triggers, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, abusive-spouse, family-dynamics, friendship, drugs-issues, small-town, crime, criminal-acts, thriller, midwest, addiction, romance, suspense****

I can only give it a 4* because of all the difficult triggers (spousal abuse, child murder), so I couldn't finish. The writing is good and the characters are only too believable. The publisher's blurb is pretty good except for the bit about the marriage.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.

WOW!! That was a wild ride. I thoroughly enjoyed this story!! I usually read books pretty quickly but this one I savored like a fine wine. The way the story is written is so absorbing, and immersive. I actually got chills when the story took place in the cold!! The characters were complex, flawed and so interesting. The main character, Hazel, is not your run of the mill protagonist. She is not only trying to uncover a mystery but she is grappling with a lot of stress in her personal life. Hazel's personal struggles are just as intriguing as the killings in the small community of Black Harbor which make this a fantastic debut! Make sure to add this to your TBR pile immediately!!!

I was intrigued by the premise of a police transcriber getting involved in a murder investigation that she hears about while typing up detectives’ reports. The setting of a struggling Midwestern city overrun by drugs and crime was also of interest to me.

Unfortunately I felt the investigation took a back seat to the transcriber’s crush on one of the detectives. She spends much of the time fantasizing and pursuing him, and becomes jealous of a murder victim she thinks he might have had a relationship with. While she does dabble in the case, even a visit to a crime scene becomes an assignation.

Overall the story had moments but I found it lacking as a mystery or crime novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I’ve had this on my “to read” list for a couple months now, so when I was able to get an advanced reader copy, I wanted to dive right in! This was a different concept and a break from formulaic thrillers - I really enjoyed it and would definitely check out any books this author may write in the future.

Hazel Greenlee usually flits from job to job as she is trying to get her writing career off the ground, and her husband’s work has taken her to Black Harbor, Wisconsin. She finds a job as a police transcriber, typing up the verbal reports that officers make. She’s privy to all the hot information in town, and right now they’re dealing with some big things: an opioid crisis that is killing children, and suicides at a local bridge.

There is one officer’s reports she really likes, and not just because he’s heading up the intriguing opioid cases. She’s never seen him, but she absolutely loves his voice (one minor annoyance in the book is Hazel’s obsession with words and how they roll off people’s tongues). Then one day, she meets him in person and while she is a (very unhappily) married woman, she is immediately smitten.

Soon, she is pretty much working alongside him in solving the case, all while trying to keep a big secret from him. She’s also keeping secrets from her husband, her coworkers and her family. That and the strain of the job are getting to her, and she knows she has big choices to make.

Hazel was a really cool character. I liked her love of language, her desire to be a writer and her vulnerability. She’s trapped in a twisted marriage, really invested in her new job and her writing ambitions and overall just a likeable character despite of (or maybe because of) her faults.

This book gets a 4.5 from me, rounded down because the first half was a bit slow and the writing was a bit verbose (I’m a hypocrite for even saying that). The last half of the book was fantastic though, and I really enjoyed the ending. A great mystery/suspense book, and a touch of romance without getting cheesy, this book definitely has my recommendation.

(I’d like to thank Minotaur Books, Hannah Morrissey and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

Hello Transcriber is the dark, highly atmospheric story of one woman's introspective scrutiny of her life at a time when she's at a crossroads, facing a monumental decision about the direction she will choose. It's an unsettling story featuring tormented souls treading water, fighting an undercurrent of darkness threatening to pull them under. It's the story of one woman's journey from her lowest point to taking charge of and owning her own life.

Black Harbor, Wisconsin is a seedy, crime infested town with dark alleys and shadowy streets where nothing good ever happens. Hazel Greenlee and husband Tommy moved there in search of work - he as an Aquatic Ecologist and she as an aspiring writer who finds work as the night shift Police Transcriber. Hazel sees her job as an escape from a troubled marriage and as fodder for her unwritten stories. Two major events occur during one of her earliest night shifts - she hears a hypnotic police officer's voice coming through her transcription headphones stirring long forgotten feelings within her, and a man writes a mysterious message on her frosted office window . . . with someone else's frozen finger. Hazel recognizes the man as one of two residing in the rundown duplex beside her and her husband, and she soon learns the hypnotic voice coming through her headphones is the mysterious Det. Nikolai Kole who recorded his case notes from the overdose death of a nine year old boy. Nik suspects the drugs were purchased from a drug dealer aka The Candyman who continues eluding police. Hazel is intrigued with both the man and the case and soon becomes swept up in the murder investigation . . . and eventually in the complicated life of Det. Kole. Both prove to have profound effects on her life as she joins the detective in morally and ethically questionable actions. And by holding back one vital piece of information, Hazel may have signed her own death warrant.

Hello Transcriber is a dark and somber edge-of-your-seat thriller. The story unfolds through Hazel's unreliable point of view allowing readers inside her scrambled brain as she deals with feelings of entrapment. The murder investigation she becomes enthralled with becomes a bright spot in her otherwise dreary life. Hazel's a depressed and dysfunctional character on her best days . . . and on bad days? She's borderline suicidal often finding herself standing on Forge Bridge, the site of several local suicides, staring into the murky water. She hears the roar of the river demanding little tributes - a bracelet, scarf or better yet . . . a lost soul, and Hazel knows it's summoning her as she sinks deeper into depression, deeper into the investigation and deeper into the life of Det. Kole.

Hello Transcriber is a story strongly driven by place with fallible characters trying to fight their way out of the darkness. The author's vivid descriptions are vital in maintaining the dark, ominous tone throughout the story as the grimy, drug-ridden city becomes a character that permeates odors as rancid as it looks. As the story unfolds, the pace escalates in time with the rising paranoia in Hazel along with the rhythm of the water rushing under the bridge demanding more sacrifices. Readers are charged with following a twisted, convoluted plot line and unreliable characters all the way to the shocking conclusion. Dismal and somber from beginning to end, Hello Transcriber will feed the need for fans of dark suspense thrillers. Highly recommended.

Overall, a very nice read. Little backstory bombs dropped here and there were nice, and the language itself was smooth and engaging for me.
Some things struck me as odd - the detectives dictating reports and inserting the punctuation and paragraph breaks? I have a few family members and friends in law enforcement and I just cannot stretch my imagination that far, which is a shame as it's the premise of the book. HOWEVER, it was done pretty well and I'm not going to complain about it.
I am a transcriptionist myself, so at first I was doubtful of using "transcriber" but it actually is a perfect fit for this.
I feel like some of the transitions between scenes/situations were rushed and sometimes not very well fleshed out, but on the whole I enjoyed the writing, I enjoyed the story, and I would like to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this book.


As some points were a little eerie, the most of the story was about hazel and her husband and their sad life. Many parts was confusing and I wish this book had more to do with the police transcriber aspect.

“Tell me something confidential..”

It is hard to believe this is a debut novel for Hannah Morrissey, she has such a unique and compelling way of storytelling. I was completely immersed in this novel right from the beginning. Morrissey tells a mysterious tale about Black Harbor, a town ridden with corruption and death centered around a notorious drug dealer known as the Candy Man. Hazel is new to Black Harbor and takes the job as transcriber for the local police department. She is trying to find her way in the world and believes if she can become a successful writer she will be able to leave Black Harbor and her old life. She finds her inspiration while at work, her neighbor confesses to hiding the body of the latest overdose victim. She becomes obsessed with the investigation as she grows close to the lead detective, putting everything at risk including her marriage, her job, and possibly her life.
I loved the way this book was written, with Hazel’s point of view as a police transcriber, listening to many gruesome details of interrogations and investigations. She is a desperate character, who you can’t help but root for and feel sorry for. This book is one I will definitely be recommending and cannot wait to read more about the lead character Hazel as the series continues. Pinky promise, this is one you won’t want to miss!

This was my first novel by Hannah Morrissey and I LOVED IT!

The story was really unique, very well written and had quite a captivating plot. I was hooked from the beginning. I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately (reading wise) and this book was a breath of fresh air.

If you enjoy fast paced thrillers, I highly recommend Hello, Transcriber.

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and Hannah Morrissey for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

Between the cover, the synopsis, and the rave blurbs from some of my favorite authors, I knew I had to read this ASAP.

Hello, Transcriber follows Hazel as she starts a new job as a transcriber for a police department in a small town. A murder with personal ties, she finds herself engrossed by the case. As she listens to the details in the reports, she becomes fascinated by Detective Nikolai Kole and decides to use her position to gather intel and experience for her book.

What a great read.

Hazel's voice is stellar. From the structure to the dialogue, Morrissey nails the execution of a woman who is dissatisfied in her life and yearning for more. From her marriage to her career pursuits, she has no clue what she wants or how to get it, but she's determined to find out, consequences be damned. I loved this transitional, almost transitory mindset--especially in the moments of raw honesty and dry humor. We get an interesting character development, as other characters' opinions of Hazel juxtapose with our own. They point out her accent. They criticize her attire. The gossip is rampant, even though we're limited to these impressions by Hazel's POV, so when we get these other truths, the impact is just as jarring. Have we been blinded by our perceptions? Really cool narrative choices.

I particularly loved the moments with Kole, ugly and beautiful alike. No spoilers, of course, but there's so much to unpack from their interactions, and I think many readers are going to find them equally compelling. This has shades of voyeuristic, Evil, You vibes, so if you're into creepy undertones, this will definitely be the book for you.

Compelling, raw, and un-put-downable, Hello, Transcriber is about to be your new obsession.

Big thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

“Hello, Transcriber” by Hannah Morrissey is a dark crime-thriller that goes beyond solving the mystery and delves into the dark recesses of people’s minds and intentions. Morrissey combines a chilling string of overdoses with a seductive romance, domestic abuse, and depression that may be a tough subject for some readers but offers a powerful alternative to what is considered traditional for the crime genre.

Hazel Greenlee moves to Black Harbour with her husband where she becomes a transcriber for the police department. Her role is to translate verbal reports of crime scenes and investigations into written form for the officers. Though the crimes are not always pleasant, Hazel’s job allows her to do what she loves best: to write.

Everything goes downhill for Hazel when someone appears outside her window at work, claiming they’ve hidden a dead body with a severed finger for proof. What follows is a string of brutal murders and overdoses, drug busts, and damaging secrets. Hazel works closely with one of the detectives on the case, trying to solve a murder while indulging in her not-so-innocent interest of getting to know the man.

As Hazel dives deeper into the case, the more she jeopardizes her marriage and mental health. Solving this crime may give her the satisfaction she’s looking for, so long as the killer doesn’t get to her first.

This was definitely a unique way of involving an ordinary citizen in a dangerous and life-threatening drug bust. Telling the story from the perspective of a transcriber was a fascinating way to introduce readers to Hazel—a woman who’s dreamed of becoming a writer but has no inspiration to write anything she deems worthwhile. So, she becomes a transcriber for the police where the grizzly, everyday morbidity of crime provides a constant flow of inspiration for her to draw from. Hazel's poetic rendering of the deaths she transcribes accentuates her flaws, her emotionally distant reaction to death, and the reason she dives head-first into danger. Part of this is likely due to her mental health, her lack of confidence, and the abuse she continues to suffer.

"Hello, Transcriber" deals with a lot of tough subjects not suitable for all readers. Overdoses, bullying, manipulation, depression, suicide, and brutal killings are only a small insight into the story. It's a dark and bleak tale, but the few happy moments within the book are incredibly empowering. A lot of that stems from the characters themselves who are well-written. Morrissey takes the time to let readers get acquainted with her characters and the storyline to allow those empowering moments to leave an impact—which they definitely do.

The book didn’t quite meet my expectations. I thought the deaths would be more sinister and grizzlier and the stakes would be a lot higher. While the story started off with multiple reports from officers, it died off pretty quickly and focused mostly on the detective Hazel was working with (which makes sense since that is the focus of the plot). I think I was expecting there to be something more sinister behind the “hello, transcriber” theme than just Hazel typing up reports.

Even though my expectations for the novel were different, I still enjoyed the story. Morrissey offers a lot more than just a traditional crime story by creating multi-faceted characters with complex intentions. Readers who want to pick up a mystery that’s a little more different than the usual crime story will find “Hello, Transcriber” to be a morbidly fascinating tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) for providing me with an e-arc of this story and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review. The expected publication date for “Hello, Transcriber” by Hannah Morrissey is November 30th, 2021. Save the date and the book to your reading lists!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Similar to others, I was drawn to this book based on its premise. I found it extremely interesting and something new that I hadn't come across before.

Welcome to Black Harbor, the fictional crime-ridden town our story is based on. Enter Hazel Greenlee, the new overnight transcriber for the local police department. And just as the town name suggests, this story is dark.

At first, it felt as if the story dragged on a bit. Bogged down by a lot of detail and description. But as it moves forward it was easier to get into it.

There are a lot of twists that are always necessary for a good suspense mystery. And of course the drama of Hazel getting into things she shouldn't or keeping secrets. Which is a huge part of her job. I do wonder how much of this story is actually suspense versus a drama.

It did manage to hold my attention for the most part and I would recommend it simply because it is a very interesting story.

Very much enjoyed this book. Well written, fleshed out characters, plot twists - who could ask for more?

This interesting mystery is centered on the relationship of a detective and a transcriber. Through that relationship, the woman transcriber not only learns about the small town she lives in, but about her how own life choices are leading her to accept a marriage and relationships which are not what she had hoped for herself. Through her eyes, we experience dangers in the community and in the police work as well as the dangers of her relationships. Throughout the story, she changes in ways that allow her to not only aid in the solution of the case, but in redirecting her own future.

A great mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed the escape and the characters. Sometimes its hard to find an unpredictable mystery but this one sure fit the bill

3 star. Not my usual type of story. It was an ok read, not a favorite by any means. I feel it dragged at parts a little too much for my taste.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Hello, Transcriber takes place in the fictional town of Black Harbor, which sounds like about as depressing a town as there could be. At least, Hazel certainly does not want to be there. Whenever she is asked what brought her to Black Harbor, she replies that it’s because of her husband’s job. Now she is starting a job on the night shift as a transcriptionist for the Black Harbor Police Department. Apparently, the river has been known to be an accomplice in many deaths by suicide, as Hannah soon discovers.
This book’s writing style is simply perfect! It shakes you to the core, making you feel everything. You feel the deep sadness of the characters who are trapped in their lives and suffocating, finding a way out. The portraits, realistic depictions, intriguing pacing capture your entire attention. You keep guessing the culprit till the end. And that heartbreaking ending was best conclusion for this haunting story!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Dark story with a interesting narrator. She's the overnight transcriber for the police department and her job, neighbors, and personality draw her into a murder mystery. There is a bit of a romance with this tale too. I didn't love it, but I enjoyed that it had some different elements to the usual detective story.

Okay. Where do I start?
This book was a doozy. Overall, liked it. I gave it 3⭐️ mainly because I was thoroughly intrigued the whole time and couldn’t wait to turn my kindle back on and read when I had the chance. There was so much going on at all times which kept me wanting to turn pages.

The plot was what drew me in- a police transcriber gets a little too personally involved in a case (in more ways than one) & the story goes on from there- Hazel gets to learn more and more about cases (and the men & woman solving them) through transcribing and becomes mixed in it all along the way.
The characters were interesting- although most were unlikeable & I can say the same for the main character. My favorite character was actually Investigator Kole & even he was kind of sus sometimes 🤣
From my understanding this was supposed to be suspense and while I see it, it had a little too much drama for me. Most of the time I was questioning “what kind of story are we trying to tell here??”

I really wanted to love it. I especially wanted to love it because it’s not even out yet & I got to read it early. The idea was great and the crown aspect of it was really good, but I just didn’t necessarily vibe with throwing in all the extra family & relationship drama into what was supposed to be a suspense novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Hello, Transcriber was a gritty read. The atmosphere of the book is so well written that I got the whole sense of the dark, gloomy, drug ridden, winter town called Black Harbor, with a creepy, monster like black iron bridge that seemed to be a center character of the novel itself. I loved the author's writing style, which kept me glued to the novel, and I did not want to put it down. Hazel is a 26 year old woman, stuck in this bleak town with Tommy, her backwoods type, emotionally absent husband. Hazel takes a job as a transcriptionist at the local police department. What tops off another eerie factor, is that she takes the night shift. Again, due to the author's descriptive writing, you can pretty much get a visual perspective of Hazel's nights at the police department, trapped in a small office alone with the pit of the drug world right across the street from her in some run down apartments. While transcribing, she grows to find comfort in one of the cops voices, Kole. Soon, she and Kole meet, and he stirs up feelings within her that she didn't know were possible. I loved feeling the chemistry between Kole and Hazel as I read. Aside from the love story, we follow Kole, as he tries to pin down the suspect of several drug overdoses of young kids as well as several murders in Black Harbor. The only thing that annoyed me about this fact was that Hazel, who has no experience in law enforcement, was somehow allowed to be involved with Kole solving the case. In real life, something that like would just never happen. If it wasn't for the love story, I probably would've given up on this book early on, but the chemistry between Kole and Hazel kept me intrigued as well as the dark atmosphere of the novel. 3.5-4 stars! (And having been a transcriptionist myself for many years, it made me miss my typing days quite a bit).