Granite Harbor: A Novel

Alex Brangwen lives in Granite Harbor, Maine, and is currently the town’s only detective after a failed career as a novelist. His first murder case is a friend of his daughter, a teenage boy found brutally murdered at the Settlement, the town’s historic archaeological site. When another teenage boy is found murdered in the same way, tensions start to rise as fingers begin pointing and parents want answers. Alex’s skills as a novelist may just help him solve this case, as he’s able to see the story behind the killings. But he’ll have to hurry if he wants to stop the killer before the next murder.

This was a well-written mystery, which reminded me strongly of Mystic River and the television series Broadchurch. This story is dark, with characters that are deeply flawed and broken. There is nothing heart-warming here. However, if you appreciate more realistic thrillers in the vein of those mentioned above, you will like this book. The plot is worthwhile, but it’s really the characters that bring this story to life.