Casey Duncan Books In Order

Publication Order of Casey Duncan / Rockton Books

Casey Duncan by Kelley Armstrong is a series of novels by the popular Canadian author also known for the “Women of the Otherworld”, “Darkest Powers”, “Cainsville”, “Darkness Rising”, and “Age of Legends” series. While she is primarily known for her romance novels she has also published thrillers, fantasy, and crime novels and novellas. Kelley was born in 1968 Sudbury Ontario, the eldest of four siblings. She went to the University of Western Ontario from where she graduated with a psychology degree, before proceeding to Fanshawe College where she studied computer programming. “Bitten” her first novel came out in 2001 and she has never looked back since, becoming a full-time parent and author since 2002. She made the New York Times bestseller list with “No Human Involved” in 2007.

Kelley has always loved telling stories even before she could hold a pen. She would tell weird stories about evil dolls and undead girls much to the dismay of her teachers who tried in vain to make her tell normal stories. Today she continues to spin tales of women, men, werewolves, demons, and ghosts living in a world full of mystery and romance. She currently resides in Southwestern Ontario with her husband and children.

Casey the lead character of the Casey Duncan series also known as the Rockton series is an intriguing character. She was forced to flee to the strange almost mythical town of Rockton when her past catches up to her. She had killed the son of a mobster in college and the mob now wants revenge. Still, while she is petite, she can hold her own in a fight since she has martial arts training. Once she settles into town, she gets committed to it and alongside her lover sheriff Eric Dalton, are the two best things the town has. Eric Dalton is the man in charge of Rockton and reports to the council which decides who get to get into the town and how long they stay. He is an opposite yet complementary character to Casey with his brutal sometimes blunt personality and mannerisms. He is something akin to an old fashioned Wild West sheriff that keeps Rockton orderly and safe with intimidation and muscle, which commands admiration and respect. The two develop from fast friends who solve the town’s complex cases into lovers as the novels progress.

“City of the Lost”, the first novel of the Casey Duncan series introduces the lead Casey as a homicide detective that killed a former lover that was also the grandson of a mobster. While she never got arrested due to lack of evidence, the mob knew that she did it and they are looking to get their revenge. At about the same time, Diana her best friend has been having problems with her violent ex-husband who managed to track her down after years of estrangement. When Casey finds Diana bloody after a brutal beating, she decides that both of them need to leave town or they will end up dead. Diana says she knows a remote community where they can go to disappear. The town of Rockton allows anyone that wants to leave the past behind to make an application to be allowed in for a time. They allow in anyone from people running from the law, those running from mistakes, abuse survivors such as Diana or anyone who does not want to be found. The two friends flee to Rockton, a small community nestled in the middle of nowhere in the Yukon Territories. There is no internet, no phones, no mail but a lot of secrets and strange happenings. The only glitch is that Casey’s application is almost rejected after some digging reveals that the mob is after her. But given that the town is dealing with its first homicide, her detective skills will come in handy as she can help Eric the local sheriff solve the case.

In “A Darkness Absolute” the second novel of the Casey Duncan series, the heroine teams up with Eric Dalton the town’s sheriff to solve a deepening mystery. While Dalton is on a supply run, an indolent resident decides to run off during a snow storm. Now, Casey and Will Anders, the Deputy Sheriff have to track him down in a search and rescue mission. While they are sheltering in a cave system, they chance upon a malnourished and terrified woman trapped in a hole. It turns out that she is Nicole, a former Rockton resident who had gone missing about a year before. She had been detained by an unknown assailant and been subjected to unspeakable abuses. The intrigue deepens when Casey finds two more unidentified bodies in the cave system. Rockton is now in a panic as it seems another killer is out there. It remains unclear whether the killer is an outsider or a resident, but Dalton and Casey now have to find the killer as a matter of urgency. It is a story that is both unsettling and compelling as the romance between Eric and Casey blossoms in the midst of all the danger and perils of living in the strange town of Rockton.

“This Fallen Prey” the third novel of the Casey Duncan series sees a short lull in Rockton. Casey thought she would spend some time with her boyfriend sheriff Eric Dalton until the council throws them a curveball. They are informed that they have to take in Oliver Brady, a serial killer running away from the law, whose stepfather has given the council a million dollars. While Rockton may be the perfect haven for criminals, it has never harbored someone so dangerous. It does not have the resources or facilities to imprison such a person long term. But the council is insistent that Oliver needs to be kept in Rockton and out of sight for half a year. Since he is paying handsomely, Eric and Casey have to accede to the demands of their bosses. But Oliver himself has protested his innocence right from the time he was dumped in Rockton gagged and bound claiming that he had been set up. Casey believes it is all an act but Oliver’s antics are convincing enough that he wins over some of the townspeople who help him escape. As a homicide detective, she knows nothing good can come out of it and hence knows that it is up to her and Eric to find him before he causes more devastation.