okay so i struggled through the first two books because i heard the third one was the best and this definitely lived up to that

This story is told in third person following parents Rowan and Axel as well as a neighbor teenager, Libby. This book is the third in a series however I’ve heard that it can be read as a standalone since the characters and mystery are different in each book. I still have the feeling that I may have been spoiled to part of the endings of the first two books. I’m not sure what the purpose of mentioned past characters and their current situations did for this story other than to explain why Black Harbor is such a den of crime and I still didn’t have a feel for that dark ambiance that I was expecting.

Rowan and Axel both work in law enforcement in some capacity and I thought they would be working together to look for their missing daughter. Instead, they often let differences of opinion on certain aspects of the investigation and other personal issues divide their focus, which while understandable, didn’t do their search any favors. This might have worked better for me if they shared information and collaborated on finding their daughter rather than get fixated on one aspect of the investigation. I’m not even going to address the conflict of interest here.

In addition, I thought the perpetrator was obvious the second they appeared on page for me. Still, I enjoyed the characters and their separate journeys to uncovering the truth. Rowan’s reasoning on why this is happening and how it relates to her past gave the story an emotional connection in addition to that of a mother with a missing child.

Recommended to readers who enjoy missing persons cases that are more interested in the emotional repercussions than procedures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

Having an incredibly difficult time hearing Rowan's character's voice being read. I haven't had an issue with this narrator in the past so idk what the issue is here but it is frustrating.

2.5 stars. Did I enjoy it? Sure, it was fine. Would I have picked it up if I had known what my opinion would be before I started? Probably not.

The writing is good, and I really enjoyed the character Libby. But there were too many blatant red herrings and not enough actual clues foreshadowing the reveal, so I didn’t get that satisfaction of all the pieces clicking into place at the end.

I also expect this kind of book to be more gripping, but I found myself bored fairly often - hence it taking me over a month to finish.

This was hands down the best of the three books. The more Hannah writes, the better she gets. Again, she stuck with multiple points of view and that always draws me in. While there is still the BHPD storyline, I appreciated this was so much more than that and that’s she’s growing in her writing.

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️

I'm so torn with this book. I feel like I really struggled with some major plot decisions which quickly took me out of the story while at the same time was intrigued by the overall plot. I found it hard to buy into the fact that parents were allowed to investigate their daughter's missing person's case as well as the murders of her friends. I liked that their were different POVs but was getting frustrated by the continual dancing around any potential information. I really struggled with Libby's character and kept almost wanting to skip her chapters.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but just couldn't unfortunately.

Thank you to St Martin's Press, Minotaur and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

Upon starting this book, I found it incredibly hard to read. There was a lot of substance, and I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Then, after the first 100 pages, something switched, and I binge read it in a day.

There was something about the chapters ending with jaw-dropping cliff hangers that had me hooked...as a cliff hanger should, obviously. But I believe this had to do with Hannah Morrissey's writing style being elaborate and intense. Her characters have depth, and I could physically feel the weight of the Winthrop's losing their only child as they searched for answers revolving the other murders. On top of that, the shifting POVs really made this story come alive. I felt that I was right there with them, living out the horrifying experience myself.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me on my toes.