This is a suspenseful crime mystery thriller about a serial killer in a small town in rural Maine. The detective investigating the case is new and this is his first murder. He is feeling tremendous pressure to solve the case but the small community has their secrets and he is finding it hard to get information. It’s a dark grisly atmospheric read that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!!

It took me a while to get into this book. I was about half way through before it really grabbed a hold of me. I did really enjoy the rest of the book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Was ok. Not my favorite but I did enjoy the setting. Definitely some dark plot points. Thank you NetGalley for this arc

GRANITE HARBOR by Peter Nichols review!

Thank you to @celadonbooks for my early copy on NetGalley! When I read the blurb in the email that this is a crime fiction/serial killer story taking place in Maine, I knew I would be reading this ASAP! I’m giving this one 4 ⭐️

Maine (my favorite state) 🤝 serial killer crime fiction. Alex is a Maine transplant from the UK, single dad, failed author, and idyllic Granite Harbor’s new detective. For his first case, he’s faced with a brutally murdered teen found at the small town’s historic archeological site. Alex knows that the tight-knit community in which everyone thinks they know each other, is looking to him to find the killer amongst them.

This started off a bit slow for me, but I quickly became wrapped up in the characters, the setting, the writing, and the overall creepiness of small town murder hysteria. There were some genuinely dark moments that I didn’t expect, but very much appreciated. If you enjoyed Tana French’s IN THE WOODS, THE CHESTNUT MAN by Søren Sveistrup, and TRUE DETECTIVE, you’ll enjoy this one! Available 4/30!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the copy of Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols. I loved the story and I liked the quirky characters. Unfortunately, the writing was choppy, and a couple of times I would have to reread a sentence because the sentence structure was awkward. I didn’t enjoy the animal cruelty or the racist remarks one character made, so those were almost DNF triggers for me. You should read this if you want a great story and enjoy a large cast of interesting characters, you will love this book.

There's a serial killer on the loose in this murder mystery thriller. Peter Nichols' Granite Harbor engages readers with his strong and relatable characters and suspenseful plot.

Not much happens in the small coastal town of Granite Harbor until the sudden, unexpected murders of two teenage boys. Investigator Alex Brangwen becomes very alarmed since his daughter Sophie is friends with these boys, and it's his first murder case. Teens are true to form in this novel, unaware of the killer's motive or the dangerous situation. Many characters' backstories, even the killer, are revealed as readers try to determine who the murderer is. But the story ramps up as the identity is revealed, and it's a race to find this nut job before they kill again.

My favorite character is Isabel, an empath, mother, and widow who has witnessed tough times—the loss of her husband at sea, her job, and her reputation. Determined and forgiving, she forges ahead and is critical to tracking down the killer. Granite Harbor describes how a small town deals with a major disruption that almost destroys it. Peter Nichols’ pacing and characterization make this an intriguing novel. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it. #NetGalley #Granite Harbor #thriller #murdermystery

I have been provided with a review copy of Granite Harbor from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just really enjoyed this story and I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Granite Harbor is a cut above some of the other books in the suspense/drama genre. Set in a small town in Maine, Alex is a detective with local law enforcement when a local teen is found murdered.. Alex is divorced with a teenaged daughter and his ex-wife is close by. No one can imagine who would be stalking or murdering in this close knit community and suspicions and circumstantial evidence lead to wrong conclusions. Peter Nichols' writing style reminded me of some of Dennis Lehane's books. Its not like the plethora of suspense/thriller novels in which the plots go over the top. Its grounded in real characters with flaws, doing their best while protecting those they love.

I unfortunately will not be able to give an honest review of this book. I stopped reading because of a scene that I wish I’d known was part of the book. I do appreciate the ARC but I just can’t read it.

Born and raised on Maine's Midcoast, this book spoke to me in ways no other book set in Maine ever has. I could literally envision the scenes playing out, considering this is my home. For that reason alone, I immensely enjoyed this book. When you add the descriptive writing and the gruesome and eerie plot, it was a total recipe for success.

A brutal murder of a teenage boy in a quiet coastal town has everyone on edge. Alex, Granite Harbor's singular detective has his work cut out for him in regards to this case, especially considering his daughter, Sophie is one of the victim's closest friends. Sophie and their other bestie, Ethan refuse to simply let the town forget about their friend. When another body is found brutalized in the same way as before, it looks like they have a serial killer on their hands...

This is told in one of my favorite ways. We have the two protagonists we are following, Alex and Isabel (Ethan's mother), and then we get the insights into the unknown killer. The point of view of the killer is always my favorite because you get the completely opposite dynamic between killer and victim than you do with anyone else.

I absolutely loved this book. I wanted to really take my time with it, but I couldn't help flying through it. It was grisly and fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols.

I was not the reader for Granite Harbor, but there will be plenty that absolutely love it. It's very dark, sinister, creepy, and suspenseful. This could easily be made into a movie or TV series that would be very popular. If you enjoy stories that make you slightly uncomfortable, or are a binger of true crime documentaries, this is probably the book for you.

Honestly, the storyline of this book is really good, but I am so disappointed with the execution. I skimmed through the majority of this book because there were so many unnecessary fillers in this book and a few unnecessary background information about the characters.

When I started reading, I was so confused as to what was going on. It felt disorganized and I hated how the chapters didn’t feel connected to each other. Alex is the MMC in this story, but it didn’t feel like that. I expected so much from his character, but it was underdelivered. And this is my personal opinion, I wish Alex’s POV was in first person because that would have been much better to read.

As for the story, I was not happy with it. Most of the time, I was confused as to what was happening and I got through this book quickly because it had a good pace. And the ending has left me unsatisfied.

As I mentioned, this storyline is really good, and it can become a hit if the execution is excellent.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this unsettling thriller I did predict a few twists early on but it was engaging. It was a violent and creepy serial killer story that kept me reading the whole book in one setting. The characters were believable and the setting and mood were creepy. This is a strong 4 Star novel.

totally a 5-star read, what i liked about #graniteharbor by peter nichols.
1. unputdownable, good mystery
2. goes down character rabbit holes in a good way
3. truly gruesome and creepy scenes
4. lots of history and tidbits
what i didn't:
1. a little long, could use a little editing
2. found one or characters to be annoying, particularly the women, who were, for the most part, portrayed as shrewish.
3. alex was not the most astute of detectives. perhaps he will hit his stride.

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

A serial killer in a small town? Sign me up please! Unfortunately, I am going to do a little complaining. Alex Brangwen, a failed novelist turned detective in the small town of Granite Harbor is left to find the killer of a young man in his daughter’s friend group. The killing is gruesome to say the least. I absolutely love how the antagonist of the story goes unnamed and we get his horrific background throughout the story. The reader will become empathic and I hung on piecing together clues. How the killer goes about his killing is so unique. I haven’t read anything like it before. Brilliant.
SPOILERS BELOW
So here is my ‘complaint’ (1) Isabel and her ‘visions’ - this was kind of vague and just popped in there. I would have been more likely to believe it was a woman/mom’s intuition. (2) I really wanted to put a connection from the killer to his most recent victims and we did not. (other than casually knowing them – like the early victims he was ‘righting a wrong in his eyes)
I wish I could give like a 3.5 This is hands down my favorite and most read genre.

I really enjoyed this dark grisly thriller mystery about a small coastal town murder. The characters all felt authentic and realistic and I appreciated their flaws and concerns. The serial killer was incredibly creepy and literally gave me the chills reading this book. I enjoyed reading the scenes with the focus on them. I felt the pacing was done well to draw the reader in and not give away too much so as to ruin the plot twist. The writing was well thought out, immersive , engaging, and edited well. The cover art was perfect for the storyline and actually makes me want to buy this book. Overall, it's a good suspense and one id recommend to any of my thriller loving friends. Thank you for this arc.

I liked this dark, gritty, disturbing novel about a serial killer targeting teens in a small Maine town. I loved the glimpses into the serial killers childhood. The opening scene and the condition of the body they find really sets the tone for this novel and trigger warnings abound. Tons of character development and lots of sideline stories that I really enjoyed. I will definitely check out more by this author. This book almost seemed like it could be the start of a series and I would read more in this series.

Alex Brangwen, a failed novelist from England, has become the only detective in Granite Harbor, ME. There has been a horrific murder in the Settlement, the town’s historic reenactment village. An earlier, similar killing convinces Alex that a serial killer is at work. Even with a reinforcement from the FBI, he doubts his ability to solve this case. After another murder, Alex realizes that the deeply disturbed killer is close to home. At the same time, former teacher Isabel is worried about her gifted son Ethan as he is tied closely to the deaths in the village.

I wanted to really like Granite Harbor. Peter Nichols delivers a well plotted police procedural. I did wonder how he could be certified as a detective but I guess small towns can make their own rules. I had trouble reading the scenes describing the sadistic murder of animals. Those seemed more real than the other deaths. I also felt there were too many characters, Nancy for example, that took away from the action. I also didn’t like the cavalier attitude of the FBI agent.
I can’t decide on the rating but I’ll give it 4 stars because the author shows remarkable talent. Stronger editing should help.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Peter Nichols for this ARC.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I never connected with the characters and I didn't understand how a person could become a cop with so little education. I think this book needs a little finessing and more research

I really liked this one.
I loved the fact that we got the killers perspective, without knowing who the killer is.
I'm not always in the mood for thriller/suspense. But this one hit just right.