Women of the Otherworld books at a snail’s pace. I adore the series, but it is taking me a while. When I saw City of the Lost on sale, I knew it was time for me to jump into something else, something different. Taking a step away from the paranormal romance I knew and loved, I was eager to dive into a Kelley Armstrong thriller.
Thrillers and mysteries are actually some of my favourite books, even if I haven’t read all that many as of late. I’ve been in one of those moods where I’ve been picking up contemporary romance or paranormal romances. There was a time where such a thing would have horrified me, I never imagined I would reach the point where romance was my choice of read, yet such is where I’ve been at recently. However, when I was looking at my bookshelf and trying to decide what I was to pick up next, I knew I would be taking a break from that mood. City of the Lost was calling out to me, begging me to return to my mystery and thriller mindset.
Whilst there is romance within this story, as I’ve come to expect from Kelley Armstrong, it does not take over the entire story. It is there simmering in the background, slowly building, wiggling into your heart at a leisurely pace. You are aware of it, you ship it, you enjoy it, but it does not take over the entire story. There are scenes focusing solely upon the romance factor, but it is not the main element of the story. As I’ve said, this has more of a mystery and thriller kind of vibe.
At first, the story is a bit slow. It takes a few chapters before you’re completely pulled in. At the start, I believe people will fall into one of two categories. They will either be extremely intrigued, or they will be bored of waiting for the story to start. Whatever category you fall into, hold on. It does take a while for things to get moving, but once the story is moving we have quite a few different elements going on. Each time you think you’ve reached the bottom of the secrets to be uncovered, something more is added. There are some predictable elements and some surprising elements, and all work to bring the story together in a wonderful way.
As my first introduction to Kelley Armstrong’s thrillers, it was a wonderful read. I’m so glad there are more Casey Duncan books to come, as I’m going to be grabbing them up. I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the town. Without a doubt, I’ll be returning for more.
The Women of the Otherworld books were enough to cement Kelley Armstrong as a favourite author, but City of the Lost has shown she has more up her sleeve than I’d initially thought.
Kelley Armstrong is one of those authors to have quickly worked her way onto my favourite authors list, doing so after just a couple of books. As it stands, I’ve been working my way through her Women of the Otherworld books at a snail’s pace. I adore the series, but it is taking me a while. When I saw City of the Lost on sale, I knew it was time for me to jump into something else, something different. Taking a step away from the paranormal romance I knew and loved, I was eager to dive into a Kelley Armstrong thriller.
Thrillers and mysteries are actually some of my favourite books, even if I haven’t read all that many as of late. I’ve been in one of those moods where I’ve been picking up contemporary romance or paranormal romances. There was a time where such a thing would have horrified me, I never imagined I would reach the point where romance was my choice of read, yet such is where I’ve been at recently. However, when I was looking at my bookshelf and trying to decide what I was to pick up next, I knew I would be taking a break from that mood. City of the Lost was calling out to me, begging me to return to my mystery and thriller mindset.
Whilst there is romance within this story, as I’ve come to expect from Kelley Armstrong, it does not take over the entire story. It is there simmering in the background, slowly building, wiggling into your heart at a leisurely pace. You are aware of it, you ship it, you enjoy it, but it does not take over the entire story. There are scenes focusing solely upon the romance factor, but it is not the main element of the story. As I’ve said, this has more of a mystery and thriller kind of vibe.
At first, the story is a bit slow. It takes a few chapters before you’re completely pulled in. At the start, I believe people will fall into one of two categories. They will either be extremely intrigued, or they will be bored of waiting for the story to start. Whatever category you fall into, hold on. It does take a while for things to get moving, but once the story is moving we have quite a few different elements going on. Each time you think you’ve reached the bottom of the secrets to be uncovered, something more is added. There are some predictable elements and some surprising elements, and all work to bring the story together in a wonderful way.
As my first introduction to Kelley Armstrong’s thrillers, it was a wonderful read. I’m so glad there are more Casey Duncan books to come, as I’m going to be grabbing them up. I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the town. Without a doubt, I’ll be returning for more.
The Women of the Otherworld books were enough to cement Kelley Armstrong as a favourite author, but City of the Lost has shown she has more up her sleeve than I’d initially thought.
Read
July 30, 20193.5 * Unusual police procedural.
March 20, 2016
I like to consider myself a fairly adaptable reader so swapping from reading Kelley Armstrong's fantastic YA Fantasy series, to her crime Nadia Stafford series to this short novella collection of thrillers should have been a breeze and is testament to how adaptable a writer Armstrong actually is. I've loved most of her previous stuff. But this first installment fell a bit flat for me.
This first novella sets the scene for us. And wow - it was chilling. Within just two pages Armstrong had me hooked by her blunt, eerie conversation between Casey Duncan and her therapist as she admits to cold-blooded murder. What a rip-roarer of an opening; you can imagine how excited I therefore was to read on. Unfortunately, this excitement was short-lived. We very swiftly are given all the low-down on Casey's murderous ways and with that, all of the fun is dissolved as this novella turns into a bunch of boring dialogues over a few beers with friends, with occassional fisty-cuffs.
Casey, despite committing murder, is a fairly straight forward character. Which was fine; in fact she is easy to like. She's blunt, tactical and sarcastic with a genuine affection for her best friend (not to mention her ex-con lover). I think she's fairly well fleshed out and I enjoyed her wit so I could definitely read more from her. In fact, I also bought into her sweet-natured relationship with her abused friend, who is much less fleshed-out and is a relative moaning myrtle. I really can relate to an abused character, and often I really appreciate the risks authors take when creating characters like this, but Armstrong made Casey's friend fairly pathetic and stupid when, in my opinion, this is unlikely to be the case. But of course, this does make her the perfect damsel in distress as Casey tries to help her escape her stalker ex-husband which could make for a more interesting plot as the series progresses. Despite this, it's nice to see Armstrong try and tackle domestic violence and I hope this develops in a better way.
But that's only if you can be bothered to read any further into this series because here's what I didn't like. I know this first book is a scene setter; I totally appreciate we need this backlog of information before we get into the nitty gritty. But I was so bored by this book considering, actually, quite a lot of action happens throughout. The problem is, after the first major event, all the action scenes are left to your imagination (like people breaking into an apartment for example and beating up a person) or are over within two sentences! Although I'm sure this is made to build tension, what remains was just boring description to me. The dialogue between Casey and her lover was equally unexciting, so I couldn't even buy into the sexy scenes either - something Armstrong is usually extremely good at.
Overall, a bit of a flop. I rarely ever describe a book as boring, or characters as dull, and I'm genuinely sad to be disappointed by any work by Armstrong because she's such a talented author and this started off so well. But this one just isn't for me. Invest in her other work for a more exciting adventure!
This first novella sets the scene for us. And wow - it was chilling. Within just two pages Armstrong had me hooked by her blunt, eerie conversation between Casey Duncan and her therapist as she admits to cold-blooded murder. What a rip-roarer of an opening; you can imagine how excited I therefore was to read on. Unfortunately, this excitement was short-lived. We very swiftly are given all the low-down on Casey's murderous ways and with that, all of the fun is dissolved as this novella turns into a bunch of boring dialogues over a few beers with friends, with occassional fisty-cuffs.
Casey, despite committing murder, is a fairly straight forward character. Which was fine; in fact she is easy to like. She's blunt, tactical and sarcastic with a genuine affection for her best friend (not to mention her ex-con lover). I think she's fairly well fleshed out and I enjoyed her wit so I could definitely read more from her. In fact, I also bought into her sweet-natured relationship with her abused friend, who is much less fleshed-out and is a relative moaning myrtle. I really can relate to an abused character, and often I really appreciate the risks authors take when creating characters like this, but Armstrong made Casey's friend fairly pathetic and stupid when, in my opinion, this is unlikely to be the case. But of course, this does make her the perfect damsel in distress as Casey tries to help her escape her stalker ex-husband which could make for a more interesting plot as the series progresses. Despite this, it's nice to see Armstrong try and tackle domestic violence and I hope this develops in a better way.
But that's only if you can be bothered to read any further into this series because here's what I didn't like. I know this first book is a scene setter; I totally appreciate we need this backlog of information before we get into the nitty gritty. But I was so bored by this book considering, actually, quite a lot of action happens throughout. The problem is, after the first major event, all the action scenes are left to your imagination (like people breaking into an apartment for example and beating up a person) or are over within two sentences! Although I'm sure this is made to build tension, what remains was just boring description to me. The dialogue between Casey and her lover was equally unexciting, so I couldn't even buy into the sexy scenes either - something Armstrong is usually extremely good at.
Overall, a bit of a flop. I rarely ever describe a book as boring, or characters as dull, and I'm genuinely sad to be disappointed by any work by Armstrong because she's such a talented author and this started off so well. But this one just isn't for me. Invest in her other work for a more exciting adventure!
May 3, 2016
Such a great quick read! If you're in the mood to read, but you don't want to, or you don't have time to, start a full length book, give this one a go because it's definitely worth your time. Only problem is, it's so quick and so good that you are going to want to immediately pick up the second one. I know I did.
July 14, 2015
This is a great wee short. I think only UK and Australia are getting this in e-serial form before the actual book comes out.
I'm really enjoying it, more in line with Kelley's Nadia Stafford series which I loved.
I'm really enjoying it, more in line with Kelley's Nadia Stafford series which I loved.
January 24, 2016
Not my usual thing but this first part of Kelley Armstrong's serialized thriller about two women seeking refuge in a mysterious town meant for those fleeing the law moves at a fast clip and kept my interest enough to go out and buy part 2.
July 29, 2015
ohhh that was good. I want more. On to buy the next episode. hehe
February 21, 2017
Interesting premise. A place where you can go to hide out for 5 years (if you can afford it) while the world forgets you.
A remote place in Canada where 200 souls (no children, pets, or loved ones) reside. No one knows you are there.
Combo: Mystery, Romance and Thriller
Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows that someday this crime will catch up to her. Casey's best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana's husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it's time for the two of them to disappear.
You must apply to live in Rockton and if you're accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, and living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council's approval. As a murderer, Casey isn't a good candidate, but she has something they want: She's a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn't the only secret Rockton is hiding—in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.
A remote place in Canada where 200 souls (no children, pets, or loved ones) reside. No one knows you are there.
Combo: Mystery, Romance and Thriller
Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows that someday this crime will catch up to her. Casey's best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana's husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it's time for the two of them to disappear.
You must apply to live in Rockton and if you're accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, and living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council's approval. As a murderer, Casey isn't a good candidate, but she has something they want: She's a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn't the only secret Rockton is hiding—in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 25, 2023No rating; did not finish. Got too irritated with the author dragging things out in contrived, unlikely-to-happen-in-real-life ways. One example, repeated several times? When residents of Rockton come to Casey to tell her important clues about what appears to be an active serial killer, the bossy sheriff who's always at her side chases them away, telling them Casey's had a long day and is tired. Like that would happen? No. It's that Kelly Armstrong doesn't want us to know yet, and this is her way of stringing us along. To me at least, it's a deal-breaker.
January 16, 2021
It's hard to rate/review a serial based on the first 80 pages, so I think I'll review as I go along. The first one hooked me into continuing. On to Part Two.
Edit: Into Part 2 now and I realized that Part 1 is good background and set up to the next part. I also realized that all 6 parts have been published together as one book. For now, I'm enjoying the serial aspect. Hard to explain, but it's like I don't have to commit to a full book and can take it in chunks - also doesn't hurt that each separate part counts toward my Reading Challenge for the year. Ha! (mostly kidding)
Edit: Into Part 2 now and I realized that Part 1 is good background and set up to the next part. I also realized that all 6 parts have been published together as one book. For now, I'm enjoying the serial aspect. Hard to explain, but it's like I don't have to commit to a full book and can take it in chunks - also doesn't hurt that each separate part counts toward my Reading Challenge for the year. Ha! (mostly kidding)
December 13, 2022
So what do you do when you rebuild your life after and earth shattering tragedy and your best friend is now begging you for help . Casey leaves her life as a detective and enters the wilderness. R
First book the Rockton series that creates an town of modern wild west town of fugitives, survivors in the Canadian Yukon without Instagram, tik tok, Facebook. It does have a saloon/brothel, and a host of unforgettable characters
First book the Rockton series that creates an town of modern wild west town of fugitives, survivors in the Canadian Yukon without Instagram, tik tok, Facebook. It does have a saloon/brothel, and a host of unforgettable characters
November 16, 2017
Interesting idea - corporate run isolation camps, maybe it isn't so far fetched? The cannibals in the Canadian woods though...should have left it with bears.
December 27, 2017
I really liked this first entry. I will be re-reading it before starting the next parts since it has been so long since I read this one.
January 27, 2018
I haven't read any other books by this author but so far I like the character and her back story.
October 8, 2019
Casey Duncan wants to protect her best friend Diana from her abusive ex, but the only way might be to disappear. A great intro to the story.
November 26, 2019
Interesting premise, good pace, on to part 2 and 3
February 5, 2020
Intriguing. Pretty unique story line. Interesting characters.
March 23, 2020
Really enjoyed this and I was getting sucked in by the end. I might have to pick up the full version soon.
March 29, 2020
Nope, could not read this. Started out ok, but not too far in, became really bad and unreadable for me, could not continue. Really stupid plot in my opinion.
January 16, 2021
Good read
September 30, 2022
I love Kelley Armstrong need I say more
January 13, 2023
Storyline different from the usual. Kept me turning the pages
September 9, 2023
Man every time I thought I figured out the story I found out I was wrong. And the ending was priceless. This book is going to the top of my mystery list
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.