"One girl murdered...another one missing...and a medical examiner desperate to uncover the truth in When I'm Dead, the latest Black Harbor mystery by acclaimed author Hannah Morrissey."

Another great mystery thriller in the Black Harbor series! While this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone as well. This is the kind of story that keeps you on your toes and guessing until the very end. As someone who prefers plot over characters, I find myself completely invested in the Black Harbor characters. They are so well fleshed out that I feel like I know them. However, the characters do not take away from the well paced plot - the story is the perfect mix of both. I was fully engaged from the very beginning and couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
At this point I think that @hannahmorrisseywriter could rewrite the phonebook and I'd read it (yes, I'm old enough to remember actual phonebooks delivered to your doorstep like a newspaper 😂👵).
Definitely an auto buy author for me!

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy of this book.

I enjoyed this story but felt like it really dragged. The ending was very captivating and I wish more of those details were throughout the whole book.

I didn't know that this was a series but I didn't find that it held me back from understanding the story. This was a good mystery and a quick read. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite mystery I've read this year. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one was underwhelming. The pacing was slow and felt forced. Some actions didn't add up whilst missing a daughter and I couldn't overlook it. Overall, it wasn't a favorite of mine and least favorite out of the Black Harbor series.

When I'm Dead is the 3rd book in the Black Harbor series, and the second one I have read. The setting of Black Harbor is bleak, with crime and it's citizens full of despair. Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp is called to the scene of a crime, the death of her daughter's best friend. Hours later, her daughter, Chloe, is missing. Rowan's husband and Chloe's father, Axel is a homicide detective and demands to be on the case, even though it is a clear conflict of interest. Chole is a very unhappy girl. She is having problems with her friends and bullying at school and is feeling neglected as her parents are constantly being called to work, leaving her behind at special events. When she disappears it is not clear if she left of her own accord, was taken or is even alive.

WHEN I'M DEAD is told through multiple points of view via alternating chapters. The narrators include Rowan, Axel and Libby, the next-door neighbor's socially awkward daughter who is bullied at school. The story is very descriptive with a spooky town, unhappy inhabitants and feelings of fear. As the story progresses, there is a feeling of urgency with various suspects, information that may or may not be true, rumours and then, another murder. Everytime I thought I had things figured out, there was a red herring or a twist that kept me off balance. I wanted to Chloe to be safe, and she was a character that I had a great deal of sympathy for. The plot was well-written and pulled me in from the beginning until the end. I enjoyed this atmospheric thriller and recommend it to those who enjoy a thriller with lots of twists and a killer that I didn't see coming.

This was such a edge by your seat book , it had great mystery and suspense. I couldn’t put it done , I had to know the end . Great book!

On a chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp is thrust into the investigation of her daughter's best friend's death. The tragedy takes an even darker turn when Rowan makes a harrowing discovery—her daughter, Chloe, has vanished, leaving behind only cryptic clues.

In a grim puzzle of evidence, Rowan and her husband confront the unsettling realization that they may not have truly understood their daughter's life. The investigation peels back layers of secrets and reveals disturbing details about Chloe's hidden transgressions.
The Black Harbor series has become an enthralling fixation for me, consistently exceeding expectations with each new instalment. The author adeptly introduces intricate characters whose lives are skillfully interwoven into the narrative's fabric. With every twist and turn, the mysteries intensify, keeping my heart pounding from the initial pages to the breathtaking conclusion. This instalment delivers a compelling tale of mystery and suspense, featuring unexpected twists and turns that keep the authorities and readers alike guessing. The unsettling and surprising climax blindsides the entire town, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to the narrative.
While part of the Black Harbor Mystery series, this book stands strongly on its own, making it a highly recommended suspenseful thriller.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah's third book in the Black Harbor series was easily my favorite! Ms. Morrissey does not hold back with a breathtaking first chapter that would make any parent nervous. This book dove into teenagers and their social setting and what happens when one of them is murdered and another goes missing. This book was brutal and did not hold back. It was suspenseful and quick paced. Ms. Morrissey has a wonderful way of making you care for her characters also and making you read quickly to see how their story ends. I loved all the creepy factors and the family dynamics in the book too. Very well done! Highly recommend.

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey is a complex examination of a parent’s worst nightmare, coupled with long held secrets, and relentless shame. When Medical Examiner Rowan Winthrop and her husband are called away from a school function, yet again disappointing their daughter Chloe, her parting words are haunting...”You’ll love me more when I’m dead.”. Chloe’s best friend has been brutally murdered, and when Rowan finally gets home Chloe is missing.
Morrissey expertly plots the investigation of complex teenage relationships, while keeping this a very adult suspense thriller. She layers this with a stagnant marriage, unresolved guilt, and toxic workplace dynamics. Unreliable narrators and morally grey characters muddy the plot further. I loved how well the Wisconsin location is used as its own character. The third book in the Black Harbor series. I had no problem reading this as a stand alone. I think it’s a great choice for those that may not typically read police procedurals, a propulsive suspense thriller. There are some rather graphic scenes. I’m horror-averse and did okay, but be aware.
Thank you to @Minotaur_Books @hannahmorrisseywriter and @netgalley for the early copy.

I really liked this one. The setting is so creepy, and the Halloween vibe was a nice touch. Following the city’s medical examiner and her police detective husband, they investigate the murder of a local girl and the disappearance of their daughter. This one has lots of twists and I did figure out the murderer, but I still liked it. I plan to go back and read the others in this series.

This one is rather dark. The writing is descriptive and intriguing. The first chapter was a little hard to read; human curiosity being what it is though, I persevered, chapter after chapter, to the end. I had to know the outcome. I didn’t see that coming.
Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Hannah Morrissey for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I didn’t realize this book is part of a series. While it would have been helpful to read the previous novels, I don’t think it’s totally necessary.

This mystery/thriller was enjoyable enough and I was intrigued for the most part. The pacing was a bit slow, however, and the plot wasn’t super original. Overall, a quick, readable thriller.

Thank you to St, Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I’m Dead is part of a series following a married police officer and a medical examiner through a series of crimes that they often work together on. In this book a girl ends up dead and their daughter ends up missing. Although I felt this one was decent I never really became invested in the characters. I have not read the other books in the series and it is possible that I am missing out on that aspect based on that. Overall I liked it but felt it lacked some depth.

Not what I expected when I requested this book. Predictable and the the very big twist was not plausible. DISAPPOINTING!!

Cannot recommend. At least the cover was nice!

Thanks to NetGalley, Hannah Morrisey and St Martin's Press Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

Out of all the Black Harbor novels, this was my favorite one!! Each novel is standalone but takes places in the area of Black Harbor, characters from other books are referenced but each can be read alone. The book started with a murder and a missing girl, then snowballed from there. The story is told in multiple points of view, and each persons story gets more complex as it progresses. I enjoyed all the characters in this novel and couldn’t wait to find out the ending. I also like the setting of Black Harbor, it sounds dark and secluded which adds to the eeriness.

This was fine. It kept me reading but didn’t wow me in any way. The twist seemed out of the blue to me and not believable at all.

The characters in all her novels might disagree with me, but I’m absolutely obsessed with Black Harbor, and no year is complete without a trip there.

I’m pretty sure I say this every time, but this might just be my favorite one yet, if not the darkest. When the bodies of a high school girl show up just as another goes missing, amid rumors of bullying and a student/teacher affair, Rowan and Axel Winthorp are in a desperate search for their daughter while grappling with the idea that she might not be the victim. She might be the killer.

When I’m Dead brings us some of my favorite characters in Black Harbor so far and, unfortunately (??) possibly the ones I related to most. And of course there’s the return of the love of my life Nikolai Kole. 🩵

Rowan and Axel’s struggle with the grief their daughter might be dead versus the fear that she might be the one committing these gruesome acts is wrenching, and Morrissey’s ability to make us empathize with the most minor characters is unmatched!

So grab a cup of tea or coffee or whatever beverage you like, and settle in for another chilling trip to Black Harbor!

Suspenseful and dark!

I’d never read any of Hannah Morrissey’s books before picking this one up and was unaware that it’s the third book in the Black Harbor series. Regardless, once I started reading, I was hooked immediately. I can’t wait to pick up her other two, Hello, Transcriber, and The Widowmaker. This thriller gave off Mare of Easttown vibes, with a gritty small town setting in Wisconsin. I loved the details she added about Rainbow Row and other eerie locations known by locals for harboring dark histories. It created an immersive setting and added depth to the story.

The two protagonists, Axel and Rowan, were intriguing and different in so many ways. I definitely enjoyed Rowan’s POV and her profession as a medical examiner—something I rarely read get to about. The supporting characters were well fleshed out and I definitely didn’t see the twist coming. Morrissey’s voice is engaging, making this an easy read with a steady pace.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy dark procedurals filled with twists and suspense.

I didn't realize this book was part of a series and I do want to go back and read the previous two books.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I will admit that I did lose interest a couple of times but that may be due more to me than to the book. I did finish it and I'm glad I did.

The suspense is great and the writing is engaging, I feel like I am right there watching the scene play out.

If you enjoy police procedurals and/or thrillers, you will enjoy this one!

When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey is much more macabre book than I was originally realizing. Set in the fictional town of Black Harbor, WI, Morrissey has created a world of insightful characters and realities that may hit a little too close to home at times.

I understand that this is part of a town series, and I am very interested to see how her first two novels in Black Harbor stack up. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the chance to read this novel.