This was a fantastic read! I flew through it and loved the plot. The murders were extreme but I was here for it! I will be reading more of Blackharbor!

Medical examiner Rowan Winthrop and her homicide-detective husband, Axel, are no strangers to death. But this time murder hits too close to home, when a high school friend of their daughter’s is found murdered in their neighborhood. The horror deepens as the investigation gets under way and they realize that their own daughter, Chloe, is missing. When another teen is found dead, Rowan and Axel are faced with the very real possibility that the next body found will be Chloe’s.
Though the plot is sometimes a bit uneven, and the adults are not a lot more than stereotypes, When I’m Dead will strike familiar chords for many readers: teens who daily navigate a world surprisingly removed from that of their parents and home life; the ways that adolescence changes people, relationships, and one’s view of the world; the threat of abuse by adults in positions of power and influence—and of course, those dangers you can’t possibly see coming.
As an entertaining, fast-paced, gruesome, and somewhat macabre weekend read, you won’t be disappointed.

A thriller and teen drama all in one that while the latest in a series will be just fine as a standalone. Rowan, the medical examiner in Black Harbor and her husband Axel, a police detective, leave their daughter Chloe's play because the body of Madison, the girl they believe was her BFF has been found. And now Chloe is missing. And then another teen is found. Oh, and someone is stealing pumpkins from porch. This is told by Rowan, Axel, and Libby, the teen neighbor no one likes and it twists through multiple trope-y situations. While I'm a fan of Morrissey and she does a good job with tension this has issues. Lots of issues. What about Madison's parents? Why are Rowan and Axel working while their daughter is missing? How could they- or multiple teachers- not realize that Chloe has a learning disability until she's a senior in high school? I'll skip the rest to avoid spoilers. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It IS a page turner but....

Very well written, a little disturbing at times but it’s a thriller so not unexpected. This book made me gasp out loud! I figured out who the killer was about halfway through but definitely not the twisty twist!

I didn’t realize this was book 3 in the series but it didn’t make a difference. Can be read as a standalone.

A really good read that is full of twists and turns that I did not see coming. Rowan and Axel are married to each other, and to their jobs with the Black Harbor police department. Their daughter, Chloe, disappears one night and her friend is murdered. As always, her medical examiner mother and her detective father have to quickly leave her school event. She feels as though she plays second fiddle to her parents' careers. When the case seems to involve Chloe, maybe as another victim, or as the perpetrator, their attention turns to her. Rowan's past comes to haunt her and leads down paths she did not want to revisit.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC to review.

This story dives into the fear and sorrow parents dread at the thought of having their child murdered or abducted, making it downright creepy. Told from three very different and well-developed realistic perspectives, this story grabs you early on and the suspense builds throughout the story. Once you start reading, it is nearly impossible to stop. Make sure to set aside a good gap of time to enjoy this one. I highly recommend it, and I will definitely be looking for more of Hannah Morrissey's books.

I loved this book. It was well written, the plot was great. Following the characters was an adventure I couldn’t put down. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know who reads.

It’s sad for a child to think that her parent would care more about her if she were to be dead. Because her parents put their work over her and run after dead bodies instead of staying at their daughter’s play, Chloe felt she had to say those words to her mom. Her parents were working to “provide” her everything she needed, but they forgot about providing the support she was looking for.

Black Harbor was rattling with murders of young girls and missing Chloe. There must some someone after their girls. Was it an insider or an outsider? Was it a teacher? Was this teacher abusing their girls? Were the girls after each other? Who was bullying who? Chloe’s father, the detective, and mother, the medical examiner, now needed to answer these questions to find their daughter.

Clues were beautifully sprinkled all over the story, but you need to wait till the end of the book to learn who the culprit was. It was a sad story that led to the tragedy unfolding now. Parents , whatever you do, do not mess up with your children’s future by favoring work over them, or one child over another.

Happy Monday, friends 🖤


A big thank you to @Minotaur_Books & @MacMillan.Audio for these gifted copies!


When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrisey
@HannahMorrisey
Pub date: October 31, 2023
Read by: Andrew Eiden, Caitlin Kelly, Gary Tiedemann, Xe Sands
Duration: 10H 37M


“𝙿𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚗𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝙱𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚋𝚘𝚛”


I loved Morrissey’s first two books in the Black Harbor series, HELLO, TRANSCRIBER and THE WIDOWMAKER and I whipped through WHEN I’M DEAD at full throttle. I loved every second I spent back in Black Harbor!


A couple, Rowan and Axel Winthorp, are called away from their daughter Chloe’s star performance in the school play to investigate a murder. It’s Chloe’s closest friend, Madison, and when Chloe doesn’t come home that night from the school play, they’ll be torn apart by the breadcrumb trail of clues. Each one questioning whether Chloe is a victim or a suspect. More murders, more suspects and time is running out …


Alternating chapters are told by three different characters, each with a unique viewpoint into the lives of the victims and the suspects. Each offering a bit more information - who has a motive and who has something to hide – a great way to tell this suspenseful story, leaving the reader with a true mystery to unravel.


🎧I listened when I couldn’t read and it is a stunning multicast narration that was a freaking delight to listen to! Bravo to the narrators!


Highly recommending this one and would like to point out, this can be read as a standalone but I’d encourage reading all of Hannah’s books because if you don’t, well, you’re just missing out.


💭And today’s QOTD straight from Hannah’s book: Would you rather have hair for teeth or teeth for hair?


Stay bookish, my friends 🖤

Thanks very much to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Press for the invitation to read a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

When Black Harbor Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp makes the shocking discovery that the newest body set for her table is her daughter Chloe's best friend, she has no idea that hours later Chloe herself will disappear under mysterious circumstances. And as she and her husband begin the desperate search to bring her home, they unravel a host of secrets that might tear the family apart permanently.

Let me start by saying that Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles series is a favorite of mine, so I was completely on board with the premise of a homicide detective and a medical examiner being at the heart of this novel. My expectations were high, and I was looking for a new series to settle into.

And I may revisit Black Harbor (though perusing the summaries, they don't all feature the Winthorps), but only under certain conditions. Notably, that they aren't written like this one (and I'm crossing my fingers that my biggest concerns will get ironed out in the final copy).

I read When I'm Dead quickly and with interest, but a few major concerns held me back from really connecting with it and making me want to read the rest of this series right away. First of all, this plot really forces you to put aside all reason and logic. I can't be the only one who's questioning the HUGE conflict of interest in Axel and Rowan taking such a primary role in a case they are so closely connected to.

Secondly, I found myself often frustrated with the repetition of the narrative. This includes both repetitious thoughts (sometimes word for word) among characters and repetition of description. We get it already: Rainbow Row is garishly painted with free government paint. Also, being repeatedly told that Black Harbor is this endlessly bleak, super dangerous predatory town with murders and crackheads galore does not gel with the fact that there's also a ritzy private school at its heart and multiple professionals with the ability to leave willingly stay.

And last, the characters. I was ready for a kick-butt husband and wife team to be at the heart of this story, but that expectation was not met. Rowan spent the entire book wallowing in guilt and self-hate and Axel was hardly a model of professional behavior. And are we just going to gloss over how absolutely inappropriate and creepy Libby is? Does she get a pass on basically stalking Chloe and breaking and entering (and a host of other red flag behaviors) just because she's the "weird fat girl?" Because her mom's the girl Latina not taken seriously as a doctor? Who knows, maybe she's being set up to be the villain of a future book...

Title: When I'm Dead
Author: Hannah Morrissey
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.0 out of 5

On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, the tragedy hits even closer to home when she makes a devastating discovery—her daughter, Chloe, is gone. But, not without a trace.

A morbid mosaic of clues forces Rowan and her husband to question how deeply they really knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel back the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secret transgressions…details that threaten to tear them apart.

Amidst the noise of navigating her newfound grief and reconciling the sins of her past, an undeniable fact rings true for Rowan: karma has finally come to collect.

I’m not sure why I decided to read this after I DNFed the first book in the series, but I did. I wanted to DNF this for the first third of the book, and probably should have, as I just didn’t care for the characters. Man, the setting here is so absolutely bleak and depressing and the characters are, too. This was an okay read, but I wasn’t a fan of the characters.

Hannah Morrissey lives near Milwaukee. When I’m Dead is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 10/31.)

This is the second book I've read in this series, and each can be read as a standalone.
The town of Black Harbor seems to have more grisly crimes than most, and when her daughter goes missing after the daughter's best friend is found murdered Rowan and her detective husband will stop at nothing to figure out how the cases are connected and bring their daughter home.

This dark and twisty case kept me sucked in until I turned the last page. Hannah Morrisey has created the perfect atmosphere for these stories to take place, and each book has kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. There are plenty of red herrings and suspicious characters to keep you guessing who the bad guy is, and even if you end up figuring out who the killer is, it won't dim your enjoyment at all.

I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this series, and I will definitely be reading whatever Hannah Morrisey comes out with next!

⭐️ SUNDAY 5 STAR book review coming at-cha featuring “When I’m Dead” by Hannah Morrissey ⭐️

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

“But is it ever truly safe? If the world itself is a dangerous place, Black Harbour is its core, a stagnant cesspool where bad people come in and never leave”.

Two “best friends”. One of them is dead. The other one is missing.

Medical Examiner Rowan Winthrop and her BHPD Detective husband Axel have been called to a crime scene and are torn apart to see the body of their daughter’s best friend brutally murdered. The nightmare does not stop there once they find out that their daughter Chloe has gone missing without a trace 😶‍🌫️

The desperation to find their daughter before it’s too late takes a strong hold on Rowan and Axel as they SPIRAL into a loop of dark secrets and deceit. They become HAUNTED by the fact that they may have not known WHO their daughter really was after all. Or what she was up to …

THIS BOOK 🤯!!! Yet another dark, sinister and twisted book in the Black Harbour series! I am obsessed with gritty police procedurals and sketchy unsavoury settings and Hannah Morrissey has nailed it once again!

Thank you kindly to @hannahmorrisseywriter @minotaur_books @stmartinspress @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I also grabbed myself a beautiful early release hardcover copy through my October BOTM box! This book releases on October 31, 2023!

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
I’ve only read two of the three in the Black Harbor series. but after this one I am officially obsessed. All of the books can be read as stand alone novels. There are references to the other books where Morrissey gives enough details to which you understnad the gist of what happened in each book (whichhh I guess is a spoiler but still if your starting with this one who really cares - am I right?).
•
I flew through this one in a matter of two days. Hannah Morrissey has a way of creating this town that is just so dark, drabby and full of death, yet makes it seem like there’s some normalcy there. The murders are always brutal and very descriptive. This one starts right off with a murder and just keeps you hooked with more throughout the story. When I’m Dead is told in multiple POVs, which is a favorite of mine.
•
This one brought me back to highschool days, when I remember how cruel girls could be. The things I watched happen makes me wonder how the hell I even survived. I love how all of the girls secrets were uncovered and how much you constantly are questioning each of the characters. Rowan and Axel are phenomenal and I would love to read more with them.
•
The mystery surrounding this particular case was addicting. I wanted to know what happened to the girls, I wanted to know who was behind everything. When I’m Dead is super fast paced and there were many times that I found myself unable to put this down. This was super thrilling and suspenseful with really great twists thrown in to give you that shock factor!
•
The audiobook is a full cast consisting of Andrew Eiden, Caitlin Kelly, Gary Tiedemann and Xe Sands all fo who were great! I really enjoyed listening to this one!
•
I jumped into a buddy read with this one with @rachels.lit.reviews, @books_wine_and_sunshine, @bookedwithheather, @bubblebathbookworm and @readingwithmrsleaf. Cannot wait to discuss it! Huge thank you to @netgalley, @hannahmorrissey and @macmillanaudio and @stmartinspress and @minataurbooks for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed When I’m Dead by @heathermorrisauthor and not just because she’s a local author! This book had me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the creepiness and the gory details! Of the 3 books I’ve read of hers this one of my favorite so far.

Quick synopsis….. teenage girls are being murdered and one is missing in Black Harbor Wisconsin. The missing girl Chloe is the daughter of the local detective and medical examiner Axel and Rowan. Who is to blame? Is Chloe alive? The rush is on to find out the truth.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the gifted copy.

#bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookstagram #bookworm #readmorebooks #readmorebooks #bibliophile #readingislife #alwaysreading #ilovereading #netgalley #netgalleyreview

A dark and suspenseful read set in a gritty city that is ripe with crime. When I'm Dead is a bit gory at times and not for the faint of heart.

The novel takes place in Black Harbour Michigan, which seems to be equivalent to Gotham City. The crime rate is high and the economy is suffering. Rowan is a medical examiner, mother, and wife to Axle Winthrop, one of Black Harbour's hard working homicide detectives. Their lives are turned upside down when their teenage daughter, Chloe, mysteriously disappears right after her peer is found murdered. Is Chloe Winthrop another victim or the perpetrator? Her parents will stop at nothing to discover the truth.

This is book 3 in the Black Harbour Series and the first one that I've read. It was a solid read and I found the characters of Row and Axle to be likeable enough to make me want to read the other books in the series.

I docked a star because I figured out the the who and the why a bit early on; however, I was still engaged enough to keep reading. The novel is a bit larger than life at times, but I enjoyed it for what it is; a easily digestible thriller with some fun characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a stand-alone thriller in an interconnected series. They are all set in the same town, but you can absolutely read them separately. It is a fast-paced thriller about a medical examiner and her detective husband who are called away to a homicide and while at work, their teenage daughter goes missing. Lots of secrets are unraveled as we learn more about the family, their friends, and the town. I enjoyed the book and would recommend to anyone who likes a quick thriller. I will say that I found it predictable and a little repetitive. Overall I would give this a 3.25-3.5 stars. If you read a lot of thrillers, you will guess the culprit, but even still it was a perfect Fall read given that it is set in October with a Halloween backdrop. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest feedback.

Chloe’s parents, Rowan, and Axel work for the Black Harbor Police Force. She has grown to expect their absence to a certain extent, but the final straw is when they leave her debut performance of Lydia in her high school’s rendition of Beetlejuice. They get called to a crime scene of a young girl murdered near their home. When they return, Chloe is missing. Can Rowan and Axel solve the murder and locate their missing daughter before she turns up dead too? Hannah Morrisey!!!! The level of creepy gory detail ramps up the tension to a million percent throughout this book. Black Harbor itself is a character, the scenery overwhelms the senses. I loved the way this was written. While it is part of the Black Harbor series, it can be read as a standalone.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I would say it would be great to be back in Black Harbor, but oh what a bleak place! The way the author paints the town, you just know you would never want to live there, either by birth or accident. You can just feel the dreariness, poverty, and crime creeping around the edges.

Hannah Morrissey writes dark, intelligent thrillers but she's not afraid of using humor to break up the bits between the gore. "Libby's eyes land on a copper-colored vintage [wine] labeled Hallowine. She remembers sampling it once from her mother's glass and immediately making a face. It tasted like licking the basement floor."

While the adults in the book could have used a little more development, the teenagers were on point and included mean girls, victims, and secret connections. And because of Morrissey's background as a police transcriber, the book had a good frame of reference for the police and medical examiner procedural. Are you able to guess the perpetrator partway through the book? Yes. Was it Morrissey's intention? I believe it was.

I have liked all of the the author's Black Harbor, and I know if Morrissey writes it I will buy it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance reader's copy.

This was a very well written book. Characters were well developed and relatable. I flew through this book and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. I had fun guessing who did it and who didn’t and I didn’t see the ending coming.

When a local teen’s body is found in a small crime ridden town, everyone is on edge. Then the daughter of a local police detective and medical examiner goes missing and through the multiple points of view we watch the deep investigation while the community falls apart around them. There is teen drama, no one knows who to trust, Rowan only hopes her missing daughter is not involved or dead. You’ll be guessing all the way through.

I will definitely be looking for more from this author. Thank you to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for the e book of this ARC.