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!

Hazel never thought she would return to Black Harbor, but after an incident involving her ex-husband, she feels a pull to return. Once again, she connects with Sergeant Nikolai Kole. Who hasn't been able to let go of memories between them? The mystery around Tommy's death and who is involved draws you in, and one can't help but try to figure out who was involved. There were moments when I grew frustrated with Hazel because her actions were putting her in danger. I believe that Hazel was finally able to put her relationship with Tommy to rest and let go of the terrible memories that haunted her.

I absolutely love the narrators! Robb Moreira is one of my favorite narrators and I love how he brouoght Nikolai to life. Angela Dawe did an amazing job as well. The pacing of the story was great and you could really feel the emotions of the characters.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

"We either bend to your power or we break. And if we're lucky, we are set free."

After loving the first three books in the Black Harbor series, I always hoped that we would see Hazel again. After her role in Hello, Transcriber, I always wanted to know more, and The Unlucky Ones is exactly what I hoped it would be. While it wraps up some of the loose ends from earlier in the series, more are unraveled. This series and dark and gritty, but, as evidenced by the quote at the beginning of this review, there's also hope and resilience. I love this series. It's one of my favorites. I've said it before, but I'm going to repeat it here. I am always fascinated by my visits to Black Harbor, but I definitely wouldn't want to live there.

A bit dark, raw, and totally addictive, this thriller kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A plot full of twist and turns, the perfect pace to keep you engaged ane well developed characters. If you’re into murder mysteries that are dark and full of tension, this one’s definitely a must-read.

The Unlucky Ones - Hannah Morrissey
Pub Date - 3/25/25
Rating - 3/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced reader audiobook in exchange for my honest review. The Unlucky Ones is the fourth book in the Black Harbor Series. This latest book focuses back on Hazel, who returns to Black Harbor 8 years after Hello Transcriber when her ex husband is killed. I loved seeing return characters come back into the story as well as new characters that were introduced. I was very excited when I heard my favorite narrator, Angela Dawe, who does an amazing job with voiceovers for the characters.

The overall story I thought was okay -- nothing spine tingling or shocking. It was a fun listen and definitely will be reading/listening to any other Black Harbor Books if she continues to write this series.

The Unlucky Ones was a great mystery. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the book before this one to get to know the characters better. The narration was great.

Every now and then, I try a police procedural just to see if it’ll stick—and while they aren’t usually my favorite, *The Unlucky Ones* surprised me.

Set in Black Harbor, a fictional city that feels like it could be just down the road, this story dives into a murder that’s gritty, messy, and rooted in real-world problems. A body turns up wrapped in garbage bags, doused in bleach. And not just any body—this one belongs to the ex-husband of Hazel, who used to be involved with the lead detective. Now, Hazel is back in town, facing both her past and the chaos that Black Harbor has become.

The book is definitely a slow burn, but not in a boring way. The layers of the plot are peeled back carefully, giving you just enough to stay intrigued until everything clicks into place. It reminded me a lot of an episode of *Law & Order*, only grimmer and with more emotional weight. The setting, the characters, the crimes—it all felt raw and real.

What stood out most to me was the idea that some people are born into places like Black Harbor and never get the chance to leave. The story doesn’t just focus on the murder—it digs into cycles of poverty, crime, and addiction, and how hard it is to break out. That hit hard.

While I still don’t think procedurals are going to be my go-to genre, I appreciated that this one didn’t drown in police jargon or lose me in complicated twists. It was gritty and honest without being overwhelming. If you like crime shows or stories about broken people trying to piece things together, this one might be right up your alley.

Hello, Transcriber was one of my very first books I read as a reviewer and so The Black Harbor series is always an automatic read for me. I’ve really enjoyed listening to most of the series and so I knew I had to listen to The Unlucky Ones, to keep the tradition alive.

Our main POV Hazel is back for a second time as the lead in The Unlucky Ones. When her ex-husband is found murdered, Hazel can’t help but return to Black Harbor to help uncover his murderer. But going back to Black Harbor brings back all the memories Hazel has stored away for the past decade. Between the memories, the return of Kole her ex-lover to her orbit, and violent crime on the rise – Hazel may not make it out of Black Harbor a second time.

Most detective series you can generally read out of order and still get the jest of the story, and with the first three books in the series that holds true. But for The Unlucky Ones, I would highly recommend reading all three previous books before jumping into this 4th installment and especially paying attention to Hello, Transcriber.

With that said, I was underwhelmed with this one. It relies heavily on remembering details from Hello, Transcriber, and quite honestly I just didn’t remember a lot of what took place from that book almost five years later so I felt lost for parts of the story. There wasn’t a ton of character development either. In the decade that Hazel and Kole have seen each other, they seem to be almost the exact same people but certainly lacked any sort of chemistry this time around.

The plot itself revolves around the gangs and drugs that run Black Harbor, and while we did explore the ‘underworld’ more, everything felt fairly surface level. It’s a decent mystery, especially if you’re looking for a ‘midwestern noir’ type read or already invested in the Black Harbor universe. But I needed more from the story and didn’t entirely connect with a single character.


The Unlucky Ones comes out March 25, 2025. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books 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.
Tiktok @speakingof.books
Website: SPEAKINGOF.ORG

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"A headiness comes over him. Lack of sleep and old flames. She is the only person who’s ever had this effect on him. She can make him lose his composure, do things he knows he shouldn’t."

"If all you had to do was one bad thing, and you could leave Black Harbor behind forever, would you do it?”

There are three things you have to know about the tension filled police procedural romance suspense thriller The Unlucky Ones, by edgy holds back nothing in her gritty detailed writing, author Hannah Morrissey; first it takes place in the bleak town of Black Harbor where crime thrives and hope dies. Second is Det. Nikolai Kole fights the crime and prays for hope. Third, he never stopped loving Hazel Greenlee when she left Black Harbor.

In my favorite debut, Hello, Transcriber, Hazel was in an abusive marriage and her solace was transcribing Nikolai's police reports. They hadn't met yet. When they did, I could barely breathe with all the emotions that overwhelmed them. But their story had to take a pause. Now it's 8 years later and Hazel is back to find out who killed her ex-husband, because she has a feeling she may be next...and maybe to see Nikolai.

The supreme voice actress Angela Dawe gives Hazel her subtle vulnerability with her anger and fear. Phenomenal voice actor Robb Moreira lets Nikolai's pain seep through his tough exterior.

Reading and listening to this couple navigate through life and death situations while juggling long held feelings is an intense experience but so worth it. We are the lucky ones for this writer's gift to her fans, more Nikolai and Hazel.

I received free copies of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Another Black Harbor book from Hannah Morrissey that I really enjoyed! This is book 4 in the series but only the second one I’ve read. I loved the main characters, Hazel and Nikolai Kole. Kole is the police sergeant and Hazel is a police transcriber turned novelist who has since moved on from Black Harbor. Hazel and Kole used to have a secret relationship while she was married to Tommy Greenlee and living in Black Harbor. Now Tommy is dead and Hazel is back to try to figure out why. Hazel and Kole must work together to solve this murder as the stakes quickly get higher the deeper they get, uncovering drugs, guns, and dangerous people. The Unlucky Ones was a great read! This has all the elements of a police procedural along with characters that I felt a connection with. I really liked the narrators for this book too! I will be reading more of the Black Harbor series and anxiously awaiting another!

Rounded up because the audio was done well, the story was bingeable, and it propelled the series forward appropriately. I didn't think anything was incredibly special about it overall but I was still addicted! Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the ARC 🥰

3.5 (rounded up)

So, here’s the thing—I made a rookie mistake. I requested an ARC of The Unlucky Ones (Book 4 of this series) before realizing it was book FOUR in the Black Harbor series. Gahhh! Cue frantic backtracking and binge-reading to catch up. Now that I’ve powered through the series, let me save you the trouble: Start at book one. You could technically read them as standalones, but trust me, the characters reappear, and book four ties back to book one in a way that makes reading in order totally worth it.

Set in the crime-infested, drug-fueled city of Black Harbor, Wisconsin, these books are dark, atmospheric, and gritty—so much so that the city itself feels like an extra character. It’s the kind of place where you don’t walk alone at night, and if you do, well… good luck.

Full disclosure: police procedural mysteries aren’t usually my thing. I lean more toward the juicy, drama-filled thrillers, and while this series didn’t give me that level of excitement, I can see why crime fiction fans would love it. The writing is solid, the cases seemed compelling, and I could see it being adapted into a TV series.

Now, specifically about book four—The Unlucky Ones. This one brings us back to Hazel and Kole from ‘The Transcriber’, and I loved seeing their messy dynamic again. It’s a great follow-up for that duo, though The Transcriber is probably still my favorite of the bunch.

As for the audiobook, I wasn’t sold on the narration at first—I worried it might be too monotone. But as the story unfolded, it actually fit the eerie, brooding atmosphere of the book. Kind of like the voiceover in a gritty crime film.

If you’re into detective murder mysteries with a dark, immersive setting, give this series a go. If you, like me, prefer your thrillers dripping with scandal and jaw-dropping twists, you might not be as hooked. Either way, Black Harbor is a city you won’t forget—whether you want to or not.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, Net Galley and Hannah Morrissey for this advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review.

It’s a yes for me especially if you have read the others.

DeAnn @deannsdailyriot

I'm so grateful to @hannahmorrisseywriter, @minotaur_books, @stmartinspress, and @macmillan.audio for the gifted e-book and ALC.

This series has been fantastic, and Hazel's return to Black Harbor is a welcome addition. The town's dark underbelly is still fascinating, and the romance adds a awesome touch that I love. The audio narration is excellent, bringing the characters to life in a way that's hard to put down. If you're a fan of crime thrillers with a little romance here and there, you won't want to miss this one! Or any of this series really, you can't go wrong!

Loved the narrators of this book, but I wasn’t as invested in the story as I hoped to be. It was good, but I found myself bored at many parts in the story. I will try another of her books!

The Unlucky Ones is the fourth book in Hannah Morrissey’s gritty Black Harbor series, but it’s the first one that revisits characters from a previous book. This one takes place eight years after the events of Hello, Transcriber, the first book in this loosely connected series, and we get to revisit the main characters in that book, Hazel Greenlee (the former titular police transcriber), and detective Nikolai Kole, who had a short affair back then.

Black Harbor is a bleak city in Wisconsin, right on Lake Michigan. It is known as the highest crime city in Wisconsin and has huge drug and gang problems, among other issues.

Hazel fled Black Harbor and became a writer, fulfilling one of her dreams. When Hazel’s abusive ex-husband is murdered, she decides to come back to Black Harbor to find out what happened and why. This is that story.

The story unfolds via two points of view, Hazel’s and Nik’s. (The audiobook uses two narrators, which I loved.) Seeing them try to reconnect after eight years apart, dancing around their former connection, formed part of the book. Getting to know Nik’s partners in his violent crimes task force was another highlight. I could imagine the atmosphere in Black Harbor leading up to July 4th, which they knew would come with a few deaths. I can’t imagine living in such a depressingly bleak place, but Nik is tied to it and doesn’t picture himself leaving anytime soon.

There were several gang members that I had trouble keeping straight, but I powered through that issue and just kept reading/listening.

In addition to this book reaching back to the first book in the series, there’s a mention or two of the Reynolds family, who featured in book two, The Widowmaker, so perhaps Morrissey intends to revisit that story in a future book. Who knows?

Recommended for readers who don’t mind a gritty police procedural, with some violent scenes.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Unlucky Ones is a raw, gritty murder mystery set in Black Harbor, a city drowning in crime, corruption, and decay. With vivid, immersive descriptions, Morrissey pulls readers straight into the underbelly of a city that reeks of drugs and desperation without shying away.. But within this bleak landscape, she also weaves an electrifying police procedural and a slow-burning romance between two people with a complicated past.

Black Harbor has violent crime at an all-time high, a deadly new drug is spreading through the streets, and the murder scene Sergeant Nikolai Kole is called to is bleak. A body—wrapped in garbage bags and doused in bleach—lies in the back of a clubhouse. The body of Tommy Greenlee, the ex-husband of Kole’s former lover, Hazel. And the killer? They left behind a chilling calling card.

After eight years away, Hazel is drawn back to Black Harbor, unable to ignore the ghosts of her past. She needs answers—who killed Tommy, and why? But returning means stepping back into Kole’s orbit, and their relationship was never simple. They used each other before. Could they do it again?

As the city grows more volatile, Hazel and Kole form a fragile truce, determined to uncover Black Harbor’s deepest, darkest secrets—even if it means confronting their own.

What Worked for Me
-Dark, Gritty Atmosphere: Morrissey’s depiction of Black Harbor is disturbingly vivid. The city feels alive, pulsing with crime and corruption, making it the perfect setting for a haunting murder mystery.

-Headline-Worthy Plot: The murder at the heart of this story is gripping and layered with twists. It’s a police procedural that keeps you engaged, weaving in complex relationships, hidden motives, and shocking discoveries.

-Complex, Flawed Characters: The novel is packed with characters who are morally ambiguous and deeply human. Nikolai Kole is a standout—tough, sharp, and carrying his own burdens. Hazel’s journey is equally compelling as she navigates the wreckage of her past.

-A Touch of Romance: While the focus is on crime and mystery, the tension between Kole and Hazel adds a compelling emotional layer. Morrissey teases us with brief moments of lightness, a flicker of warmth in an otherwise grim world. I'm glad it wasn't allowed to take over the story this time.

What Could Have Been Better
-Unrelenting Darkness: While the gritty realism adds to the novel’s authenticity, the sheer bleakness of Black Harbor might not be for everyone. It’s relentless, which can make the story feel emotionally heavy at times.

-Some Characters Lacked Depth: While Kole and Hazel were well-developed, a few side characters felt more like plot devices than fully fleshed-out individuals.

The Unlucky Ones is an intense, immersive read that will suck you in and make you feel like you're walking the streets of Black Harbor, chasing down leads alongside its characters. If you love dark, vividly depicted crime fiction with a strong procedural element, this book is for you. Each installment in the Black Harbor series has been better than the last, and this one is no exception.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Hannah Morrissey, and Macmillion audio for the audiobook. This was a gripping detective mystery filled with twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout. A thoroughly enjoyable listen narrated by Angela Dawe and Robb Moreira!

Another excellent instalment in one of my favorite murder mystery series to date. I love the strong female lead in this book and the latest has her returning to the town she fled to face dark secrets and figure out who killed her ex. Returning characters and sexual tension abound as well as great surprise twists I didn't see coming. This was good on audio too and perfect for fans of authors like Karin Slaughter. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is the fourth book in the Black Harbor series and it’s a pulse-racing thriller! Packed full of compelling characters with a gripping ending that is sure to please all psychological thriller lovers‼️
It’s absolutely a great standalone read but why not enjoy the first three as well ?
Loved the dual narrators and the foul language 😅
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The unlucky ones.
I didn’t know what I was getting into visiting Black Harbor. Hannah Morrissey takes us along with her officer Cade as he investigates the ex husband of a former lover. He’s hesitant to question her until absolutely necessary.

Unbeknownst to him, Hazel returns to Black Harbor to find out for herself what happened to her ex husband. It’s almost as though she needs to see it to believe he’s gone. She’s looking for answers. And closure.

One doesn’t simply leave Black Harbor. And if you are on the police force? You give your life for keys to the city. Or the city takes it.

I knew this was the middle of a series of books when I started it, but I hadn’t read the former novels. While I could see that a backstory obviously existed for the characters, enough was explained during the story for this to work as a standalone.

I enjoyed the story line. The names were a bit confusing with some referring to the same characters by their last names and some by their first names.

This book ended with me to adding the other 3 to my TBR list.

Thank you to @hannahmorrisseywriter , @macmillan.audio @netgalley Angela Dawe and Robb Moriera for giving me the opportunity to listen to the audio book in exchange for an honest review.