Thank you so much to Hannah Morrissey, NetGalley, and Macmillan publishers for this ARC of When I’m Dead. I was nervous to read this without reading the first two books in the series but I was able to jump in without feeling like I was missing a huge piece of the plot line. I love the dual POVs, although I know it is a little hard to follow at times. The book was dark and haunting, it kept me anxious throughout the entire thing. I truly was on the edge of my seat. My big complaint is that this story seems to be a BIG conflict of interest so it isn’t very realistic, but it is a fictional novel! I hope to read more from this author in the future.

One girl is missing and another is dead. So many twists and turns. I loved every second of this. It can easily be read as a stand-alone but now I wasn’t to go back and read the other books in the series. Highly recommend!

4⭐️

Medical examiner Rowan Winthorp thought she was loving her worst nightmare when the case she was called to involved her daughters best friend. Her nightmare came true later that evening when she discovered that her daughter, Chloe, never made it home from the school play she was staring in.

As Rowan and her police detective Axel investigate the death of Chloe’s friend, they begin to see parts of their daughter’s life they never knew about, including the vicious rumor mill that went around the high school. All the while, Rowan can’t help but think about the last thing Chloe said to her: “You’ll never me more when I’m dead.”

This was a very standard police procedural that felt like watching an episode of Criminal Minds. I like that we see the struggle of Rowan and Axel wanting to stay involved while knowing there’s only so much they can do while their daughter is the missing person case being investigated. The tension between both Rowan and Axel as well as Chloe and her parents gave a good amount of drama to push the story along.

I do wish there was something a bit bigger to push this past being just another police procedural story but I’m not sure what exactly.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing this ARC to me!

"When I'm Dead" by Hannah Morrissey takes readers on an unforgettable journey into the heart of mystery, secrets, and the relentless pursuit of truth. With masterful storytelling and a keen sense of emotional depth, Morrissey crafts a gripping narrative that explores the tangled web of human relationships and the haunting forces that drive them.

Set against a bone-chilling October backdrop, the story introduces us to Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp, who is thrust into a nightmarish investigation after the death of her daughter's best friend. But the chilling enigma deepens when Rowan's own daughter, Chloe, disappears without a trace, leaving behind a trail of cryptic clues that challenge everything Rowan thought she knew.

Morrissey skillfully weaves a complex tapestry of intrigue and emotion as Rowan and her husband are driven to the edge of their understanding. The journey to uncover the truth behind Chloe's secrets is an enthralling one, as the couple must confront the uncomfortable truth that the ones closest to us can harbor the most unexpected mysteries.

The author's portrayal of Rowan's emotional turmoil is both poignant and relatable. As Rowan grapples with the dual burden of grief and the ghosts of her past, the narrative delves deep into themes of redemption and karma. The exploration of these themes adds a layer of complexity that resonates long after the final page is turned.

The plot's intricate twists and turns are expertly orchestrated, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with every revelation. Morrissey's ability to create an atmosphere of suspense and uncertainty contributes to the book's page-turning quality, making it impossible to put down.

But "When I'm Dead" is more than just a mystery; it's a meditation on the intricacies of human nature and the connections that tie us together. Morrissey's characters are richly drawn, their flaws and vulnerabilities adding authenticity to the story's narrative. Rowan's journey to uncover the truth about her daughter ultimately becomes a journey of self-discovery, creating a relatable and compelling narrative arc.

In "When I'm Dead," Hannah Morrissey has crafted a novel that is both a thrilling mystery and a deeply moving exploration of the human psyche. The book's seamless fusion of suspense, emotion, and moral introspection makes it a standout addition to the genre. For those seeking a thought-provoking read that lingers in the mind long after the final sentence, "When I'm Dead" is an absolute must-read.

This is a murder mystery based in the creepy town of Black Harbor, Michigan.

Rowan is a medical examiner and Axel is a homicide detective whose teenage daughter goes missing the same night that another teenage girl is found dead. The girl found dead was their daughters best friend, only clues found during the investigation point to that friendship having dissolved prior to her murder. A third girl is found murdered and all hell breaks loose. Who is the person or persons of interest? Is the missing girl truly missing? Is Karma at work after, playing her hand for something in Rowan’s past?

There is a decent plot, a lot of mystery surrounding the events of the story and some good support characters. You wonder who really did it through most of the book. Overall, a decent read.

I received an advance reader copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I’m dead but Hannah Morrissey Published by Minotaur Books set to be published on Oct 31,2023.
I received this book early for the exchange of a honest review!!
I believe this may be a first of any of this authors books so I haven’t read any others of the series Black Harbor, the book is focused around a husband and wife Axel and Rowan who has a 15 year old daughter. One grave night in October Chloe goes missing and a slew of other events begin to happen including missing and mysterious deaths. It’s a case of who done it that has you guessing until the end. I quickly became very engrossed in this story and had many theories on who may or may not have been responsible but I’m not gonna lie I was kinda far off!! Looking forward to more from this author as well as more from the series!!!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity o read this early, it definitely did not disappoint!!!

i received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. i’ve read all three Black Harbor books and this one was by far the best in my opinion. It grabbed my attention more than the rest and reminded me of a criminal minds episode.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very well written, I liked the characters so it was easy to follow along and see how they were able to piece things together.

This was my first read in the Black Harbor series and now I will have to go back and read the others! This story is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Rowan, a medical examiner as well as the missing girl's mother, Axel, a homicide detective and missing girl's father, and Libby, the girl next door who is an overweight, frequently bullied classmate. A few trigger warnings - Graphic death scenes, autopsies, explicit sex, and bullying. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC that will be released October 31, 2023! #netgalley #whenimdead

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey – Black Harbor has a crime problem or more to the point, is experiencing a killing spree. Detective Axel Winthorp and his wife, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp, are spending more time with the dead than they are with their daughter Chloe. Leaves rip from their branches and behind them, the lake throws punches at the half-sunk peers. The wind is bullish and sharp, biting at patches of exposed skin. Tendrils of hair slash across her face. This is it - a do or die moment. Bring her daughter home, or die trying. Life isn't worth living without Chloe. She's witnessed that first hand these past days that she has been missing. You'll love me more when I'm dead. Oh no, darling girl. I need you beside me, breathing, laughing, just simply being. That is what Rowan will tell her daughter Chloe if she is lucky enough to speak to her again, if her words don't fall on deaf, dead ears. Morrissey weaves together an exciting tale of small-town psyche, teenage troubles and murder.

Absolutely loved every second of this book. My expectations were blown out of the water and I felt myself not putting it down for long before I needed to pick it back up and read more.

Once I picked this up I couldn’t put it down! The story was so well written. There’s a lot going on between all the different characters but it’s still so organized and flows nicely. The twist and murders were creepy but so much so that I would classify this as a horror. So glad I read this and will be looking more into this author’s other works.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this before it’s release.

One October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp, is called out to investigate the death of a young girl who turns out to be her daughter, Chloe's, best friend. Hours later she learns that Chloe never made it home from her school play.

As more of Chloe's friends, or ex friends as Rowan soon learns, wind up dead, it starts looking like Chloe may be the murderer.

As Rowan and her husband try to come to grips with the fact that Chloe may be dead, or a murderer, the strain on their marriage gets worse. Rowan is determined to find out what happened and prove that Chloe is not a murderer, despite the evidence that says otherwise.

This is a great book, and I definitely didn't see the ending coming. Highly recommend!

Thanks netgalley for this book. I was introduced to a series that I will become addicted to, no doubt. It was my first one to read and though it's not the first, I was not confused so I'm assuming it is a standalone series but after the writing and characters and the creative plot, I will go back and start a collection of them all. As a mother, this is terrifying to imagine and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. Did not put it down at all. Life was on hold until I completed it. Amazing job!

When I’m Dead centers around medical examiner Rowan Winthrop. Rowan is investigating the murder of her daughter's best friend when soon after she realizes that her daughter Chloe is missing. Dark secrets soon emerge and Rowan realizes she may not know her daughter as well as she thought. The deeper Rowan digs, the sinister secrets Chloe had hidden, threaten to tear the family apart.

This is my first read by the author and I’m kicking myself for not picking up her work sooner! This suspenseful, and dark story is everything I want in a murder mystery. It’s a high-stakes thriller filled with complex characters set in a chilling atmosphere. There are a few

When I’m Dead is book 3 in the Black Harbor series but can be read as a stand-alone. As soon as I finished this one, I rushed to get the first two books. I absolutely cannot wait to read more by the author!

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrisey will be available on October 31. Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

“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.

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.”

I absolutely devoured this book! It had me hooked from the beginning. I loved all the twists and turns and it kept me on my toes. This book is part of a series but I had no issues reading it as a standalone. I can’t wait to go and read the first two in the series.

I loved the character development and Morrissey had a way to really draw you in. These characters are raw, real, and disturbing.

The story is told from a few different viewpoints - mainly alternating between Rowan and her husband Alex, but occasionally a chapter is told from the point of view of Libby, the girl next door. You think you know where the story is heading, but it gets more complex as you continue reading.

This is a great spooky read! It will be perfect for Fall and spooky season. Publication date is on Halloween! 👻

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Hannah Morrissey’s latest Black Harbor novel (#3) WHEN I’M DEAD is a deliciously, dark psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page.
As Rowan Winthrop and her husband, Axel are called away from their daughter, Chloe’s big performance to investigate the discovery of a young female corpse, Chloe replies, “You’ll love me when I’m dead.” Rowan believes that she’ll have time to make it up to Chloe. When she and Axel arrive at the scene, they discover that the body is that of a classmate and former friend of Chloe’s. Then Chloe herself disappears, and another body turns up. As Rowan and the Axel investigate, rumors, lies and secrets begin to surface, making them, realize that there was a bunch of Chloe‘s life of which they weren’t even aware. Classmates, boyfriends, trusted adults, and even a weird taxidermy teacher may all be hiding secrets and lies. While Rowan and Axel appear to be of different minds as to whether Chloe is still alive, Rowan can’t help but believe that karma has truly come around for her due to a mistake in her past.
I love any book with rumors, lies, secrets, and whispers between classes. This is my first Black Harbor novel, but I can’t wait to delve into the first two which will very shortly be on my to be read pile. Great Job!

This is the third installment of the Black Harbor series. This book can be read independently, however I feel you get the full flavor of read after the first two books.

This book details teenagers and their drama. Only in Black Harbor, drama end up in a murder of one girl and another girl missing. But who is responsible? We follow Investigator Axel and his wife Medical Examiner Rowen while they not only deal with their missing daughter as well as investigating the murder of two other teenagers. Are they connected? Is their daughter responsible? Will their marriage survive this life trauma?

This book is another fantastic read, expertly written with colorful detail. Hannah Morrissey is definitely an author to follow!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I began reading this quite some time ago and after a chapter or two, I put it aside. I was not interested and felt like it was going to be more of a procedural crime novel. I was encouraged by someone in my book club to continue because she really liked it. I'm glad I listened to her. It did get better!

The author did create some interesting characters and was able to lead the reader to consider various scenarios. I even tried to think of some the author didn't suggest. While some of it was rather unbelievable, it is a work of fiction so I was able to overlook that for the greater good of the story.

I liked that the story was told from the perspectives of different characters which gave us some new insights.

Towards the end of the book, I had to keep reading to find out how it is finally resolved. This strong finish always leaves me wanting to give a higher rating. I leave feeling satisfied.

This book was an ARC from St. Martin's Press was provided to me for free by NetGalley and this is my unbiased opinion given voluntarily.

I didn’t realize the book was part of a series and I don’t feel I missed out as the book worked find as a standalone. I didn’t feel engaged with the characters and found myself skipping some chapters to move forward. I’ve read a few books lately that have used the multiple POV format with nuggets dropped here and there alluding to situations that occurred and are leading to a revelation. I have decided I find this format annoying, which is on me and not the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Hannah Morrissey for the eARC.