Black Harbor is a gritty, crime-ridden town that Hazel, a former police transcriber, escaped years ago — along with her abusive ex-husband, Tommy. After his murder, she returns, but is it for answers or to reconnect with her former lover, police sergeant Nikolai Kole? As they dig deeper, the town’s darkest secrets come to light.

Morrissey paints a vivid, atmospheric portrait of a place most long to leave. The story is well-written, with strong character development, though I occasionally found Hazel’s motivations hard to grasp. This fourth installment works well as a standalone, with enough backstory to follow easily.

Every now and then, readers discover a series that seems to flow from one book to the next with no need to remember where the last one left off or get familiar with the characters again. Such is the Black Harbor series, this is book #4 but the story picks up where the last one stopped. Hannah Morrissey must be an avid reader to be able to craft a series like this one.
Black Harbor is a smallish town just like so many others. There are good characters and some not so good and some very interesting ones that keep readers involved in the stories. Sgt Nikolia Kole responds to a murder scene that turns out to be anything but a routine death in a drug house. The victim is Tommie, the ex-husband of Kole's former lover, Hazel. The scene is a mixture of bad things happening to bad people, but Hazel will return to Black Harbor in hopes of helping to find his killer. The story has dark moments but the tension runs tight throughout the book as Kole and Hazel dance around their history.
This series is one that will hook any one who loves great thrillers with characters that are well developed and three dimensional. I know I love it!!!

Trouble is brewing again in Black Harbor. The death of Tommy Greenlee brings his ex-wife, Hazel, the former police transcriber, back to town – a place she vowed never to return. Hazel left town at the end of the first novel in this series. In The Unlucky Ones, we meet Hazel again as she leaves the city to find out what happened to her ex-husband.
Black Harbor is not a pretty town. The economy doesn’t offer much to folks trying to make a life for themselves. Drugs and crime are rampant, and the old iron bridge in town is a beacon for lost souls. Hazel is certain though, regardless how awful and violent her relationship with Tommy turned, he never did the drugs that take most of the people in Black Harbor.
Sergeant Nikolai Kole is looking into Tommy’s gruesome death. It doesn’t take long for Nik and Hazel’s paths to cross again, and with all the tension. Trying to figure out what happened, and what each other’s motives are while navigating the darkness, they need to work together to fill the gaps. With their history, that makes things tough. Nik knows he needs to keep Hazel safe to get to the bottom of this newest crime wave, but will Hazel let him?
Though Black Harbor is not a tourist destination, I enjoy each visit there with Hannah Morrissey. Reuniting with all the characters and visiting the familiar places is comforting. It’s nice to know some people are able to fight against the dreariness of Black Harbor.
I’ve been a fan of this series since getting hooked on Hello, Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey. I appreciate receiving a digital ARC of The Unlucky Ones from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Book Four of the Series

When Hazel Greenlee returns to Black Harbor after learning her ex, Tommy, has been murdered. This also means being in the same place as her former lover, Sgt. Nikolai Kole.

As the temperatures rise, so does crime... why is that always the way? Kole is called out to a clubhouse after a body is found in trash bags with bleach poured over. This is going to be a challenge as one of the first rules of the clubhouse is no cops, so it's obvious that the members won't be helpful.

It was interesting to see how this murder was connected to other crime in the area. I'm thinking I would have enjoyed this more had I read the first books of the series. It just seemed slow to me, and never really picked up the pace.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Hannah Morrissey for the eARC.

Sergeant Nikolai Kole is called to the scene of the murder and discovers the body is his former lover’s ex-husband. Hazel is a police transcriber turned novelist who left Black Harbor eight years ago. Her ex-husband has been murdered, and she returns to find out who killed him and why. As the atmosphere in Black Harbor becomes more volatile, Hazel and Nikolai are forced to call a truce and work together to solve the murder.

THE UNLUCKY ONES is the fourth book in the Black Harbor series, and while I think it could be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading book one Hello, Transcriber first as this book is a continuation of Hazel and Nikolai’s story.

I’ve enjoyed each of Morrissey’s books, but I think this one takes the cake as my favorite with When I’m Dead taking a close second. Morrissey’s writing is vivid, descriptive, and highly engrossing. The setting of Black Harbor, like in her previous books, is so well described, eerie, and feels like a living and breathing character of its own.

I gained a better appreciation of Hazel and Kole’s story here. While I liked Hello, Transcriber, I enjoyed the continuation of their story and the characters themselves a lot more than my first reading experience. THE UNLUCKY ONES is told in dual POV, alternating between Kole and Hazel’s perspectives. The characters are well written with good depth, flaws, and distinctive voices. The chemistry and tension between the two characters is palpable. I really enjoyed the rapport they rekindle over the course of the story. A special shout out to Kole’s dog whose name I already cannot remember but whose presence I truly adored.

The plot is well-crafted with layers of grit, twists, and intrigue that kept me captivated from start to finish. I wasn’t sure how it would all go down but was more than willing to jump in and enjoy the ride!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book in the Black Harbor series by Hannah Morrissey, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Angela Dawe and Robb Moreira. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Detective Nik Kole finds a dead body in a clubhouse wrapped in bags and doused in bleach. But things take a turn when the body is identified as Tommy Greenlee, the ex-husband of Hazel and Kole's ex-lover. Hazel returns to Black Harbor to find out how killed Tommy, only to find that people are looking to her as a suspect.

I think this series keeps getting better – I’d definitely recommend starting from the beginning, but there’s enough info to enjoy as a standalone as well. But what I really enjoy in this series is how the characters all repeat, but sometimes in major roles and other times in minor roles in the various books. The main character from Hello, Transcriber is back as a main character in this book, so we get to see how things have changed for her, as well as her relationship with Detective Nik Kole. Plus, some previous storylines come to a resolution. This storyline mirrors the town of Black Harbor – gritty and dark – delving more into the seedy drug world tearing up the town. Morrissey's writing and the narration brings this town to life. Wonderful series!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

Unlike Hazel, I was more than happy to be back in Black Harbor again, as this is one of my most favorite series. In fact, I think this might be the best book yet. Hazel has left Black Harbor for good, which no one does, but then her ex-husband is murdered, which means she returns once again to help solve who was behind it. This was excellent, the audio is narrated by the fabulous Angela Dawe and Robb Moreira, and I listened to it in a day just devouring this one. I love this series, the setting, the characters and the plot, basically everything, and if you haven’t read this yet then you really should fix that now.

Welcome back to Black Harbor.

HANNAH MORRISSEY’s upcoming release THE UNLUCKY ONES is another outstanding addition to the series, weaving together so many elements I love in a story:

✦ Dark + gritty storylines
✦ Police investigation
✦ The reluctant return home
✦ Complicated relationships
✦ Lurking danger
✦ Secrets + twists

Black Harbor is the type of crime-ridden city that has claimed the lives of many. Those who chose to stay to fight the lurking evil know the sacrifice it requires, the toll it takes + the piece of their soul it claims. And for those who are lucky enough to escape its clutches you’d have to be crazy to come back.

For Hazel, it’s been 8 years since she said good-bye. But the news of her ex-husband’s death pulls the transcriber-turned-writer back, desperately searching for answers. Drawn back to the city and to Nikolai Kole, the man who forever altered Hazel’s life.

Kole is the lead detective on the murder case. It’s a gruesome scene + the killer left a calling card. Before long Kole and his team realize this crime is connected to the past and the first in a new string of crimes. And Hazel isn’t the only one in danger.

I’m such a massive fan of HANNAH MORRISSEY’s writing. Her characters are so expertly drawn and the stories are an emotional punch wrapped in a page-turning thriller. I was so worried for the fate of these characters, compulsively, terrifyingly turning pages. And yes, there were some tears. I loved it so much.

If you’ve read the entire Black Harbor series there are so many fun winks and dark nods to the storylines and the characters of the past book. And if you’re new to the series this is as great as place as any to start. (Though I implore you to go back to the beginning with Hello, Transcriber.)

Huge thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to St.Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the arc!

Welcome back to Black Harbor!!! I have loved Hannah Morrissey’s writing since Hello, Transcriber and The Unlucky Ones doesn’t disappoint.

I loved being back with Kole and Hazel. I’m a sucker for a good police procedural, dirty crime, dark gothic atmospheric book and that’s what Hannah has always delivered with the books in the Black Harbor series. Bonus points as all the books are interconnected standalones!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy of THE UNLUCKY ONES by Hannah Morrissey. This one is out March 25.

I love Black Harbor but these last two weren't as exciting as the ones before. I did love seeing Hazel again and having the characters be all mostly known from previous books, which makes the series all come together so well. I hope there are more of these and I hope they contain less black plastic bags blowing in the wind and also less of the saying you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Those were both cool the first time, but then they were repeated so many times.

The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey is the fourth installment in the Black Harbor series. While each of the books could be read on their own, I'd definitely recommend reading the first book, Hello Transcriber, before reading The Unlucky Ones. It adds much more depth to both the characters and the overall plot.

When Hazel's ex-husband, Tommy Greenlee, is found murdered—his body wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach—she's drawn back to Black Harbor after eight years away.

Reuniting with Sergeant Nikolai Kole, her former lover now leading the investigation, they confront a city where violent crime and a new drug epidemic have reached alarming heights.

As they delve deeper, Hazel and Kole uncover a web of corruption and deceit, forcing them to question their own past decisions and the true nature of those around them.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Hannah Morrissey for the opportunity to read this ahead of its proposed release date of March 25, 2025.

ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || THE UNLUCKY ONES [thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted digital and audio copies!]

Title: The Unlucky Ones
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Format: audio + digital
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Narrator: Angela Dawe + Robb Moreira
Narration: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
As Black Harbor’s crime rate and temperatures hit record highs, Sergeant Nikolai Kole responds to a brutal murder—only to find the victim is Tommy Greenlee, the ex-husband of his former lover, Hazel.

Drawn back to the city after eight years, Hazel is determined to uncover who killed Tommy and why. Forced into an uneasy truce, she and Kole dig into Black Harbor’s darkest secrets. But as they get closer to the truth—and each other—they risk being consumed by the city’s violence and their own haunting past.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was an EXCELLENT return to Black Harbor, if I do say so myself. And I’m just saying that because the romance reader in me NEEDED a better conclusion for Kole and Hazel’s love story. 😂

I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this one (both old - which there were a lot - and new) and all of the callbacks to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER.

The crime in this one took a lot of turns and took a bit of brain power to keep up, but I really enjoyed watching all of the puzzle pieces line up (while Kole & Hazel also lined up, if you catch my drift).

I would recommend this one if you’ve visited Black Harbor before & are itching for more dark, gritty crimes!

🎧: While I am deeply grateful to my bookclub for warning me about the gruesome details in the beginning of this novel so I didn’t listen to the first half of the book (I watch a lot of crime TV shows, but I don’t think I could have handled listening to the discovery of Tommy’s body), the audiobook was very well done! I loved that it was dual narration and being able to listen into each MCs head. Highly recommend if you are like me and prefer your thriller in audiobook form!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Dark Crime
Police Procedurals
Small Town Stories
Unlikely Romance
Constant Twists & Turns

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.08
# of Pages/Hours: 304 / 09:39
Pub Date: March 25, 2025

I’ve had mixed success with this series. One I disliked, one was meh, and the third book I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, this one was also a dislike.

I didn’t like the characters (not surprising since it involves the same two main characters from the other book I disliked) and I was actually kind of bored with the story. I considered DNFing around 35%, but but kept reading with the hope it would get better. It didn’t.

I won’t be recommending this to others and I think I’m done with this series and author. Her work just isn’t doing for me.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I hate DNFing books, especially when I’ve read and enjoyed the rest of the series, but The Unlucky Ones just wasn’t working for me. I usually fly through books when I’m invested, but after nearly a month, I wasn’t even 50% in—and that’s when I knew I had to step away.

Black Harbor has always been dark and gritty, but this time, it felt more suffocating than immersive. Instead of getting lost in the mystery, I kept feeling weighed down by it. I also struggled to connect with the characters or their motivations, which made it even harder to stay engaged. This one felt the least like a standalone. There were so many references to past events and characters from the first three books that if you’re planning to read The Unlucky Ones, I’d definitely recommend reading the earlier books first.

It completely stalled my reading. I kept telling myself I had to finish it before picking up something else, but I just didn’t want to. And that’s a terrible feeling when reading is something I love. So, as much as it pains me, I’m putting this one down.

Maybe I’ll come back to it later, but for now, I need to move on. If you’re a big fan of the series, you might have better luck, but this one just wasn’t for me. 2 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the eARC.

Another gritty mystery in black harbor. I enjoyed the recall to prior characters. I didn't enjoy the absolute scuzziness of the town. The author does a great job making the town just as bleak as I think she means to. Unfortunately there are just NO redeeming qualities.

Sometimes ending books to a series are a tour de force and other times they are a way to wrap up storylines and wind things to a close. I felt that The Lucky Ones fell into the second category. I didn't find it quite as gripping as the other books, but was glad to get the chance to read the ending to an interesting series!

Hazel is back so she and Kole can resolve (or not) their situationship, and we also get return appearances by Hudson, Riley, Axel, and some other creepy Black Harbor characters. If you've enjoyed this series, don't miss it!

The Unlucky Ones is a gritty, suspenseful police procedural. It has been eight years since Hazel left Black Harbor. She returns when her ex-husband, Tommy Greenlee is brutally murdered. Her former lover, Sargeant Nikolai Kole, is the policeman in charge. There are some aspects of the crime that point to Hazel as being a suspect. These two will now work together to solve the murder. and by doing so, unearth secrets.

The author paints Black Harbor has a crime ridden place, run by ruthless crime bosses. The story is well plotted and moves at a quick pace. The characters of Hazel and Kole are well developed having first appeared in the excellent, Hello, Transcriber, the first Black Harbor book, which I highly recommend.

There are twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages as we get closer to a conclusion. We get appearances from characters of the previous in books in the series. Although this is the fourth book, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, for an ARC. The review is my own.

In the 4th book of the Black Harbor Series, Tommy Greenlee is found dead in the back of a clubhouse, wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach. Tommy was the the ex-husband of Hazel, Sergeant Nikolai Kole's former lover, The killer not only shot him several times and left him for dead, but they left what appeared to be a calling card as well. Elsewhere, Hazel is haunted by her memories of Black Harbor. Lured back after eight years, she returns to find out who killed Tommy and why. With the atmosphere growing more volatile by the second, Hazel and Kole call a truce, and as they work together to solve this murder, they will not only unearth Black Harbor’s deepest, darkest secrets—they’ll each have to face their own.

I really enjoy this series. Black Harbor is the town you would never want to live in. It is riddled with crime, it is a hotbed of drug dealers and drug users. The only saving grace of that town is Kole. Each book can be read as a standalone, so don't worry if you haven't read any of the previous books. They all take place in Black Harbor, but each book has a different case, and there isn't really much if any overlap. If you love thrillers, then you should definitely check this out.

Hannah Morrissey delivers a dark, unrelenting murder mystery in The Unlucky Ones, set in the decaying streets of Black Harbor. Crime runs rampant, and Morrissey’s raw, atmospheric writing makes the city feel dangerously real.

Sergeant Nikolai Kole’s latest case turns personal when the victim is Tommy Greenlee—the ex-husband of his former lover, Hazel. A police transcriber-turned-writer, Hazel returns to Black Harbor seeking answers, forcing her and Kole to confront their tangled past while chasing a killer. Their uneasy alliance adds tension, blurring the line between trust and betrayal.

Morrissey balances a gritty police procedural with a simmering, complicated romance. The crime scenes are graphic, the emotions raw, and the city pulses with danger. If you’re looking for a thriller that pulls no punches, The Unlucky Ones is a must-read.

"Black Harbor is a tinderbox. Temperatures and violent crime have both risen to all-time highs, a new drug razes the city, and the scene to which Sergeant Nikolai Kole responds is anything but a rote homicide. In the back of a clubhouse lies a body wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach."
You know when a book begins with a scene like the one above it is going to be gruesome. I saw so many good things about this book and had to add it even though this is a little dark for me. I don't do horrific scenes very well.... The police procedural was well written and carried vivid details. The law enforcement in Black Harbor doesn't stand a chance against the thug and drug crimes in town. It doesn't take long to figure out who runs this town, but you have Sgt Nik Kole, who is an awesome character dedicated to his hometown.
Eight years ago, Hazel walked away from Black Harbor to write a novel and moved to NY. She also left behind her relationship with Nik Kole and an abusive ex-husband, Tommy. She is back in town because her ex is the one found viciously murdered. She also wants to know if she can salvage her and Nik's romance.
I have not read any of the other books in the series, so I didn't know the characters but the author did a great job with a smooth introduction to them.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.