THE WIDOWMAKER by Hannah Morrissey felt like modern Gothic filled with suspense and dark drama.

The audio is narrated by Adam Verner and Xe Sands, and for me, the narrators had a big impact.

First, the story: Morgan was sent a cryptic key that has something to do with her dark past. She is currently a photographer called to photograph the Reynolds family, the very family that had scandal with the patriarch, Clive's disappearance decades ago. Ryan Hudson is the lead detective on the cold case involving Clive's newly discovered car, but can't focus when his partner has just been killed...and witnessed by Morgan.

This was a fast paced story with a lot of different directions and subplots. As an audio, this was a bit hard for me to keep track of all that was going on. I enjoyed Xe's narration and she captured the dark edges of Morgan well. Adam's narration of Ryan Hudson felt like I was listening to an old radio drama. It felt too dramatized for me, and I had a hard time paying attention to that POV. Very subjective issue, so don't let this stop you from listening!

Another difficult thing for me was the level of child abuse descriptions given in the story. It was dark and heavy. If I had been prepared for that, it would have helped.

The story itself was a layered, twisty thrill ride that I know a lot of people will be excited to board. The way the story unfolds trickled little drops just enough to keep me guessing and thirsty. There were pieces that I could place, which was helpful given all the was happening. A cinematic suspension of reality is also helpful for the latter chapters, but this is something I expect from fiction like this.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for this ALC. For fans of Karin Slaughter, I think this will be a great read! Keep it on your radar for its December 5th release Overall!

Overall, it was a bit dark for me and the narration had me stuck!

So I am brand new to this author and have not read Hello Transcriber. But I was intrigued by the description of this book. An old mystery is reawakened when the car belonging to a man that has been missing for several years, Clive, emerges out of the water. There are two man POVs, Hudson a cop, and Morgan, a photographer. Morgan is given a key with a cryptic note, involving her in the mystery. And Hudson is trying to solve the murder of his partner, while he is assigned to investigate the reappearance of the car.

I really enjoyed listening to this. I need to get to Hello, Transcriber soon.

Thank you netgalley and Macmillan audio for giving me an advanced review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Having just finished The Widowmaker, I find that the rather involved story probably took more time than I gave it as it seemed confusing to me. The story had an interesting and compelling beginning which really caught my attention. As more is revealed to the reader, there was a lot of content. I'd say to take your time and really listen or you will miss some key points. I had to rewind many times!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I have to warn people that this book has some of the darker sides of life. Including child abuse and pedophilia with the lasting effects it has on the lives of the victims. The descriptions will bring tears into your eyes and I don’t think to many people can read this without getting emotional upset. But the story is not sensationalized but feels very real in the actions and emotions of the characters.
The two narrators did a marvelous job in presentation and kept me engaged through the whole story.

Morgan Mori is thrilled when she is contacted by the wealthy and powerful Reynolds family to photograph their Christmas party. Coming back to her hometown, Morgan is looking forward to working and making a name for herself. The Reynolds family is shrouded in mystery and scandal after Clive Reynolds went missing twenty years earlier.

The same night she photographs the party, she witnesses a police officer being killed. The investigation into the murder turns up a "buried" clue. Investigator Ryan Hudson is tasked with solving the cold case of the missing mogul but also wants to solve the case of who killed his partner. Are the cases connected?

There is more than one mystery in this book. Morgan also has a past and secrets. But she is not alone, Ryan has a secret himself. Both characters search for answers as the tension mounts.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator. This book is atmospheric, dark, and captivating. I was all in, trying to do my own super sleuthing to solve the case(s). There are some things in this book which might be triggers for some. This was my first book by Morrissey and I look forward to reading/listening to more of her books in the future.

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!

I thought this was a great book. The narrators were good and I found it easy to listen to their voices. The plot unfolded at a good pace. There was enough mystery to keep it intriguing. I also found the main characters easy to root for.

She was lured back to Black Harbor by a skeleton key. Morgan is a photographer. She was hired by the Reynolds to photograph the Reynolds holiday get-together. The Reynolds has been shrouded in scandal and secrets for the last twenty years. On the same night, she witnesses a homicide. Turns out the cop had been investigating the cold case of Clive Reynolds.
Between Morgan Mori’s dark past and the Reynolds dark history, Investigator Ryan Hudson has to prove himself as lead detective. But first he needs to figure out what happened to his cop friend.
While investigating the murder he’s led to Morgan a witness which leads him to a dark path that just might be the missing link for solving the cold case.

Readers are immersed in a cold case dating twenty years. Morgan has an intriguing journey from a perspective as a photographer as she navigates her own clues regarding Clive Reynolds disappearance.
As a reader I experienced high and low moments. As the story progressed my interest teetered between alert and distracted. Some information was more interesting than others. As of late these type of reads are slow building leaving all the twists for the tale end.

Hannah Morrisey weaves a story driven by character development. As she introduces each character readers get a birds eye view of how Morgan perceives each Reynold family member. Each character is under the microscope of Morgan’s scrutiny. She arrived with a purpose to fill in the gaps of a hidden past.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay connected with the story. My interest petered far too early. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t find anything to keep my interest.

Narrators:
I imagined Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the male performer. The voice of Hudson was performed by Adam Verner.
I listened using the Netgalley app at 1.75x speed.
The voice of Morgan was performed by Xe Sands.
With this being a character driven story I find it useful to follow along with the ebook leaving the narrators to bring the story to life. I’m at a disadvantage of having only the audiobook to rely on.
I appreciate both narrators for accomplishing the hard work of reading this story. Both narrators were great performers. The best way to experience any book is to invest in both the ebook and audiobook it enhances the experience.

This is one of those books that should come with a list of Trigger/Content Warnings. It has graphic descriptions of torture, and pedophilia. THE WIDOWMAKER by Hannah Morrisey, and narrated by Adam Verner and Xe Sands.

An up and coming investigator is given the file of their city’s most infamous cold case. But suddenly his former police partner is gunned down, and while he’s not on that case, he feels he must find answers. One witness to the murder seems to hold the key to finally solving both cases. But the people behind it all are determined to not go down easily.

I’m only giving this one 3 stars but not due to the content I mentioned earlier, but due to how easily the bad guy spilled his guts and told his whole story at the end. Admittedly I do like knowing the reasons and all, but I really dislike when authors do that, just feels lazy to me. Also because the male narrator of the audiobook gave all the women he’d voice a simpering, ditzy tone and implied drama in an unnatural manner. Overall a good story and kept you guessing until the end.

I did not find the two story lines convincing. The basic mystery was OK, but the "dark" side simply didn't work for me. Overall storyline B- Narrators- about the same. Xe Sands' work is usually spot on for me, but this time, her voice wasn't strong enough to maintain my interest. I rewound several times, realizing that I hadn't paid attention. Adam Verner's role, although much smaller, worked for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Macmillan audio for the review copy.

I loved this book. No bad words to say about it at all! The author keeps you guessing until the end and even leaves the ending open. I enjoy series where the individual novels can stand on their own, but have enough details that tie in to each other, more than just the main character, to still be called a series. Will definitely have to go back and listen to or read her first novel, Transcriber.

I was all set to get lost in a winter themed thriller but The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey just wasn’t for me! I loved the snowy small town setting which is perfect for a winter read but I didn’t care for the characters or the plot at all. I listened to the audiobook and I loved how there were two narrators. Adam Verner and Xe Sands were both very good. I liked the dual perspectives but I felt this book was a bit too long. I was getting bored in quite a few parts and please look up content notes for this book!
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Thank you to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for my ALC!

"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. The audiobook was great and I loved the narrator.

TW: child abuse, graphic violence, disturbing content

3.5⭐

Phenomenal. Completely hypnotic. This book will leave you dying to know more until the last page you’ll be hooked. The audio version was great and easy to follow!

The Widowmaker is dark and depressing. It is also a slow burn, which usually doesn't bother me, but it did in this case. I found myself growing bored with the one-dimensional characters. The author does a very good job of creating a dark, dismal atmosphere. There are some very disturbing scenes in this book. This novel missed the mark for me. I also didn't care for the female narrator.

Ever since business man Clive Reynolds disappeared twenty years ago, his family’s name has been well know in Black Harbor. His case has gone cold, except for one detective who refuses to give up. After photographer Morgan witnesses that detective’s murder at gunpoint, she is pulled into the drama of this family. Detective Ryan Hudson attempts to finally crack the cold case that plagued his partner as well figure out who killed him and why.

I listened to this audiobook and the narrators did a fantastic job. This story was a twisty web of secrets and scandal! It was a slow burn but once it picked up I couldn’t stop listening. Told in dual viewpoints, we get the perspectives of Morgan and Ryan. It really was exciting to peel back every layer of this mystery as they were figuring it out. I’m trying hard not to give any spoilers! I sort of guessed how it was going to end but that did not stop me at all from enjoying this wild ride! Im

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC! “The Widowmaker” releases December 6th!

I tried desperately to get into this book, however the poor narrator for the audio book really made listening a difficulty. I wasn't able to listen to more than a few chapters before having to abandon the audiobook, altogether. A poor narrator can ruin even the best of books....

Thanks to netgalley, I received an advanced copy of this audio book for review.
I did not read Hello, Transcriber, but I think that's okay.
Morgan gets a photography gig shooting photos at a Christmas gathering of a prestigious local family. On the way home, she witnesses the murder of a cop, and in the process, her car and camera equipment is stolen.
The police try to determine her involvement in the case, while she unravels her own history.
Kind of twisted back story. How do people come up with these ideas?

The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey
I listened to the audio version narrated by Adam Verner and Xe Sands. Man, what an amazing job the both did. Easy to follow both narrators, they both made the book come to life. This book is dark, deep, and full of so many lies and secrets. I would recommend to readers who enjoy crime, police procedural, and thrillers.
Many thanks to Hannah Morrissey, NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio version in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bit darker than I was expecting, but still so good. I was very intrigued by the pieces fitting together the whole time. And there's a previous book of the same town, so I'll for sure be reading that e