Member Reviews

I was so excited to receive a copy of “The Unlucky Ones” as it was a book chosen by my book club for an upcoming monthly read, following a chat with the author herself. (I can’t wait to speak with Hannah and get to ask her some questions about this awesome Black Habor series she has created!)

The book series continues flawlessly, but if you haven’t read the previous books - don’t let it put you off. You can start right here as a stand-alone or you can go back to the beginning for the full effect. Whichever way you choose I am sure you will enjoy your journey :).

Black Habor is an interesting city packed full of crime and corruption. In this book a previous character, Hazel, returns to the city after learning of her abusive ex husbands demise. She is now free to take a chance on love with someone who has been close to her heart for a long time:

The potential aspect of romance is just a side note to an ongoing murder investigation and Hazel is sticking close by to see if she can uncover any secrets or details that will crack open the case.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books, and the author Hannah Morrissey for the EARC!

Publish date: March 25th 2025

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This fast-paced crime thriller filled with unsavory characters definitely didn’t disappoint. I LOVED the inside look into Black Harbor’s underbelly. I just can’t help but compare it to When I’m Dead, which reigns supreme over this one, in my opinion.

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I was thrilled to learn that Hannah Morrissey was releasing another book in the Black Harbor series - and even more thrilled to snag an ARC. Per usual, Morrissey hit it out of the park with The Unlucky Ones. I was immediately pulled in to the book from the beginning and the fast-paced plot kept me up late to keep reading. A must read!

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I LOVED the return of Hazel to Black Harbor. I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint! Hannah Morrissey is definitely an automatic buy for me.

The plot was fast moving and kept me interested thru the whole book. I love Hannah's writing style. I would make sure to read all the books in the Black Harbor series before this one, since there are a lot of recurring characters from previous books.

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It has been awhile since I read Hello, Transcriber, but Hannah does such a great job of sprinkling little reminders throughout, that I was able to easily keep up! I loved the Easter eggs hidden, like a little secret between me and Hannah.. and all the other readers of the Black Harbor books! Being in Black Harbor during July was so different than what we are used to, and it only magnifies the grimness that is Black Harbor. I feel like we are so used to Black Harbor being this freezing tundra, and the heat just brings out all the worst parts of the city! I was SO thrilled when Hannah said Hazel was back! It is what we have all been waiting for! No duo is quite as electric as Hazel and Kole! I loved how their reconnection built slowly, creating some sexual tension that was palpable! There are some great twists and the story wraps up nicely in the end! I love being inside the mind of Hannah and can’t wait for more to come!

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𝔽𝕀𝕍𝔼 ⭐️ 𝔽ℝ𝕀𝔻𝔸𝕐

Special thanks to @hannahmorrisseywriter @minoraur @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
The prologue is SO descriptive, I can smell👃🏼 the smells and see👀 the things. The writing is beyond phenomenal and puts you straight into Black Harbor. It's so atmospheric it's intoxicating😵‍💫, but in a good way.

Hazel is and has always been my most favorite💞 character or the Black Harbor series. The way she deals with life in general and then her love❤️‍🔥 with Kole, it's entrancing.

This story starts off running🏃‍♀️ and has your head going in a million different directions🥴. I felt tied to my seat, because I just couldn't wait to see what happened edge next literally the WHOLE BOOK😱.

If I had to rank the books of this series it'd be :
1️⃣ Hello, Transcriber
2️⃣ The Unlucky Ones
3️⃣ When I'm Dead
4️⃣ The Widowmaker
But they're literally separated by like .25 of a star⭐️ on each. The whole series is phenom and I'd recommend it to anyone!

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
March 25, 2025


ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ What is a series you just CANT get enough of, and ALWAYS recommend?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #hannahmorrissey #blackharbor #theunluckyones #hazelisback #hazelandkole
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There is a lot of action in this mystery a lot of unsavory characters involved with drug dealing and a romance. I think my students will like either the romance or all the action. It has more violence than I usually suggest for them, but the book is also written with more depth than others of this genre. So good for older students and of course there is a lot to discuss about dangerous street drugs

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Hazel left Black Harbor and all of its haunts years ago, with plans to never return. That is until she’s drawn back when she hears of the murder of her ex-husband. Her return to Black Harbor also means being reunited with Nik, an old flame. Follow the two of them in this fast paced thriller that will leave you wondering who you can trust page after page.

I’ll preface that I read this as a standalone - I’m sure I’d have found the background information in the series helpful, but I was able to read alone without issue. A book jam packed with characters and plot lines, this one requires your full attention and will have you flipping page after page until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

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This book is part of a series but it can be read as a stand alone. Hazel returns to Black Harbor, after her abusive ex husband is murdered. It is a place that has hurt her and haunted her. She also returns to Kole a police detective who she has loved and not forgotten. The town is gritty and being over run by an especially dangerous drug. This is both a mystery of who is doing the killing, what is the identity of one of the main drug lords and a love story, that is defined by a push pull dynamic. It is a well written book, with characters I cared about. 4.5

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The Unlucky Ones is the latest book in the Black Harbor series, and boy, this did not disappoint! I've read them all, and they keep getting better and better. The former police transcriber, Hazel, returns to Black Harbor after her ex-husband is murdered. As someone from a small town, Ms. Morrissey's descriptions of the town and its characters are so spot on. This book was awesome, and I highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books for the ARC.

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I love Hannah Morrissey’s edge-of-your-seat storytelling. She set a tone in HELLO, TRANSCRIBER - atmospheric, page-turning, raw - that she has carried through all the Black Harbor novels, where the city itself is a character… a character bursting with all the ugliness of corruption and crime a drug-riddled city offers. She captures a sense of dread, resignation, and utter aloneness that I feel in my bones as I read about Hazel returning to the city that has taken so much from her. The entanglement between Hazel and Nik that hovers on a razor-thin line between Sid-and-Nancy levels of dysfunction and everything you ever wanted in a love story.

I hope there is more to this story- I will follow the denizens of Black Harbor wherever Hannah wants to take me.

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Thank you @minotaur_books #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

Queen Hannah is BACK! Black Harbor will forever be a city that I can easily envision and love getting lost in the alleyways and rundown houses. Hannah is the master at creating sketchy people, and I’m not sure about you but I love getting immersed in this gritty and dirty town! I am not sure if it’s because Hannah and I live near each other and the town she’s written in this series feels local, but Black Harbor makes me feel right at home! It kind of feels like I’m watching the local news. 😂

If you have not read all The Black Harbor series I think you should! The first is called Hello, Transcriber and it’s where we meet Hazel and Kole. 🫶 These characters of course make an appearance in The Unlucky Ones where Hazel comes rushing back to Black Harbor once she has heard the news that her ex-husband has met a grisly end. Naturally, Kole is on the case and Hazel stays close to see if she can uncover any clues. If you are a lover of police procedurals, crime ridden towns, love books that are written with spectacular descriptive imagery, don’t mind tip toeing over needles💉and the occasional dead body while you read, then you need this book! (And series!) I am holding onto hope that there will be at least ONE more book 🤞🏻 because I’m not ready to let this town go! I LOVE THIS SERIES!

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So I actually started this series with the 3rd book (When I'm Dead) and really enjoyed it. When I saw this one listed I HAD to read it asap. As with the last book, I was drawn right in and loved it. I enjoyed the characters and the plot felt so well done.

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Thank you Minotaur books for the gifted digital ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I have, for the most part, really enjoyed the Black Harbor books to date, and while I enjoyed this one, it wasn't my favorite of the series. There is something about Hazel and Kole that just doesn't work for me, so I have a hard time with the chapters focused on the "will they, won't they?" storyline.

There was a big twist at the end that I admittedly probably should have seen coming but didn't, and I commend Morrissey for that because it totally threw me.

The ending did feel a little abrupt compared to the build-up of the rest of the book, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.

The Unlucky Ones pub date is March 25, 2025.

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Hazel thought she was done with Black Harbor for good, but when her ex-husband is murdered she finds herself back in the city and looking for answers. The chemistry between police deceptive Kole and Hazel are palpable and you were rooting for them from the start. Even if you don't read the first three books in this series (which you should!) you can pick up where they left off and see they are perfect for each other. As Kole tries to keep Hazel safe and find out who murdered her ex, the action is non-stop.

I loved how even with the detailed description of how horrible Black Harbor is with its crime and drugs; it is peoples home and Kole is trying to make it safer. The characters are so well developed and you immediately understand them and feel like you are a part of their lives. This is a thriller that will keep you reading and the final twist is a good one! I am sad to see this is the last of the series.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

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This was absolutely amazing. Literally the perfect ending to the Black Harbour series. I’ve been waiting for Hazel to return and in adored how this book have her and Kole the ending they deserved. Hannah’s writing is addictive and I will be reading everything she writes.

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The Unlucky Ones (Black Harbor, #4)
By: Hannah Morrissey
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
Publisher: Minotaur Books

I have enjoyed this series by Morrissey. Its gritty, intriguing and interesting. Nikolai Kole is back in Black Harbor tried to solve the murder of Tommy. His ex-wife used to have a relationship with Hazel. Black Harbor has painful memories for Nikolai and that relationship was toxic.
This world is filled with crimes, drugs and more as the stalks and danger grow. Nikolai and Hazel did not end on good terms. Can they work together to find out who killed Tommy?
I love this series. If you like a good mystery suspense this is a MUST read.

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Hello, Transcriber was just the beginning, and in Black Harbor, Hannah Morrissey ups the ante with a pulse-pounding, atmospheric sequel that blends crime, suspense, and tangled relationships into a gripping narrative.

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This is the fourth book in the Black Harbor series and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the chemistry between Kole and Hazel in The Transcriber and to see it come back in The Unlucky Ones makes my heart happy! Kole has always been my favorite character in this series. I think this one was well written, like the previous three. If the author ends the series now, I feel like she finished all the characters in a good way.

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I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery in this book! It kept me on my toes with so many questions arising throughout the story. The suspense was palpable, and I found myself eager to piece together the clues alongside the characters.

The characters were well-developed and engaging, each bringing their own unique perspective to the investigation. I became invested in their journeys and the relationships that unfolded as they worked to solve the case.

Resolving the murder of a young victim was an intricate puzzle, and the way the author unfolded the clues was both clever and satisfying. Overall, this was a fantastic read that combined suspense and great character work perfectly. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery!

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