Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols

A small town in coastal Maine is shaken to its core by a serial killer in this crime novel from Peter Nichols, bestselling author of The Rocks

In scenic Granite Harbor, life has continued on—quiet and serene—for decades. That is until a local teenager is found brutally murdered in the Settlement, the town’s historic archaeological site. Alex Brangwen, adjusting to life as a single father with a failed career as a novelist, is the town’s sole detective. This is his first murder case and, as both a parent and detective, Alex knows the people of Granite Harbor are looking to him to catch the killer and temper the fear that has descended over the town.

Isabel, a single mother attempting to support her family while healing from her own demons, finds herself in the middle of the case when she begins working at the Settlement. Her son, Ethan, and Alex’s daughter, Sophie, were best friends with the victim. When a second teenager is found murdered, the body left in the same manner as the first victim, both parents are terrified that their child may be next. As Alex and Isabel race to find the killer in their midst, the town’s secrets—past and present—begin bubbling to the surface, threatening to unravel the tight-knit community.

At once a page-turning thriller and a captivating portrait of the social fabric of a small town, Granite Harbor evokes the atmosphere of HBO’s Mare of Easttown with a villain reminiscent of Thomas Harris’s Silence of the Lambs.

Published by Celadon
on April 30, 2024

Review:

I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been a while since I last read a cat-and-mouse type thriller focused on a small-town detective searching for a serial killer, so it was nice to settle into one. While I found “Granite Harbor” to be a bit by the numbers, it was still a great read. I enjoyed my time spent with Detective Alex Brangwen as he attempted to uncover the identity of the person murdering teen boys in his small coastal town in Maine. This one was extra fun because I had both the print and the audio versions of this book, so I could listen while reading, which enhanced the overall experience.

The book begins with a group of teen boys – Shane, Ethan, and Jared – out riding their bikes and skateboards. Two of the boys decide to go home and watch a movie, but Shane decides he wants to stay out and enjoy the evening. The boys separate, and the next day, someone finds Shane’s body hanging from a proscenium with a gruesome cut down his torso. Detective Alex Brangwen, the small town’s lead detective, is called in. When he and his partner find something inside the victim’s body and discover a similar murder from a few years ago in a nearby town, he feels it may be the work of a serial killer. When another boy is found murdered in a similar way a few days later, Alex knows the clock is ticking, and he needs to stop whoever is behind this before another victim is claimed.

While the plot felt familiar, the characters and the MO of the killer were very unique. Alex is a flawed yet relatable figure, thrust into the role of a detective in a town where everyone’s business is public knowledge. Alex used to be an up-and-coming author, but when his books didn’t take off the way he’d hoped, he ended up going to school to become a detective. As a single father grappling with financial issues, Alex not only has to solve a brutal murder but also navigate the challenges of parenting a grieving teenage daughter, Sophie, who was friends with both victims. Could the killer possibly target Sophie next?

Isabel, the other main character in the story, is equally compelling. She is a single mother with a troubled past and a connection to Alex. Isabel’s husband disappeared a few years back, so she is the only provider. She recently lost her teaching job and struggles to stay afloat while parenting her headstrong son, Ethan. The way in which her path intertwines with Alex’s, both personally and professionally, adds depth and complexity to the narrative, creating a rich and engaging story that explores the interconnected lives of the residents of Granite Harbor.

The other characters are equally compelling. Morgana – Alex’s ex-wife – is a major pain and a force to be reckoned with – I loved to hate her. The teens were all believable, and I really began to care for them – especially Sophie and Ethan. As their friends began to die, the fear that they may be next was palpable.

The mystery of who is killing the teens and why forms the novel’s core, and it is full of red herrings and nice twists that kept me engaged. I’d pegged a couple of suspects early on, and one panned out, but it was still fun to watch it all unfold as Alex and Isabel slowly put the pieces together. Nichols’ adept handling of tension, coupled with the steady unveiling of new revelations and clues by Alex and Isabel, ensures that the plot never feels rushed or forced, maintaining a perfect pace that kept me hooked. I think the only plot point that felt unnecessary was the clairvoyant abilities of one of the characters. It felt out of place and unnecessary to the plot, but it wasn’t enough to ruin anything.

As far as the audiobook narration goes, the narrator handled it very well. He hit all of the inflections and accents effortlessly. The only thing that I think would have enhanced the audio experience was having a female narrator for Isabel and the other female characters sections, but again, the narrator handled things just fine the way it was.

Even though it felt somewhat familiar, I found this book to be thrilling and thought-provoking, and I was fully invested from beginning to end. With its well-drawn characters, well-paced plot, and expertly crafted prose, Peter Nichols delivers a story that thriller and crime fiction lovers will devour.