Amy writes books you simultaneously want to slowly sink into but also devour. She writes with such intent and purpose its like magic every time I pick one up.

The Unknown Beloved is set in Cleveland in the 1930's...a time where serial killers and and gangsters are running rampant. When one killer in particular leaves cops stumped, Michael Malone is relocated to the area to see if he can shed some light. There, he meets a woman that he has crossed paths with some 15 years ago.

This book is historically gritty, romantic, and slightly supernatural. It is for those who enjoy a true crime element and a story that hasn't been done before. Amy writes in every genre but what IS consistent is her careful curating of plot and unique characters who are just so special. She pulls history straight from the books and wraps them in a tale where you can't tell what is fiction and what isn't...that's how immersive this story is.

This is a romance between two socially isolated characters...each damaged from past experiences, who find unexpected solace in one another. It is a 15 year age gap romance that is OH SO GOOD. It is natural and organic and full of emotion and heart. Its the type of romance you want to go back and re read all of your favorite parts. Tiny moments that are so understated just might be the most romantic of them all. It is so good...that I am STILL not over it, nor do I expect to be anytime soon.

When I say that it has true crime elements, rest assured that this book not only romanced me but kept me up at night. The serial killer aspect is mysterious, and eerie and disturbing as all killers tend to be.

This book will hook you from page one and have you racing to the finish. I couldn't get enough of Dani, Malone and this era and I hope you won't either!

Loved this book!!

Description
From the bestselling author of Where the Lost Wander and What the Wind Knows comes the evocative story of two people whose paths collide against the backdrop of mystery, murder, and the Great Depression.

Chicago, 1923: Ten-year-old Dani Flanagan returns home to find police swarming the house, her parents dead. Michael Malone, the young patrolman assigned to the case, discovers there’s more to the situation—and to Dani Flanagan herself—than the authorities care to explore. Malone is told to shut his mouth, and Dani is sent away to live with her spinster aunts in Cleveland.

Fifteen years later, Michael Malone is summoned to Cleveland to investigate a series of murders that have everyone stumped, including his friend and famed Prohibition agent Eliot Ness, now Cleveland’s director of safety. There, in a city caught in the grip of a serial killer, Dani and Malone cross paths once again.

Malone is drawn to Dani and her affinity for the dead and compassion for the destitute. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that she could help him solve his case. As terror descends on the city and Malone and Dani confront the dark secrets that draw them together, it’s a race to find the killer or risk becoming his next victims.

Another literary masterpiece from Amy Harmon! No matter what genre she writes, it instantly turns to gold, but her historical fiction pieces are by far my favorite.

The Great Depression not only brought about financial hardships but murder and mayhem as well. In Chicago, 1923, ten-year-old Dani Flanagan’s parents are murdered. Michael Malone, a young police officer, is assigned to her case and escorts her to the home of her aunts in Cleveland. But there’s more to Dani than meets the eye, and over the years he never forgot her or the special gift she possessed.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Malone is sent to Cleveland to investigate a string of suspicious murders that has everyone stumped, even Eliot Ness. To Malone’s surprise, his and Dani’s paths once again collide, but now she is a beautiful young woman and he finds himself even more drawn to her. Knowing her affinity for the the dead and compassion for the destitute, Malone believes she just might be the only one who can help him crack the case.

I simply adore Amy Harmon’s writing, not only for allowing me to become completely immersed within her stories but for giving me a little taste of history too. While this book is based on true events, Amy puts a bit of a spin on that makes the story all her own. Michael Malone and Dani Flanagan were wonderful and relatable characters that allowed for some light to shine through a rather dismal tale.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4175851136

I knew at about 30% this book would be 5 stars and it did not disappoint. This was my 1st Amy Harmon book and since I finished it, I have added all of her other books to my TBR. This book was everything I love: age-gap romance, historical fiction, and serial-killer thriller. It was so well-written that I literally could not put it down. I can't remember the last time I flew through a book so quickly and then was sad when it was over. This book is perfection! *Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.

3.8 Stars
One Liner: A few hits and misses; mixed feelings

Chicago, 1923: Dani Flanagan comes home to find her parents dead and police handling the crime scene. It’s her tenth birthday the next day, and Dani is overwhelmed by the loss of her parents. A young beat constable, Michael Malone, is assigned to take care of her and keep her away from the scene.
Cleveland, 1938: Twenty-five years later, Dani is living with her aunts (her mother’s sisters). They are a family of seamstresses with royal connections. But the tough times have made it hard for everyone, including them. People are scraping by, and things would have been better if not for a mysterious Torso Murderer or The Butcher on loose.
It seems that the Butcher likes to kill people at random and chop them into neat pieces. Eliot Ness is on the case but with not much progress. When Malone goes to Cleveland on personal business, Ness convinces him to stay back and help solve the case.
Malone and Dani’s paths soon cross. Malone is attracted to Dani and her unexplainable connection with fabrics. He can’t help but notice that she is now a beautiful young woman with many talents. With the Butcher still hacking his victims, Malone takes Dani’s help to solve the case.
Will the duo be able to find the killer, or will they end up as victims? What does the future hold for Dani and Malone?

What I Liked:
• The book seamlessly blends history and fiction. Ness, David Cowles, Fronek, Dr. Edward Peterka, Al Capone, Mysterious Mike (our Malone), and a few other characters are real people. The Torso Murder is a true crime that was never solved despite so many people working on it for months.
• The characters are well-etched, no matter how small their role is. Derby is one such example. The setting, too, is clear and easy to visualize.
• Dani’s psychic talent has been beautifully presented. I loved the scenes where she 'feels' the clothes to read more about the people who wore them.
• The romance between Dani and Malone progresses over time and doesn’t feel rushed. The vibes of reading a historical romance are apparent. Despite the age difference, the romance works very well.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
The book is slow… I mean, very slow. It feels like placing one foot in front of another and taking baby steps toward a far away ending. I finished it in 4 days because I speed-read more than half of it.
It’s not until 50% that things start to make little sense. Moreover, the murders (and bodies) are described in detail. That wasn’t a problem for me. I’m used to it, and the tone is a matter of fact. However, sensitive readers might have a hard time reading about so many hacked bodies as the list goes on and on.
The climax might feel a little disappointing for those who aren’t aware of the real story. The author did take a few liberties to provide a satisfying ending, but she still had to stay true to the details. Reading about the Torso Murders will prepare the readers to understand the ending. It fits if you know what happened. The author’s note is detailed and helps to a great extent. Since it comes after the book ends, better be prepared in advance.
Some reviews ask readers not to read about the actual crime before starting the book. That’s a valid point if you want to focus on the mystery element. The suspense keeps you hooked but only if you aren’t put off by the slow pace. You’ll have to decide based on how you feel after reading the first 40%. That’s what I did.

To sum up, The Unknown Beloved is a good book with interesting elements but fails to work its magic on me. It leaves me with mixed feelings.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a wonderful book! Amy Harmon has just jumped onto my list of favorite authors (I adored What the Wind Knows). This book is the perfect blend of historical fiction, true crime, romance, and magical realism. It may sound like a big mix of genres but Harmon handles the integration seamlessly. I loved Dani and Michael’s characters. I had never heard of the Cleveland Torso Murders before and was surprised to realize that part of the book was structured around actual events. I loved this book and highly recommended it!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Harmon is a go-to author for me and her books tend to end up being my favorites. Last year it was The Songbook of Benny Lament and the year before that it was Where the Lost Wander. So seeing that she had a new book releasing this year had me incredibly excited.

The Unknown Beloved is a bit different from her previous work that I've read. It follows the hunt for a serial killer in Cleveland during the Great Depression era with one of the main characters having a sixth sense so to speak when she touches cloth. It has some more gory scenes that took me a bit by surprise but I didn't think it was over the top by any means considering the plot.

Even though I wasn't as in love with this one as some of her previous books, I'm glad I read it because Amy Harmon sure has a way with words.

One of my favorite authors, and man can she tell a story! I got all the way through this book just to read the authors note and to realize that these characters were real people and these murders really happened. I had no idea!

This is definitely a little different from what I was expecting and what I think this author normally writes, with being more heavy on the crime part and less on the romance, but I still really enjoyed it! I’ll read anything Amy writes!

This is a unique, bizarre take on actual serial murders of unidentified people in 1930's Cleveland. It is also the story of the male protagonist, Michael Malone and his connection to a young woman Dani Flanagan in Cleveland whom he met when she was the child of two murder victims and he a young policeman in the east. He formed a bond with her that day and later took her by train to her aunts in Cleveland. Now 15 years later he is a federal investigator who comes to Cleveland to work undercover for Eliot Ness to solve these murders. Ness' office staff have rented a room for Malone in a home based tailoring business. The business owned by Dani's aunt with whom she still lives. She also prepares unclaimed or unidentified corpses for burial for the coroner. Dani has a strange power to sense the events surrounding the corpses' demise and shares this information with Malone. Fascinating and well paced, even if a bit hard to totally believe.

As I read The Unknown Beloved, I was again struck by the incredible writing talent of Amy Harmon. I think so many people take for granted the effort put into pulling a book together. In the case of this book, Ms. Harmon did an incredible amount of research on actual events that she included in this book, as well as some of the individuals. Even though she acknowledges in her author's note that she took liberties with some things, which I won't share here because I don't want to ruin the book for anyone, she truly does heavily base the book on real life events. To me, that is truly impressive.

I never realized that this serial killer, known as The Butcher, had terrorized Cleveland in the 1930's. In addition, most of us know that Eliot Ness helped to bring down Al Capone. Yet, I did not realize he had a connection to Cleveland as Safety Director during this scary time. The difficulty in trying to uncover who was perpetuating these horrific crimes while not having access to the forensics and DNA we have today is hard to fathom.

The way Ms. Harmon takes these actual events and weaves her story into them is fascinating. The fact that Dani and Michael Malone had a history from when her parents were killed helps to strengthen their awkward bond from the beginning. In addition, his discomfort with Dani's "gift" isn't surprising. However, it's more for fear of what she might see as opposed to a fear of what she is as far as he's concerned. While with most people it would be a fear of her and what she can do.

Also, Ms. Harmon has a knack for describing surroundings and characters so that you can truly imagine yourself there, in the middle of everything. Likewise, I could easily picture Dani and Michael, as well as some of the other side characters. It just makes it so much easier to immerse yourself in a book when the author can do that. I just loved how it all blended together. It was effortless.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Amy Harmon never fails me. Im yet to read a book of her that doesn't blow me away. There's something so unique about her stories and the way she brings them to life. This wasn't an exception. Such an atmospheric and emotional read, a mix of historical and paranormal only this author can make it work.

“What a strange vortex the years suddenly seemed. The jump from ten to twenty-five was a lifetime. The leap from twenty-five to forty was but a long weekend. It was like being trapped in a Jules Verne novel.”

My second novel from Amy Harmon and she impressed me again! Based on a true crime serial killer in 1930s Cleveland, this book frequently had me on the edge of my seat.

Harmon did a great job of weaving in a little romance and happiness so this didn’t feel nearly as heavy as it could have. I was fully invested in the characters’ journeys and felt like I really knew each of them by the end. I also found the unique storyline of a person with a “sixth sense” surprisingly fascinating.

Harmon fans and those who enjoys true crime will definitely find the content here intriguing.

I had some awesome ladies reading this with me and thoroughly enjoyed hearing their thoughts! @kellyhook.readsbooks @booksandchicks @maryreadstoomuch @amy_alwaysreading @electric_bookaloo

Thank you @netgalley and @lakeunionauthors for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

*quotes from an advanced copy may not be in the finished edition.

When Dani's mother and father are murdered when she is a young girl her life of innocence is destroyed forever. No one wants to believe that her daddy would never do that to her mommy. Except the police man that comforts her and takes her to her new home. Years later when Michael is sent to Cleveland to help track down a serial killer he sees the strange girl from years ago that terrified him with the things she seemed to now. Now forced to live in her home and get to know the woman she has become he finds he never really knew anything. Before the terrifying killer can be stopped they will have to rely on each other and hope they get to him before her gets to them. Set in the 1930 its full of history and real life characters that draw you in and make you feel like you know them, make you feel for them. I fell in love with Dani and Michael and her crazy old Aunts and I really did not want this suspenseful, thrilling, magical and emotional read to end. I. FREAKING. LOVED. IT

A solid 3.5 stars, rounding up.

I think those that enjoy historical fiction and mystery with a touch of paranormal and spattering of romance will enjoy this book. Those that enjoy Amy Harmony’s prose will love it.

I have some mixed feelings for several reasons so this won’t rate as one of my favorite of her books but I am so glad I read it.

What I loved: I loved that it was based on real events and real people. This made it very compelling to me. I want to learn more about this string of murres now.

What I liked and what worked for me: I liked the origin story of how Dani and Michael met. I really enjoyed the aunts and Dani and Michael’s banter with them. I loved Charlie. I wanted more about Charlie and Michael. I enjoyed the historical details. They were very well done.

Where it fell short for me: as much as I wanted Dani and Michael to end up together, I didn’t feel their romance. I felt neither character was flushed out quite enough and it made the romance feel flat.

What I downright disliked: Amy’s conservative view bled into some dialogue between Michael and Dani. Michael’s and Eliot Ness’s politics particularly seemed to mirror Amy’s views. It took me out of the story BUT if you like conservative politics this might be a pro for you. Honestly, if her politics mirrored mine, it would be a positive for me. So I wanted to just put that out there.

Overall, a strong read for those that love historical mystery especially.

I couldn’t put it down!! The Unknown Beloved has historical events woven together with such an original layer. The details and characters were so complete that I felt like I watched a movie. I don’t want to spoil anything by saying too much but trust me and read this book!!! You definitely want to know Malone and Dani!!

The Unknown Beloved is superb. Any Harmon has once again sent my soul sailing high as this subtle tale of perseverance and the most unexpected kind of romance captured my heart and my attention completely. There is truly something very magical about Harmon's writing, the way I can fall head-first into her words and honestly never want to come up for air. It's a seriously beautiful thing.

This book has a subtle charm about it, the way Michael Malone and Daniela Kos meet not once but twice in the span of 15 years, both times under tense circumstances. Fate certainly is a funny one as they find each other once again as boarder and 'landlord' with Malone in Dani's Cleveland to help the fabled Eliot Ness with the frustrating butcher case. The realization that they are both in each other's company again is startling indeed but is clearly the coincidence that is determined to change their lives forever.

I can't tell you how much I just love these characters. Malone is hardened by life, by love, and tries to remain the stalwart former cop no matter his professional position. The way he avoids the want he feels for Dani. How he is enamored with her grace, her resilience, and her patience with her crotchety aunts. How her gift of touch is not only helpful in trying to solve this serial murder case but in opening up his heart as well. How he can't see what is right in front of him yet can see what others can't about themselves. Oh this man, he's a tough one but watching as he falls hard for the talented seamstress was truly a sight to behold.

Then there is Dani. The beautiful young woman with mismatched colored eyes. She sees more than just what her special sense of touch offers. She sees the good in the world, even when her beloved Cleveland is a shell of its former self. How she cares for the deceased, giving them the dignity they didn't have in life and making sure they are buried with clean clothes and hopeful words tucked close to their hearts. Dani is a wonder. I loved her tenacity. Her quiet presence that could speak volumes. How she falls for Michael yet pushes him just enough to grab on tight but doesn't fault him when he might have to let go. She is simply exquisite in every sense of the word.

The timeline of the last 1930s and what is to come in the next few years is meticulously researched by this seasoned author and I'm always thrilled to learn more about moments in history and the backstory of what transpired when no one may have been paying attention. Bringing a character like Michael Malone to the forefront was well-crafted, giving this lesser-known backbone his well-deserved time in the sun. Finding out how certain events may have crossed wires to more dire happenings in the future is beyond fascinating to me and I thoroughly enjoy being schooled by the talented Amy Harmon.

The Unknown Beloved, like most of Harmon's work, deserves to be savored and is best enjoyed going in blind. She always gives a timeless kind of love story that inevitably will have many rough patches and even a time or two of separation. But as those last few chapters are read, there is that undeniable feeling of true happiness that all can and will be well if we just let our hearts do the heavy lifting. My own soul is full and I couldn't recommend this book highly enough. It is historical fiction done right and I happily give The Unknown Beloved a huge 5+ stars!

After loving THE SONGBOOK OF BENNY LAMENT, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the latest by Amy Harmon, THE UNKNOWN BELOVED. Based on true crime in the backdrop of the The Great Depression, this atmospheric genre mash-up did not disappoint.

Coming off the heels of putting Al Capone behind bars, detective Michael Malone finds himself in Cleveland investigating the infamous “Torso Murders” serial killer who has evaded local law enforcement. He crosses paths with a woman from his past who has the unique abilities that could help put a stop to the madman plaguing the city.

At its heart, this is a true-crime historical mystery infused with supernatural elements and a unique love story. The novel starts off with a tragedy and leisurely meanders its way to a compelling conclusion. Despite the slower pacing, it was an atmospheric read that left me completely immersed in 1930s Cleveland.

I found the author’s note about the real torso killer case fascinating and I love how the author paid homage to public servants committed to keeping communities safe. If you’re looking for a uniquely atmospheric read, pick up THE UNKNOWN BELOVED.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: April 19, 2022

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be published to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

I am thoroughly convinced that Amy Harmon can write anything. She is an author that can jump from genre to genre with such ease and agility, and I am HERE for it every time!

In The Unknown Beloved, we are taken to the 1930's for a murder mystery. I didn't realize this until over halfway through the book, but the serial killer, and many of the characters were real people, and that made me love this book even more! Dani is a fictional character, but she is a fantastic MC, and as Harmon hinted at in the author's note, I agree...more stories of her and Mike would be awesome!

Mike and Dani meet on the night of her parents' deaths. He, a police officer called to the scene, and she, a now orphaned little girl. He escorts her to her aunts' home in Cleveland. We jump forward in time, and fate brings the two of them back together! Mike becomes a boarder in Dani's home as he is assigned to help Eliot Ness capture The Butcher of Kingsbury Run.

The story had a magical realism aspect as Dani has an ability to touch cloth and see things about the person that owned it. It's a really cool ability, and it plays into the story wonderfully. The rest of the story is completely grounded in non-magical abilities of police officers to investigate a murder, and I enjoyed this one magical ability.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I thought the plot was wonderful, and I loved how Harmon wove the historical information into Dani and Mike's story. This is a bit gruesome, so readers with delicate tummies beware...The Butcher serial killer was an accurate name for this monster. He left his victims in pieces, and the victims are described throughout the story. It's not gory, but you know what happened to them.

I would highly recommend this one for readers that enjoy a murder mystery or police procedural!

This one starts off with a bang! It's 1923 in Chicago. Dani Flanagan is 10 years old and she comes home and finds the police at her door. Her parents have been murdered. A young cop by the name of Michael Malone is assigned to keep her under control. I loved the opening!

Fifteen years later Michael Malone is sent to Cleveland to investigate a serial killer on the loose who has been nicknamed, "The Butcher" of Kingsbury Run. Here, Michael meets up with the adult Dani, who now lives with her elderly Aunts. Michael takes up lodging in her home as he works in Cleveland to solve the murders. Dani begins to get close to him and he discovers she has a special "gift" that will help him in solving the crimes.

I loved how Amy Harmon incorporated real-life events and people in her story. The setting and time frame were especially good. She had everything down to a T - the dialogue, and descriptions were excellent. There was a bit of mystery and romance in this one but as much as I love Amy Harmon this to me was not her at her best. I just found it dragged at some points.

I absolutely loved her novels, "What the Wind Knows," and "Where the Lost Wander." This one for me was not up to par with those. Still, a good book just not as great as I had anticipated it to be.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advance Reader Copy.

"...Unknown people, unknown pain, unknown acts of heroism, and unknown acts of horror...."
Amy Harmon

I love this book!
Amy Harmon writes unbelievable fascinating and gripping stories.
What's always most fascinating about her books is that they are incredibly well researched and are close to true historical events.
I learned something new and fascinating with each of her  historical fiction books.
Her ability to blend non-fiction with fiction in unbelievable fascinating.

This gripping and suspenseful mystery crime story will take you to the times of the Great Depression, full of unemployment, hopelessness and time afflicted by famine.
Where a serial killer terrifies and terrorizes Cleveland for the last 5 years (he was called the Kingsbury Run murder and is factual).

Michael Malone a former patrolman and the best Treasure agent, is called from Chicago to help investigate the crime (he's also a real man with a beautiful dash of fiction in this story).

Dani Flanagan is a young seamstress from Cleveland, who tries to survive the hard times by all available means. One of them is renting a room in her aunts house.

And that's how Dani's and Michael's story begins...

I love Dani und Michael.
I love them together, but I love both characters separate too.
Strong, bold, smart and really easy to love. Their ability to see beyond the simple facts and cleverness is awesome.
"The undertaker and the spy."

If I had to compare the story, I would say it's a mixture of Agatha Christie books and Humphrey Bogard movies. Unbelievable gripping,  suspenseful mystery crime story.

I love true crime stories and this book gives you exactly these vibes too.
The horrors of all the terrible things that the Butcher did to his victims mixed with the mystery of the events that happened in the story and the unique sweet love story that's plays with the emotions of the characters and therefore with the readers, make this book to an absolute page-turner and must-read for all crime and also romance readers.

I would love to describe the story more and better, but I don't want to spoil the story and I also want to give you the opportunity to experience the story the way I did.

I love this book and I love all these wonderful unique characters and I mean not only the main characters.

Read this book, you'll love it ❤