Granite Harbor has always been a small town where not much happens until a serial killer is targeting a teen friend group. Since it is a small town, the lives of both the parents and teens are intertwined as the father of one girl is the cop on the case and has dated the mom of another teen. All of the parents are terrified that their child will be next victim as the clock ticks to find the killer.

This was my first time reading the author and while I thought the story was a bit subtle for a serial killer-based thriller, I thought it was generally well written. I think why I didn't love this one as much as I wanted to was because it just didn't feel like that race or immediate need to know who did it like most thrillers, as in I felt I could put it down and pick it back up (which probably isn't a great sell for a thriller) - I wanted to know what happened but it wasn't a page turner for me. In addition, the main male character was British and the audio narrator didn't really use a consistent accent (or hardly one at all) which threw me off. In the end I wanted to know who the killer was but I wasn't dying (pun intended) to know. I would still try another by the author however because I did like the characters and the writing.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC to review

I had a difficult time staying interested in this book. The scenes with the boy and his cousin in the tent, the coyote, Boon... those were tough scenes for me to read and I was surprised that more people didn't list them as trigger warnings when I read other reviews.
I enjoyed the Maine setting, but lost focus with the multiple POV and timeline jumping. There were several backstories provided for small side characters that I felt didn't add much to enjoyment of the story.

There were times where it seemed even the narrator was bored with the story. I found that I easily lost focus, and the narration wasn't engaging enough to hold my attention.

This is the first time I’ve done some of the book via audio and some via print.

While I enjoyed the tone and pace of the narrator, I think I would have enjoyed it more reading full print.

All in all- the premise of the book is solid. Minimal character development though.

Some of the narration was cringey to hear spoken - particularly moments about serial killer’s past or how the women are described. I also did not enjoy listening to the animal abuse or the accidental death of a dog. I did skip a few minutes during a specific scene because it’s too more gore for me.

I had to stop listening about a third of the way in and will not be finishing the book.

I really wanted to enjoy this one - I greatly love reading thrillers set in New England and the serial killer aspect intrigued me. But the MMC is one dimensional and honestly I couldn’t tell if I disliked him or if I was just indifferent.

I had to stop with the graphic scene between the boy and his cousin - it felt gross and the way it’s written seems unnecessary. Readers could’ve put the picture together without half the detail.

It's a no from me. Animal abuse is my only trigger and this has very violent and unnecessary animals abuse. I had no warning, so I'm warning you.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my advance copy of this audiobook

Loved this book. It was great from the first chapter and got me hooked. The narrator was wonderful. Highly recommended for readers who love crime and mystery
. The setting was great. And the story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through

“It felt self-indulgent, sinking into a chair with a book. This was what he loved to do, almost more than anything else: read, tune everything out, leave the confused and messy world around him for the contained and organized world of a book.” SAME! I feel seen 👀.

This book is as much one police officers delve into a local serial killer as it is looking through a microscope into a small rural town in Maine. And it is dark. It is graphic. And it is NOT for the faint of heart. But I do think this book would make an awesome miniseries or movie!

The audiobook, narrated by Peter Ganim, was awesome! I listen to a lot of books and most are narrated by women. But the male narration for this one really added the deep and sinister tone that this story needed. I couldn’t stop listening!

Loved the Book Of The Month shout out too!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the #gifted ARC and ALC.

I listened to the bulk of this novel while I was running a half-marathon race, and I can honestly say I felt like the run was creeping by!

This novel had the potential to be a really intriguing read, but it just fell flat for me. I think some of the content was too much, other parts happened to be the narrator not quite lining up with my envisioned narrator.

TW: abuse, bullying, incest, mutilated murder.

I loved the narrator for this audiobook he did a great job of setting the scene and portraying all the different characters. The author did a great job of interc0nnecting all the different viewpoints shared in the story. Throughout the book you get glimpses into the mind of the killer and what he's thinking as he goes around committing crimes. I loved that throughout the book you get detail on the history of the town where this story takes places. You also get some background info on the main characters of the story and situations they have been through, I think it's a great book to read or listen to if you are looking to get into thrillers it's not extremely graphic, and deals with real life situations. Though there are mentions of SA it doesn't go into too much detail ( be aware of this before reading). I would definitely recommend this story if you want to read a thriller that will keep you interested from beginning to end.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the audiobook ARC!

This is reminiscent of the old style private eye narrative. Great characters with a smart plot and fantastic details. A small town that has a serial killer and told from three perspectives. I dove in and finished it in one sitting!
Thanks to @NetGalley and @MacmillanAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I liked the narrator and the audiobook itself.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me and it was a DNF. I felt like the pacing was just so slow and there were so many characters. It was hard for me to connect with anyone or the story. I also felt like the violence and gore was just a bit too much for me. I liked the audiobook but the story itself was not for me.

I hope others love this book but it was not for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Peter Nichols, and Celadon Books/Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen tooth's audiobook. I am new to the author and had no idea what to expect except I was interested in the premise after enjoying excerpt of a small town murder of teens in scenic Granite Harbor, a small town in coastal Maine, impacting adults and teens alike. This plot even for a serial killer whodunit is really dark and way more violent than I imagined. I absolutely would not read this with teens. I liked the narrator (except didn't entirely do the British accent of Alex?) and Flynn the sweet dog. I also liked the alternating POV. The killer plaguing this small time has a POV some may like, some may not. I personally did not, nor does their history give cause to their insane tendancies. The hair on my arm stood up from the disturbing serial killer! Alex arrives from England and is the only detective on their small island- he used to be a writer- and is the father of high schooler Sophie, Ethan's friend. Ethan's single mother, Isabel and the strange Settlement where she works, has these visions/demons as she tried to help solve the murders, and she really rubbed me the wrong way. Also her visions just did not make sense. The teens are close friends with the initial murder victim, and their parents attempt to keep them safe while working to solve the murders. Chaos ensues and wow Granite Harbor's inhabitants continue to experience some awful occurrences. The ending left open the possibility of a sequel. Cons: the stuff of nightmares. There needs to be clear trigger warnings about seriously violent incidents. SA of a child that made me physically sick. AWFUL animal abuse which I had to skip-WHY so much cruelty?!? I abhorred and it took away from enjoying this read. Even to a fan of Criminal Minds, I could not recommend. 1.5/5

Granite Harbor is a thriller set in costal Maine. We follow several characters.

This book was unfortunately not for me. One, I got the feeling this author does not like women very much., The stereotypes and the overall treatment really made this almost unbearable. There should also be a trigger warning for animal abuse.

I didn't mind following many different charters. I just wish I enjoyed those characters more. It moved at a decent pace and the whodunit aspect was not bad.

What truly sets this book apart is its complex characters and unexpected plot developments. Each character feels authentic, layered with their own motivations and secrets. I found myself constantly second-guessing everyone's intentions, which only added to the suspense.

The serial killer aspect of the story is handled with both finesse and sensitivity. The author delves into the psyche of the killer, exploring the twisted logic behind his actions without resorting to gratuitous violence. It's a testament to the author's skill that the suspense is maintained without relying solely on shock value.

Unfortunately, I really wasn’t a huge fan of this one. I felt like none of the characters were developed and it took some MAJOR twists (not in a good way). Although I was excited to receive an ARC of this, it felt pretty on par with general mysteries, nothing special.

This one sounded right up my alley and I was interested in reading it, but it was not for me. I was sent an advanced listening copy and looked forward to listening to it. It is the ‘whodunit’ trope and a slow burn atmospheric read.

I think this is one where the narrator did not work for me. I don’t remember much about the story other than teens being killed and toads being mentioned a lot. In fact, looking at some other reviews I was shocked that I missed many things, many which should be trigger warnings and knowing these now I would have avoided this book and maybe I am fortunate that I didn’t catch this while listening. Again, I think this was the narrator, and usually I would be interested in giving the book a try in the future, but I will skip this one.

Trigger warnings to be aware of:
Animal Abuse
Sexual Assault
Child Abuse
Teen Bullying

Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an alc, I wish I could have enjoyed it!

This book will have you wanting to read more and more. The writing and the story are so addicting. If you’re looking for a good mystery, this is the one for you!

A gritty detective story, Granite Harbor follows residents of a small coastal town in Maine as the murder of a local teen leaves the community in shock. Told from the perspective of our lead detective Alex, single mother Isabel, and an unknown narrator, we follow our narrators through the investigation and feel the lingering impact of the murders.

Perfect for fans of slow burn mysteries and those who enjoy a darker atmospheric detective story, Granite Harbor was a great ‘thriller’ palate cleanser for me. With clearly defined and developed characters, I enjoyed getting to know our characters and the town. I primarily listened to this on audio, and nothing is more soothing to me on long drives than a slow burn murder mystery. Not sure what that says about me, but either way, I certainly enjoyed this story and am hopefully it’ll turn into a series!

*I don’t always add Trigger Warnings, but based on reviews for other readers, felt I should add my thoughts on the subject matter. The murders are more descriptive and there are a few incidents that could be defined as ‘animal cruelty’. They are a critical part of the story and they can be disturbing to some readers. But if you’re use to reading Karin Slaughter, S.A. Crosby, or other Gritty and dark murder mysteries, you’ll most likely be okay with this book. In the context of the story the plot line makes sense, but if you are sensitive to animal cruelty you can skip Chapter 34 but you won’t get the full picture of the killers or the murders. Do with that information as you will. No house pets are harmed in this story. *

Granite Harbor comes out April 30, 2024! Huge thank you to Celadon and Macmillan Audio 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 instagram @speakingof.books or on Tiktok @speakingof.books

3.5 out of 5 stars

The first quarter to half of the audio was hard for me to follow and I think that solely has to do with how many point of views are portrayed. The narrator did a fantastic job with this book. There were just a lot of POVs to keep track of.

Once the story started heating up, it kept me hooked! The plot of the book was very good and there was a good amount of suspense.

I received a copy of the physical book in the mail from Celadon & I will reading it again. I believe that I will be able to understand more of the first half of the book if I can flip back pages, make notes and annotate as I’m reading.

Thank you Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, Peter Nichols, and NetGalley for this ALC of Granite Harbor.

“Granite Harbor” is a thriller that will keep you up at night while holding your loved ones close trying not to think of all the seemingly innocent people out there who could, quite possibly, be a serial killer.  You will become up close and personal with the evolution and devolution of a serial killer as you come to understand him  as only the serial killer can despite the fact that only a handful of chapters are told from his perspective.  

I should warn you, at times this is a gritty   psychological thriller with some very graphic descriptions that feel rather visceral.  The killer’s signature will mean you never look at —— <sorry, no spoilers> the same ever again.

And while I did have the killer narrowed down to two possible culprits from about half way, there was enough intrigue and possibilities that kept me guessing from one heart pounding moment to the next.  This book gripped my attention from the prologue and held it through to the end.  I especially enjoyed the detective’s character and his backstory as he worked to put together the pieces to solve the case.  I have a lot to say about a lot of the characters, though I fear saying anything about them will result in spoilers.  Let’s suffice it to say that I had some words to say about a couple of characters that were not very nice.  

I read this between audiobook and ebook, both of which were very well done. I found the narrator was able to differentiate the voices of different characters. I did prefer the ebook - only because I felt I could read it faster and highlight important quotes and moments which I though I might want to refer back to in solving the case.    

Thank you to @celadonbooks, @macmillanaudio, and @netgalley for the advance drc and audio copies of this book.  I highly recommend you read this dark and grittty thriller.