When I’m Dead jumped right into the story and kept it moving. The teenage characters of Libby and Chloe were especially well drawn. The depiction of Chloe especially used beautiful imagery. The mystery was tight and suspenseful with a satisfying ending. This might be because I haven’t read the previous two in the series, but I found it hard to understand why people stayed in Black Harbor. But I loved the creepy atmosphere. All in all, I would read more of this series.

When I’m Dead is the third book in the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey. It’s a dark, gritty, atmospheric mystery about a teen who goes missing following on the heels of a teen found murdered.

The tension in this novel is explicit and the turmoil between characters is unsettling. In fact, it seems to be a plot point unto itself creating havoc as the plot unfolds. This story will keep you guessing at each twist and turn and through the multiple points of view we get various angles of this thrilling story. It definitely has some graphic scenes, but it’s compelling without a doubt. It can be read as a stand-alone, but is more impactful when read in order, in my opinion. Dive into the dark world of Black Harbor and be prepared to be captivated.

This book is a bit darker than what I would normally read, but I’m so glad I did! I devoured it in less than two days and couldn’t wait to read it when I wasn’t! This author is new to me and I will definitely be checking out her other books. If you like a good mystery that has every possible component- this is the book for you! Please make sure to check trigger warnings if you have concerns or ask me for more info!

It is the perfect Halloween book and you’ll definitely want to add it to your TBR to grab on its publication date if 10/31/23!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this early!

What an interesting concept. One that made me take a small step back as a parent and really think about presence in my kid’s life as she gets older. This book is full of twists and turns. It is really well written, and the murder is not plainly obvious. Telling the book from the different people’s perspectives perfectly builds on the tension and leads to a smooth conclusion. Readers are going to get lost in this fast-paced mystery.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Like a train wreck; you won’t be able to look away.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

First of all, this is the third book in a series, but I was completely fine reading it as a stand alone.

Coming out now, is the perfect release for this story because it’s so creepy. Titled perfectly, this is the story of a detective and his wife, a medical examiner, who are called to a murder scene during their daughter’s play. Their daughter tells them, “you’ll love me more when I’m dead,” and by the time they get home their daughter is missing.

Some of the murder scenes are quite gruesome when described, but I wouldn’t go as far as say this is horror. Be prepared though! If you want a creepy read this one is for you.

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

I haven’t read a thriller in a while, so I was pleasantly surprised by When I’m Dead. On an October night, Rowan Winthrop investigates the murder of her daughter’s best friend, only for her daughter to go missing, and as morbid clues appear, Rowan and her husband Axel are forced to come to terms with how well they knew their daughter. Having the multiple POVs throughout this thriller was so good and the pacing was really strong. I also hadn’t read the other two Black Harbor books, but I think this worked well as a standalone. Having it centered around high school students too added a level of youthful drama to the intense crime scenes and I liked having one of the student’s POVs included as well. There was a depth to the mystery that even though I was able to guess the murderer, I wasn’t mad I figured it out. It is pretty intense in the details at time but it’s a perfect spooky season read, and I’d definitely be curious to pick up the other Black Harbor reads!

Married couple, Rowan, a medical examiner, and Axel, a cop, are working on the case of a local murdered teen when their own daughter goes missing. This is the third in a series of books set in the dismal town of Black Harbor. It is part of a series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.

I was engaged from the start with this taut tale of family secrets. Hannah Morrisey kept me guessing right up to the end with a wide variety of suspects, the story told through multiple POVs.

This is my first book from Ms. Morrisey, and I look forward to reading her past novels and whatever she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Hannah Morrissey for the advanced copy of When I'm Dead in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Morrissey is certainly cementing herself as a force to be reckoned with in the dark thriller world. I've enjoyed each book of hers more than the last.

This book is told through multiple points of view and I think the author did an excellent job deciding which characters should be the ones to tell the story. I was gripped immediately in chapter one and if life hadn't prevented me from reading it in one sitting I definitely would have.

Suffice to say I cannot wait to see what Morrissey comes up with next! Don't miss When I'm Dead on US bookshelves October 31st!

3.5 stars. I have not read the two previous books in this series, but from what I gather and from having read this one, I think that it can definitely be read as a standalone . . . and an engaging one at that! Axel, a homicide detective, and his wife Rowan, a medical examiner, leave the play that their high school daughter (Chloe) stars in to investigate a murder. The murder happens to be that of one of Chloe's friends, Madison Caldwell, and when Axel and Rowan arrive home, they discover that Chloe is missing. And so the plot progresses to try to learn who murdered Madison and where Chloe might be. Along the way, other murders occur and interesting secrets are revealed.

Although this held my attention, I found that it seemed longer than it was -- perhaps due to a few too many detailed scenes that seem to repeat what the reader already knows or that are just too descriptive. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this novel, and look forward to reading others in this series.

Black Harbor is a town where no one wants to live forever. But when Rowan Winthorp’s daughter, Chloe, grumbles that her mom will love her more when she’s dead, what exactly does she mean?

Black Harbor is the setting of two previous novels by Ms. Morrissey, and it is a gloomy, forbidding town with a high crime rate and vacant, run-down buildings. I previously read the first book in this series, Hello, Transcriber, and enjoyed it. When I'm Dead can most certainly be read as a standalone.

Rowan works for the medical examiner’s office. Her husband, Axel, is a cop. With their long hours spent poring over dead bodies and trying to catch murder suspects, it’s understandable that their only daughter could feel a bit neglected. When she lands a starring role in Beetlejuice, only to have both parents called away to rush to a crime scene on opening night, Chloe is naturally upset. Even more upsetting for everyone is the fact that the murder victim is a teenage girl, a classmate of Chloe’s.

As disturbing as this is, Rowan returns home to find that Chloe has disappeared. The author presents a dilemma: two parents whose professional lives conflict with their personal lives. As I read details of Rowan’s “bedside manner,” I didn’t find her totally convincing as a medical examiner. However, given the circumstances, she should not have been working this case at all. Also, she carries guilt from a long-held secret.

Alex, too, has difficulties. He’s in a more difficult situation, however, because the police department is short-staffed and needs every person available to work. As much as he wants to be in the mix, he needs to be kept away from this case. When details emerge that raise questions about their daughter’s friends and teachers, Alex tries to learn more on his own, against his better judgment. Then, another girl is murdered, and now Rowan and Alex are at odds. Their nerves are frayed, emotions rage, and their fears are all over the place. They strongly disagree about what has become of their daughter. Suddenly, their marriage is in trouble.

Ms. Morrissey presents all sorts of possibilities. But beware of one red herring after another. Any one of them could lead to the murderer or an accomplice. Or not. Even though it was getting late, I found myself saying, “just one more chapter…” There are also some rather gruesome scenes. The outcome – while rather theatrical – seems fitting, all things considered.

I received a digital copy of When I’m Dead in exchange for my unbiased review. My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I wanted to like this because it sounded so interesting. Going into to reading this I did not know this book was part of a series. I had not read any of the other books in the series and I felt very lost at times. I also did not like that this book was told in multiple points of view. I also found this book very run of the mill and nothing stood out to me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was really good! I was pulled in from the very beginning. I couldn't put this down. I love the development of the story and characters. I have been reading a lot of fantasy recently, so diving into a thriller/suspense was just what I need and Hannah's book fit the bill. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was such a well done story and I couldn't get enough. I was flipping the pages late into the night! Thriller/suspense fans- definitely grab this one!

When I’m Dead is the first book I’ve read by Hannah Morrissey, and I’ll be looking for her future books. Morrissey writes well, and this reviewer values excellent writing, in addition to good storytelling, above all else. Both elements are needed to create a satisfying read.

The story opens with the discovery of the body of a teenage girl, and some of the details of her horrific murder are gruesome. I admit to being squeamish about gore, but before long, I got pulled into the story and was hooked. The unusual characters made me want to know more. I especially liked dual protagonists, medical examiner Rowan Winthrop, and her detective husband, Axel, who work the case in their crime ridden, dark and dangerous city of Black Harbor. The added stress of their missing daughter compounds the difficulty of their assignment. Strange neighbors, and wide the choice of suspects, like Libby, the teenager next door, add color and drama to the mystery. Libby’s character almost upstages the protagonists, she’s that realistic. She’s hard to like, but I liked her all the same. Fans of gritty murder mysteries will find a compelling story in When I’m Dead.

Many thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for offering an advanced copy of this book. This review will appear on Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

Now that I've taken a day to let my heartrate regulate, I can finally review this book! You think I'm kidding? Just ask my smart watch. This one was a LITERAL fast-paced, heart-racing, pulse-quickening thriller.

When it comes to Hannah Morrissey, the difference really is in the details. The way she describes everything from the town (Black Harbor aka the most crime ridden city on the earth that's fictitiously located in Wisconsin), the atmosphere (everything here is HALLOWEEEN vibes), the dead bodies (don't read while eating), etc. etc. I really and truly couldn't put it down.

I was quite invested right off the bat, but roughly around the halfway point, things really kicked into gear and didn't stop escalating until the very end. 80%-100% had me in a chokehold!

I really don't think I'd change anything about this book and while I'd love to list off my favorite parts (the plot twists, the part where I audibly GASPED, the times she WENT THERE), I can't because you need to be just as shocked as I was when reading it!

This book takes place during Halloween, comes out on Halloween, and you should definitely pre-order it so you can read it on Halloween!

While this is part of a series (Black Harbor Series), it can 100% be read and loved on its own.

This is my favorite by Hannah so far and I cannot wait to read everything she writes next!

Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for sending me an ARC along with other fun goodies pertaining to the book!

This book gets the balance between action and detail just right. The plot is highly addictive and unpredictable, and the descriptions of Black Harbor around Halloween are so good, that you can almost hear the leaves crunching beneath your feet. Despite being part of a series that I hadn’t read before, I never felt like I was missing any background probably because it looks like each volume features different characters. And speaking of the cast of victims and suspects, it has a mix of creepy, ultimately not bad people, and likable guys hiding big secrets. Once you put aside the completely unbelievable notion that a detective and an ME would be allowed to take part in an investigation where their own daughter is missing, it was easy to root for them, even when they’re both at two opposite sides. The twists were all satisfying and I loved the ending. I will be reading the previous volumes next. Good book!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books!

This was a fun thriller. I don’t think it was anything I wasn’t expecting and I’m not a huge fan of the more procedural feeling thrillers but the husband and wife duo made this book feel a bit more unique. I haven’t read the first two books in this series so I don’t know what context I was missing. It did feel a bit like I would have enjoyed this more if I would have known the characters more. But this was a solid read. I think there are a few unbelievable parts but I usually like that in thrillers because it doesn’t feel too realistic.

Detective Axel Winthrop and Medical Examiner Rowan Winthrop are called out with the discovery of a dead body—right in the middle of their daughter Chloe’s play. When Rowan lets Chloe know about the call out, the teenager states, “You’ll love me more when I’m dead.”

The body turns out to be that of Chloe’s friend. And then, Chloe doesn’t come home that night…

Morrissey has a phenomenal ability to develop flawed characters but in a way where the flaw is not the sole defining characteristic. And then, these characters live in a world that I have absolutely enjoyed reading about: Black Harbor. Black Harbor is a town that is bleak, gritty, crime riddled, and broken—basically a character of its own.

The plot expertly weaves together the urgency to figure out what happened to Chloe with a well-crafted (and at times, eerie) murder mystery. Morrissey has a way with words and descriptions—causing a chill in the reader’s bones. Midwestern Noir is apt title for her books—this one included.

This is the third book in the Black Harbor series. Though each book is a standalone, readers of her prior two books (Hello, Transcriber & The Widowmaker) have some fun references in store.

Original, haunting and can’t-put-downable! Hannah Morrissey has crafted a tale to keep you up at night, one that is the stuff of every parent’s nightmares. How do you keep believing, in the face of evidence, that your child is still alive—or do you assume they are dead to keep from completely shattering from the unknown? I thought #whenimdead was well-written with believable actions by all the characters—adults as well as teens—and moved along at a breakneck pace to keep me turning the pages when I should have been doing other things. Thank you to #netgalley and #minotaur for this complimentary arc to read and review before publication, all opinions are my own.