There's a serial killer on the loose in this murder mystery thriller. Peter Nichols' Granite Harbor engages readers with his strong and relatable characters and suspenseful plot.

Not much happens in the small coastal town of Granite Harbor until the sudden, unexpected murders of two teenage boys. Investigator Alex Brangwen becomes very alarmed since his daughter Sophie is friends with these boys, and it's his first murder case. Teens are true to form in this novel, unaware of the killer's motive or the dangerous situation. Many characters' backstories, even the killer, are revealed as readers try to determine who the murderer is. But the story ramps up as the identity is revealed, and it's a race to find this nut job before they kill again.

My favorite character is Isabel, an empath, mother, and widow who has witnessed tough times—the loss of her husband at sea, her job, and her reputation. Determined and forgiving, she forges ahead and is critical to tracking down the killer. Granite Harbor describes how a small town deals with a major disruption that almost destroys it. Peter Nichols’ pacing and characterization make this an intriguing novel. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it. #NetGalley #Granite Harbor #thriller #murdermystery

I have been provided with a review copy of Granite Harbor from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just really enjoyed this story and I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Granite Harbor is a cut above some of the other books in the suspense/drama genre. Set in a small town in Maine, Alex is a detective with local law enforcement when a local teen is found murdered.. Alex is divorced with a teenaged daughter and his ex-wife is close by. No one can imagine who would be stalking or murdering in this close knit community and suspicions and circumstantial evidence lead to wrong conclusions. Peter Nichols' writing style reminded me of some of Dennis Lehane's books. Its not like the plethora of suspense/thriller novels in which the plots go over the top. Its grounded in real characters with flaws, doing their best while protecting those they love.

I unfortunately will not be able to give an honest review of this book. I stopped reading because of a scene that I wish I’d known was part of the book. I do appreciate the ARC but I just can’t read it.

Born and raised on Maine's Midcoast, this book spoke to me in ways no other book set in Maine ever has. I could literally envision the scenes playing out, considering this is my home. For that reason alone, I immensely enjoyed this book. When you add the descriptive writing and the gruesome and eerie plot, it was a total recipe for success.

A brutal murder of a teenage boy in a quiet coastal town has everyone on edge. Alex, Granite Harbor's singular detective has his work cut out for him in regards to this case, especially considering his daughter, Sophie is one of the victim's closest friends. Sophie and their other bestie, Ethan refuse to simply let the town forget about their friend. When another body is found brutalized in the same way as before, it looks like they have a serial killer on their hands...

This is told in one of my favorite ways. We have the two protagonists we are following, Alex and Isabel (Ethan's mother), and then we get the insights into the unknown killer. The point of view of the killer is always my favorite because you get the completely opposite dynamic between killer and victim than you do with anyone else.

I absolutely loved this book. I wanted to really take my time with it, but I couldn't help flying through it. It was grisly and fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols.

I was not the reader for Granite Harbor, but there will be plenty that absolutely love it. It's very dark, sinister, creepy, and suspenseful. This could easily be made into a movie or TV series that would be very popular. If you enjoy stories that make you slightly uncomfortable, or are a binger of true crime documentaries, this is probably the book for you.

Honestly, the storyline of this book is really good, but I am so disappointed with the execution. I skimmed through the majority of this book because there were so many unnecessary fillers in this book and a few unnecessary background information about the characters.

When I started reading, I was so confused as to what was going on. It felt disorganized and I hated how the chapters didn’t feel connected to each other. Alex is the MMC in this story, but it didn’t feel like that. I expected so much from his character, but it was underdelivered. And this is my personal opinion, I wish Alex’s POV was in first person because that would have been much better to read.

As for the story, I was not happy with it. Most of the time, I was confused as to what was happening and I got through this book quickly because it had a good pace. And the ending has left me unsatisfied.

As I mentioned, this storyline is really good, and it can become a hit if the execution is excellent.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this unsettling thriller I did predict a few twists early on but it was engaging. It was a violent and creepy serial killer story that kept me reading the whole book in one setting. The characters were believable and the setting and mood were creepy. This is a strong 4 Star novel.

totally a 5-star read, what i liked about #graniteharbor by peter nichols.
1. unputdownable, good mystery
2. goes down character rabbit holes in a good way
3. truly gruesome and creepy scenes
4. lots of history and tidbits
what i didn't:
1. a little long, could use a little editing
2. found one or characters to be annoying, particularly the women, who were, for the most part, portrayed as shrewish.
3. alex was not the most astute of detectives. perhaps he will hit his stride.

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

A serial killer in a small town? Sign me up please! Unfortunately, I am going to do a little complaining. Alex Brangwen, a failed novelist turned detective in the small town of Granite Harbor is left to find the killer of a young man in his daughter’s friend group. The killing is gruesome to say the least. I absolutely love how the antagonist of the story goes unnamed and we get his horrific background throughout the story. The reader will become empathic and I hung on piecing together clues. How the killer goes about his killing is so unique. I haven’t read anything like it before. Brilliant.
SPOILERS BELOW
So here is my ‘complaint’ (1) Isabel and her ‘visions’ - this was kind of vague and just popped in there. I would have been more likely to believe it was a woman/mom’s intuition. (2) I really wanted to put a connection from the killer to his most recent victims and we did not. (other than casually knowing them – like the early victims he was ‘righting a wrong in his eyes)
I wish I could give like a 3.5 This is hands down my favorite and most read genre.

I really enjoyed this dark grisly thriller mystery about a small coastal town murder. The characters all felt authentic and realistic and I appreciated their flaws and concerns. The serial killer was incredibly creepy and literally gave me the chills reading this book. I enjoyed reading the scenes with the focus on them. I felt the pacing was done well to draw the reader in and not give away too much so as to ruin the plot twist. The writing was well thought out, immersive , engaging, and edited well. The cover art was perfect for the storyline and actually makes me want to buy this book. Overall, it's a good suspense and one id recommend to any of my thriller loving friends. Thank you for this arc.

I liked this dark, gritty, disturbing novel about a serial killer targeting teens in a small Maine town. I loved the glimpses into the serial killers childhood. The opening scene and the condition of the body they find really sets the tone for this novel and trigger warnings abound. Tons of character development and lots of sideline stories that I really enjoyed. I will definitely check out more by this author. This book almost seemed like it could be the start of a series and I would read more in this series.

Alex Brangwen, a failed novelist from England, has become the only detective in Granite Harbor, ME. There has been a horrific murder in the Settlement, the town’s historic reenactment village. An earlier, similar killing convinces Alex that a serial killer is at work. Even with a reinforcement from the FBI, he doubts his ability to solve this case. After another murder, Alex realizes that the deeply disturbed killer is close to home. At the same time, former teacher Isabel is worried about her gifted son Ethan as he is tied closely to the deaths in the village.

I wanted to really like Granite Harbor. Peter Nichols delivers a well plotted police procedural. I did wonder how he could be certified as a detective but I guess small towns can make their own rules. I had trouble reading the scenes describing the sadistic murder of animals. Those seemed more real than the other deaths. I also felt there were too many characters, Nancy for example, that took away from the action. I also didn’t like the cavalier attitude of the FBI agent.
I can’t decide on the rating but I’ll give it 4 stars because the author shows remarkable talent. Stronger editing should help.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Peter Nichols for this ARC.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I never connected with the characters and I didn't understand how a person could become a cop with so little education. I think this book needs a little finessing and more research

I really liked this one.
I loved the fact that we got the killers perspective, without knowing who the killer is.
I'm not always in the mood for thriller/suspense. But this one hit just right.

The killer's history was interesting. The murders and the investigation of the murders was interesting. I liked Flynn the dog.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols
Pub date: April 30, 2024

This is a really clever and twisty thriller that uses an unknown narrator for a past POV while keeping the reader on their toes in the present.

The town of Granite Harbor is shocked by the death of a teen boy; a grisly murder and a bizarre clue left behind hints this is something the killer may have done before. This is the first murder that detective, Alex Brangwen, father and failed novelist, has faced in his career. Emotions are high in this small town and the pressure is on Alex to solve this murder before the killer strikes again.

Isabel, single mother to Ethan, is doing her best to keep a roof over their head. Ethan and the murder victim were best friends since birth and Ethan isn’t coping well with his death. When another friend is found murdered in the same gruesome fashion, Alex and Isabel work together to uncover who the killer is.

Small town intricacies and all its particulars play a big part in how this story plays out. Just how well do we know our neighbors and friends? Our co-workers? How many times do we say, ‘Yeah, they’re an odd duck but wouldn’t harm a fly”. It’s this sort of teasing out of the story that the author does so well. It plays on all the secondary characters oddities and personalities, making everyone a suspect. Very well done!

I like that the author brought in a little touch of the supernatural/paranormal – nothing over the top – just a bit to give an edge to the story. I think it really added to the suspense and brought one of the characters involvement to another level.

The use of an unknown narrator in the past gives a chilling insight into the very sick mind of a serial killer while working beautifully with the present time narrative.

This is my first book by Peter Nichols but I’ll be looking into his backlist!

My thanks to @CeladonBooks for this gifted DRC.

This book was different than what I expected. Why? Well, several reasons, but the main one being when you despise a secondary character (Alex’s ex-wife) almost as much as the serial killer (but definitely not in the same way), you know you’re reading a character driven tale.
Alex is a detective in Granite Harbor, Maine. After a shall we say not pleasant divorce, he has given up his writing career to have a steady paycheck and be part of his daughter's life. When one of her friends from school is murdered, in a gruesome manner, Alex must try to figure out who the killer is before they strike again. There were quite a few suspects, but I actually guessed whodunnit early in the story (yeah me). There are several characters that we get to know and the chapters by the unknown killer are sad (early life) and brutal (the way the victims die).
I could say that this was a slow burn, and I think many people would agree. But somehow the people who were featured, grabbed my interest early on, and combined with the killer’s story, I can say that, as the pages went by, I was hooked.
Like all books, this won’t appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy Nordic Noir, Granite Harbor might just suck you in too. I was actually kind of sad when it ended.

“There’s no such thing as a random, senseless crime.”

A former novelist from England who is now a detective and a single father in a small town in Maine. A single mother dealing with personal demons and financial struggles trying to care for her son. A brutal murder at the town’s historic archeological site with a unique detail that points to a possible serial killer. The past experiences of an unknown boy who grew to be a killer.

Granite Harbor was wonderfully dark and atmospheric weaving these narratives together along with an eclectic cast of local people. In this small town everyone knows one another and it’s unthinkable a murderer could be living amongst them.

I was drawn in to this town and the people very quickly. The narrative of the mysterious boy was fascinating from a psychological perspective, as was the signature of the crime. The killer’s evolution and development was the most intriguing aspect for me. I also enjoyed learning interesting facts about a few subjects (including Ethan’s hobby) which I won’t specify because of potential spoilers.

I found the relationships between Alex and his daughter Sophie and Isabel and her son Ethan both to be relatable. However, I wasn’t connected to any of them and some behaviors seemed implausible. Alex is concerned throughout that he is not capable of handling the investigation and I was a bit disappointed with the conclusion of his story arc.

There’s a particular element of one character that is introduced half way through the novel that many may find compelling. For me it felt like a plot device to move the story forward and provide results. Granite Harbor was more about people and relationships than it was a whodunit since there was really only one viable suspect. Overall this was a gritty and entertaining page turner. Perfect for those who like slow burn small town crime dramas!


Scroll down for potential spoiler trigger warnings.

Thank you Peter Nichols, Celadon Books and NetGalley for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.













⚠️Possible triggers: descriptive crimes, animal harm/cruelty, suicide, drug use, bullying

DNF - I really wanted to love this one. The plot was intriguing & the format could have been great but the writing style was very plain & that is not something that I particularly enjoy. Readers who do not mind this will find a wonderful read in this book.