I read this book a week ago and it was not remarkable enough for me to remember much more than that I liked it and that the title was pretty much coming out of nowhere. The Widowmaker is a nickname for a fast car that one character owned. It is really not tied to the plot, it could have been any car, but has a catchy name.

The plot was good, with a wealthy family that you just know is too good to be true and a sweet but messed up protagonist. The villain was not too hard to guess, but getting to the finish was good.

I really, really enjoyed reading this book! It was thrilling and crazy and it kept me hooked the entire time!

No sophomore slump for Miss Morrissey. “The Widowmaker” is a great second novel. Morgan Mori endured a horrific childhood, experiencing things no child should ever have to experience. She used her childhood trauma to create a rather unconventional business that allowed her to enact revenge on people with proclivities similar to those who harmed her as a child. However, her business has been burned down and she has been left with a message and key directing her back to childhood hometown of Black Harbor, a place to which she never wanted to return. Back in Black Harbor, Morgan is making a living as a photographer, and she has been hired to take photos at the Christmas party of Eleanor Reynolds and her family. The media tagged Eleanor with the moniker “widow maker” twenty years ago after her husband (Clive) disappeared shortly after a $11 million life insurance policy was taken out on him with her as beneficiary. The police could never prove she was responsible for her husband’s disappearance, but that has not stopped her from becoming one of the most infamous residents of Black Harbor.

The night she photographs the Reynolds’ Christmas party, Morgan is also a witness to the murder of a police officer (Brix Garrison) at a gas station, with the killer stealing her car (and therefore also her camera equipment).

The search for the murder weapon turns up a 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo (which also carried the moniker “widowmaker”) that belonged to Clive Reynolds and went missing when he did. Garrison’s former partner (Inspector Ryan Hudson) is assigned the cold case of Reynold’s disappearance, largely to keep him out of the investigation of the Garrison's death. [Garrison (and Kole (whom readers might remember from "Hello, Transcriber)) were also the first officers on the case when Eleanor Reynolds reported Clive missing.] However, Hudson cannot stay away, and it becomes apparent that Garrison's murder, the cold case, and Morgan Mori may all be connected.

The book contains a number of enjoyable plot twists, with the secrets deeper, darker and more complex than they at first seem. I liked the interactions among the characters, especially Morgan and Hudson. Morgan is quite a colorful character and makes a great protagonist.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The Widowmaker is not a "who" but a "what"; specifically a very fast sports car unique at its time of purchase, both for its legendary speed, the cost and the very few who could afford one. This particular car is owned by Clive Reynolds, who disappeared seemingly without a trace over 20 years ago. Newly minted Detective Ryan Hudson is given the cold case as a way to channel his thoughts away from the murder of his partner. But Det. Hudson can't help but meddle in his partner's murder case, no matter who's jurisdiction the case falls under. As the Clive Reynolds case starts to unfold, Det. Hudson discovers a link between his current assignment and that of his partner's murder. Secrets start to unfold as the wealthy and powerful Reynolds clan will do anything to protect their interests--including murder.
Skillfully woven together, the backstories, present and future of each of the main characters draw readers into the spider's web of lies and deceitful actions taken to prevent the secrets that will be revealed once "the widowmaker" is discovered. Readers will keep guessing who is the current threat until the very end.

This book was average. It did have a few plot points that made the story intriguing, but it also dragged on a bit. I did like the ending, but I thought that the police element could have been less.

This is dark, disturbing, stimulating but you cannot dare to stop reading it! It’s unputdownable!

We’re returning back to Black Harbour, the place we visited before on “Hello Transcriber”, the author’s debut novel.

At first book, town’s legendary villain Candyman finally got what he deserved!

At second book: another town’s unsolved murder mystery emerges out of water. Correction: the fabulous Porsche 930 Turbo: Widowmaker 1978 emerged out of water! That car belonged to Clive Reynolds: the wealthy business mogul who vanished into thin air twenty years ago! They blamed his wife Eleanor after she benefited the insurance money. But they couldn’t find the body or murder weapon to prove that theory!

Two people’s lives intercepted with this twenty years long disappearance story.

Morgan Mori, freelance photographer, inherited a skeleton key that open a secret door which will reveal the secrets of her dark past. She attends Christmas party at Reynolds mansion to photograph the entire family. She flirts with younger son Bennett and at the end of the night, she stops by at a gas station and she becomes prime witness of the homicide of heroic cop Garrison! Before Garrison dies, he tells her “ I found you”! What does it mean? Why was he looking for Morgan?

And Ryan Hudson appears at the crime scene, seeing his best friend dead, finding a ticket to Ruins in his pocket, taking it away without caught by his colleagues.

Ruins is a dark place where monsters disguised in human posts are branded as a punishment for their true identity.

Hudson cannot understand Garrison’s involvement with such a dark place. He interrogates Morgan who kept murmuring the same words: “red threads” during her testimony after the incident. She may have noticed more details that can help them to find the killer.

But Morgan has so many dark secrets about the monster house she’s survived and her connection with the Ruins just like Hudson who has deep secrets that can ruin his entire career. But as he digs out more dirty secrets, he realizes there’s a connection between Garrison’s murder and Clive Reynolds’ disappearance. And all those clues lead him to Morgan. She holds the key to solve the big mysteries!

In this book, Nikolai Kole is back to lead the investigation with Hudson. This time he’s the supporting character and we have dual POVs of Morgan and Hudson: who are tormented, wounded characters to sharpen their survival skills.

Morgan is quick witted, tough, bold, intimidating as Hudson is more sensitive, grieving, overwhelmed, trying to gather his strength to do the right thing. Their relationship is complex. Everything between them happened a little instantly.

Overall: the perpetrator was a little foreseeable from the beginning but the mystery of Reynolds family unfolded satisfyingly.

This was depressing, dark, bleak story and it’s not for everyone but pacing was great and the characters picked my interest! The haunting fog lurking around Black Harbor makes you chilled to the bone. I never say no to another visit to this haunted place.

Im rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 dark, violent, intriguing, heart throbbing stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

A dark murder mystery involving family secrets . Two flawed individuals are bought together to solve a cold case involving a missing husband/father/brother. The reader might be disturbed at some of the events described in this, however they are essential to what has happened in the past. Leading up to the conclusion, a series of twists and turns will want you to keep reading to the final page.

4.7, really. There is a thrum of something deep and dark through this whole novel, and I'm completely here for it. The story/plot is also worthwhile, which I don't necessarily require from a book where I enjoy the writing so well, but it's a delightful bonus.

Family secrets…double lives…love and romance…this story reads like true crime…it could happen…the main character is a photographer who has a life of ups and downs…mostly downs…she is often discouraged but keeps moving on…this author is talented at writing a book that is difficult to discern sometimes…the ending that is…although the story moves slowly, it comes to a satisfying end…for some…this book was sent to me by Netgalley for review.