When I'm Dead - Hannah Morrissey

 When I'm Dead - Hannah Morrissey

Publication Date:  October 31, 2023

She read

When one of Chloe’s, their daughter’s,  classmates is murdered, police detective Alex and medical examiner Rowan are called to the grisly scene.  When they return home, they realize that Chloe is missing.  As the investigation unfolds, they learn that Chloe had been the victim of social media shaming by the deceased; could Chloe be involved in the crime.?  Meanwhile, a secret from Rowan’s past haunts her into thinking it may karma.  

The third in the Black Harbor series; each book has independent characters, so this works as a standalone.

Morrissey paints a gritty picture of Black Harbor, a town that most people want to leave. The approach of Halloween, a haunted house and falling leaves from the giant red sugar maple add to the atmosphere.   Told from different POVs, there are twists and turns in this macabre story.  There are quite a few red herrings here and although I identified the culprit as soon as (s)he was introduced, the twist at the end was unexpected. There are a few sub themes here that ignite third rail emotions. Some police procedures were questionable, but that didn’t take away from the overall story.

Thanks to #netgalley and @stmartinspress #Minotaur for the ARC.

TW: Gruesome details, child murders

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