I received a complimentary egalley of GRANITE HARBOR by Peter Nichols thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley.

GRANITE HARBOR is a small, peaceful town along the coast of Maine until a serial killer strikes. A local teen is found murdered with elements of the crime that investigators can’t comprehend. Alex is the town’s sole detective, a single father to a teen himself. He must investigate this crime while also keeping his own daughter safe as she grieves the loss of a friend. Isabel is another single mother who winds up in the middle of the investigation when the boy’s body is found where she works. When another teen is found dead, everyone is frightened about who will be next.

I love a good coastal setting and Granite Harbor definitely delivered the atmosphere I was hoping for. It took me a while to get into the story as there are a lot of characters and relationships to learn and follow, but once I got further into the story this was one that I didn’t want to put down!

We are following both the teens and the adults in this story and there is a lot of focus on the parent/child relationships, often complicated relationships. This didn’t always make everyone likeable at every moment, but I also could feel for the anxiety and fear they were all feeling and the way that heightened the tensions.

We also get into the head of the killer in places and get to figure out why some of the seemingly bizarre things are being done to the victims. I think the author did well at letting us into the killer’s head while keeping us in the dark as to the identity of the culprit, slowly giving more information and clues. This book is on the gory side and not one I’d recommend reading over food (I made that mistake one lunchtime), but I really enjoyed the story arc.

Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols

Thank you to @celadonbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this #advancedlistenercopy in exchange for my #honestbookreview. This book will be published April 30.

This book had a good concept and was extremely suspenseful. It did have a few plot holes and I found the characters all to be really unlikeable and hard to connect with. If you’re into small town serial killer investigations and police procedurals, this may be a good fit for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5

Thank you MacMillan audio for the review copy of Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols. This audiobook was not a big win for me, I went in perhaps with big or wrong expectations for the plot and that might impact my review, this was much more a small town, character study for me than a serial killer suspense/mystery (and I was looking for suspense and mystery). The pacing was a little scattered for me, the focus often shifting among characters and perspectives and I am not sure if that added to the goals of the book or not, it did not quite work for me as I felt often pulled in and out of perspectives just as I was getting into the rhythm of the chapter. I also did not love the voice acting, I saw this with regret as I tend to always appreciate voice acting even if I do not like a book but I think here the narration further amplified my less than enthusiastic review; the narration style, esp accents and female voices, just did not land for me and at times even bothered me.

This was a wild ride! At times twisty, at times esoteric, and at other times tragic, this was not the book I expected, but I wasn't sure what I was expecting.

I think the story itself unfolded well and was woven in a way that drew out the tension while also being rather shockingly graphic at points, but there was something that didn't quite fit for me. The main character, mostly, would slip into very long monologues about things that I just found myself not interested in. At times the narrative style distracted me from the actual story going on.

And then there were the very disturbing flashbacks...I was not a fan of that. I totally understand why the author included them, I think they just didn't hit me well personally.

While well written, I think it just wasn't my favorite style of writing for the genre (though I can appreciate the talent of writing).


My rating: 3*

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Thanks to NetGalley for this gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Granite Harbor has always been a small town where not much happens until a serial killer is targeting a teen friend group. Since it is a small town, the lives of both the parents and teens are intertwined as the father of one girl is the cop on the case and has dated the mom of another teen. All of the parents are terrified that their child will be next victim as the clock ticks to find the killer.

This was my first time reading the author and while I thought the story was a bit subtle for a serial killer-based thriller, I thought it was generally well written. I think why I didn't love this one as much as I wanted to was because it just didn't feel like that race or immediate need to know who did it like most thrillers, as in I felt I could put it down and pick it back up (which probably isn't a great sell for a thriller) - I wanted to know what happened but it wasn't a page turner for me. In addition, the main male character was British and the audio narrator didn't really use a consistent accent (or hardly one at all) which threw me off. In the end I wanted to know who the killer was but I wasn't dying (pun intended) to know. I would still try another by the author however because I did like the characters and the writing.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC to review

I had a difficult time staying interested in this book. The scenes with the boy and his cousin in the tent, the coyote, Boon... those were tough scenes for me to read and I was surprised that more people didn't list them as trigger warnings when I read other reviews.
I enjoyed the Maine setting, but lost focus with the multiple POV and timeline jumping. There were several backstories provided for small side characters that I felt didn't add much to enjoyment of the story.

There were times where it seemed even the narrator was bored with the story. I found that I easily lost focus, and the narration wasn't engaging enough to hold my attention.

This is the first time I’ve done some of the book via audio and some via print.

While I enjoyed the tone and pace of the narrator, I think I would have enjoyed it more reading full print.

All in all- the premise of the book is solid. Minimal character development though.

Some of the narration was cringey to hear spoken - particularly moments about serial killer’s past or how the women are described. I also did not enjoy listening to the animal abuse or the accidental death of a dog. I did skip a few minutes during a specific scene because it’s too more gore for me.

I had to stop listening about a third of the way in and will not be finishing the book.

I really wanted to enjoy this one - I greatly love reading thrillers set in New England and the serial killer aspect intrigued me. But the MMC is one dimensional and honestly I couldn’t tell if I disliked him or if I was just indifferent.

I had to stop with the graphic scene between the boy and his cousin - it felt gross and the way it’s written seems unnecessary. Readers could’ve put the picture together without half the detail.

It's a no from me. Animal abuse is my only trigger and this has very violent and unnecessary animals abuse. I had no warning, so I'm warning you.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my advance copy of this audiobook

Loved this book. It was great from the first chapter and got me hooked. The narrator was wonderful. Highly recommended for readers who love crime and mystery
. The setting was great. And the story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through

“It felt self-indulgent, sinking into a chair with a book. This was what he loved to do, almost more than anything else: read, tune everything out, leave the confused and messy world around him for the contained and organized world of a book.” SAME! I feel seen 👀.

This book is as much one police officers delve into a local serial killer as it is looking through a microscope into a small rural town in Maine. And it is dark. It is graphic. And it is NOT for the faint of heart. But I do think this book would make an awesome miniseries or movie!

The audiobook, narrated by Peter Ganim, was awesome! I listen to a lot of books and most are narrated by women. But the male narration for this one really added the deep and sinister tone that this story needed. I couldn’t stop listening!

Loved the Book Of The Month shout out too!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the #gifted ARC and ALC.

I listened to the bulk of this novel while I was running a half-marathon race, and I can honestly say I felt like the run was creeping by!

This novel had the potential to be a really intriguing read, but it just fell flat for me. I think some of the content was too much, other parts happened to be the narrator not quite lining up with my envisioned narrator.

TW: abuse, bullying, incest, mutilated murder.

I loved the narrator for this audiobook he did a great job of setting the scene and portraying all the different characters. The author did a great job of interc0nnecting all the different viewpoints shared in the story. Throughout the book you get glimpses into the mind of the killer and what he's thinking as he goes around committing crimes. I loved that throughout the book you get detail on the history of the town where this story takes places. You also get some background info on the main characters of the story and situations they have been through, I think it's a great book to read or listen to if you are looking to get into thrillers it's not extremely graphic, and deals with real life situations. Though there are mentions of SA it doesn't go into too much detail ( be aware of this before reading). I would definitely recommend this story if you want to read a thriller that will keep you interested from beginning to end.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the audiobook ARC!

This is reminiscent of the old style private eye narrative. Great characters with a smart plot and fantastic details. A small town that has a serial killer and told from three perspectives. I dove in and finished it in one sitting!
Thanks to @NetGalley and @MacmillanAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I liked the narrator and the audiobook itself.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me and it was a DNF. I felt like the pacing was just so slow and there were so many characters. It was hard for me to connect with anyone or the story. I also felt like the violence and gore was just a bit too much for me. I liked the audiobook but the story itself was not for me.

I hope others love this book but it was not for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Peter Nichols, and Celadon Books/Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen tooth's audiobook. I am new to the author and had no idea what to expect except I was interested in the premise after enjoying excerpt of a small town murder of teens in scenic Granite Harbor, a small town in coastal Maine, impacting adults and teens alike. This plot even for a serial killer whodunit is really dark and way more violent than I imagined. I absolutely would not read this with teens. I liked the narrator (except didn't entirely do the British accent of Alex?) and Flynn the sweet dog. I also liked the alternating POV. The killer plaguing this small time has a POV some may like, some may not. I personally did not, nor does their history give cause to their insane tendancies. The hair on my arm stood up from the disturbing serial killer! Alex arrives from England and is the only detective on their small island- he used to be a writer- and is the father of high schooler Sophie, Ethan's friend. Ethan's single mother, Isabel and the strange Settlement where she works, has these visions/demons as she tried to help solve the murders, and she really rubbed me the wrong way. Also her visions just did not make sense. The teens are close friends with the initial murder victim, and their parents attempt to keep them safe while working to solve the murders. Chaos ensues and wow Granite Harbor's inhabitants continue to experience some awful occurrences. The ending left open the possibility of a sequel. Cons: the stuff of nightmares. There needs to be clear trigger warnings about seriously violent incidents. SA of a child that made me physically sick. AWFUL animal abuse which I had to skip-WHY so much cruelty?!? I abhorred and it took away from enjoying this read. Even to a fan of Criminal Minds, I could not recommend. 1.5/5

Granite Harbor is a thriller set in costal Maine. We follow several characters.

This book was unfortunately not for me. One, I got the feeling this author does not like women very much., The stereotypes and the overall treatment really made this almost unbearable. There should also be a trigger warning for animal abuse.

I didn't mind following many different charters. I just wish I enjoyed those characters more. It moved at a decent pace and the whodunit aspect was not bad.

What truly sets this book apart is its complex characters and unexpected plot developments. Each character feels authentic, layered with their own motivations and secrets. I found myself constantly second-guessing everyone's intentions, which only added to the suspense.

The serial killer aspect of the story is handled with both finesse and sensitivity. The author delves into the psyche of the killer, exploring the twisted logic behind his actions without resorting to gratuitous violence. It's a testament to the author's skill that the suspense is maintained without relying solely on shock value.

Unfortunately, I really wasn’t a huge fan of this one. I felt like none of the characters were developed and it took some MAJOR twists (not in a good way). Although I was excited to receive an ARC of this, it felt pretty on par with general mysteries, nothing special.

This one sounded right up my alley and I was interested in reading it, but it was not for me. I was sent an advanced listening copy and looked forward to listening to it. It is the ‘whodunit’ trope and a slow burn atmospheric read.

I think this is one where the narrator did not work for me. I don’t remember much about the story other than teens being killed and toads being mentioned a lot. In fact, looking at some other reviews I was shocked that I missed many things, many which should be trigger warnings and knowing these now I would have avoided this book and maybe I am fortunate that I didn’t catch this while listening. Again, I think this was the narrator, and usually I would be interested in giving the book a try in the future, but I will skip this one.

Trigger warnings to be aware of:
Animal Abuse
Sexual Assault
Child Abuse
Teen Bullying

Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an alc, I wish I could have enjoyed it!