I have to admit I didn’t enjoy this addition to the Black Harbor series as much as the others. I kind of found the writing a bit juvenile. I was a little bored
2.5⭐️ rounded up

This is the fourth book in the Black Harbor series. Not aware of that, I read book #4- The Unlucky Ones. While it really could be read as a stand-alone, I probably would have appreciated it more knowing the setting and some of the returning main characters.
The main character, Hazel, was a police transcriber, who left the town of Black Harbor, Wisconsin to escape her ex-husband Tommy and his controlling ways.
Black Harbor is a town filled with drug dealers, violent crime, suicides/murders, and people who are not trust-worthy.
Hazel returns to Black Harbor around the same time that her ex-husband is brutally murdered. He however is not the first, nor will he be the last. Hazel tries to stay under the radar of those in this town but Sergeant Nik Kole, Hazel’s former boss at the police station and one time lover, discovers that she is back in town.
The story is told from the perspectives of Hazel and Kole. It was unbelievable that all the events that happened, occurred within a 5-day span. The pace of the book is quick, with short chapters, often with cliff-hangers. Lots of twists and turns throughout the book keep the reader guessing who is telling the truth and who is lying to save themselves. This is a police procedural involving investigative work, drugs, dirty money, death, crime, gangs and murder.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Published on March 25, 2025

Thank you, Minotaur and NetGalley, for my eARC of The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

In The Unlucky Ones, we are following Hazel and Kole as they try to figure out who murdered Hazel's ex-husband and why. This was the 4th book in a series and although I hadn't read the first three before this one, I wasn't lost or needed to have read the first 3 to have figured this one out.

The writing was great, the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed the plot. I liked that we not only were trying to solve the case of who the murderer was and what the motive was, but we also got the side moments of Hazel and her past, plus Kole and his background, and the present angst of will they/won't they. Another aspect that I liked was that the focus of the book was on the crime/mystery and the romance was just an added bonus, if you will.

I'll be going back to read the first 3 in the series so I can learn more about Hazel.

Thanks, Minotaur!

I loved this book! It’s number 4 in the series and I loved it more than the others!! Would suggest reading asap!

I struggled with this book. I thought it started out slow and was hard to get into. I ended up scanning through it because I just could not get it to catch my attention. This was disappointing because I was looking forward to reading it.

I did just do the audio of The Unlucky Ones and wanted to share. It was a dark twisted novel (4th in a series that I haven’t read before - oops) about a police transcriber turned novelist who returns to her former home to solve the murder of her ex-husband. Everything about this book felt gritty. It oozed from the story with such clear descriptions of this decrepit town and creepy residents. It was dark but enthralling and kept me captivated and guessing until the end.

THE UNLUCKY ONES is Book 4 in the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey. Although I really enjoyed some of her books in the past, I must admit that this is my first in the series, and I can’t wait to read the others as I loved the characters.

When Tommy Greenlee is found dead, Hazel returns to Black Harbor to investigate, knowing full well that she will be in contact with Nikolai Kole, a man she had an affair with eight years ago. While he is also investigating, he is dealing with the loss of his brother, Evan, who was a good cop before committing suicide. As a new designer drug, Zombie, takes hold of black harbour, secrets and lies begin to unravel in this small town.

Hazel and Nikolai used each other for their own means in their past relationship but can they put their past behind and work together to uncover what is really going on around them. The clues are right in front of them if they know how to look.

I really enjoyed the red herrings in this one. I would find myself going down one road and have to turn around and seek another avenue. The writing was clear and concise which led to an enjoyable read. I look forward to the three prior books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saint Martin’s/Minotaur Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Ms Morrissey is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. She pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the very end..You find yourself on the edge of your seat and trying to turn the pages as fast as you can. If you enjoy mystery and suspense, I believe you will joy this story.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

When I first requested this book, I had no idea it was a series. So of course, I grabbed all the previous books and I was definitely NOT disappointed!!! It felt like I was part of the whole solving the murders and it was totally enjoyable!!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!!

In the sweltering chaos of crime-ridden Black Harbor, a grisly murder draws Sergeant Kole and his former lover Hazel back into each other’s orbit—this time, tied by the death of her ex-husband and a killer who wants to make it personal. As the city burns and secrets unravel, desire and danger collide in a darkly addictive thriller where no one escapes unscathed.

This is everything I hoped for—and more—for Hazel’s story after Hello, Transcriber. Morrissey finally delivered the backstory I craved in book one, deepening Hazel’s character and reconnecting her with Kole in a way that felt both electric and inevitable. The chemistry between them simmered with even more desire than I anticipated, and their complicated dynamic was explored with nuance and grit.

Despite the intensity of their relationship, the central mystery surrounding Hazel’s ex-husband remained front and center, weaving a suspenseful, emotionally charged plot that balanced danger with longing. Morrissey crafted a killer storyline (pun fully intended) while still allowing space for these characters to seek the closure—and maybe even the redemption—they deserve.

That said, the cast of characters sometimes felt unwieldy, and I occasionally struggled to keep track of who was who. It made the pacing feel a bit cluttered at times. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this installment and genuinely hope Morrissey isn’t done with Black Harbor just yet.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just what I was looking for at the moment. It was dark and mysterious and I really couldn't wait to pick it every time I had a few minutes. It is a part of the series but you don't have to read them all to understand what is going on. I will go back and read the rest of the series through out the year.

Hannah Morrissey just has a way of captivating you. She catches your attention & doesn't let go. I love her books.

Morrissey is great at writing police procedurals that make you feel like you are right there solving the murder with them. The plot was great, the descriptions were believable and the characters were all interesting.

This is the 4th in the Transcriber series and felt it was rather sluggish to start. Hazel returns to Black Harbor and this police procedural pulls Hazel and Kole together. Black Harbor is much the same - kind of dangerous filled with drugs. However the plot fails to really pull me in this time around. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

Best book of the Black Harbor series so far. I was hoping we’d get more of Hazel and Kole and the author did not disappoint. If you are looking for a crime/mystery book with a bit of drama and romance this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The Unlucky Ones is my first experience with Hannah Morrissey, and to my surprise, it’s the fourth installment in her Black Harbor series. Despite not having read the earlier books, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this one. It worked well as a standalone, but I’ll definitely be going back to explore the earlier books to understand the characters and their backstories better.

The story follows Hazel, a woman who left her crime ridden hometown, Black Harbor, and her abusive ex husband, Tommy Greenlee. Hazel returns to town 8 years later after hearing that Tommy has been brutally murdered. Determined to uncover the truth behind his death, she sets out to figure out who killed him.

In charge of the investigation is Sergeant Nikolai Kole, Hazel’s former lover from her time married to Tommy. Hazel worked as a police transcriber in the past, which is how she crossed paths with Nikolai. The two call a truce and end up working together to solve the murder. As they dig deeper into the murder, they uncover connections to past events and suicides that seem to lead to something much darker lurking in Black Harbor.

This book was a great police procedural read, and I absolutely loved it. Fans of Karin Slaughter’s work will likely enjoy this, but it’s a bit more toned down in terms of intensity and detail. I’d rate The Unlucky Ones a solid 4/5. It’s a fantastic read on its own, and I’m looking forward to diving into the earlier books in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the book.

The unlucky ones is the latest installment in the Black Harbor novels. I was so excited to read this book and go back to Black Harbor. These books don’t need to be read in order but this one feels like a sequel to Hello Transcriber so I would recommend reading that one first.
Premise: Tommy is murdered, shot 5 times. When the police search his apartment they find all of his guns are missing. Tommy’s ex wife Hazel suspiciously returns to black harbor at the same time as Tommy’s murder. Detective Kole begins to dig into the case as more bodies start showing up. During the early investigation Kole discovers that Tommy recently found a large amount of drugs that are also missing. The bodies are linked by several matching lottery tickets and Kole discovers this could also be linked to his brothers death. Hazel being back in black harbor makes her a suspect, but everyone in Black Harbor is a suspect. Kole and Hazel have a complicated past and as the case unfolds so does their relationship.
Overall I give this 3 stars. I was so excited to read this because I loved Hello Transcriber and Kole and Hazels relationship. However this one was definitely more a slow burn, police investigation. I found a lot of the middle to be boring and not much happened to keep my interest.
The unlucky ones is out now!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, but this book was spectacular. I had not read anything about it before I started reading. Imagine my happy surprise to see right from the first page that Hazel was back. This book was a doozy from the first page to the last. I caught myself holding my breath so many times at the end, the suspense was a real killer!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing book. I can't recommend this series enough!

The Unlucky Ones is the fourth thriller in the Black Harbor series. Hazel is back in Black Harbor after clawing her way out eight years ago. Her ex husband’s murder brings her back to the place she swore she’d never return to even though it is the last place she wants to be. When her path crosses with Sergeant Nikolai Kole her past is brought back full circle, haunting her. They were once lovers, but what are they now? With things growing more dangerous in town, Hazel and Nik might just need to work together. Will they be able to call a truce or will their pasts come back to haunt them?

I’ve read one other book in this series and enjoy to so I knew I needed to give this newest one a chance. I am not typically into thrillers and at times this book was too gory for me, but I knew what to expect going in and I enjoyed it nonetheless. The town of Black Harbor is a terrible place to be, but described in such a way that you feel like you are there right along with the characters. This story is gritty and dangerous, but it pulls you in and won’t let you go until it’s over. I enjoyed Hazel and Nik together and want to go back to the early books in this series to see how they got their start. If you are a thriller fan, this book is a great one to check out! If, like me, you tend to like cozier mysteries you can enjoy this one if you go in knowing there will be violence and gore. I really enjoyed this book, even though it was out of my usual genres!

When you sign up to read one of Hannah Morrissey’s books there are a few things that’ll always be true; her books are dark, gritty and a visit to Black Harbor always means trouble.

Let’s get one thing straight here, Black Harbor has got to be one of my favorite settings in this genre. The atmosphere is creepy, dark, and full of criminal activity. While I felt like this story moved a bit too slow for my taste, it was still edgy, tenuous, and I loved that the author brought back favorite characters from Hello, Transcriber (which has been my favorite book). You can read these books as a series or as standalones. I definitely recommend reading as a series!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this eArc of The Unlucky Ones. I can’t wait for Hannah’s next book.