Thank you for the ARC COPY. This was a great and quick fast paced mystery thriller! Black Harbor was an interesting place to visit and I really enjoyed reading about Hazel and Kole in this one. It was action packed and was hooked from page one. Trying to figure out who murdered Tommy ( her ex-husband) and it was interesting and to see who the killer was. Great police procedural story and very well written.
Thank you Hannah for another great story! Def be sure to pick this one up in March 2025!

Black Harbor is a dark place; crime ridden, derelict, drug filled. Hazel, a former police transcriber escaped the town and her abusive ex husband, Tommy, eight years ago and wrote a successful book based on Black Harbor. When that husband is killed, she returns there, but why? Is it just to find out what happened to Tommy or to re kindle something with her former lover, police sergeant Nikolai Kole? As Kole and Hazel investigate, the true underbelly of Black Harbor is exposed.

Morrissey paints a grittily atmospheric picture of Black Harbor, a town that most people long to leave. Well written and plotted, with strong character development, this was an engrossing read. There are rays of light in this dark tale.I did find Hannah’s motivations sometimes difficult to understand.

This is the fourth in the Black Harbor series. I read the third one that featured other characters, so this was my first introduction to Hazel and Kole who were protagonists in the first installment. This can be easily read as a standalone as the author recounts their history in the narrative.

Hazel Greenlee has returned to Black Harbor and as expected trouble soon follows. Her ex-husband is brutally murder while wearing his old wedding ring, was this due to Hazel or because of his usual exploits?

No one has changed and things are far worse tha n what they seem. Morrissey’s talents take center stage here: moody, razor-sharp prose; scrupulously plotted chain of escalating events, and dark and raw characters. Black Harbor is a cruel and miserable place, but I’ll follow Hannah Morrissey there anytime - book form of course.

I can't say that I was any more impressed with The Unlucky Ones than I was with the previous book in the Black Harbor series. Both books presumed a working knowledge of the characters and the community, and I thought I would at least have that going into this book. But it turns out that the protagonists of the previous story aren't more than occasionally mentioned secondary characters in this book, and someone who was a secondary character in that book becomes one of the protagonists in this one. Although the books aren't really explicit in nature they are very grim, taking place in a community full of corruption, murder, addiction and just about anything else you can think of. In this story, the woman Nikolai Kole had an affair with comes back to town when her ex-husband turns up murdered. His death turns out to be only one in a drug war that's quickly getting out of control and that seems to involve half the town. Plus there seems to be no good reason for Hazel to come back to town beyond the fact that she can't quit Kole. She doesn't even know why, and yet she finds plenty of time to do things that are stupid and put her in danger. I'm not sure if Morrissey is trying to pitch the idea that there are people in Black Harbor that are worth fighting for; even the good guys seem pretty morally dark gray. Other people might like these, but the Black Harbor books, after having read two and giving them a shot, just don't do a whole lot for me. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Talk about unlucky?? This book begins with a woman on a bridge who remembers her abusive ex and is planning to jump. Then we move to The Mineshaft--a biker bar where one client is dead. Synthetic fentanyl, weapons, lottery tickets...what do they all have in common? This book is like a movie on cocaine! It's a race to the finish with the reader speeding through town knowing that nothing good awaits them at the end! My head was spinning a mile-a-minute and I couldn't get through this book fast enough!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I would strongly suggest you read the first book in this series, Hello,Transcriber before you even read the description for The Unlucky Ones. The fourth book in the series focused on characters that were prominent in the first book.
Black Harbor is still a dark dark place……. That is, it. It is impossible for me to say more without leaking spoilers like blood from a gunshot wound. I will say that I loved this plot and was dying to see how this would end. If I had not read the second and third books, I might think the author was done with Black Harbor. Fingers crossed that she is not, but if that is her plan, it has been one amazing dark and disturbing ride.

I really go back and forth on this series. I really think the first one was by far the strongest. This one isn't bad but I have never been convinced this needed to be a series. This book comes back to a lot of what happened in the first book which I liked since I liked that book as much. But then that makes the other books feel like filler even more. How can so much happen in this town and why does anyone live there?

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, but especially to Hannah Morissey for my advanced readers' copy. This is one of my most anticipated books of the year, but it is only publishing in March 2025.
This is the fourth Black Harbor installment, and I find the author gets better and better with each book. And, you can imagine my delight when I found out that Hazel, the police transcriber from the original book, made a comeback. When she heard her ex-husband Tommy was found dead, she came back to Black Harbor. She and Kole team up and try to solve his murder, but not after a few challenges.
If you're not familiar with the series, I urge you to pick it up! Hannah writes atmospheric, Midwest Noir thrillers that remind me of the Scandinavian narrating style I love. One of my favorite books of the month,which will most likely make my top ten books of the year list.

As someone who has been mildly obsessed with the Black Harbor series, I was thrilled to see the latest installment available on NetGalley. Having read the third book first (When I'm Dead), I was immediately drawn to Sergeant Nikolai Kole and his emotional ties to a mysterious woman whose presence haunted him, notably in the form of a friendship bracelet with her name hanging from his police vehicle's rearview mirror. My love for this dark, captivating world only grew with each book, and I couldn't wait to dive deeper into the mysteries of Black Harbor—and, of course, the complicated relationship between Nik and Hazel.

And let me tell you, this book did not disappoint. For a lover of slow-burn romance intertwined with gripping mystery and suspense, this book hit all the right notes. I got exactly what I was hoping for: a story that balanced thrilling crime-solving with those emotional moments I've come to crave.

There’s so much that happens in this book, and it’s difficult to talk about without giving away spoilers. However, what I can say is that Hannah Morrissey continues to build a world that feels like both a terrifying and oddly comforting place to return to. The atmosphere is gritty and dark, but there’s something about it—whether it’s the characters or the world they inhabit—that draws me back every time. Nik and his loyal team feel like old friends, and seeing familiar faces like Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp made me feel like I was stepping back into the world I love.

One of the major highlights of the book is the return of Hazel, the woman who has held such a tight grip on Nik’s heart for years. Their reunion, though bittersweet, was everything I hoped it would be—despite the dangerous and complicated circumstances they find themselves in. Hazel’s reappearance isn’t just a plot device for a romantic reunion; it’s integral to the mystery at hand. Her quest to find out who killed her ex-husband, combined with Nik’s own doubts, adds layers of tension and emotional depth. The trauma Hazel endured as Tommy’s wife is skillfully explored by Morrissey, and even though some of Hazel’s decisions may frustrate you, you can’t help but understand the reasons behind them.

As expected from Morrissey, the twists in this book will leave you gasping, especially one particular revelation toward the end that had me exclaiming, "WTF?!" out loud. This author has a knack for keeping readers on their toes, effortlessly weaving suspense and mystery throughout the story. I never try to predict the outcome of a thriller—honestly, I leave that to the author—and Morrissey delivers brilliantly, taking readers on a wild ride through crime scenes, desperate situations, and moments of fleeting hope.

But beyond the mystery and romance, what really makes The Unlucky Ones stand out is the way Morrissey balances the darkness with moments of unexpected tenderness. The brotherly bond between Nik and his team is so well-developed, and even small touches—like Hudson giving Hazel material for a new book (hello, Widowmaker)—add layers of depth and emotion to the narrative. The strength of Riley as a character also shines through, as she continues to kick butt and defy anyone who tries to take advantage of her. And of course, I couldn’t forget the bit of closure for Axel, especially regarding the "bunnies" situation. These small but significant moments of character growth and closure were the icing on the cake.

Ultimately, this book gave me everything I wanted: mystery, romance, complex characters, and a world I never want to leave. If you’re a fan of the Black Harbor series or you love a good thriller with emotional stakes, you’ll be just as hooked as I was. I’m already eagerly awaiting what comes next.

So well written! The city of Black Harbor and the Forge River bridge are as much characters in this series as Hazel, Nik and his police associates are. They are complicated characters figuring out their relationships to each other and to the city.

The mystery in this series served well to further the relationship between hazel and nic as well as to give solid standings for continuing plots to be set in Black Harbor. I look forward to reading further entries in this darkly
Atmospheric series.

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this preview of the next entry in the Black Harbor series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

This book takes place in the span of five days when Hazel comes back to Black Harbor to find out who killed her ex husband Tommy and why. Hazel is now an author who wrote a book about the candy man and comes back to Black Harbor in order to find some new material to write about. Nik, her lover, finds out that’s she is back in town and finds her in her old home with a gun she had hidden that Tommy bought her since Tommy was shot to death but she didn’t kill him. Hazel helps Nik find out what happened and solve Tommy’s death and help get Xombie of the street and kill Buddha who took over from Hades after he was arrested. Nik finally learns the truth about his brother Evan’s death and that he was murdered in order to keep the mafia happy. Hazel decides to stay in Black Harbor for a while after Buddha is killled and to work on her new book. This book was so good but I had to take small breaks throughout to read it in chunks because of everything going on. I didn’t want the book to end. This is my second book of the series that I’ve read and cannot wait for book 5. Keep these books coming

The Black Harbor series continue to be everything I wanted.

Hazel and Kole are back! What else do I need? This book was an amazing come back for both of these characters.

Fast paced, intense and suspenseful, book #4 will take you on a wild journey. Investigating murders, unfolding the clues, it was clever, entertaining, and very satisfying.

Thank you so much Minotaur Books, Hannah Morrissey for my #gifted ARC, and @netgalley for my eARC.

Highly Recommended!!

The Unlucky Ones is book four in a series and probably best read as part of the series. This is the first book I’ve read in the series and maybe put me at a disadvantage. The book is dark and gritty with drugs and crime galore. Despite all the rave reviews I just found this book as okay. Maybe missing the first book kept me from connecting to the characters but I didn’t find Nic or Hazel very likable characters. Told in alternating viewpoints, Hazel returns to Black Harbor to figure out who killed her abusive ex and winds up back in a relationship with the cop she cheated on her ex with. The whodunnit wasn’t a big shocker and the bad guys are all pretty shady and believable. The story is just okay but I’m sure the people who raved about the first books would enjoy this one. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I gave this book 3 stars. The story line was very slow moving and it took me awhile to read. The twists didn’t really come until towards the end of the book.

Well I can say for certain that Hannah Morrissey knows how to write a dark setting and some gruesome details. I enjoyed going back to Black Harbor and meeting new characters and the plot overall had me hooked, but I did think that there were multiple plot holes in this story. Hazel jumps right into the investigation of her husbands murder with the Black Harbor Police Department which confused me immediately since she is not an investigator or officer. I also was very confused with the almost ten characters that are mentioned in this book and each one plays a pretty important role in the mystery of her husband's death. I tried to keep in mind that this is book 4 of the Black Harbor series and I did not read the first two books, so I'm sure that would have helped me with some of the background story. Overall, I still plan to read Hannah's other books and I did still enjoy this one but not as much as When I'm Dead!

Thanks NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. You really need to make sure that you’ve read the first book in this series to truly appreciate this one. In fact, there are references to all of the books in this one. I really liked the return of Hazel and the building of a relationship that started in an earlier book. There was definitely an unexpected twist in this one, which I always appreciate. I love a good action scene and Morrissey always gives you this. This was a quick read, with quite a few characters who you had to remember, while also recalling their relationships with each other. Definitely check out this book when it’s released in March 2025.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey
This was a great novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the 4th novel in the series, I read the 3rd. As far as I'm concerned they can be read as stand-alones.
This is told from 2 character perspectives, Hazel and Kole. This story wraps up things from previous novels in the series
In this book, I loved the plot and the writing style, I was hooked from the beginning. The story was told really well. The characters were well developed and described and had awesome personalities.
I will definitely watch for more books by this author

This was thrilling and fun and I was here for it! I had no idea what to believe the whole way through. An epic suspense novel.

I did not realize that this was part of a series. However, it can be read as a standalone. I have heard good things about her trillers and saw she had one chosen for Book of the Month. This was a good thriller! I will go back and read her others in this series!

I loveeeee Hannah’s writing! She creates a suspenseful atmosphere while keeping you on the edge of your seat to keep reading