This was a really good detective mystery/thriller that had a perfectly grim and melancholy atmosphere. A 20 year old cold case/disappearance and a detective who’s trying to prove himself by solving the cold case while also looking into the recent murder of his friend and partner. We also have a wealthy family shrouded in scandal and a young woman with a mysterious dark past who is looking for answers. Could she be the key to helping the detective finally solve the case?
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I know that a lot of people found this book to be dark, which it certainly was, but I would have welcomed even darker. But that’s just a me thing and this book did have a really good balance of everything. I was a fan of how everything was coming together and the connections that were made the more you read. There was a good amount of mystery surrounding the characters and I found the whole story really unique and well executed. So would definitely recommend.

Dark, gritty and filled with so many mysteries/questions that I couldn't stop reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Minotaur books for an ARC of the Widowmaker!

The Widowmaker is the first thriller I've read in a while that really captured my attention and took over my life, I genuinely couldn't put it down. There are so many mysteries and the author does a great job of dropping the clues for us if we're paying attention...but still manages an amazing twist at the end!
The story is told in dual perspectives between two of the main characters, Investigator Hudson and Morgan Mori, as they individually and simultaneously work to unravel and piece together events. These characters are written with such depth, and the things they are experiencing - such as the loss of loved ones - made it easy to understand and even relate to them, which made the reading experience more fun and intense. Because of this, the suspense and tension in some of the scenes had me sitting on the edge of my seat, I was so worried for these characters sometimes, haha.
For those that read Hello, Transcriber, Kole is in this book too! I love the way she wrote him in this book and how we were given new perspectives of his character.
This book is so well written. the author does a really amazing job of capturing the gritty and realistic vibes so many places in the Midwest have and it somehow makes me a little homesick for it.

Overall, highly, highly recommend you pick this book up! That being said, there are scenes depicting child abuse, sexual abuse, and violent acts. I think the author does a great job of depicting what grieving a loss of a loved one is like with even some of the smallest details that are relatable, so I guess in case that could be relatable or triggering.

*Also, I think this is technically book 2 in her Black Harbor novels, but they are ultimately unrelated plots and you can read this before or after Hello, Transcriber.

I really enjoyed Hannah Morrissey’s first book, Hello Transcriber, so I was extremely excited to get a chance to read an advanced copy of her newest one. While I didn’t love The Widowmaker as much as her first one, I still really enjoyed it.

Hannah Morrissey did a great job at starting this one off with a bang and didn’t stop. I enjoyed the interwoven storylines and POV. The pace was right on point, never feeling like it was too slow or not getting to the point.

All in all, it was a great read. Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur books, and Hannah Morrissey for this e-arc!

This is the story of a very dysfunctional family and the investigation of a missing family member. It is told from the perspective of the detective Hudson and a mysterious woman.

Morgan Mori returns to her hometown of Black Harbor, Wisconsin and is immediately forced to examine her own traumatic past after witnessing the murder of a policeman and finding a cryptic clue. Detective Ryan Hudson is investigating the town's most infamous cold case and gets caught up in trying to solve his partner's murder, pulling him into Morgan's orbit and leading them both into danger.

Morrissey's debut, Hello, Transcriber was one of my favorite books last year, and it set up the sordid town of Black Harbor as the perfect scene for an infinite number of dark stories. Did I love The Widowmaker as much as Hello, Transcriber...? No... but I still enjoyed being thrown back into this twisted world of miscreants and monsters (and bonus points for the Nikolai Kole cameo!)

I will read anything and everything Morrissey writes - she is one of my new faves.

Thanks to Minotaur and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. I read and really enjoyed Hello, Transcriber by this author, so I was really looking forward to being back in Black Harbor and interacting with the characters again. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me, and I ended up bailing after 68%. I really tried hard to make it work, but the pacing did not feel as strong in this one. The story felt all over the place, and it was just now starting to come together for me. Except I was now bored. Minotaur is one of my favorite publishers, so I am sad this one did not work for me.

I received a digital advance copy of The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey via NetGalley. The Widowmaker is scheduled for release on December 6, 2022. The Widowmaker is the second Black Harbor mystery, but you do not need to have read Hello, Transcriber before reading this novel.

The Widowmaker follows Morgan, a young woman with a secret dark past. She has received a mysterious key along with a note and is now working to figure out what it will unlock from her troubled past. She finds herself entwined with he Reynolds family, a wealthy group with their own secrets and double lives. Morgan then witnesses the murder of a copy, which pulls her into the world of Investigator Hudson (the second point of view character).

While Hudson is the link to the first book (he works in the same police department featured in the first novel), Morgan was by far the stronger character for me. From the beginning, we can see that she is broken, but working to move forward. With every hit she takes, I found myself rooting for her, even when she made some questionable choices. Hudson is also well-developed, but has a less powerful storyline, which made him read as a secondary character for me.

Each of the main characters has their own plot initially. As the story progresses, those plot lines become more entangled, leading to a satisfying resolution of both of their stories. The story here is more mystery/suspense than police procedural, despite one of the main characters being a cop. In the middle of the novel, there were a couple of spots where I didn’t quite follow the links between events, but I was able to sort out enough to still enjoy the overall story.

Overall, The Widowmaker is a very good second installment in what I hope will be a continuing series of Black Harbor novels.

Hannah Morrissey is the real deal!! Her debut novel Hello, Transcriber was a great introduction to the dark and gritty city of Black Harbor. The Widowmaker takes us back to Black Harbor and introduces us to an intricate cast of characters that are full of dark secrets. The story alternates between Morgan Mori and Ryan Hudson. Morgan has returned to Black Harbor after she receives a mysterious key and a message to go home. Ryan is an investigator with the local police department and is trying to cope with the loss of his best friend and fellow officer while investigating an important cold case. Both are trying to find answers and both are harboring secrets.

I read A LOT of psychological thrillers, they are my favorite genre. The darker the better!! This one delivers on every level. A disturbed and twisted plot, great character development and a well formulated mystery all told with a raw, hauntingly lyrical prose. Hannah knows how to draw you in and make you feel what the characters are feeling. You don’t just read her book you experience it.

5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #HannahMorrisseywriter #TheWidowmaker

Hannah Morrisey has written a very compelling mystery/ thriller. I did not read the first book, but I am most definitely going to. It did not detract anything from the thriller story in THE WIDOWMAKER but I've got to check it out for myself.

A cold case surrounding a mysterious death, then disappearance and a current case of a policeman's death will ultimately join to surprise readers. But, the journey to that point weaves together the many different characters to bring their investigations to a sharp point....and solve what so many before them could not. All I can say is......read for yourself.

It was an interesting story - murder mystery with the bonus of solving a cold case and new murder at the same time. Was a fast read that kept you guessing. I just think it was a little adult for my students to get in to.

A damaged young woman is hired by a wealthy family to photograph their Christmas celebration and they seem to take an inordinate interest in her. A somewhat unorthodox policeman is handed a cold case involving this family when all he wants to do is solve the murder of his former partner. All of them are harboring secrets.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was an engrossing, fast paced read. Told from two POVs with a bit of a complex plot, many elements were a little too unbelievable for me. This is the second book I have read in the last month involving very wealthy families behaving badly; I thought both were a bit over the top.

If you enjoy a dark mystery/thriller and are willing to put aside disbelief, this may be a good choice.

Trigger warning: childhood sexual abuse.

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks for the ARC.

Secrets and lies are at the heart of this dark police procedural. The story is delivered with continual revelations that kept me guessing. The story is told in a dual POV that, as the story progresses, is slowly woven together until we get the end. The story is a page turner. Seeing two individual story lines comes together was captivating for me. Be warned, there are some tough topics in the book and the atmosphere is very dark. This is the first book I have read by the author and I am very impressed.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc. This is my honest review.

This sequel is perfectly paced and twisty enough to keep you engaged the entire time. I had not read the first book in the series and did feel a bit of loss of missing that first book. However, the Widowmaker is artfully written to keep your attention. I would definitely recommend it for fans of Jess Lourey or Frieda McFadden. Super great read. I would definitely see it getting picked up for an adaptation.

Thank you netgalley for the Arc

Oh the mysteries, lies and secrets will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the page. Some of the book was hard to read and even comprehend but the overall work is great. Morgan is looking for information about her past and when she receives a key that is supposed to help she is off to find out the mystery. Loved it!!

Having absolutely loved Hello, Transcriber, I knew I needed to read this one. I enjoyed it, I'll put that out front but I didn't love it. The characters were not terribly sympathetic, even with all Morgan had been through, I couldn't find it in myself to really feel anything towards her. The story also felt a bit convoluted, like someone had watered it down with so much going on that I was a little lost. I also didn't quite understand how something like The Ruins could be operating in a mall...made no sense to me. The wrap up was good because I like my stories tidied up with a bow at the end so I was happy about that....

This sequel was everything I wanted and more. It's dark, gritty, and impactful from start to finish. Hannah Morrissey has done it again! Thank you so much for the ARC!

There are so many things going on in this book. From the very beginning, I was trying to figure out how everything would come together. It was fascinating to see all of the people and events come together, in a surprise manner, at the end.

Good story.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author for the complimentary advance readers’ edition of THE WIDOWMAKER by Hannah Morrissey for an honest review.

Publication Date: 12/6/2022
Rating: 3.5 / 5

THE WIDOWMAKER follows a couple of mysteries. Twenty years ago, Clive Reynolds went missing, a man well known in business circles. His wife was accused of the crime and has long been thought of as a murderer. Morgan has recently returned to her hometown of Black Harbor, reinventing herself and her photography career. One of her first jobs is to photograph the Reynolds family holiday party. While she is aware of the family’s reputation, and they certainly don’t try to hide it, she is drawn to the allure of the family occasion and the people who seem to welcome her warmly.

On her way back home after the party Morgan Mori makes a stop at a gas station where she is witness to the murder of a police officer. Not only does she see this murder, the murderer takes off with her car, her photography equipment, the Renyolds’ photos, and her entirely livelihood. The officer killed has been working on solving the cold case involving Clive. Morgan has been through a lot in her life, and this just adds to the family intrigue and secrets and darkness that surrounds her.

I really enjoyed Morrissey’s HELLO, TRANSCRIBER when I read it last year, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read her sophomore book. This book is set in the same city of Black Harbor but it is entirely a standalone novel. It definitely has the same dark, gritty feel of the prior book with characters and a place that has been through a lot of trauma. In this case we are following Morgan’s POV and that of Ryan Howard, the murdered man’s partner who is now determined to solve both crimes, past and present.

I will say that this book took me a little bit longer to get into than the previous novel, but that could have been a very me type of thing. By about the halfway mark (and this is a fairly short novel, under 300 pages) I was very invested in wanting answers. I guessed at a few things, but the author managed to surprise me with some of the twists in the end.

I am very glad to have had the opportunity to read THE WIDOWMAKER! Pub date is on 12/6/2022! I will be looking forward to reading what Hannah Morrissey brings us next!

Welcome back to Black Harbor folks. Although this is a much different story then Hello Transcriber we do get to see some familiar faces. I loved that and the small connections throughout the novel. If you have not read Hello Transcriber yet, its okay (Although you are missing out) it does not affect The Widowmaker.

This book is full of dark and troubling secrets. I was hooked right from the beginning. I enjoyed the dual POVs and thought it really made the story flow so quick. I felt like Morrissey left breadcrumbs throughout the story however, I still did not guess the ending, which I loved. I also appreciated how the two POVs storylines came together and ended up intersecting.

I know Police Procedurals are not everyone’s cup of tea. I however, love them. I did not feel this was over the top procedural, there was enough drama, and cryptic situations going on that it really just felt like part of the mystery.

Lastly, Morrissey knows how to right a broken soul so well. Morgan is a great protagonist and I felt like you really did get invested in her story.

Thank you to @netgalley for my copy!

I haven’t read Hannah Morrisey’s other works, but I’m interested in Hello, Transcriber now! This book was twisty, the setting was atmospheric and the characters were interesting. And I read that HT takes place in the same town, so that’s already a plus.

I will say some of the language around the police was cringey, because having any character that’s part of the institution makes them pro-police (especially if they’re a sympathetic character). But some of it was challenged by civilian characters, and at least the police department we mainly saw was a tight-knit group trying to solve their friend’s murder. I tend to be able to tolerate cop characters when it’s less about “serve and protect” and more about their own baggage. (See: all of Jane Harper’s Aaron Falk books.)

I kind of guessed at one of the mysteries, but I was still waiting eagerly to see how it played out. This was all around a solid thriller!