A twisty enough thriller. Loved the backdrop of Halloween and the dive into the characters of the parents here. I'll continue to read the next in the series. Black Harbor is certainly a depressing place - I'll be rooting for everyone trying to get out!

When I first started this book, I completely forgot that this was part of the series and it just makes me want to go back and enjoy the series again. A good book that keeps you engaged!

Wow! This is the third of the Black Harbor novels and, while I have enjoyed them all, this one is my favorite. I was gripped from the start of this story and could not stop reading. It’s chilling and eerie, dreadful and haunting, and filled with suspense. The descriptors so detailed, I felt as if I was part of this story. Great twists that kept me enthralled until the last page. Fantastic!

Now this was a thriller. Teenager Madison is found dead and her best friend Chloe is missing. Chloe’s parents race to find out what happened to their daughter and her friend.

This book had me on edge the entire time! I thought si knew who the murderer was multiple times, but I was far off. I didn’t see that ending coming at all. I loved the multiple point of views that were used to give a fuller picture. I could have done without some of the graphic descriptions of murder victims remains. Overall, I’d rate this one a 4.5⭐️

When I’m Dead by @hannahmorrisseywriter released on 10/31 and was my perfect spooky thriller of the week. While this book is a part of the Black Harbor series following a medical examiner’s, Rowan Winthrop, investigations, you can read them as stand alone thrillers.

This book opens with the disturbing murder of a local teen girl and the disappearance of Rowan’s teen daughter, Chloe. As detectives work to solve both cases and locate Chloe, dark town secrets are uncovered and Rowan fears she doesn’t know her daughter as well as she thinks. Additional bodies pile up as putting added pressure on the team and new clues are revealed that threatened to shatter Rowan’s marriage and friendship with her neighbors. Told through multiple POVs, including Chloe’s teen friend Libby, this fast-paced propulsive page turner was hauntingly chilling!

This book includes:
🔒Sadistic murders
🔪Teen Drama/Bullying
🔒Hidden relationships
🔪Taxidermy twist
🔒Halloween week/Haunted House setting
🔪Everyone is a suspect/Trust No One
🔒Powerful revenge

I loved it and can’t wait to read more thrillers by the author. 🩷 Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey

When I’m Dead is book three in the Black Harbor series about a crime ridden city and the law enforcement personnel trying to find justice. In this recent installment medical examiner Rowan and her detective husband Axel are at the crime scene of a murdered teenager when their own fifteen year old daughter goes missing. As more people connected to their daughter are found dead they begin to suspect she’s either also victim or possibly even the perpetrator.

Like the previous books in this series When I’m
Dead is dark and twisted with a few red herrings to keep the reader guessing. This time Morrissey delves into a long marriage where two people are driven apart by their careers, their own individual struggles with the past and now fear for their missing child. She also does an excellent job with the voice of teenage Libby, the hyper observant girl next door. This isn’t a cozy mystery but is filled with descriptions of crime scenes where the human bodies left behind are the evidence.

I recommend When I’m Dead and the Black Harbor series to readers that enjoy dark and gritty crime novels in realistic settings.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hannah Morrissey takes readers back to Black Harbor for the third book in this series and I hope we get to go back to Black Harbor in future books!! The characters who live here are fascinating and lead very interesting lives!!!

One dead body!!! One missing teen. A husband and wife team who work too hard as a detective and coroner respectively. Chloe is their daughter and she is the missing one!! So many twists and turns!! So many secrets!!! Loved it!!

Pick up you copy today and be transported to Black Harbor!!! You will not be disappointed!!!

The book opens with a brutal murder of a teenage girl. Another teenage girl is missing. The missing girl is the only daughter of two members of the local police force. One is a detective, the other a medical examiner. Is there daughter another victim or is she the perpetrator? This book was packed with twists and turns, false leads and secrets, both of the present and past. I got a little lost in the characters, and it wasn’t until I was about 75% done that I realized this book was the third in a series. I think it would have been a different experience if I had started this series with book one. At times, I felt like I’d shown up at a party and didn’t know a person in the room. I was especially interested in the mother of the missing girl. Rowan is the medical examiner and her backstory caught my attention. I’m going to check out the first two books by this author in this series.

Member Review
Cover Image: When I'm Dead
When I'm Dead
by Hannah Morrissey
Pub Date: 31 Oct 2023
Review by
Amy L, Bookseller
Last updated on 03 Nov 2023
Medical examiner Rowan Winthorp and her detective husband, Axel are called to the scene of a young murdered girl. The victim turns out to be a friend and classmate of their daughter, Chloe. As they return home they are hit with the devastating discovery that Chloe is missing. The clues lead the couple down paths that question their past, the strength of their marriage and how well they know their daughter. Black Harbor is an incredible backdrop for this gritty, dark psychological thriller.

Once again Hannah Morrissey delivers a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Morrissey has an incredible talent of creating environments that are rich in detail and characters that are multi-faceted and so interesting. In this case she captured the strain and stress that Rowan and Axel were experiencing. Their raw emotions were on full display and it was so gut wrenching. As a parent I could relate to their pain. After each clue and secret was revealed, the tension increased. I could not stop reading this story, I was hooked!!


Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review .

5 ⭐️

#NetGalley #WhenI’mDead #HannahMorrissey

The author demonstrates an exceptional talent for introducing fresh, intricately crafted characters who seamlessly integrate into the story's fabric. As the plot unfolds with its twists and turns, the mysteries become increasingly gripping, and my heart races with anticipation from the very first page until the stunning conclusion.

In this latest installment of the psychological thriller series, we are introduced to Rowan Winthrop, a city medical examiner whose life is intricately entwined with her husband, Alex, a detective in the BHPD. Their demanding careers have left little room for rest or relaxation. However, their lives take a terrifying turn when Rowan stumbles upon a crime scene involving a young girl – none other than Chloe, her daughter's best friend. To Rowan's horror, she discovers that Chloe hasn't returned home after a school play. The chilling realization dawns upon her that she must traverse the treacherous path of a dangerous killer while desperately searching for her own daughter's abductors. As the investigation deepens, Rowan and her husband uncover disturbing secrets about Chloe that shatter the very foundations of their existence. Could it be possible that the daughter they thought they knew was nothing more than a facade?

The author skillfully orchestrates a guessing game that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With each chapter, layers of complexity are added, potential culprits emerge, and suspicion shifts. The pressure intensifies, tightening its grip around us as we become more enmeshed in the story's intricate web. Just when we believe we've unraveled the truth, the climax hits with an unexpected force, leaving us in awe of the author's masterful storytelling. The jaw-dropping conclusion leaves us stunned, pondering the profound impact of the unfolding events.

As an avid fan of crime thrillers, I find immense satisfaction in the intense and claustrophobic atmosphere the author creates. The realistic characterizations allow us to empathize with Rowan's desperate search for her daughter and her emotional turmoil as she uncovers shocking revelations. The meticulously crafted pacing ensures that the narrative maintains relentless momentum, propelling us forward with each turn of the page.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

I was nervous when I saw that this was the 3rd book in a series, however, you can definitely read this as a stand alone. That to say- I will be reading the other two in the Black Harbour series by Hannah Morrissey.

I devoured this book! I enjoyed the storyline and character development. Probably one of my favorite police procedural books I have read in a LONG time. I found the book to be full of twists and turns and left me guessing to the very end!

5 Stars!

When I’m Dead is the third book in the Black Harbor Series, but is able to be read as a stand-alone.

Rowen Winthorp, a medical examiner and Axle, her husband, a detective for the police. Both share their POV’s as the narrators of the book. Their daughter, Chloe, goes missing following her performance in a high school play. But, Chloe has left behind a trail of cryptic clues. It is also discovered that Chloe's best friend was murdered. When I'm Dead is about the investigation of the crimes, but primarily, it is the story of the trauma experienced by Rowen and Axle as they do their work, investigating the murder and Chloe's disappearance and the truth of what really happened.

Hannah Morrissey has constructed a novel that is both a thrilling mystery and a deeply moving exploration of what a parent will do to find their child. For readers that are looking for chilling atmospheric thriller that will remain with you long after the final chapter, This is it! For me, "When I'm Dead" is an absolute must-read.

“You’ll love me more when I’m dead”….
Oh teenagers, you know how dramatic they can be. But when Chloe goes missing and another friend found murdered, you begin to wonder where fact and fiction come into play.

This was a fast paced, easy book to read. #3 in the Black Harbor Series, I read it as a stand-alone just fine (I haven’t read the others).
Every parents worst nightmare is losing their kids, and when her daughter is missing and 2 others found murdered, Medical Examiner Rowan begins to question everything she thought she knew about her daughters life.

Dark and twisty, with multiple characters playing major roles, it really had me guessing as to who the real evil person was. And the ending would make for a great film escapade!
Should also mention that this book takes place in October, so the perfect fall read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Pub date: 31 Oct 2023

DNF at 39%
I just think this book isn't for me. The writing is fine and the idea is interesting, but the inaccuracies in the police procedural process are getting on my nerves. A prosecutor could never do anything with this case. Plus I think I have an idea of who the killer is.

This was a decent thriller about Chloe who goes missing after two of her friends are murdered. It has all the elements of a great thriller with a twist.

My issues were that it felt way longer than it needed to be, and the nonchalance of Chloe’s parents really struck me as odd. I was confused wether or not I should suspect them, even though it was very clear that they were not suspects.

This was such a dark, twisty murder mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. Filled with unreliable characters, I was constantly questioning everyone and the very descriptive creepy atmospheric setting gave me all of the spooky feels. This was my first read by Morrissey and it will definitely not be my last.
FYI - this book is the third installment in a series but it can also be read as a stand-alone, which is what I did.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Hannah Morrissey for a #gifted ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Two girls are found dead. One girl is missing. A town on edge. Hannah Morrissey brings us back to Black Harbor in When I'm Dead. Its a dark town, with a dark history. Halloween week brings more darkness.

None of the characters were likeable. I did feel for Libby, although she was sketchy too! I felt like her storyline dropped toward the end, but overalll this was a great read for spooky season!

Just one more chapter. There is no stopping once you start. Nothing can get in your way.

There are multiple POVs in this crime thriller. Chole is 15 years old and excited to perform on stage in “Beetlejuice” as Lydia Deetz. She died her hair black and has the black boots and outfit that matches perfectly. Her proud parents, Rowan and Axel, are in the audience watching.

However, about half way through, they get a call and both of them excuse themselves. Someone has been killed and sadly, they have to leave their daughter’s performance and investigate. Rowan is a medical examiner and Axel is a homicide detective. Rowan sent a text to her neighbor, Marnie, asking her if she and her husband could take Chole home afterwards.

Then the bad news: they find out that a girl from the school was strangled close to where they live and it happens to be Chole’s best friend, Madison. Marnie didn’t get the text to take her daughter home. Rowan rushes to see if Chole is there. Her bedroom is quiet with the window open but her daughter isn’t there. Her last words to her mother were: “You’ll love me more when I’m dead.” What does that mean?

It's like a puzzle. Each chapter leads to more clues as the suspects are interviewed. Axel said someone always lies. The reader starts lining up who the killer may be: her boyfriend, one of her girlfriends, her teacher or maybe she was the murderer.

The timing is good with all the pieces in place. It’s not too ghastly and tense that the reader won’t be able to sleep at night. The chapters are relatively short. It’s fun and fast like something you’d want to see in the movies.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the EArc of When I'm Dead!

The Queen of Midwestern Noir strikes again with this total spooktacular and gripping Black Harbor novel!

In this book we get to read from a few different perspectives that are all equally and in their own way - so unreliable! Following Rowan and Axel in this story after their daughter is reported missing, and one of her supposed friends is found brutally murdered, pulled at my heartstrings more than I expected. While also simultaneously making me trust NO ONE in this book!

The way the author ties each of the Black Harbor novels together while keeping them entirely separate is a fun additional aspect to these books as they progress.

Also: KOLE *swoon* he's still got my heart in these books.

Definitely recommend!

Just finished this one! THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC!

I loved it! I got a physical copy right away so i can annotate!! 1. First the cover is amazing!
2. Multiple POVs which i love!. I enjoyed learning about each character. I could not get enough of Libby and her life. I will say in the beginning i did think it was her! I love that they bring up bullying in this book! That's a very important subject!
Also i have never read about stuffing animals and all that! I DID NOT LIKE THAT! I kind of skipped that part! I cant believe they allowed that in school! Also i was definitely interested to learn more about Chloe! Why did she start wearing black? What happened with her and the teacher? The last few chapters were kind of shocking and i loved it! It was gross and creepy and scary at times. I highly recommend. It's a easy read! it was hard to put it down! I know it says its a third book but it CAN BE standalone. So ya hope you all enjoy it!! 4/5 stars for sure!