This was a new to me author right when I discovered my love for thrillers instead of just romance books. This was wonderfully written and I cannot wait to read more of her work and share with my audience. Thanks so much for the gifted copy of this one!

This book focuses on Medical Examiner, Rowan Winthorp, investigating the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, tragedy hits even closer to home when she discovers her daughter, Chloe, is missing.

This book had an engaging plot that had good twists and turns leaving you wondering what would happen next. I was torn on the rating of this one for two reasons. One - I didn’t like was the fat shaming. There was just too much of it. Two - there was no way the parents would have been allowed to work their own daughter’s disappearance. It might have been better if they were doing a behind the scenes investigation on their own. There wasn’t much believability to it.

I did enjoy the authors writing style and character development, so I will be going back to read the rest in the series. This just might not have been the book for me…

I want to thank NetGalley, Hannah Morrissey and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Thank you for the correction! Here’s an updated review:

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that combines a chilling murder mystery with a poignant exploration of trauma and resilience. The story follows Hazel, a court reporter haunted by her past, who becomes entangled in a shocking crime that unearths buried secrets in her small town. Morrissey’s writing is dark and immersive, masterfully capturing the eerie tension of the setting and the emotional weight of Hazel’s journey. The plot unfolds with expertly timed twists, keeping the reader on edge while delving into themes of survival and identity. With its sharp prose, complex characters, and a haunting sense of dread, When I’m Dead is a compelling read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Hannah Morrissey has outdone herself with When I’m Dead, delivering a gripping, emotionally charged addition to the Black Harbor series. This book stands out as my favorite so far, blending a chilling mystery with deeply personal stakes that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Rowan Winthorp, the medical examiner at the heart of the story, is a compelling protagonist. The way Morrissey weaves her professional detachment with the unraveling grief of a mother is masterful. The dual tragedies—her daughter’s best friend’s murder and her own daughter’s disappearance—create a relentless pace, while the mosaic of clues keeps the reader guessing.

The exploration of Rowan’s past adds depth, painting a picture of how even the strongest family bonds can strain under the weight of buried secrets. Morrissey’s atmospheric writing and the multiple perspectives bring Black Harbor to life once again, and the haunting imagery makes this a perfect read for a cold, dark evening.

The only reason I’m giving it four instead of five stars is that I figured out early on who was behind everything, and I found it far fetched that Axel and Rowan would be allowed to investigate when their missing daughter was a suspect. However, the emotional payoff and satisfying conclusion more than make up for it. When I’m Dead is a must-read for fans of dark mysteries and is a standout in an already stellar series.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey! I waited FAR too long to read the Black Harbor novels, but once I started I absolutely couldn’t stop. These can all be read standalone but I highly recommend to immerse yourself into the BHPD and buckle up for a wild ride.

This one takes a different turn and follows a younger set of main characters - High school girls. One is murdered, another is missing, and the medical examiner is the mother of the missing teenager. Right before Halloween, Rowan investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. But now, her own daughter, Chloe, is missing. Rowan and her husband, a BH LEO, begins questioning how well they really know their daughter - And could she be responsible for what is happening?

Morrissey has a way of chilling you to the core with her words. HIGHLY recommend this one, but not for the faint of heart!

I was really hoping this series would be for me but it is proving to just not be. I dont know why i just can not get into it.

Hannah Morrissey is basically the epitome of gritty. It’s gritty and raw but so freaking fab.

Rowan and Alex were interesting characters to lead with this installment. I didn’t hate them, but I also didn’t love them. They were meh.

But what I did and will always love are the wild twists and turns we went on to make sure we were left stunned into silence as we flipped to the last chapter.

This is the third book in the Black Harbor series, which I've been enjoying so far and wanted to continue. Black Harbor is a gritty town with a lot of crime and deaths, and the mood of the book fits the feel of the city. This one was my favorite out of the series so far.

The book centers around Rowan and Axel, a medical examiner and detective for Black Harbor. The night of their teenage daughter, Chloe's, Beetlejuice show, they get called out early to attend to a murder. Sometime that same night, Chloe disappears. Rowan and Axel know that there is a connection between the murder and Chloe being gone, but it might be a connection that they don't want to make.

I really enjoyed the overall plot of this book. I was interested in what was going on and how Chloe's disappearance was connected to the murders of her classmates. There were also some really great (and creepy) red herrings in this one that kept me interested.

The climax at the end fell a little flat for me, which is why this wasn't quite a five star. The "why" of the whodunnit didn't resonate with me that well.

I'm still interested in this series and plan to continue reading. I recommend this for readers who like dark, gritty crime novels.

Great fun read! Kept my attention the whole time, very interesting plot and wrapped up well at the end despite it being sad. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series when I started it but overall, it worked as a standalone. There were some great twists and turns, and I loved the idea that the investagator’s own child could be a suspect. I look forward to going back and reading the first two books.

This was a decent thriller with a good story line. I was a little sad I figured it out before the end though!

I do recommend it if you like thrillers that throw around who the bad guy could be, it did keep me on my toes until I figure it out about 75% of the way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into themes of obsession, betrayal, and the dark side of small-town life. The story follows the enigmatic character of Hazel, a woman with a troubled past who becomes embroiled in a series of mysterious deaths that shake her community. Morrissey’s writing is atmospheric and tense, skillfully building suspense as secrets unfold and the lines between truth and deception blur. The intricate plot, combined with well-drawn characters and a haunting backdrop, creates a compelling narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end. It’s a chilling and immersive read for fans of psychological suspense and mysteries.

There is just something missing from this book. I'm not sure what it is, but the twist was not surprising.

How well do we really know our teenagers? This book tells us, not really. They keep secrets from us, and sometimes those secrets can put them in jeopardy, or keep them from rescue. I personally wouldn't raise a child in a town so deadly as Black Harbor, but that's another subject. Well-written, terrific pacing... the ending was a bit of a let-down. The ending I'd envisioned might have worked better.

This is the third book in the Black Harbor series and when it was sent to me as an early copy to review, I didn’t realize I would be jumping into an already established series. However, I feel like I was able to step right in and not miss much from the previous two books. I think Morrissey was able to capture the immense amount of pain of parents who find that their daughter, Chloe has gone missing after discovering that her best friend has been murdered. Rowan, a medical examiner and Alex, a local detective are not only involved in solving the case but are fully immersed because they don’t know if their daughter may have had something to do with her best friend’s death. Rowan and Alex begin to have differing opinions of their daughter and her possible involvement, which begins to tear their marriage apart. Morrissey was able to write in a way that touches on what the parents are experiencing during the time Chloe is missing but also the fact that they didn’t know all that was going on in their child’s life. This made Rowan and Alex more real/relatable in my opinion because most parents don’t know the ins and outs of their child’s life. I felt the book started off slow and picked up its pace as they began to uncover more information. I don’t think the ending was too predictable, but I was able to start putting together the pieces the closer I got to the end. I don’t know how the previous books compare to this one, but I’m definitely willing to check them out.

I never read the first two books in the series, but thought I would jump in on book three since I was approved for the next one. I really thought that this would be the perfect mystery to read during spooky season since it published around this time last year. I wanted to love it, but it fell flat for me.

The author used too many descriptive words that weren’t necessarily needed sprinkled throughout the story. I found myself thinking “can we get to the point of the book because I’m about to DNF.” I stuck with it, but didn’t enjoy the characters or the rushed ending. The story was built up around Chloe’s disappearance, then a fight ensued and it was over.

In all the mystery books I’ve read, some research was done beforehand about investigating crime scenes and police procedurals and I could tell that none of that was done here and it just left me with more questions than answers.

I’ll definitely be reading the next book in hopes of some clarification and to learn more about Black Harbor.

This was very slow burn. It was difficult to get into. I didn’t relate to any of the characters or find myself invested in the mystery. I saw this is part of a series, so maybe it would have been better had I read the other books first!

I liked this book. I didn't read the other in the series, but felt like it did fine as a stand alone.
wasn't my favorite book, but I liked the plot and it was suspenseful. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery thriller.

Massive thanks to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC copy of Morrissey's latest!

I have really enjoyed the Black Harbor series and Morrissey's writing. I think she has a great talent for bringing a punch to her story and her characters and I really appreciate that in a book. It helps make it not feel as boring and keeps me engaged.
Really love the twist in this one & wish there were more Black Harbor books coming!!

Thank you for an ARC of this book! I didn't realize there were 2 other books in the series, so I had to read those first just because I'm that way. A good read and overall a good one for spooky season.

This was a pretty quick read, and for the most part enjoyable. I figured out early on, once the character was first introduced, who the murderer was. That really didn't take away from the story as a whole and I still ended up enjoying it.

I sincerely appreciate the review of copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.