Hello, Transcriber was one of my very first books I read as a reviewer and so The Black Harbor series is always an automatic read for me. I’ve really enjoyed listening to most of the series and so I knew I had to listen to The Unlucky Ones, to keep the tradition alive.

Our main POV Hazel is back for a second time as the lead in The Unlucky Ones. When her ex-husband is found murdered, Hazel can’t help but return to Black Harbor to help uncover his murderer. But going back to Black Harbor brings back all the memories Hazel has stored away for the past decade. Between the memories, the return of Kole her ex-lover to her orbit, and violent crime on the rise – Hazel may not make it out of Black Harbor a second time.

Most detective series you can generally read out of order and still get the jest of the story, and with the first three books in the series that holds true. But for The Unlucky Ones, I would highly recommend reading all three previous books before jumping into this 4th installment and especially paying attention to Hello, Transcriber.

With that said, I was underwhelmed with this one. It relies heavily on remembering details from Hello, Transcriber, and quite honestly I just didn’t remember a lot of what took place from that book almost five years later so I felt lost for parts of the story. There wasn’t a ton of character development either. In the decade that Hazel and Kole have seen each other, they seem to be almost the exact same people but certainly lacked any sort of chemistry this time around.

The plot itself revolves around the gangs and drugs that run Black Harbor, and while we did explore the ‘underworld’ more, everything felt fairly surface level. It’s a decent mystery, especially if you’re looking for a ‘midwestern noir’ type read or already invested in the Black Harbor universe. But I needed more from the story and didn’t entirely connect with a single character.


The Unlucky Ones comes out March 25, 2025. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:
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This is the fourth book in the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey and the third one I've read. Although the town of Black Harbor is not one I would ever want to live in, these books are good!

Description:
A police transcriber-turned-novelist returns to Black Harbor to help solve the case of her ex-husband’s murder in the newest riveting Black Harbor mystery by acclaimed author Hannah Morrissey.

Black Harbor is a tinderbox. Temperatures and violent crime have both risen to all-time highs, a new drug razes the city, and the scene to which Sergeant Nikolai Kole responds is anything but a rote homicide. In the back of a clubhouse lies a body wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach.

It isn’t just any body. Tommy Greenlee, the ex-husband of Kole’s former lover, Hazel, has been shot several times and left for dead. What’s more…the killer left what appears to be a calling card.

Elsewhere, Hazel is haunted by her memories of Black Harbor. Lured there after eight years, she returns to find out who killed Tommy and why. Now back in Kole’s orbit, their love affair can hardly pick up where it left off. They both used each other to their own ends before, which begs the question: would they do it again?

With the atmosphere growing more volatile by the second, Hazel and Kole call a truce, and as they work together to solve this murder, they will not only unearth Black Harbor’s deepest, darkest secrets—they’ll each have to face their own.

My Thoughts:
The new drug that has arrived in town is really scary and Sergeant Nikolai Kole and his team face many challenges to stop the inflow. The dark drug trade is rules by some ruthless characters and they need to be stopped. The return of Hazel, a lover from Nikolai's past, after her ex-husband is murdered is suspicious. Nikolai thinks Hazel could have had nothing to do with it, but others on his team are not so sure and Nikolai needs to find the killer. There are red herrings to distract and a good investigation to follow. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery will like this one and the Black Harbor series.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Wow. I'd say best of the 4, for sure. I love seeing what comes next each book. And each book just gets better.

𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨, 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚. 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙨? - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝙊𝙣𝙚𝙨

This is not only my favorite Black Harbor book so far but also one of my all time favorite reads! Captivating, atmospheric, dark, gritty but also sensual and the best of all, a reunion of my two favorite Black Harbor characters.

I won’t talk about details of the plot but I will say you need to read Hello, Transcriber first in order to experience the full impact of The Unlucky Ones. Hannah Morrissey created a setting that feels like quicksand for residents’ hopes and dreams, full of crime, despondency, drug use, tragic ends. And instead of Midwest icy coldness, this book takes us to new levels of hell, both in terms of oppressive summer heat and diabolical villains.

I love Hannah’s writing style. I found myself saving beautiful quotes left, right and center. I love how complex, fallible and human her characters are. I also love that I am drawn to rereading her stories - even once you know the twists, there are so many nuances and details to discover. And I loved the layers and twists of the case being solved in The Unlucky Ones.

I’ll just keep repeating it - as long as Hannah keeps writing Black Harbor stories, I will continue reading them! A huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We’re back in Black Harbor! I loooove this dark crime thriller series! Hazel and Kole are two of my favorite characters and I was thrilled to have them back together on the page. This series works so well because Black Harbor is such a STRONG setting and THAT is because NO ONE writes descriptive/graphic imagery like Hannah Morrissey! I feel like I’m physically in each scene and sometimes they’re pretty gruesome. I’ll always come back to this series.

I first discovered Hannah Morrissey’s writing through her fantastic debut, Hello, Transcriber, where she introduced the bleak and crime-ridden town of Black Harbor, Wisconsin. Her atmospheric prose, combined with a gripping murder mystery, made the novel a standout. I quickly devoured her next two books set in Black Harbor, each featuring new characters and mysteries while remaining interconnected through their shared setting.

So when Morrissey’s publisher offered me a chance to review The Unlucky Ones, the fourth book in the Black Harbor series, I jumped at it. Learning that this novel would revisit the main character from her debut only heightened my excitement.

She wouldn't have believed you if you had told Hazel she’d return to Black Harbor. She was more than happy to leave the town and everything it represented behind. Black Harbor had given her nothing but misery: an emotionally and physically abusive ex-husband, a toxic workplace romance, and a job that entangled her in a murder investigation that nearly cost her life. She escaped, and she never looked back. But now, against all odds, she’s back, and the darkness she left behind threatens to consume her once again.

With the Fourth of July approaching, tensions in Black Harbor are rising. A deadly new drug is flooding the streets, the summer heat is suffocating, and, of course, there’s been another murder. Sergeant Nikolai Kole has seen plenty of crime scenes, but this one is different. A body, wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach, lies in the back of a clubhouse. The victim? Tommy Greenlee—Hazel’s ex-husband.


Hazel and Kole, former lovers with a complicated history, must work together to uncover the truth. They both want justice, even if neither of them particularly cares for Tommy. But can they trust each other? They once used each other for their own ends, and their reunion threatens to dredge up old wounds. As the chaos in Black Harbor escalates, Hazel and Kole strike an uneasy truce. To solve this murder, they’ll have to navigate the city’s darkest secrets and confront their own secrets along the way.

With The Unlucky Ones, Hannah Morrisey returns to Black Harbor, continuing the story that began in her debut and offering an unflinching look at the city’s dark underbelly. Known for her atmospheric worldbuilding, Morrisey once again immerses readers in her enigmatic setting. This time, she trades Black Harbor’s signature frigid winters for the sweltering heat of summer, a striking contrast that adds a new layer of tension.

Since this novel is a direct continuation of Hazel’s story from Hello, Transcriber, I’d recommend reading that book first to fully appreciate the depth of this one. The alternating POVs, carefully placed revelations, and relentless twists make for an addictive read. While the climax hinges on a plot point that felt a bit too convenient, I was so engrossed in the characters and their world that it hardly mattered.

With The Unlucky Ones, Morrisey delivers yet another gripping thriller, proving once again why she’s at the top of her game. Her next novel has already been teased as a brand-new standalone and is already on my radar. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"A headiness comes over him. Lack of sleep and old flames. She is the only person who’s ever had this effect on him. She can make him lose his composure, do things he knows he shouldn’t."

"If all you had to do was one bad thing, and you could leave Black Harbor behind forever, would you do it?”

There are three things you have to know about the tension filled police procedural romance suspense thriller The Unlucky Ones, by edgy holds back nothing in her gritty detailed writing, author Hannah Morrissey; first it takes place in the bleak town of Black Harbor where crime thrives and hope dies. Second is Det. Nikolai Kole fights the crime and prays for hope. Third, he never stopped loving Hazel Greenlee when she left Black Harbor.

In my favorite debut, Hello, Transcriber, Hazel was in an abusive marriage and her solace was transcribing Nikolai's police reports. They hadn't met yet. When they did, I could barely breathe with all the emotions that overwhelmed them. But their story had to take a pause. Now it's 8 years later and Hazel is back to find out who killed her ex-husband, because she has a feeling she may be next...and maybe to see Nikolai.

The supreme voice actress Angela Dawe gives Hazel her subtle vulnerability with her anger and fear. Phenomenal voice actor Robb Moreira lets Nikolai's pain seep through his tough exterior.

Reading and listening to this couple navigate through life and death situations while juggling long held feelings is an intense experience but so worth it. We are the lucky ones for this writer's gift to her fans, more Nikolai and Hazel.

I received free copies of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

For fans of the previous three books, The Unlucky Ones proves that Black Harbor can get even darker and more corrupt that you would have imagined.

So many beloved characters return from past books and the corruption in the drug world gets even more complex. The ties through the people of the town were so well constructed, I loved every minute. The bad guys proved to not be so obvious, which I loved. You really had to pay attention as motivations unfolded to give to the real villain origin stories. Satisfying ending to the series…for now 😊

Though it could be read as a stand alone, do yourself a favor and read the series to get the full enjoyment. I also recommend the audiobook, as Angela Dawe is amazing at portraying the darkness of the story.

4.5 stars rounded down to 4!

Another fantastic installment in the Black Harbor series! This gritty little town feels so close to home as a Wisconsin girl and I cherish the time I get to spend in it between these pages. I loved being back in the mind of Hazel and all of the easter eggs from previous books throughout that only added to the reading experience for me. Also absolutely loved hosting the fantastically twisted minded Hannah and my bookclub last weekend to chat all things Black Harbor! Getting to hear Hannah deep dive into these characters was such an awesome experience and just added to the enjoyment for me.

Huge thank you to Minotaur for my early copy! I love this series and will forever read any and all parts of it.

The Unlucky Ones
by Hannah Morrissey
Pub Date: Mar 25 2025

THE UNLUCKY ONES is a crime novel and police procedural that takes place over five days. The story is told from the perspectives of Kole and Hazel two of the books characters. It's a fast pace murder mystery full of suspense. It kept me interested from page one! Although this is a series, I had no issue reading it as a stand-alone book.

Synopsis: A police transcriber-turned-novelist returns to Black Harbor to help solve the case of her ex-husband’s murder in the newest riveting Black Harbor mystery by acclaimed author Hannah Morrissey.

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress for providing me an E-ARC of this fantastic book!

I'm so grateful to @hannahmorrisseywriter, @minotaur_books, @stmartinspress, and @macmillan.audio for the gifted e-book and ALC.

This series has been fantastic, and Hazel's return to Black Harbor is a welcome addition. The town's dark underbelly is still fascinating, and the romance adds a awesome touch that I love. The audio narration is excellent, bringing the characters to life in a way that's hard to put down. If you're a fan of crime thrillers with a little romance here and there, you won't want to miss this one! Or any of this series really, you can't go wrong!

The Unlucky Ones is the fourth book in Hannah Morrissey’s gritty Black Harbor series, but it’s the first one that revisits characters from a previous book. This one takes place eight years after the events of Hello, Transcriber, the first book in this loosely connected series, and we get to revisit the main characters in that book, Hazel Greenlee (the former titular police transcriber), and detective Nikolai Kole, who had a short affair back then.

Black Harbor is a bleak city in Wisconsin, right on Lake Michigan. It is known as the highest crime city in Wisconsin and has huge drug and gang problems, among other issues.

Hazel fled Black Harbor and became a writer, fulfilling one of her dreams. When Hazel’s abusive ex-husband is murdered, she decides to come back to Black Harbor to find out what happened and why. This is that story.

The story unfolds via two points of view, Hazel’s and Nik’s. (The audiobook uses two narrators, which I loved.) Seeing them try to reconnect after eight years apart, dancing around their former connection, formed part of the book. Getting to know Nik’s partners in his violent crimes task force was another highlight. I could imagine the atmosphere in Black Harbor leading up to July 4th, which they knew would come with a few deaths. I can’t imagine living in such a depressingly bleak place, but Nik is tied to it and doesn’t picture himself leaving anytime soon.

There were several gang members that I had trouble keeping straight, but I powered through that issue and just kept reading/listening.

In addition to this book reaching back to the first book in the series, there’s a mention or two of the Reynolds family, who featured in book two, The Widowmaker, so perhaps Morrissey intends to revisit that story in a future book. Who knows?

Recommended for readers who don’t mind a gritty police procedural, with some violent scenes.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Unlucky Ones is a raw, gritty murder mystery set in Black Harbor, a city drowning in crime, corruption, and decay. With vivid, immersive descriptions, Morrissey pulls readers straight into the underbelly of a city that reeks of drugs and desperation without shying away.. But within this bleak landscape, she also weaves an electrifying police procedural and a slow-burning romance between two people with a complicated past.

Black Harbor has violent crime at an all-time high, a deadly new drug is spreading through the streets, and the murder scene Sergeant Nikolai Kole is called to is bleak. A body—wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach—lies in the back of a clubhouse. The body of Tommy Greenlee, the ex-husband of Kole’s former lover, Hazel. And the killer? They left behind a chilling calling card.

After eight years away, Hazel is drawn back to Black Harbor, unable to ignore the ghosts of her past. She needs answers—who killed Tommy, and why? But returning means stepping back into Kole’s orbit, and their relationship was never simple. They used each other before. Could they do it again?

As the city grows more volatile, Hazel and Kole form a fragile truce, determined to uncover Black Harbor’s deepest, darkest secrets—even if it means confronting their own.

What Worked for Me
-Dark, Gritty Atmosphere: Morrissey’s depiction of Black Harbor is disturbingly vivid. The city feels alive, pulsing with crime and corruption, making it the perfect setting for a haunting murder mystery.

-Headline-Worthy Plot: The murder at the heart of this story is gripping and layered with twists. It’s a police procedural that keeps you engaged, weaving in complex relationships, hidden motives, and shocking discoveries.

-Complex, Flawed Characters: The novel is packed with characters who are morally ambiguous and deeply human. Nikolai Kole is a standout—tough, sharp, and carrying his own burdens. Hazel’s journey is equally compelling as she navigates the wreckage of her past.

-A Touch of Romance: While the focus is on crime and mystery, the tension between Kole and Hazel adds a compelling emotional layer. Morrissey teases us with brief moments of lightness, a flicker of warmth in an otherwise grim world. I'm glad it wasn't allowed to take over the story this time.

What Could Have Been Better
-Unrelenting Darkness: While the gritty realism adds to the novel’s authenticity, the sheer bleakness of Black Harbor might not be for everyone. It’s relentless, which can make the story feel emotionally heavy at times.

-Some Characters Lacked Depth: While Kole and Hazel were well-developed, a few side characters felt more like plot devices than fully fleshed-out individuals.

The Unlucky Ones is an intense, immersive read that will suck you in and make you feel like you're walking the streets of Black Harbor, chasing down leads alongside its characters. If you love dark, vividly depicted crime fiction with a strong procedural element, this book is for you. Each installment in the Black Harbor series has been better than the last, and this one is no exception.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur and the author for the arc!

As with all the other Black Harbor books … this one is dark & gritty & the mystery is gripping with plenty of twists. It’s a police procedural / crime thriller that is action packed & definitely a page turner! Eight years later from book one, Hazel & Kole are once again the focus when Hazel returns to Black Harbor after her ex is brutally murdered. Although Hazel & Kole are not my favorite together … I was 100% invested in their story to see where things would go & felt very satisfied with how the author finished things up for them!

I feel like the main character in all of these books is the town itself. Bleak, hauntingly atmospheric & crime-ridden … it’s not a place you would choose willingly & yet it draws you in, holds you in its grasp & will not let go.

Although these books can be read as stand-alones without missing too much … I suggest reading them in order, especially books 1 & 4 because of Hazel’s return & prior history with Kole. It’ll just hit a little better for ya!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Hannah Morrissey, and St. Martin's Press for the ebook. This was a gripping detective mystery filled with twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout. A very enjoyable read!

I very much enjoyed returning to Black Harbor and especially the follow-up on the Hazel/Kole arc! Once again, the author tells an engaging story with a lot of dark and gritty details. I feel like I read Hello Transcriber way too fast and am definitely motivated to go back and read it again.

This book will not disappoint you. It will grab you from the first page and keep you interested and reading until the very last page and then you are needing more. You will be glued to the edge of your seat all the way through and even though you might tell yourself only one more chapter, before you know it you have finished the whole book. It moves along at a pace that makes for an easy and enjoyable read, has interesting characters that you want to know and a story that grabs you. This book is a must read that needs to be on your TBR list, no doubt about it.

This is the 4th book in the Black Harbor series and I really enjoyed it! I didn't realize how much I enjoyed Hazel and Nik's storyline until they were both at the center of this story! While this can be read as a standalone book I would strongly suggest to read the other books in the series, especially the first one since it has Hazel and Nik's initial story of how they met however this book does a great job of covering their history.
In this story, Hazel is back In Black Harbor after discovering that her ex-husband has been murdered. Black Harbor is known for not being the most safest city however Hazel feels compelled to return to find out what happened to him and why.

Nik Kole is assigned the investigation and that is how his path gets crossed with Hazel's and they reconnect.
Now they are both working together to find out what happened and during the course of the investigation it becomes clear that Hazel is in danger.

This book is really good and it keeps you wanting to read more to uncover the truth. I really enjoy this series and can't wait to see what else Black Harbor has in store for us!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

We're back in Black Harbor in #4 of the series by Hannah Morrissey. So is Hazel Greenlee, our titular transcriber from Hello Transcriber. And of course so is Sergeant Nikolai Kole.

The Unlucky Ones would be fine as a standalone, but we get so much more out of it knowing the back story. What's transpired over the years in Black Harbor and the history between Hazel and Kole give her return after eight years that much more weight.

What's happening now involves murder, drugs, more murder, informants, gangs, hidden cameras, stolen guns. Characters with names like Buddha, Hades, and Big House. Black Harbor hasn't lost any of its luster. It's as seedy, grisly, and sinister as ever. Morrissey seems to be channeling some of that Nordic crime noir (Kole reminds me of Harry Hole) and that Lake Michigan Wisconsin setting gives Black Harbor that chill factor.

Other characters from the series make appearances, there are blink and you'll miss it callbacks, and it seems Morrissey could keep mining the dark depths of Black Harbor to continue the saga. I'll be waiting!

My thanks to St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub date 3/25/2025)

Fast paced read, quickly and loved the twists and turns. Definitely a standalone and looking forward to reading the earlier books in the Black Harbor series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.