Thank you to Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author for the complimentary advance readers’ edition of THE WIDOWMAKER by Hannah Morrissey for an honest review.

Publication Date: 12/6/2022
Rating: 3.5 / 5

THE WIDOWMAKER follows a couple of mysteries. Twenty years ago, Clive Reynolds went missing, a man well known in business circles. His wife was accused of the crime and has long been thought of as a murderer. Morgan has recently returned to her hometown of Black Harbor, reinventing herself and her photography career. One of her first jobs is to photograph the Reynolds family holiday party. While she is aware of the family’s reputation, and they certainly don’t try to hide it, she is drawn to the allure of the family occasion and the people who seem to welcome her warmly.

On her way back home after the party Morgan Mori makes a stop at a gas station where she is witness to the murder of a police officer. Not only does she see this murder, the murderer takes off with her car, her photography equipment, the Renyolds’ photos, and her entirely livelihood. The officer killed has been working on solving the cold case involving Clive. Morgan has been through a lot in her life, and this just adds to the family intrigue and secrets and darkness that surrounds her.

I really enjoyed Morrissey’s HELLO, TRANSCRIBER when I read it last year, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read her sophomore book. This book is set in the same city of Black Harbor but it is entirely a standalone novel. It definitely has the same dark, gritty feel of the prior book with characters and a place that has been through a lot of trauma. In this case we are following Morgan’s POV and that of Ryan Howard, the murdered man’s partner who is now determined to solve both crimes, past and present.

I will say that this book took me a little bit longer to get into than the previous novel, but that could have been a very me type of thing. By about the halfway mark (and this is a fairly short novel, under 300 pages) I was very invested in wanting answers. I guessed at a few things, but the author managed to surprise me with some of the twists in the end.

I am very glad to have had the opportunity to read THE WIDOWMAKER! Pub date is on 12/6/2022! I will be looking forward to reading what Hannah Morrissey brings us next!

Welcome back to Black Harbor folks. Although this is a much different story then Hello Transcriber we do get to see some familiar faces. I loved that and the small connections throughout the novel. If you have not read Hello Transcriber yet, its okay (Although you are missing out) it does not affect The Widowmaker.

This book is full of dark and troubling secrets. I was hooked right from the beginning. I enjoyed the dual POVs and thought it really made the story flow so quick. I felt like Morrissey left breadcrumbs throughout the story however, I still did not guess the ending, which I loved. I also appreciated how the two POVs storylines came together and ended up intersecting.

I know Police Procedurals are not everyone’s cup of tea. I however, love them. I did not feel this was over the top procedural, there was enough drama, and cryptic situations going on that it really just felt like part of the mystery.

Lastly, Morrissey knows how to right a broken soul so well. Morgan is a great protagonist and I felt like you really did get invested in her story.

Thank you to @netgalley for my copy!

I haven’t read Hannah Morrisey’s other works, but I’m interested in Hello, Transcriber now! This book was twisty, the setting was atmospheric and the characters were interesting. And I read that HT takes place in the same town, so that’s already a plus.

I will say some of the language around the police was cringey, because having any character that’s part of the institution makes them pro-police (especially if they’re a sympathetic character). But some of it was challenged by civilian characters, and at least the police department we mainly saw was a tight-knit group trying to solve their friend’s murder. I tend to be able to tolerate cop characters when it’s less about “serve and protect” and more about their own baggage. (See: all of Jane Harper’s Aaron Falk books.)

I kind of guessed at one of the mysteries, but I was still waiting eagerly to see how it played out. This was all around a solid thriller!

This is my favorite kind of detective story, solving a cold case... especially one that seems to be weirdly linked to something happening right now.

We are following Morgan who has a very traumatic past and has turned that into a passion for taking down a certain kind of person. However, that ends when her place of business burns to the ground, and the only thing left in the rubble is a balloon, a ticket, and a message to return home. Though the home is definitely not a place that Morgan ever wants to step foot in again. She gets a new job as a photographer for a semi-famous family's Christmas party and has no idea that taking this job is going to shake up her entire life in ways that she can't even fathom...

After the murder of his old partner Detective Hudson is not only determined to be involved in that case, but he is also working on the decades-old cold case of a missing man one that his partner worked on. Morgan and Hudsons paths cross and they travel a twisty turny path that took me on a ride that kept me guessing how all these clues were going to come together and how it's all going to be connected.

I really enjoyed this novel, it was dark and full of characters that felt so real they could jump off the page. I will definitely be checking out this author's other work.

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books. The opinions are my own and freely given.

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️
Child abuse

Morgan Mori has been hired to photograph a holiday party for the Reynolds family, the wealthiest family in Black Harbor. The head of the family, Clive, disappeared 20 years ago and his wife has been under suspicion ever since. Later that night, Morgan witnesses the murder of a police officer. Hudson, the victim's best friend and fellow officer is out to solve his murder and befriends Morgan. Hudson is given the cold case of Clive Reynolds. Along the way, Morgan, Hudson and Kole, his sergeant, discover that these two are related.

This is told with alternating chapters of Morgan and Hudson. Morgan has a secret, that we do eventually find out about. I was able to figure out why Morgan was drawn to the Reynolds, but I had the "who" all wrong. I didn't want to put this book down and I do recommend. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Heather Morrissey.

My review is posted on 11/3/22 on the following websites:
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1317419866
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4817519696
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkgUMkPLhPv/
https://www.librarything.com/topic/338257#7965274
https://app.thestorygraph.com/user_reviews/kuhlreads

I received this from Netgalley.com.

This book was just so-so for me. The characters and the plot never grabbed my attention.

2.75☆

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the second Black Harbor book by Hannah Morrissey, wonderfully narrated by both Adam Verner and Xe Sands - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Twenty years ago, rich businessman Clive Reynolds disappeared. But now his car, a 1978 Porsche dubbed the Widowmaker, has been found submerged with a body inside. New investigator Ryan Hudson has been assigned the case - his first as lead investigator - but he is distracted by the murder of his partner and friend. When a witness to the murder, Morgan Mori, was just photographing the Reynolds Christmas party, the two storylines become entwined. And Morgan is dealing with her own demons.

I was so intrigued with Morrissey's debut novel - Hello, Transcriber - which also took place in Black Harbor. This one was just as dark, atmospheric and powerful with great characters. I really felt for Morgan and Ryan and was intrigued at their past stories and how they are trying to move on. A main character from the first book, Nik Kole, is back with a minor role here. Black Harbor is the perfect name for this town with lots of dark secrets - don't miss this book!

Things I liked:
-Christmas/atmospheric setting (a great December/January read)
-I like the FMC and the MMC
-Fast paced
-Multiple crimes/mysteries to be solved including a cold case(missing people, a dead cop, etc.)
-Lots of twists

Things I could have done without:
-The romance/sex scenes, they’re not long or horribly graphic but I prefer my thrillers without spice.
-The incest vibes from not only one pair of siblings, but two, and a depraved, incestuous uncle.

I think you’ll like the book if you’re into dark thrillers. The book has some heavy material and you should check TW before reading it.
Overall I thought it was an entertaining thriller, but nothing really stood out to me or made me really like it so for that reason I gave it 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW

The Widowmaker ~ Hannah Morrissey

READ IF:
* You’re an avid photographer.
* It’s hard for you to go back to your hometown.
* You love dark, atmospheric reads.

SUMMARY: Its a cryptic note that brings Morgan Mori back to Black Harbor but it’s what transpires after her arrival that keeps her there. After photographing the Reynold’s family holiday photos, she witnesses the murder of a beloved police officer. In his pocket is a clue and it whips up a 20-year long web of murder, lies, and deceit.

REVIEW: This is my first Hannah Morrissey read and boy, can she write crime fiction. Not only does she get the police procedural part down, but she does so while creating such a dark and twisted atmosphere - you can almost feel the weight of it as you read. It’s that moody!

Two things to watch for…this one has a lot of names in the beginning. I had a bit of an oh no moment but as the story builds, it all pans out just fine. And perhaps more importantly, this one is dark. Like feel it in your bones mucky darkness. The characters have pasts that they’d like to forget, the setting feels perpetually cold and black, and the crimes are devious and dirty. If you love atmospheric crime fiction, this is it! Add to your list for its December pub date!

"All roads lead back to home"

WOW. This was crazy. It is dark and disturbing, so it's perfect for a twisted "Halloween" read if that's what you're in the mood for. This book was well written, though at times it was confusing to follow. I liked the storyline, and I was on the edge of my seat, but it was also incredibly sad and just hard for me to enjoy. I did really like how the two characters storylines were connected though. This is a story many people will enjoy, however it was too violent for my taste.

TW: child abuse, graphic violence, disturbing content

3.5⭐

Beyond excited to read and receive this book. I love Morrissey and her writing!
Half way through and I'm pissed at myself for not reading slower.... because it's almost over!
More to come about The Widowmaker!
---------------
And here I thought Morrissey couldn't top her debut novel Hello, Transcriber!
Y'all I was wrong! So wrong!

The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey is spectacular!
Be ready to go on one hell of a wild ride with Morgan when she returns to her small town of Black Harbor, near Lake Michigan.

I loved being back in Black Harbor but this time with Morgan.
Another very well written and gripping novel by Hannah Morrissey.
The vivid descriptions fitted the setting perfectly.
This authors masterful writing style is perfection. I easily fell in love with her style before.... But this!
This is on a whole new level.
A fascinating and unique mystery and it was one of those "I want to savor every last word"
And one of those "damn does it have to end so soon"
Compelling, atmospheric and downright unputdownable!! I loved everything about this book
Another nail-biter, perfect for an all-nighter.

All I'm saying is Hannah I love you! And thank you for creating such an atmosphere where I can get completely lost inside and forget about everything else around me!
You are a rockstar and totally killed your second novel!
I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Minotaur Books,
Yall are phenomenal and thank you!
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Photographer Morgan Morie is given a key that offers her information into her past. She works as a freelance photographer and she is building her own business.

A prestigious family offers her the chance at a photography session which can launch her career.

Several different story lines make this kind of complicated to follow. Morgan witnessed the death of someone, and detective Ryan was a friend. An unsolved murder will connect these two after twenty years.

A dark tale! Trigger warnings: child abuse and graphic descriptions.

I wanted to like this one but it just fell short for me. I feel like it took awhile for the story to get going and I was having a hard time focusing on it. The story is written really well and I think there will be a lot of people who will love it. It just wasn't for me.

This had a little bit of it all!

There was nostalgia with the skeleton key and undeveloped photos…does Gen Z even know what those are?!
There was grit, darkness, cold cases and tireless detectives trying to solve them.

I enjoyed this, but I will admit it creeped me out!

This book just wasn’t for me. I felt it had a lot of potential but I unfortunately was unable to fully get into the story and stay engaged. This one took me a while to read, and was a little too dark and gritty for my taste.

Thanks Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 stars

This is a tense thriller, very atmospheric. It alternates between two main characters, A woman who has been seriously sexually abused and finds her own ways to cope. After losing everything she returns home with some strange clues and strange ties to this wealthy family. The other is a detective, trying to solve the murder of his partner and the cold case of the missing weathy husband. A little slow at times but a satisfying read

I’d been a big fan of Hello, Transcriber, Morrissey’s debut. But I struggled to engage with this one. Morgan gets a cryptic note, along with an old key, that brings her back home. She’s a photographer and has been hired to capture the Christmas party of the town’s rich family, the Reynolds. Their patriarch, Clive, went missing twenty years ago. On her way home, she stops at a convenience store and witnesses a policeman killed.
Ryan Hudson was the cop’s partner and is determined to find the killer, even though it’s not his case. His actual investigation is the cold case of Clive Reynold’s car from 20 years ago being found at the bottom of a lake, with a dead body inside. As is always the case with this kind of books, everything eventually comes together.
The story volleys between the two main characters and goes back and forth in time. Both have secrets and the twists come as we learn more and more about what each is hiding. It’s a very dark story, with serious child abuse which could be a trigger for some folks.
My problem was that I never connected with either character. And while there were some decent plot twists, I found the story overly complicated and unbelievable.
I listened to most of this. While I usually like Xe Sands, this time I struggled with her deep voice, especially when in the car. There were times it sounded like she had a mouth full of gravel. I switched to reading the ending and it made a big difference in being able to track the players and action.
My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

3.5 ⭐️‘sMorgan Mori has come back to Black Harbor after her entire life was reduced to ashes. A photographer by trade, Morgan is hired by the wealthy Reynolds family to capture photos at their annual Christmas gala. Bennett Reynolds seems to take a shine to Morgan and asks her out for a drink. On her way home from the bar, Morgan stops for gas at a convenience store where she witnessed the shooting of a cop. The plot thickens as he whispers words to Morgan before he dies. When his partner, Detective Ryan Hudson, arrives at the scene, he finds a ticket stub in Garrison’s wallet with the words The Ruins printed in the back. Hudson is a wreck after the death of Garrison and only wants to find out who killed him, but the case is not in their jurisdiction. Instead, Hudson is put on the cold case of Clive Reynolds, patriarch of the Reynolds family. Clive has been missing for 20 years, two weeks after his Porsche 930 Turbo (aka The Widowmaker) was stolen and not long after his wife had taken out an 11 million dollar life insurance policy. Many would think that Eleanor killed Clive, but there’s no evidence to back up those suspicions. Hudson’s heart isn’t in his new case as he mourns his partner, but when the cases start to overlap, Hudson digs deeper. Meanwhile Morgan has a skeleton key that fits a lock, a lock that she’s been unable to find. Given a roll of undeveloped film from the Reynolds, parts of Morgan’s younger life start coming back to her. Working together with Hudson, the two are on a collision course with evil, but who will win? The story is a bit on the complicated side with a very dark plot, and with an abrupt ending, this one won’t be going on my favorites list.

I’d definitely recommend reading this one physically instead of listening to it. I think the story had great potential but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

This book? I didn’t expect to like it as much. I certainly didn’t expect to like it more than 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤, 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧. But here we are. And I did.

I love how imperfect, twisty, and morally grey Ms. Morrissey’s characters are. I even love how dark and depressing Black Harbor feels. And I 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀𝘿 the way she tied the two books together.

I know. Quite the love-fest, huh?

This is a standalone, so you technically don’t 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 to read 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤, 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧 first. But I would suggest it. If just for a little background. Both books are excellent (this one is better).

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and Hannah Morrissey for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 will be available in the US on December 6th, 2022.