I had difficulty following this. I learned from GR it was #4 in the series which explains why I was confused and not connecting with certain characters. Hard to say if this could be a “stand alone” for others. Wasn’t for me but I’m sure fans of the series will enjoy.

"The Unlucky Ones" is the fourth novel in the Black Harbor series. In this exciting police procedural, readers are reintroduced to Hazel Greenlee, a police transcriber-turned-novelist, who returns to Black Harbor, Wisconsin, when her ex-husband, Tommy is murdered. Investigating the case is none other than Sergeant Nikolai Kole, Hazel's former lover.

Once again, Hannah Morrissey has written a captivating, unputdownable thriller. I really enjoyed the last book in the series, "When I'm Dead," but I loved this one even more. Each book follows different members of the Black Harbor Police Department, and I loved that this book brought back Hazel and Kole from the first novel in the series, "Hello, Transcriber." The main characters from the other books also made appearances throughout, which was fun. The other books worked better as
standalone novels, but I think you should read the rest of the series before diving into this one.

I knew this was going to be a five-star read after the first chapter. I was completely hooked and could not put it down. The author does not hold back on the realities of crime, especially drug use and gang violence. Her vivid descriptions of crime-ridden Black Harbor and its residents will leave you feeling uneasy. The pacing was excellent, and I enjoyed the dual POVs of Kole and Hazel. As a former prosecutor, I sometimes struggle with police procedurals, but this one was so well-done. A pulse-pounding page-turner that I highly recommend!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Robb Moreira and Angela Dawe. They blew me away and had me hanging on to their every word. I've listened to many of Dawe's audiobooks before as a Finlay Donovan fan, and she has such incredible range. Moreira was excellent too and is one of the best male narrators I've ever listened to. Their performances made it difficult to pause the audiobook. They did such a great job bringing the characters to life and delivering a fast-paced, suspenseful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.