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spatterson12's review
4.0
This might be my favorite of the Black Harbor series so far.
TW: child abuse, sexual abuse
Is it weird to open with that sentence, then follow with the trigger warnings?
If you're a fan of SVU, this is the one that really aligns with those types of storylines. Pretty dark stuff here so be warned.
I think what also works for me with this one is that it alternates POV, where Hello, Transcriber is a single narrator. (If I remember correctly, which is bad because I just read it a week ago.)
Morgan is a photographer who witnesses the murder of a cop and has her car stolen as the getaway car. She had the worst childhood imaginable with her mother disappearing, never knowing her father, and being left with an aunt who routinely traded her for drugs and cigarettes. She was eventually removed from that house, put in foster care, and adopted, but that doesn't remove the trauma and memories that haunt her. She has been left mysterious notes and a key that lead her back to discover her truth in Black Harbor.
Hudson is a policeman who saw the deceased cop as a father figure. He's been assigned to work a cold case for one of the wealthiest families in town where the father went missing 20 years before. He was mostly put on this case as a way to keep him from getting involved in the present-day investigation, but with all things Morrissey – she loves to blur the line of ethics.
There is a love story I could've done without and also an ending semi-similar to the first book, but once I was about 40% into the book, I HAD to know what was happening. Reveals after reveals after reveals.
Kole returns in this story and I like him a lot more here than in the first one. I remember him from the third, but only in the sense I kept confusing his name with a character named Chloe. I'm pretty sure he's not heavily in that one.
TW: child abuse, sexual abuse
Is it weird to open with that sentence, then follow with the trigger warnings?
If you're a fan of SVU, this is the one that really aligns with those types of storylines. Pretty dark stuff here so be warned.
I think what also works for me with this one is that it alternates POV, where Hello, Transcriber is a single narrator. (If I remember correctly, which is bad because I just read it a week ago.)
Morgan is a photographer who witnesses the murder of a cop and has her car stolen as the getaway car. She had the worst childhood imaginable with her mother disappearing, never knowing her father, and being left with an aunt who routinely traded her for drugs and cigarettes. She was eventually removed from that house, put in foster care, and adopted, but that doesn't remove the trauma and memories that haunt her. She has been left mysterious notes and a key that lead her back to discover her truth in Black Harbor.
Hudson is a policeman who saw the deceased cop as a father figure. He's been assigned to work a cold case for one of the wealthiest families in town where the father went missing 20 years before. He was mostly put on this case as a way to keep him from getting involved in the present-day investigation, but with all things Morrissey – she loves to blur the line of ethics.
There is a love story I could've done without and also an ending semi-similar to the first book, but once I was about 40% into the book, I HAD to know what was happening. Reveals after reveals after reveals.
Kole returns in this story and I like him a lot more here than in the first one. I remember him from the third, but only in the sense I kept confusing his name with a character named Chloe. I'm pretty sure he's not heavily in that one.
booktrishandmagic's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I loved The Widowmaker! Even though I haven’t read the first book in the Black Harbor series, it wasn't necessary to enjoy this one. The plot was dark and atmospheric. The characters were all likable and somehow relatable? Like Morrissey’s writing just reels you in, and its dark and beautiful. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. My only minor criticism was keeping track of all the characters, but beyond that, even the multiple POVs were engaging. I'm a fan of police procedurals and serial killer stories, and this dark thriller really delivered. It tackles some sensitive subjects, which I appreciated as someone who enjoys dark thrillers and Nordic noir. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series! If you're a fan of dark thrillers, definitely check this one out.
thealexarachelle's review
3.0
I don’t typically read books in a series, but when I ordered my book of the month a few months back, it came with the 3rd book in this series. Not knowing it was a series, until I went to Goodreads to mark it as want to read, I immediately got the first and second book. I hate to start something without reading the prior books. Anyway. This took me a while to read. I’d give it 3.5. I hope the 3rd is my favorite!
megn317's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
This one is better than the first …and you don’t have to read the first book to read this one. It’s the same police force in both stories but different crimes and characters. This was darker and more disturbing than the first book. The story had more substance and the characters felt more real. Overall a solid crime
Book and less of a cheesy romance novel than the first book.
This one is better than the first …and you don’t have to read the first book to read this one. It’s the same police force in both stories but different crimes and characters. This was darker and more disturbing than the first book. The story had more substance and the characters felt more real. Overall a solid crime
Book and less of a cheesy romance novel than the first book.
bargainsleuth's review
3.0
I wasn't too keen on Hello, Transcriber, but I am also willing to give a Wisconsin author the benefit of the doubt. I borrowed the audiobook of The Widowmaker from the library's app to give Hannah Morrisey's work another chance.
There's a lot to like about the overall writing, but I just can't handle the graphic content re: pedophilia and other violent crimes that are described. Not my sort of thing at all. Doesn't make this a bad book, but just not one for me. I'm most definitely a cozy mystery kind of reader. The mystery itself was good, which is why I gave the book the rating I did.
There's a lot to like about the overall writing, but I just can't handle the graphic content re: pedophilia and other violent crimes that are described. Not my sort of thing at all. Doesn't make this a bad book, but just not one for me. I'm most definitely a cozy mystery kind of reader. The mystery itself was good, which is why I gave the book the rating I did.
decretaro's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
smottman's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Torture
zdanielle's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
renatapoet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
renzoreads's review
3.0
For twenty years the mystery of the disappearance of Clive Reynolds has been gossiped about in the town of Black Harbor. The theories on what happened to the wealthy man has become the thing of local legend. The case has long since run cold, with no true leads into what could have happened to the business man, husband and father. But when photographer Morgan Mori is hired by the Reynolds family to take their holiday photos she feels herself drawn into the families web of secrets. That same night she witnesses the homicide of a local police officer, an event which brings to light some long buried clues about the Reynolds case. Can Morgan help police discovered who murdered their colleague, as well as what it all has to do with Clive Reynolds, before someone else gets hurt?
This is the second book in the Black Harbor series and can be read as a stand-alone without giving any major spoilers of the first book in the series. There were a couple “cameos” of characters from the first book, which I definitely enjoyed. While not as gritty as the first book this one was definitely a great mystery and is definitely still dark. This is a character driven police procedural. Told over two POVs, I enjoyed the two main characters dynamics and how they came together. This was definitely a slow paced thriller, but that only seemed to add to the suspense of the mystery. I loved the way the mystery, and long buried secrets, began to unravel. It really kept me guessing as to what had really happened. I’m excited to read the third installment in this series.
This is the second book in the Black Harbor series and can be read as a stand-alone without giving any major spoilers of the first book in the series. There were a couple “cameos” of characters from the first book, which I definitely enjoyed. While not as gritty as the first book this one was definitely a great mystery and is definitely still dark. This is a character driven police procedural. Told over two POVs, I enjoyed the two main characters dynamics and how they came together. This was definitely a slow paced thriller, but that only seemed to add to the suspense of the mystery. I loved the way the mystery, and long buried secrets, began to unravel. It really kept me guessing as to what had really happened. I’m excited to read the third installment in this series.