Synopsis: When a teenager is found murdered in Granite Harbor, Detective Alex Brangwen gets the case. Not only is Alex the only detective in town, but this is also his first murder case.

My thoughts: I really struggled with this book. While I enjoy a thriller/mystery that is gruesome (and this certainly was in places), somehow it just fell flat for me. I wasn’t engaged with the main characters. Now, this could possibly be a “me” issue and not a book issue. Everyone’s tastes are different.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celedon books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

🌲 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐬 🌲 ⁣
⁣
𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖺 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝗄𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖬𝖺𝗂𝗇𝖾 (𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾) 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖭𝖮𝖳 𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 2024. 𝖭𝗈𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖼𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾. 𝖧𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋, 𝖨’𝗆 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽 𝖨 𝖻𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗆𝗒 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗋𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝗌𝗒𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋. ⁣
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𝖨𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒 𝗀𝗋𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗒𝗈𝗎. 𝖲𝗁𝗈𝖼𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗅𝗒, 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝖨’𝗆 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝖼𝗄 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌, 𝖨 𝗄𝖾𝗉𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝖨 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖻𝖺𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗂𝖾𝗌𝗍, 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝗄𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝗐𝗅, 𝗄𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗌 𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽.⁣
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☆ ☆ ☆.5 / 5⁣
𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙡 30𝙩𝙝! ⁣

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 @celadonbooks 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺!

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𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯:⁣
𝖨𝗇 𝗌𝖼𝖾𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝖦𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝖻𝗈𝗋, 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇—𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖾𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾—𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗌. 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝗋𝗎𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗆𝗎𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖲𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝗇’𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗁𝖺𝖾𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖾. 𝖠𝗅𝖾𝗑 𝖡𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗐𝖾𝗇, 𝖺𝖽𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖾 𝖿𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍, 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝗇’𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝗎𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽, 𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝗈𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾, 𝖠𝗅𝖾𝗑 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖦𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝖻𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖼𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝖾𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝗇.

Isabel, a single mother attempting to support her family while healing from her own demons, finds herself in the middle of the case when she begins working at the Settlement. Her son, Ethan, and Alex’s daughter, Sophie, were best friends with the victim. When a second teenager is found murdered, the body left in the same manner as the first victim, both parents are terrified that their child may be next. As Alex and Isabel race to find the killer in their midst, the town’s secrets—past and present—begin bubbling to the surface, threatening to unravel the tight-knit community.

In Granite Harbor, at the town’s historic archaeological site, “The Settlement “, a local teenager is found murdered hanging by his wrists and ankles bound and his stomach cut open from breastbone to pelvis. Isabel, who works at the Settlement is shocked to learn the murdered boy was a close friend of her son’s. Alex, who also lives in Granite Harbor is the local detective and father of a teenage daughter. After a second murder of a local teen who was friends with both Isabel and Alex’s daughter, Isabel and Alex team up to protect their children and catch the serial killer before they strike close to home.

Great idea but not so great execution. It dragged for me, the pacing was off. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

This book was quite the ride. From the beginning, a number of characters were introduced, but I couldn’t quite piece it together to figure out how they were all connected. Throughout the book, I developed multiple theories, but I never quite managed to guess the final reveal.

The story was set in Maine, and I definitely saw some parallels to a very well known writer. The characters were relatable and some elements were both chilling and horrifying.

Overall, this book kept me intrigued and I wanted to continue reading well past my bedtime. I highly encourage you to check this one out just as soon as it is released!!!

I was provided an advance readers copy direct from Celadon in exchange for my honest review. I am so grateful for the chance to read this one and look forward to more by this author.

@celadonbooks #CeladonReads #GraniteHarbor

🐸 BOOK / REVIEW 🐸

Gonna come in a bit hot right out of the gate. #graniteharbor was...

SO ODD.

I probably should have DNF this one 2 weeks ago (yes, it took me 16 days to read this, which is unheard of). But, I stuck through it 😮‍💨.

When I was reading the synopsis to my husband, I realized it's quite different from the book, and it gives away some crucial information that the reader doesn't find out until 75% in. It was so slow - and while the "crimes" were interesting, I just felt there was a lack of build-up.

Also, dont get me started on how much I hate animal cruelty in books 😭 ugh - chapter 34 was so hard to read. I wish this had come with a trigger warning - it was foul.

Overall, if you like atmospheric thrillers, this may work. This was not the book for me - thank you, @celadonbooks, for my #gifted book.

I enjoyed the serial killer mystery. The history behind the killer was filled out well, as well as the character development of the victims and their families. I would read books by this author again.

The setting of the premise of this mystery had great promise. Three teenagers, all bet friends and two of them now murdered and the bodies displayed in a macabre manner. The investigating officer, an author who needed a day job, doesnt make too much progress. Claivoyance is an issue with one of the characters.

Granite Harbor is about a small costal town in Maine and how the town get's shaken to its core by a serial killer after a local teenager is found brutally murdered. The book was a dark read that was a bit on the slower side but the pacing did pick up after the halfway mark. First time reading this author and I am looking forward to reading more by this author. Granite Harbor is a book that I highly enjoyed reading and one that I would recommend to other readers who love a good mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review of Granite Harbor.

Thank you Netgalley, Caleadon Books, and Peter Nichols for this ARC.

Synopsis: A small town in coastal Maine is shaken to its core by a serial killer.

My thoughts: I was so excited for this ARC because (not sure what this says about me🫢) there’s just something about a serial killer thriller that sucks me right in! Granite Harbor was especially interesting because it dove into the killer’s background which made a lot of the disturbing and unsettling things make more sense. If you can handle creepy and sometimes gory, this might be for you!
My biggest complaint about this book was how unclear the shifting timelines and perspectives were. Sometimes the POV would switch mid chapter, making the story hard to follow at times.
Overall, I would recommend this to those who like a darker, atmospheric thriller focused on police procedural and serial killer tropes!

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing the advance copy of Peter Nichols’ new novel. This was an exciting thriller, pitting a well-hidden serial killer against a novelist turned police detective in small town Maine. I thought the setting was interesting, including the inclusion of the settler reenactment. I was a little put off by the psychic part of the plot, as I didn’t think that fit well, but overall I would recommend it for thriller fans.

Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols is a thriller following the investigation of a serial killer that has landed in a small Maine town. Alex, one of the main point of view characters is investigating the murder of a local boy, one who was friends with his own daughter who is devastated by the loss. There is a particularly distinct signature that the serial killer uses that raises a lot of questions in the investigation and ties back to another case from 16 years ago that has Alex wondering if it is the same killer returned after a long hiatus.

I was immediately intrigued by this book because of the storyline involving a serial killer which had me wanting to pick it up. The fact that the case is potentially tied to one from so long ago only added to my interest as it raised so many questions - why the long break, if it was the same killer or a copycat, etc. - and I found myself wanting these answers and trying piece together the tidbits of information for myself. The chase for the killer and delving deeper into the case was definitely interesting and had me wanting to see the end result.

This one was… OK. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. It wasn’t the most shall we say, “thrilling” book I’ve read and at times dragged, but it had me interested enough to want to see it through to the end. At times it felt like a bit of a slog to get through, particularly in the beginning of the book in getting to know characters with scenes that felt at times unnecessary. This also brings me to the fact that I felt little connection for the characters as I had no real interest in learning about them or reading gratuitous scenes that held little other purpose than delving into their lives a bit more. For the most part they were a bit bland for me and I felt little investment in them as a result.

All together, it’s an interesting premise, though for me it fell a bit flat. I do think enjoyers of thrillers, particularly those that like the opportunity to get into the head of the killer, will enjoy this read. There is quite a bit of background on the killer from their perspective throughout the course of the novel, which for me was a bit of a slog, as well as difficult to read at times (trigger warning for animal cruelty and death if you are like me and don’t like this). However, that’s not to say it’s a bad book, it just wasn’t my favourite read of the year.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC of Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols.

Granite Harbor is your standard coastal town that’s full of complacent residents and the expectation that nothing bad ever happens. The town is shocked when a teen is found murdered in a gruesome way and put on display. It’s up to the town’s Detective to solve the case before anyone else turns up dead.

This book started out strong but just kind of ended. The story line was good however there were a lot of sub story lines that didn’t come to fruition. The ending albeit expected was also kind of a dud. Overall this was a decent read but left me wanting more.

Pub Date: April 30, 2024
🌟🌟.5

Thank you NetGalley for the early release of Granite Harbor. When I read the synopsis that this book took place in a small town and there was a serial killer on the loose I said sign me up! Crime, thrillers, and police procedural reads are usually my go to but I was rather confused throughout this book.

It hooked me in the beginning to keep me reading but as time went on I was confused about what was happening. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters which is crucial for me when reading. Some things just didn’t make sense to me. I asked myself “what is happening ?” Or “who is that character” a lot while reading.

Personally this wasn’t a great fit for me for someone who usually loves this genre. If you want to give it a try maybe you will have a different experience than I did but you don’t need to run and get this book.

In smalltown Granite Harbor in Maine, a teenage boy turns up murdered at the town archeological site known as the Settlement. It's up to the town's one detective Alex Brangwen to find the killer. Alex is a single father, and this is his first murder case. Isabel, single mom, and employee at the Settlement finds herself entangled with the case because her son Ethan and Alex's daughter Sophie were best friends with the murder victim. When another teenager is murdered in the same fashion as the first, Alex and Isabel become worried their children may become the next victim. It's now a race against time to find the killer before he can strike again.


Granite Harbor is a slow-burn, character driven thriller about a smalltown and the murder of two of its teenage residents. This story weaves together through the multiple viewpoints of characters. I enjoyed Alex's chapters as he investigated the murders and Isabel's chapters because she was such a relatable character. Then there were the chapters from the pov of the killer, which were very creepy. His chapters are very gruesome and very descriptive with details of his murders. This story definitely builds a lot of background in the beginning, but if you stick with it, there's a huge payoff at the end.

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Granite Harbor
By Peter Nichols
Publication Date: April 30, 2024

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚THE SYNOPSIS:

In scenic Granite Harbor, life has continued on―quiet and serene―for decades. That is until a local teenager is found brutally murdered in the Settlement, the town’s historic archaeological site. Alex Brangwen, adjusting to life as a single father with a failed career as a novelist, is the town’s sole detective. This is his first murder case and, as both a parent and detective, Alex knows the people of Granite Harbor are looking to him to catch the killer and temper the fear that has descended over the town.

At once a page-turning thriller and captivating portrait of the social fabric of a small town, Granite Harbor evokes the atmosphere of HBO’s Mare of Easttown with a villain reminiscent of Thomas Harris’s Silence of the Lambs.

📚MY REVIEW:

Are you looking for a creepy book? The kind of creepy book you don't want to KEEP reading because it's so vile -- but you also can't STOP reading because it's so vile?! Well, I present Granite Harbor!

THIS. BOOK. Y'ALL. The creepy factor is off the charts in this one! Chapters were told from multiple POVs of the book's characters, including the anonymous killer who shares unpleasant stories from their past so you can develop a better understanding of just why this person is so f*cked up.

Some of these memories from the killer nearly turned my stomach. The way Nichols shared the killer's mindset was absolutely chilling and so well done! The depravity in this story-telling was top notch and the suspense was breathtakingly brutal.

This is a MUST-READ if you are a thriller addict like me -- especially if you enjoy intense, jarring, and creepy books you can binge in one sitting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! I had been so excited to be approved for this one because I'd been wanting to read it... And it did not disappoint!

[I intentionally shortened the synopsis so you didn't get any spoilers here!]

#NetGalley #GraniteHarbor #fivestarreads #thrillerreads #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammers #arc

First off, I think this cover is gorgeous. It certainly attracted me to the book, as the did the Maine coastal setting. Unfortunately, those were the highlights for me. I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. I think there were some plot holes that just weren't clear and didn't make sense. On the other hand, it was pretty well-written, and had some interesting ideas for the genre. I can see many folks really enjoying this -- I just wasn't one of them.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

If you’re into atmospheric, gritty thrillers, this one is for you. Peter Nichols’ GRANITE HARBOR takes place in a small town in Maine that is shaken to its core after a gruesome, unthinkable murder of a local teen. The reader follows Alex, a novelist-turned-detective from England as he tries to solve this horrific crime.

These characters are good. With the exception of a few minor characters, they have the kind of complexity and relatability that makes small town mysteries so engaging. Nichols is particularly skilled with the main character, Alex, whose outsider-ness is somehow both an asset and an obstacle. Alex is the kind of character who can carry an entire series. The town itself is a character that feels very real.

But the thing is, this book is dark. It’s too dark, at least for the kind of reader I am. It reads like HBO’s “True Detective” - sinister, graphic, and horrifying. There are ritualistic depictions of violence. Much of the novel is told through a serial killer’s perspective which is very much not for me. There is also animal cruelty depicted in this book that made my stomach turn. I think the question is what this darkness achieves. Does it contribute to the mystery - or take from it? Is it necessary? I’m not sure.

I won’t be visiting Granite Harbor again but I do think there are plenty of readers who would devour a series set in this small Maine town. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the advance readers copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

GRANITE HARBOR
Peter Nichols

I came across GRANITE HARBOR when I was looking for thrillers featuring fathers that fathers might like. I liked the idea of a small-town detective starting over and making a new name for himself.

Alex is a divorced detective who made his way to both out of necessity rather than choice. We meet up with Alex on his first case in the settlement of Granite Harbor. The death of a local teenager who died under suspicious circumstances.

The whole town agrees that Alex needs to find the killer and find them fast. We follow along as Alex sorts through the evidence, questions suspects, and zeros in on his target.

GRANITE HARBOR is due to be published on April 30, 2024.


GRANITE HARBOR is a little weird but in a good way. Adding richness in detail. Details I don’t usually pay attention to. There were quirky things about the case that required both humor and intellect and, in that way, it reminded me of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

The audiobook requires a bit of stamina as the narrator’s voice stays level for the most part. I wouldn’t say monotone but more lacking contrast. I enjoyed my reading experience outside of that and I am including it in a thriller list coming in June.

Pick up your copy and already have one book checked off the list for yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies!

GRANITE HARBOR…⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this one so much. It was unique and gruesome. After the body was discovered, I could not put this book down. The multiple POVs and the past timeline that gave us insight into the killer's upbringing were brilliant.

The only thing I wasn't a fan of was how "visions" were a part of the plot because it didn't explore this magical realism enough, making it feel thrown in. Using "mother intuition" would've worked just fine because it is a thing and would've made it more realistic.

Aside from that, I highly recommend it!

Thank you, Netgalley and Celadon, for the ARC.