Scan barcode
nicoleleann1997's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
katk1ndl3's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm jot a huge mystery reader, so while this book did keep my attention I didn't really like it. I liked that I couldn't figure out until the last 50 pages who had killed the girls and kidnapped Chloe. But i didn't like that as soon as you found out they got her back so quick with like no obstacles. It was too quick.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Medical content, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Animal cruelty, Gore, and Medical trauma
lovelymisanthrope's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I picked this book up because it was a Book of the Month selection, and it sounded very interesting to me.
"When I'm Dead" follows Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp. One evening, Rowan is called away to investigate the murder of one of her close friend's daughters. When she returns home, she is distraught to find her own daughter, Chloe, missing. Rowan and her husband will not rest until they bring Chloe home, but they quickly learn that they do not know their daughter as well as they thought.
I was really excited to pick this one up, but I was really underwhelmed with the story. Rowan as a character felt frantic and unhinged, which rightfully so, she was because her daughter was missing, but it hindered my reading experience from her point of view. There were additional points of view that I did not think were necessary to the story. I think we could have gotten a stronger narrative if the story was exclusively from Rowan's, or one character's, perspective.
I think the premise that Chloe's parents do not know her as well as they believed is interesting, and especially because her parents are both supposed to be such good investigators in their fields. They can solve murder cases, but they cannot tell you what is going on in their daughter's life. It made Chloe's story more heartbreaking and added to the layers of mysteries.
The great reveal of who took Chloe and why they did was underwhelming, and it felt like it came out of nowhere. I found it a little unbelievable how unstable the kidnapper/murder was, but they walked around town and lived a very normal life without any suspicious activity. I know this is probably more common than I believe, but it just did not feel like a realistic story in this context.
I will probably give Hannah Morrissey another go in the future, if she writes a different type of mystery thriller.
"When I'm Dead" follows Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp. One evening, Rowan is called away to investigate the murder of one of her close friend's daughters. When she returns home, she is distraught to find her own daughter, Chloe, missing. Rowan and her husband will not rest until they bring Chloe home, but they quickly learn that they do not know their daughter as well as they thought.
I was really excited to pick this one up, but I was really underwhelmed with the story. Rowan as a character felt frantic and unhinged, which rightfully so, she was because her daughter was missing, but it hindered my reading experience from her point of view. There were additional points of view that I did not think were necessary to the story. I think we could have gotten a stronger narrative if the story was exclusively from Rowan's, or one character's, perspective.
I think the premise that Chloe's parents do not know her as well as they believed is interesting, and especially because her parents are both supposed to be such good investigators in their fields. They can solve murder cases, but they cannot tell you what is going on in their daughter's life. It made Chloe's story more heartbreaking and added to the layers of mysteries.
The great reveal of who took Chloe and why they did was underwhelming, and it felt like it came out of nowhere. I found it a little unbelievable how unstable the kidnapper/murder was, but they walked around town and lived a very normal life without any suspicious activity. I know this is probably more common than I believe, but it just did not feel like a realistic story in this context.
I will probably give Hannah Morrissey another go in the future, if she writes a different type of mystery thriller.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Blood, and Murder
vj_thompson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Hannah Morrissey’s writing is so lyrical and beautiful. I was hesitant to pick up the book but I’m glad I did. I want to read her other books! There were parts of the story that frustrated me, mainly the disconnect between Rowan and Axel. I know this was intentional. Libby’s perspective was a conflicting read but ultimately her character is misunderstood. This was a great mystery thriller and I wish more books were written like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child death, Murder, Death, Mental illness, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Grief, Animal death, Suicide, Body horror, Fatphobia, Bullying, Gore, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, and Medical content
Minor: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Sexism
theknitterwithabook's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I would like to thank St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
I must admit that, when I started reading this book and knowing it was the third in a serie, I was anxious if I would miss any important information mentioned in the previous books. While being part of a serie, each book can be read independantly. The thing they have in common is that they are set in the same town. So don't let that deter you to pick this one.
Overall, that was an excellent read. I kept trying to guess who was the murderer... and I kept being wrong! The author did a good job at casually dropping minute and isolated details about some side characters and it made you flag them as suspicious right away.
I sat on the tip of my chair the whole time reading it, the pacing was excellent. This is exactly what I'm looking for when I read a thriller. And now knowing that Black Harbor is ridden with crimes, that just makes me want to pick up the other two books by the author!
The only flaw, in my opinion, was the backstory of the murderer. I would have liked to have a little bit more info on what flipped the switch, what was the trigger. It really is a minor flaw.
Highly recommend if you're looking for a quick paced thriller, murder mystery.
I must admit that, when I started reading this book and knowing it was the third in a serie, I was anxious if I would miss any important information mentioned in the previous books. While being part of a serie, each book can be read independantly. The thing they have in common is that they are set in the same town. So don't let that deter you to pick this one.
Overall, that was an excellent read. I kept trying to guess who was the murderer... and I kept being wrong! The author did a good job at casually dropping minute and isolated details about some side characters and it made you flag them as suspicious right away.
I sat on the tip of my chair the whole time reading it, the pacing was excellent. This is exactly what I'm looking for when I read a thriller. And now knowing that Black Harbor is ridden with crimes, that just makes me want to pick up the other two books by the author!
The only flaw, in my opinion, was the backstory of the murderer. I would have liked to have a little bit more info on what flipped the switch, what was the trigger. It really is a minor flaw.
Highly recommend if you're looking for a quick paced thriller, murder mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Child death, Gore, Body horror, and Grief
More...