Unfortunately I'm not the target audience for this book. I'm more of a romance reader and this was a bit too much for me.

This is the perfect, bittersweet farewell to a city I will inevitably be pulled back to revisit. I loved this. 100% recommend.,

Hannah Morrissey's new Black Harbor novel hits like a shot of whiskey - smooth going down, but burns afterward. It's a story about coming home, except home is a powder keg waiting to explode.

Black Harbor is cooking - both in temperature and crime. A nasty new drug is ripping through the streets, and into this mess walks a police transcriber-turned-novelist, investigating her ex-husband's murder. Bad timing? Maybe. Or maybe it's exactly the right time to uncover the rot beneath the city's surface.

Morrissey writes like she's painting with shadows. Each sentence adds another layer of darkness, another secret waiting to be uncovered. The city itself becomes a character - dangerous, seductive, and impossible to trust. Her characters aren't heroes or villains; they're people carrying their own demons, fighting their own addictions, running from pasts that refuse to stay buried.

You don't need to read the earlier Black Harbor books to dive into this one, but fair warning: this isn't your cozy mystery with tea and crumpets. It's raw, gritty, and pulls no punches. The ending? Let's just say you won't see it coming, but once it hits, you'll realize the clues were there all along, hiding in plain sight.

For readers who like their crime fiction with a side of brass knuckles, The Unlucky Ones delivers. It's the kind of book that reminds you why murder mysteries aren't just about finding the killer - sometimes they're about finding yourself in the darkness.

the underlying plot behind black harbor is corruption and greed - and this one is no exception! surrounding drug cartels and a power struggle in the underworld, investigator kole and hazel must team up again after 8 years to solve the latest whodunnit 🙄

and they are STILL pining after each other, despite the toxic hot mess they got into in HELLO TRANSCRIBER… like you didn’t learn the first time? jesus christ

I think the stories with a focus on the drug underworld don’t really hit right for me 🥴 and I do think it’s because they’re fairly straight forward and only convoluted when the reader is figuring out who belongs to which gang… I wanted more mystery behind it all!!!!

I did love seeing the whole gang together again though, and I do hope hannah morrisey continues this series (with less focus on hades and buddha pls)

thank you to netgalley and minotaur books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: primitivo zinfandel

This is the second Hannah Morrisey book I've read and also the second I've read in the Black Harbor series.
I do like the background this book gives into the underworld of Black Harbor, although so many characters can get confusing at times.
And of course, the two main characters are just made for each other, even if it takes them a while to realize it.
Can't wait for the next Black Harbor book. Now to read 1 and 2 from this series.

I love Hannah Morrissey's writing. Hello, Transcriber hooked me from the first couple of sentences. I don't care if I was reading a recipe by her, she would find a way to make it interesting. Her books are like American Nordic Noir. Excellent character developments and well-paced plots. As with all series books, I find them to get a bit repetitive, but Morrissey manages to inject new and interesting elements into her books that make them unique and not feel so serial. The Unlucky Ones is dark and gritty, and does not disappoint, I always find myself rooting for Hazel.

Every book in this series has been an atmospheric, edge of your seat read.

This is an auto-buy author for me, her books read like I am on the set of an action packed TV Crime Drama. From start to finish she pulls me into the story and I feel like I am working right alongside the lead characters to solve the Mystery. Her writing style is really immersive and engaging.

As long as this series continues I'll definitely be reading and recommending it!

Thank you Hannah Morrissey, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book!

"The Unlucky Ones" by Hannah Morrissey is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The plot is intriguing, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to get invested in their stories. However, I found the pacing to be a bit uneven at times, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. Additionally, the ending, while surprising, felt a bit abrupt and left some loose ends. Overall, it's a solid read for fans of the genre, but it could have been more polished in its execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. This was my first experience with Hannah’s work, and even though I haven't explored any of the previous books in the series, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. For me, it stood out as a strong standalone novel. The murder mystery was well-crafted, and I appreciated the multiple connections leading to the conclusion, which made the story more engaging and captivating. It kept me curious about the final outcome. My only minor issue was that it felt a bit repetitive at times, often reiterating details from earlier chapters. However, given that it was framed as an ongoing investigation, it still made sense within the narrative.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

💥 Pub Date: 3/25/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

• thriller x police procedural
• moody atmosphere
• gritty, rough characters

The common thread throughout this series is raw characters in gruesome storylines. I did like how we are typically in Black Harbor in the dead of winter, but The Unlucky Ones takes us to a sweltering 4th of July. These books are well-written and captivating. This is book four in the series, so be sure to start with Hello, Transcriber!

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

Overall I enjoyed this read. This was my first read of Hannah and even though I havent read any of the prior books in this series, I did not feel like I was missing out on anything. For me, this read was a great stand-alone. I thought the murder mystery aspect was well done and I liked that there were multiple connections to the final end. it made the story more interesting and captivating for me as a reader, it kept me engaged and wondering what the final result would be. I liked the characters and the midwest background, as a WI resident myself, reading a book by a local author was great. I think my only qualm with this was that it felt repetitive at times, often recapping the same things from a prior chapter. However, because it was served as an ongoing investigation in the story, it did work.

I look forward to reading other books from this author!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Reluctant Detective
Romantic Subplot
Kingpin Drug Operation

Hannah Morrissey's "The Unlucky Ones" is a really good crime thriller, all about family drama and drug dealing, and my rating is more based on my preference than the book itself. It drags a bit sometimes, but the characters and story are pretty great. The ending left me wanting more, but it's a solid read for anyone who likes crime thrillers!!

3.5 stars, rounded down
The Unlucky Ones is the fourth in the Black Harbor series and the two main characters from the first book (Hello, Transcriber) return front and center. Tommy Greenlee is found dead from multiple gunshots in an after hours club. The murder investigation falls to Nik Kole. Nik has the distinction of having had an affair with Greenlee’s now ex-wife. Hazel, who moved away, returns to Black Harbor, determined to find out what happened to her ex. Kole and Hazel are again drawn to each other, but there’s a big lack of trust on both sides.
Morrissey has once again crafted a dark, enigmatic story. There are multiple horrific scenes. Her writing is atmospheric and paints a complete picture of this town on the verge of igniting. “This is Black Harbor. Things only trend one way. Down. Unless you’re talking about violent crime, then that’s definitely up.” The characters are fully drawn and contrasting POVs keep the storyline moving forward at a brisk pace. Towards the end, there is one totally improbable plot device which soured me somewhat on the story. There is also the obligatory main character doing a really stupid thing.
I think this would work best if you’ve read Hello, Transcriber but you don’t need to have read books two and three.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Hello Transcriber was my least favorite of the Black Harbor books, it was fine but Books 2 and 3 were excellent. This one is pretty good too -- it T takes you back to Hazel and Kole from the first book, pulls in some of the threads from books 2 and 3 and really continues to build up the character of Black Harbor as well. Definitely not a place I'd like to live!

Black Harbor. Where murder and mayhem lurk around every corner. Everything is amplified here. The frozen winters and dilapidated buildings hardly compare to any other city. The bleak atmosphere is nothing compared to the crime. It’s as if Crime is its own being. The true king of Black Harbor. Feeding on anyone in its path and leaving a rippling wake of destruction everywhere it roams.

The Unlucky Ones takes us on our fourth journey to this dark and gritty town but this time, it’s during the extreme heat of July. If you thought Black Harbor’s winters were unbearable, I can’t wait for you to see how torturous it can be in the summer! I have been waiting a long time to say this and I finally can…HAZEL IS BACK! Hazel is the main character in Hello, Transcriber and one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. What brings her back is the murder of her ex-husband, Tommy. Because this is Black Harbor, this isn’t just any old murder. His body was found tied up in garbage bags and covered in bleach. Detective Kole and his team are on the case but things get complicated quickly when they realize Hazel is back in town. The temperatures are already high but they skyrocket as Hazel and Nik work through their past to determine whether or not they can have, or even want, a future.

I HIGHLY suggest reading the Black Harbor novels in order. Hannah is a master at her craft and there are Easter eggs from all three previous books throughout this one. You technically can read this one as a standalone because she provides background information on all the important plot points. But…with so much time until pub day in March, why not treat yourself to everything Black Harbor has to offer?

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the copy of The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey. I loved the moodiness of Black Harbor and I know it isn’t somewhere I would want to live because the descriptions were so vivid. I loved the fast pace of the book and that there was so much happening which really drew me right in. The story was complex, and I needed to concentrate to keep track of everything. You can read this as a standalone but it is even more satisfying if you have read the previous books! 4 stars.

It was so fantastic to get Hazel and Kole back together again! They are great together and I had fun reading about them again. The pacing of this book is very fast and that helped propel me through the pages. I couldn’t get enough of this one and finished it way to quick. I just couldn’t put it down it was so much fun. I needed to find out what was going to happen next, there were so many twists and turns, it was great. This is one of those series that has great continuity between the books. Sure, you could read them as stand alones, but in the case of these I don’t’ think you should. There is just too much good stuff happening in each one that you need to know. I’m so glad that I don’t live in a place like Black Harbor. It just has never seemed like a good place, and so many bad things happen there. The author does such a fantastic job bringing it to life as she does with the characters. They are relatable and feel like real people which I enjoy.

If you’re looking for a fun addition to this series, then check this one out.

Black Harbor, a gritty city where the criminals work hard and the cops work harder. When police respond to a homicide at the local criminal hangout, Sergeant Nik Kole immediately recognizes the deceased, Tommy Greenlee. Kole and Tommy were steadfast enemies, all because of Hazel, Tommy’s ex-wife and Kole’s ex girlfriend. Hazel, now living in NYC, returns to Black Harbor, a town she swore never to return to find out more about who killed Tommy. Questions that need answers – why was Tommy killed? Why did Tommy have a scratch off ticket with a particular set of numbers on it? What is going on in Black Harbor and who is behind it?

This is a fast pace, good cop/bad guy story filled with murder, drugs, a possible serial killer and tensions, both physical and psychological between Kole and Hazel. This is the first time reviewing a book by Hannah Morrissey but I enjoy her writing style, the pace of the book, the development of the characters. I read this book quickly as I wanted to find out who did what to whom, and what was going to happen next. Don’t miss this one.

Thank you so, so much to Hannah Morrissey and Minotaur Books for the e-ARC! This is one of my favorite book series. Book is impossible to put down. Loved it.

Thank you so, so much to Hannah Morrissey and Minotaur Books for the e-ARC! Being approved for one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 was so surreal, and Morrissey’s fourth installment in the Midwest Noir world of Black Harbor was everything I wanted it to be and more.

Set ten years after the events of Hello, Transcriber, we return to Black Harbor through Hazel and Nik’s eyes when Hazel’s ex-husband turns up murdered in a notorious hangout for dealers and crime lords. Nikolai Kole is the lead investigator who finds his body - and a flood of memories of the woman he still carries a torch for come rushing back.

In tandem, Hazel has finally found success as an author, escaping the darkness of Black Harbor to Brooklyn. But when news of her husband’s murder reaches her, she feels a pull back to where it all started that might not be exclusively related to the feeling of a new case.

Morrissey truly outdid herself with this one. I’ve been hooked on the way she incorporates her intricate criminology knowledge via her own experiences as a former police transcriber since book one, and it was a delight to see my two favorite characters in her universe grow. I loved that this incorporated reflections on trauma and the urge to run, addiction in all its forms, and who the real criminals behind drug proliferation are vs the victims who get stuck as pawns in their machinations.

I noticed a few minor quirks where aphorisms were slightly off: “I could give a fuck” instead of “I couldn’t give a fuck,” “That’s no tall task” instead of “That’s no small task,” and one miss on a “three word” vs a “three letter answer at the very end. Just pointing these out if they’re helpful because I adore these books and happened to notice a few tiny details :)

I also loved how this incorporated storylines, characters and details from Morrissey’s previous Black Harbor books, uniting all of them into one high-stakes level up with what felt like effortlessness and sly winks from Morrissey into the camera (without giving too much away, those Widowmaker references *chef’s kiss*)

This feels like the Armand Gamache series for a new generation, with more grit and a mean right hook. Morrissey may be at the top of her game with this one, but I have a hunch she’s going to continue to get even better. I’m so grateful I got to read this!