Book Review: The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey

 My Rating: 4.5⭐

“My Ruin: All roads lead back to home.”

A cryptic message left for struggling photographer Morgan Mori, at the site of her destroyed workspace in Chicago, leads her back to her hometown, crime-infested Black Harbor, Wisconsin where the “city’s grim atmosphere gnawed on people’s morals”.

Back home, Morgan is hired by the wealthy and influential Reynolds family to photograph the family Christmas party. The Reynolds family has its share of mystery and scandal surrounding them, ever since Clive Reynolds, disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. Everyone suspected his wife Eleanor of killing him for a hefty insurance payout - a crime that was not proven. However, Morgan finds the Reynolds family to be pleasant and welcoming. After the party, Morgan, stops at a gas station and witnesses a cop being shot to death by a masked assailant. The cop, Brix Garrison, before drawing his last breath seems to recognize Morgan, which perplexes her. Morgan remains haunted by her horrific childhood characterized by abandonment, unimaginable abuse and trauma before being rescued by the police when she was eight years old and eventually being adopted by the Mori family when she was ten. Her experiences have left scars and have had a significant impact on her adult life. Someone, who knows details about her past and present life, is taunting her with messages that are indicative of a secret from her traumatic childhood.

When Clive Reynold’s Porsche, which was reported missing ten days before he disappeared twenty years ago, is recovered from the bottom of a lake with a dead body in it, Investigator Ryan Hudson of the BHPD is assigned to look into the cold case. He is also covertly looking into the murder of his friend and former partner - the murder Morgan witnessed- despite being told to stay away from the investigation.

As the story progresses, both Morgan and Ryan find themselves tangled in a complicated and dangerous web of dark secrets, lies, deception and murder.

Hannah Morrissey knows how to create atmospheric settings. With its consistent pacing, intriguing plot and interesting characters, The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey is dark, intense and gritty. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Morgan and Ryan in alternating chapters. Though I did kind of guess the identity of the culprit halfway in, the intricately plotted story kept me turning pages to follow how all the missing pieces of the puzzle came together in the end and I was not disappointed with the twists and turns along the way! The story is a perfect balance between complex psychological thriller and police procedural. However, even though I liked both Morgan and Ryan, I feel that the relationship between them needn’t have gotten so personal so quickly. But I’m willing to overlook that one given that it did not detract from the overall reading experience. Hannah Morrissey’s impressive debut novel, "Hello, Transcriber" was also intense and dark, but with "The Widowmaker", Hannah Morrissey has firmly established herself as a must-read author for me. (Sergeant Nikolai Kole, from "Hello, Transcriber" plays a supporting role in this novel, proving to be an ally to Ryan. Please note that it is not necessary to read Hello, Transcriber to follow this story. This is perfectly readable as a standalone novel as there is virtually no overlap.)

Thank You, Hannah Morrissey, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on December 6, 2022.

P.S. : Please note that this is not an easy read. Those triggered by graphic descriptions of violence and abuse (especially involving children) might find some parts to be quite disturbing.