I’m delighted that the author decided to bring Hazel back to Black Harbor. The chemistry between her and Kole is undeniable. However, the plot fell short of my expectations. It began promisingly but gradually lost its momentum around the halfway point. I suggest reading the first book in the series before delving into this one. While the overall series is not bad, this latest installment didn’t resonate with me personally.

This review is entirely voluntary and reflects my personal opinions.

Really enjoyed this one! I hadn’t read the first books in this series, and I found it easy to keep up with the story line. Just dark enough for my taste 🙌🏼

It kept me on edge throughout, and a lot of twists at the end!

I really loved being back with Kole & Hazel for this installment of the Black Harbor series, but boy does Hazel ever drive me nuts. Her constant jumping to conclusions made it really hard for me to root for her in this one. I’m all about an underdog with a grungy backstory, but she’s a little too I’m-a-victim-and-I’ll-always-be-one to make me believe Kole would really be so in love with her. Dude’s definitely got a damsel in distress complex.
Overall, though, this mystery was good. Lots of drug lingo and gang member names and Dirty Harriett genuinely grossed me out. As per usual, Morrissey paints a dark and twisty picture of this crime-infested town and its grungy characters. All 4 books are tied in nicely with this one, making it feel like a truly excellent edition to the set.
If you’re a fan of this series, you’ll love The Unlucky Ones.
4.5 rounded up because I love how it all tied together.

I have never read any of the previous Black Harbor novels, so I went in with no knowledge of any character's background. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I now plan to go back and read the first 3 books in the series.

Hazel comes back to town after her ex-husband is murdered. She needed some sense of closure, but I'm not sure she received it at first. She runs into Nik, her former lover, and discovers there is a lot of unresolved feelings there. He also views her as a suspect. Nik is all Black Harbor, even though it appears to weigh him down mentally. He will never leave the crime-ridden city.

So good! Quick read. Characters are well-rounded, and I need to know more. Clearly can be read as a standalone and not feel lost-- yes, I lacked some history on Nik and Hazel, but not enough I could appreciate the current story.

The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey is a captivating blend of suspense and mystery. The characters are deeply flawed, making them all the more intriguing as their hidden pasts unravel. With unexpected twists and a relentless pace, The Unlucky Ones is a thrilling read for fans of suspenseful crime fiction.

As you all know, I absolutely love Hannah Morrissey, and absolutely love the Black Harbor series! This was one of my most anticipated reads and it did not disappoint! Then again, Hannah NEVER does🧡

Police transcriber Hazel Greenlee left Black Harbor eight years ago and has a new life in Brooklyn as an author. She thought she had left the crime-ridden city behind her, but when she finds out her ex, Tommy, is dead, she is drawn back to find out who killed him. His body was found in a clubhouse, left in a garbage bag with multiple gunshot wounds and doused in bleach. The lead investigator on the case is none other than her former lover, Nikolai Kole. He and his team are trying to get to the bottom of the murder, but after they find out Hazel is back in town, things really start to heat up. It seems that someone is trying to target her as well. Can Kole find the killer and keep Hazel safe? Will the old flame be ignited again?

I loved everything about this book, especially the fact that Hazel and Kole were back. I loved that there were references to *The Widowmaker* (my very favorite) and that Ryan Hudson even had a small part! This book was a total page-turner! It was dark, gritty, atmospheric, and suspenseful—everything I look for in a thriller! The writing is absolutely amazing, and I was completely lost in the story! It was incredibly entertaining, and I didn't want to put it down! In fact, I read it on my seven-hour flight to London! Black Harbor itself is a character, and to experience it in the summer was quite interesting. I absolutely love being in Black Harbor and cannot wait to return! If you're looking for the perfect crime thriller, look no further, this is it! I HIGHLY recommend this book!

The Unlucky Ones is my favorite book to date in the Black Harbor series! It had all of that dark, atmospheric energy that I loved in the previous books. But, what really elevated it for me was the return of so many characters from previous books! It felt like a reunion of sorts and I was living for it!

I remember loving Hazel in Hello, Transcriber and I was so excited to see her return in this book. I won’t lie, I was also interested to see what happened when she reunited with Nik after all this time apart 👀👀. Would the chemistry still be there? Was that chapter fully closed?! You’ll have to read it to find out for yourself though because I’m not spilling any secrets 🤣.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

Read if you like:

✨Police procedurals
✨Former lovers with unfinished business
✨Small town crime

Hannah Morrissey delivers another atmospheric thriller with The Unlucky Ones, plunging readers back into the haunting streets of Black Harbor. The tension is razor-sharp as Hazel and Kole navigate a murder that’s as personal as it is chilling. The city itself feels like a living, breathing character—grimy, dangerous, and unrelenting. Morrissey’s writing is immersive, laced with noir-style grit and complex emotions. While the pacing slows at times, the mystery keeps you hooked, and the chemistry between Hazel and Kole crackles with unresolved tension. A gripping, moody read that crime fiction fans will devour.

Thank you Hannah Morrissey, Macmillan Audio, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Book 4 in the Black Harbour series was a wild, twisty, dark journey! This series is so atmospheric. I can picture everything so vividly in this town. Very Gotham.
Hazel and Kole, just 🥹
This is a must trad thriller series. The Unlucky Ones, was fast paced and kept me guessing.

Thank you so much Netgalley, Hannah Morrissey and St Martin's press for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

3.5 ⭐️ This was a detailed police procedural that I enjoyed overall. The characters were well-developed, and the writing made it an easy read. The story primarily revolves around the drug underworld in a small town, but I felt it was lacking in thrill and excitement. Despite this, the writing was so strong that it kept me engaged throughout. While this can be read as a standalone, it’s the fourth book in a series, and I think reading the previous three might have made this one even more enjoyable.

HAZEL (from Hello, Transcriber, Black Harbor #1) is BACK!

Tommy Greenlee, Hazel's ex-husband, has been shot several times and left for dead, wrapped in a garbage bag and bleach poured all over the body. But that's not all, a lottery ticket was found on him.
Haunted by her memories of him and Black Harbor, she returns after 8 years. Someone else she left there, Sergeant Nikolai Kole and their past love affair, isn't far from her mind either.
He's been assigned the case. They work together to uncover who shot her ex, but Hazel doesn't know she's being watched by an evil entity the whole time.

This book is awesome! So many easter eggs via characters from past books are brought together in this one. The gore of the crime scenes is next level, gritty. The locations in the story, I could see and feel in my bones. Drug crazed lunatics are amuk and that's just the on the surface of book 4. The pacing is perfect and kept me wanting to know more - as did the calling card of the killer, these lottery tickets turning up everywhere -- what did the numbers mean?? The book wraps up with an explosive finish that could satisfy those who've been lured into this town. BUT -- if you want more, Morrissey hasn't locked the closed door, either. It's entirely up to you, the reader, to let her know if Black Harbor should remain as a scab, or if it needs to be picked.😬🫣 IYKYK

4.5 rounded up because I LOVED this one! A fun, dark and twisty mystery. I could not put this down and quite literally lost sleep to finish it! The twists kept me guessing, the story was intriguing and exciting and I really enjoyed the characters, too.

Definitely worth the read and made me want to read the rest of the books in the series!

Main Characters:
-- Hazel Rydelle – former police transcriber turned author who escaped Black Harbor and moved to New York, previously had a relationship with Nik Kole while she was married to Tommy
-- Nikolai Kole – police sergeant of Black Harbor’s Violent Crime Task Force, has spent 23 years as a police officer battling the violence and drug culture that infiltrates every corner of Black Harbor
-- Fletcher, Riley, and Axel – Nik’s investigative team
-- Big House – owner of The Mineshaft, a members-only club where police are not allowed, central location in town for the drug trade and where Tommy Greenlee was murdered
-- Robert Pitts – a member of The Mineshaft who brought in a non-member the night that Tommy Greenlee was killed
-- Dirty Harriet – a confidential informant for the police, lives in a rundown apartment, very much a part of the drug culture
-- Buddha – the top of the Black Harbor food chain, identity unknown
-- Hades – disgraced drug lord currently serving a prison sentence

Trigger warning: suicide, murder, drug use

"The Unlucky Ones" is the fourth book in Hannah Morrissey’s Black Harbor series. While it can be billed as a stand-alone novel, I feel like I would have benefitted from reading the previous books in the series because there is only so much back story that can be included. In this case, it wasn’t enough.

Hazel moved to Black Harbor with then-husband Tommy Greenlee and became a police transcriber, working with Nikolai. Eight years prior to the current story, Hazel moved to New York after an affair with Nikolai and a divorce from Tommy. There, she wrote a novel that put the small town of Black Harbor on the map. When she learns about Tommy’s murder, she returns to Black Harbor to try to figure out what happened.

Nik has spent his entire career in law enforcement in Black Harbor. Despite the prevalence of the violence and drug culture, Nik feels compelled to stay in Black Harbor to try to make a difference. It’s clear that he felt deeply for Hazel and wants to keep her safe. Their former relationship is mentioned a number of times by co-workers, though, so it makes things a bit uncomfortable for him when she starts to get involved in the case.

There is a lot happening in this book, and I had a hard time following everything. Because of the references to the past, I ended up with more questions than answers. Why did Hazel and Tommy ultimately split up? Did he know about her affair with Nik? When and why did she decide to go to New York? There are references to her dropping items over the railing of the bridge, but so much context is missing. Is any of it relevant to the current day? I feel like it was intentional on the author’s part, but it just created more confusion.

A second murder (Tommy’s best friend) kicks the investigation into high gear, and they decide to leverage Hazel’s knowledge of the law enforcement systems. Nik wants to keep her close to keep her safe, so she might as well help them with the investigation. There are no real twists in this story. The investigation uncovers one lead after the next, and eventually they figure things out, and of course Nik saves the day.

In addition to the back stories that would have provided helpful context, my biggest question mark was why Hazel decided to go back to Black Harbor. She was divorced from Tommy. She had no connection left to the town. There’s no reason for her to go back.

There are sooooo many characters in this story…too many without the historical context. And Big House, Buddha, and Hades? I know gangs have street names, but I had a really hard time keeping the three of them straight. Again, I think having the history of the previous books would have been helpful.

This was ok for me. If you’re a regular reader of this author, you will probably enjoy it more than I did.

Hazel and Kole are back and I couldn’t have been more excited for this one 😭 Hannah brings all the grit and excitement you want in a crime thriller. This time around we get Black Harbor in the summer time. The weight of the summer heat mingles with the drama and tension of the current case the BHPD is trying to unravel. Hannah gives you everything with this novel: a disturbing murder, a gritty investigation, escalating events, and a damn good conclusion.

I LOVED all the references to events from previous books and the appearances of many of the characters I loved. Hazel and Kole were two of my favorites so I’m thrilled we were given more of them. This series has me in a chokehold and I can’t recommend it enough.

This is one in a series, but also is a stand alone story. I have not read any others about these characters but was given enough of the backstory that I was never lost or confused. Overall, this is a detective thriller. There was never a big “twist” that shocked me, which is a necessary component for me. Three stars.

If doing one bad thing could save your life, would you do it?

Hazel is drawn back to Black Harbor when her ex husband is found murdered. But is it really a surprise, considering Black Harbor is a dark, gritty town that threatens to devour its residents.

When Hazel returns, she’s also once again thrust into Nickolai Kole’s orbit, and the chemistry they once had is back and stronger than ever. Like a moth to a flame they’re drawn to each other. But as Kole works to solve Hazel’s ex’s murder, and find the drug lord who’s selling Zombie, the flame they’re drawn to may just burn them for good.

The 4th book in the Black Harbor series, The Unlucky Ones is the best one yet! Hannah, you had me on the edge of my seat and gave me chills. 5 stars!⭐️

Let me preface this by saying that this is my first book in the series. I think this can work as a standalone, but there is a lot of history and backstory. I really appreciate that Morrissey did not shy away from the grittiness that comes with opioid and fentanyl addiction, and the impact it can have on a community. However, this police procedural was just too bleak and convoluted for my liking. My favourite part was the romance between Kole and Hazel.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The fourth installment of the Black Harbor is just as dark and gritty as its precursors!

When Hazel's ex-husband is shot to death, a calling card left with this body, she's drawn back to Black Harbor after years of staying away. As she tries to to solve Tommy's murder, she finds herself attracted to her former fling, Sergeant Nikolai Cole, tensions rise in Black Harbor as extreme temperatures and a new drug are pushing crime to a violent breaking point. Can Hazel solve her ex-husbands murder, navigate her complicated relationship with Kole, and leave Black Harbor behind for good?

Morrissey's atmospheric writing and dark, gritty plot points come together perfectly in The Unlucky Ones!

Hazel returns to Black Harbor when her abusive ex-husband Tommy is found dead. It's been more than 8 years since she was last there, and the memories are not good. She has not seen her ex-lover Nikolai Kole in that time, and the meetings are inevitable as he is investigating Tommy's death.

Another dark and gritty tale from Morrissey, who manages to show the underbelly of this poverty stricken and drug infested place in such descriptive ways. As Hazel and Nikolai circle each other, they try to figure out who killed Tommy.

The characters are all flawed and plot is dark and twisty. I liked the fact that the story was told from both Hazel and Nikolai's point of view, but for some reason the plot lagged for me in the middle of the book. I like these characters very much and really enjoyed the earlier books in the series. This one didn't quite do it for me, although I can't really put my finger on why!

I'm still looking forward to the next in the series.

The Unlucky Ones is the fourth book in the Black Harbour series. I haven’t read the first three, but have seen a lot of bookstagrammers rave about them so I thought I would request the latest on Netgalley.

Although this author and series has a lot of fans, I’m not one of them. For many reasons, this book just did not deliver the elements I need to be able to say it was a good read. The writing itself was basic and lacked any kind of literary flare. It also misused several words (describing “dilated” pupils, and then calling them “pinprick” in the same paragraph; saying something was “abysmally clear” when it should have been “abundantly clear”) which pulled me right out of the story. It also used Taylor Swift’s popular song lyric “play stupid games, win stupid prizes” at least 7-10 times. The repetition alone would have raised an eyebrow for me, but the blatant over-use of a very popular phrase soured me for this book.

Beyond the writing style, I just couldn’t relate to any of the characters. They were all dark. They were all broody. They all had pasts full of secrets. It was flat. The pacing was also flat and seemed to chase it’s tail thought out the middle of the book. I just wanted to finish, so I skipped about 75 pages, read the ending and knew exactly what was happening.

I want to thank the publisher and @netgalley for approving my request - my reviews are always (brutally) honest.