I did not read the first book in the series, so maybe I would have enjoyed this one more if I had previously read it... but I was not a big fan of this book. It was all over the place, disjointed and the characters were all blah. Typically I am a fan of multiple perspectives and time frames in a book, but this one was just confusing. I think it needed to be told in either one perspective or one time frame... but the two stories during two different times just didn't work for me. I didn't connect or really like either of the main characters either, making it difficult to truly enjoy the book. That being said, it was twisted and dark and all the things you want in a mystery book.

The Widowmaker is a slow burn police procedural/mystery that kept me guessing.

This story is told by the two main characters, Morgan and Hudson, along with going back and forth in time. Both characters are determined to solve their own mysteries while hiding their own dark secrets. This led me to do my best super sleuthing in order to try and solve both their mysteries and what the big revelations would be.

I also listened to part of the book on audio, and I really enjoyed both narrators, Adam Verner and Xe Sands, for the male and female roles. They were able to really bring more emotion and atmosphere to the story.

Even though both main characters have secrets, and the twists slowly reveal themselves as the story progresses, I was never able to connect with either character. I think this had to do with the over complicated mysteries and choppiness of the story. At times I had to go back and look parts and characters up because the story just wasn’t sticking with me.

Overall, this is a dark and deep book full of secrets and lies. If you enjoy police procedurals, you may want to pick this one up!

Please note, there are a few scenes which may disturb some so check the trigger warnings.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the audio and e-arc copies of THE WIDOWMAKER by @hannahmorrisseywriter ! This book publishes this Tuesday, December 6!

I don’t really have much to say about this book. I have seen better reviews for this book, so I think it’s just a me problem, and that I I shouldn’t have listened to it 😅 I finished it a couple weeks ago and don’t really remember much of what happened 😅 It’s the second book in a series, and I haven’t read the first one yet, so that’s probably also why I didn’t enjoy this one as much.

Other people have said in their reviews that this book is so creepy, and based on the synopsis, I would agree. But I didn’t really get that vibe while listening to it. Was it atmospheric? Yes!

I don’t think there is anything wrong with the book or the writing style! I just wish I had read it physically, or in my kindle as I think I would have liked it better in those formats, and would be able to give a better review on it!

So here is my review 😆 I don’t really recommend this one because I’m kinda middle of the road on this one. I do recommend reading the first book, Hello, Transcriber first thing!

Hannah Morrissey takes up back to Black Harbor in The Widowmaker.

"A cryptic note lures Morgan Mori back home to Black Harbor. The same night she photographs a family Christmas party, she witnesses the fatal shooting of a police officer. Clues are revealed in the longtime disappearance of business mogul, Clive Reynolds. Is Morgan's dark history the key to finding answers?"

This story from Morrissey is dark and gritty. Morgan has a horrible past of child abuse. The descriptions of Black Harbor are bleak. The characters all seem to be searching for light and unable to find it.

There are family secrets - old and new. Morrissey does a nice job with the slow reveal. You never know who the killer is until the end - and you probably won't guess. Crazy ending to this one.

Good performance from the dual narrators - Adam Verner and Xe Sands. Their voices add to the bleak atmosphere of the story.

Some excellent crime fiction from Morrissey.

We are back at Black Harbor for this one and is the perfect setting for this novel. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book, it is not necessary as this one reads fine as a standalone, and it is just as excellent as the first one. A disappearance from 20 years ago haunts this town, and when Clive Reynolds’ Porsche 930 Turbo, aka The Widowmaker, is pulled from the water, his wife Eleanor was blamed for it but it was never proved. Years later photographer Morgan More is lured back to the town with a cryptic note, and becomes witness to a homocide of a cop that oddly enough triggers the discovery of a clue to this cold case. She finds an unlikely ally in the dead cop’s partner Hudson, who has been tasked with solving the cold case but is equally determined to find out who killed his partner, and Morgan is in the middle of it all.

This is dark, let me tell you, but I enjoyed it very much. I loved how the two cases intertwined and how past linked to present. This is an atmospheric read told in two POV’s and Morrissey is fantastic at keeping the pace just slow enough to keep you hooked but not too fast so as to rush the story. Morgan’s character is complex and troubled, and I thought she was written so well. The ending was very satisfying and there was a twist at the end I didn’t guess.

I listened to this via audio and thought Xe Sands did a fantastic job, I enjoyed reading it this way and thought she captured the book very well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I have not read any other books from this esries but i think i will after reading this one!

The Widowmaker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 12/6/22
Author: Hannah Morrissey
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Adam Verner; Xe Sands
GR: 3.89

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

⚠️Content Warning: Abuse, abuse of a child, and violence.

My Thoughts: This was a dark, disturbing twisty thriller, that was hard to put down! There is no doubt that Morrissey knows how to create an atmospheric thriller with evolving characters, plot twists, and a conclusion that is somewhat unpredictable. This is book no. 2 in the Black Harbor series, however, it can be read as a standalone. I have the first book in the series and will definitely be going back to read it. The story is narrated in a dual POV by Morgan and Hudson. The author does a fantastic job at building up the characters, developing the plot in many twists, and the conclusion was mind-blowing. The narrators do an amazing job at creating the characters, creating the tone that immerses you into the story.

A cold case with a new case, told in a way, that is suspenseful, and keeps you on the edge of the seat. Morgan is fragile, secretive, had a rough past, can be intimidating, and then witnesses a tragic event. Investigator Hudson is grieving the loss of his friend when he gets the chance to put himself on the map as a lead detective in the cold case, and get upgraded in his caseload. The mystery of the Reynolds family unwrapped divinely and does keep you guessing. The characters were well fleshed out with depth, they were mysterious, intriguing, and creative. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, suspenseful, twisty, and just brilliant.

This book releases on Tuesday and I would highly recommend picking up the audiobook.

Maybe it's not always a good idea to go home. Morgan Mori, after receiving a strange note returns to Black Harbor, and being a photographer, she is hired to photograph the infamous Reynold's family celebration. This family has a bit of a reputation ever since Clive Reynolds, their wealthy ancestor, had disappeared twenty years previously.

On the way to the celebration, she witnesses a policeman being murdered and the policeman, Ryan Hudson, had been assigned to the Clive Reynold's cold case. He also becomes involved in the current death of his partner, the policeman who Morgan had seen being murdered at the convenience store.

Both Morgan and Ryan have secrets that they try to hide, but as the story emerges, their secrets are soon to be revealed.

This was a complicated thriller, with a dark theme in which alternate chapters are devoted to Morgan and Ryan. There are a few scenes which may disturb some, but overall this was a worthwhile story with lots of twists down the winding road to its solution.

Thanks to Hannah Morrissey, Macmillion Audio, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story narrated by Adam Verner; Xe Sands due out December 6, 2022

I really thought I had this one figured out but nope! This was a solid police procedural and reminded me a bit of Karin Slaughter’s works. A mixture of a plot and character driven story, Morrissey does an excellent job of describing the small town and its inhabitants. The dual POVs between Ryan and Morgan worked well as you got to see both sides of the investigation. The audiobook was strong and I enjoyed the narrator.

"Ever since business mogul Clive Reynolds disappeared twenty years ago, the name "Reynolds" has become synonymous with "murder" and "mystery." And now, lured by a cryptic note, down-on-her-luck photographer Morgan Mori returns home to Black Harbor and into the web of their family secrets and double lives. The same night she photographs the Reynolds holiday get-together, Morgan becomes witness to a homicide of a cop that triggers the discovery of a long-buried clue."

This story is told through the voices of Morgan Mori, the photographer with a dark past that returns home with nothing but her camera and a cryptic note; and Ryan Hudson the partner of the slain officer and now the new investigator on the Clive Reynolds case. As Morgan and Ryan begin picking through the clues of their own mysteries, the soon realize that they are following the same path.
I saw this book highlighted on @bonechillingbooks and was immediately intrigued. It was fantastic, I devoured it in one day. I love a book with several mysteries and view points within it's pages that are weaved together as the story progresses. This one had all of that, it grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go - another great read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.
Schedule Release Date: December 6, 2022.

The low ranking is not a reflection of the work itself, but rather speaks to the fact that I selected other books over this title.

(3.5⭐️) Gritty and dark. This is one disturbing read.

Clive Reynolds and his 1978 Porsche Widowmaker went missing nearly 20 years ago.

Morgan Mori swore she’d never again set foot in Black Harbor, the setting of her traumatic childhood. But a cryptic note and a skeleton key unexpectedly pull her home.

When the detective on the Clive’s cold case is murdered in front of Morgan, a disturbing web of connections and lies begin to unravel. And it just might lead to… a total ruin.

Morrisey creates an atmosphere for Black Harbor that is palpable. Bleak and dreary. Between its seedy criminal underbelly and the oppressive snow and bitter cold, I felt weighed down and utterly chilled.

But it was the lies and deceit that led to the intensity within this book. Deception that led to disturbing scenes of abuse and murder. This might not be a Stephen King horror story, but when a red balloon showed up, it was equally menacing.

Heed the content warnings. This one is graphic and involves child abuse.

While I appreciated the dual narrative storytelling, it didn’t translate as well in the audiobook. Separately, both narrators, Xe Sands and Adam Verner, well portrayed their characters. Cumulatively, the narration didn’t match. The speed with which the two narrated varied greatly, and I found myself constantly speeding up or slowing down the audio. This small frustration built as the story progressed, and for that reason, I’d recommend the print version.

The Widowmaker is relentlessly oppressive. These characters (notably, Morgan and Ryan) can't catch a break—all the bad things happen to them.

The book is annoyingly repetitive, including but not limited to mentions of the red ticket and the Bart Simpson doll.

The special project that rich matriarch Eleanor Reynolds gives Morgan makes sense, at least on the surface.

A minor—and largely unimpressive—reveal happens before 40%. A much more significant reveal—that most mystery buffs probably will realize considerably sooner—happens at around 60%.

The ending didn't redeem the story for me. I'm curious as to whether it will lead to another book with the same characters. [As far as I can tell, this is the second book written about events in the same town . . . perhaps with different main characters, though.]

Content warnings include abandonment; gratuitous sex (without affection, relationship, or particular caring); multiple murders (not a surprise, of course); and prostitution, sexual assault, and torture of a child.

Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected December 6.

[shy of 3 stars]

Talk about a twisty, dark read 😍

In posting this, I realized I never posted my review for Hello, Transcriber. Long story short: loved it! So getting to go back to Black Harbor with The Widowmaker was a true delight.

This book had everything I love: complex characters, family drama, long-held secrets and a twisty plot that had me so immersed from the beginning. It’s one of those books that has you so wrapped up in what’s happening that you don’t often stop to consider what could really be going on.

Morgan and Hudson are probably some of my favorite MCs I’ve read recently. Getting inside their head and understanding their reasons for their actions took the story to a whole new level. And it was all just so unflinchingly gritty, dark, and human. Even when the action was wrong it was hard to really think of it that way when you knew the why.

Now the vibes 👀 taking place in winter, it’s the perfect dark thriller to pick up over the next month or so. It felt nice and claustrophobic towards the end. Add in a great reveal, I definitely gasped at one point, this is the book to grab when you want to get cozy and creeped out. And Xe Sands narrates. What more could you ask for??

The Widowmaker is out 12/6 and trust me when I say you’ll want to preorder this!

This will be a great opportunity for my students. The narrative is quite impressive and takes you straight into the story and has a great ending.

The windowmaker will have you hooked when you pick it up. You'll need to find out what is going on in this strange little town Black Harbor.

What did Morgan see that night?

What happen to the police officer. You'll be racing through to solve the mystery. The tension will have you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to netgalley, St Martin's press and Minotaur books for this ARC

I listened to the audio for THE WIDOWMAKER and was totally pulled into to this thriller immediately!!

Hannah Morrissey returns us to Black Harbor, the setting for her fabulous debut, HELLO TRANSCRIBER.

Morgan has just recently returned to Black Harbor and is hoping to start a photography business. She is invited to take pictures at the Reynolds estate to photograph the Christmas party. This family is full of secrets..the main one being that the father Cliive has been missing for 20 years and everyone thinks the wife did it. On her way home from the party, she is the witness to the murder of a cop. When she is questioned by Investigator Ryan Hudson, they both realize there are a lot of secrets from the past that connect to this murder. How will they solve both of these cases? What is the connection??

This book is intense and dark. The pacing is fast and the characters are interesting and well developed!!

I listened to an early audio copy and highly recommend getting this book when it comes out on Dec. 6.

Dark secrets, long lost family and edge of your seat suspense in this thriller by Hannah Morrissey.

Morgan has returned back to the town she grew up in hired by the towns most wealthy family as a photographer and the mysterious key she was mailed. The same night she takes the families pictures on her way home she witnesses a police officer being killed.

Detective Hudson knows he shouldn't be working the case that killed his former partner on the force but he can't help but try and find out who killed his mentor and best friend. As he keeps looking for answers his path eventually crosses with Morgans and the information she has is more than he anticipated.

As Morgan continues to try and solve the mystery of the key and spend time with Hudson the two become an unlikely pair that solve more than just the case of who killed his former partner and friend but also solve the towns oldest cold case......what really happened to Clive Reynolds and why do the Reynolds' seem so interested in Morgan?

I really enjoyed how this audio version had two different readers to represent when it was Morgan's perspective and Hudsons perspective. This one definitely had me guessing until the end. I loved the troubled history of Morgan and Hudson and how they really complimented each other.

What can I say about this book? I mean it. What? Every time I put it down, I forgot who was in it and what they were doing. Nothing stuck with me. I was really disappointed because I had liked the last book I read by this author. I will still look for books by her, hoping to connect with the characters and the story more. But this one did nothing for me. And there was no payoff at the end.

“Ever since business mogul Clive Reynolds disappeared twenty years ago, the name “Reynolds” has become synonymous with “murder” and “mystery.” And now, lured by a cryptic note, down-on-her-luck photographer Morgan Mori returns home to Black Harbor and into the web of their family secrets and double lives. The same night she photographs the Reynolds holiday get-together, Morgan becomes witness to a homicide of a cop that triggers the discovery of a long-buried clue.”

I quite enjoyed this fairly quick (in pace and pages) read. I like the depth-of-character for the principal actors. I liked the dual POV, divided between the main male and female characters. I liked how the past was uncovered by different types of media: photographs, video, newspapers, and I should probably be mildly worried that I enjoyed the vigilante justice as much as I did.

I did find the story needlessly convoluted in places. The red balloon was a little over the top for me, and I think the description could have used a few trigger warnings (particularly the sexual and physical abuse of a child) but all in all, I look forward to reading more from this author, and specifically, more in the Black Harbor series.

7.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this tricksy ARC.