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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
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the cbtb blog

One girl's ongoing investigation of the crime fiction genre.

Book Review: HELLO, TRANSCRIBER by Hannah Morrissey

December 2, 2021

HELLO, TRANSCRIBER by Hannah Morrissey

Minotaur; 11/30/21 

CBTB Rating: 4.5/5

The Verdict: a gritty, atmospheric procedural-meets-suspense novel

Hannah Morrissey’s outstanding debut suspense novel HELLO, TRANSCRIBER delivers a blend I wouldn’t have thought possible if I hadn’t read it myself. In this gripping and rough-around-the-edges suspense story, Morrissey combines a fresh twist on a procedural with psychological suspense and even a touch of romance, all wrapped up in the gritty atmosphere of a small city that has seen better days. Following a woman who has just accepted a job as a transcriber for the local police force, and soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous world when she becomes obsessed with an ongoing investigation in the city, HELLO, TRANSCRIBER is an inventive and irresistible crime story perfect for your winter to-read list. The world Morrissey crafts in HELLO, TRANSCRIBER delivers the appeal of a police procedural—an insider’s glimpse into the inner machinations of policework—coupled with a fresh and engaging suspense plot, a combination sure to thrill genre newcomers and seasoned readers alike. HELLO, TRANCSRIBER is exactly the fresh twist on the procedural that I’ve personally been craving, and it makes Morrissey’s debut a perfect entrée into the world of the procedural for readers who typically gravitate towards lighter psychological suspense. Readers craving something dark and rough around the edges will devour this irresistible tale of intrigue, secrets, and murder.

 Plot Details:

Every night, while the street lamps shed the only light on Wisconsin's most crime-ridden city, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor's gruesome secrets. As an aspiring writer, Hazel believes that writing a novel could be her only ticket out of this frozen hellscape. And then her neighbor confesses to hiding the body of an overdose victim in a dumpster.

The suspicious death is linked to Candy Man, a notorious drug dealer. Now Hazel has a first row seat to the investigation and becomes captivated by the lead detective, Nikolai Kole. Intrigued by the prospects of gathering eyewitness intel for her book, Hazel joins Kole in exploring Black Harbor's darkest side. As the investigation unfolds, Hazel will learn just how far she'll go for a good story—even if it means destroying her marriage and luring the killer to her as she plunges deeper into the city she's desperate to claw her way out of.

For Hazel Greenlee, the crime-ridden city of Black Harbor, Wisconsin is home by necessity, not by choice. Hazel dreams of becoming a writer and building a new life for herself far away from the desolate community she’s found herself in, and far away from her temperamental husband, too. Hazel desperately needs steady employment to make her dream a reality, and her skills as a typist make her a natural fit for an opening as a transcriber at the local police department. Every night, as the city sleeps, Hazel works the night shift, transcribing police officers’ reports and getting the inside scoop on the crimes plaguing her city. One particular case catches Hazel’s interest: an ongoing investigation trying to identify and arrest a drug dealer known as the “Candy Man,” whose nefarious drug ring seems tied to the overdoses of multiple young teens and children in town. Similarly intriguing to Hazel is the lead detective in charge of the case, a magnetic and mysterious man named Nikolai Kole. Unable to resist the draw of the “Candy Man” case and its lead investigator, Hazel begins to strike up a friendship with Kole, and Kole in turn brings her deeper and deeper into his ongoing investigation of the Candy Man’s crimes. For Hazel, this is not only an irresistible insider’s glimpse into a newsworthy police investigation, but also the perfect inspiration for her newest novel. But when things take a dangerous turn in the investigation, Hazel suddenly realizes that she hasn’t only put her personal and professional ethics on the line with her increasingly intimate relationship with Kole--but her life might be on the line, too. HELLO, TRANSCRIBER delves into the dark underbelly of a troubled rural community, putting readers in the heart of the action alongside protagonist Hazel. Moving seamlessly between the Candy Man investigation and Hazel’s increasingly tumultuous personal life, HELLO, TRANSCRIBER delivers major appeal for fans of police procedurals and psychological suspense alike. 

Perhaps one of the most impressive elements of Morrissey’s debut thriller for me personally is the way she manages to pay homage to the traditional police procedural while simultaneously making it feel fresh and new. From its measured, slow-burning pacing to its focus on the actual day-to-day work of investigating a crime, there is a strong procedural element to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER that will appeal to fans of more traditional detective fiction. At the same time, Morrissey puts her own unique spin on the genre by giving readers a protagonist who is not herself a police officer, but nevertheless works in conjunction with the police force. I had never read a crime novel with a police transcriber protagonist until this one, and I found it to be a totally fresh and interesting way into the police procedural genre, one which works so well thanks to Morrissey’s superb protagonist, Hazel. When we meet her, Hazel is a woman who is trapped by her circumstances. She has had to move far away from her family in order to find work, she is trapped in a marriage that is dysfunctional at best and abusive at worst, and she dreams of someday making a living as a writer. From our story’s outset, readers will sympathize with Hazel as she navigates her relationship with her husband, and as she dreams of getting out of the town of Black Harbor and building a better future for herself. Her curiosity and intelligence make her a great guide for readers—we learn about everything from office politics within the police department to the complex details of the Candy Man case right along with her. As a newcomer to the world of the police, Hazel becomes the perfect guide for readers, drawing them into her new world bit by bit in a way that feels natural and authentic to her journey as a character, at the same time making this world feel accessible and engaging for readers as well. And beyond Hazel’s professional life, readers will also find much to love in her personal journey over the course of the novel. I can’t say too much about this for fear of spoilers, but I will just say I loved watching Hazel explore and reclaim her own agency and sexuality as the book develops. The journey Hazel goes on in HELLO, TRANSCRIBER is harrowing, challenging, and ultimately triumphant, and readers will be rooting for her every step of the way. 

Integral to the world that Hannah Morrissey crafts in HELLO, TRANSCRIBER is her story’s fictional setting, Black Harbor, Wisconsin. Readers who love the chilling atmospheres of Scandinavian crime novels will feel right at home in the dark and gritty world that Morrissey has built in Black Harbor. If Midwestern Noir is a thing, Hannah Morrissey has established herself as a queen of the genre with her debut thriller. Black Harbor is, true to its name, a bleak and desolate place that provides the absolute perfect backdrop for a dark crime story—and Morrissey makes great use of it in every aspect of her writing. The chilling atmosphere of Black Harbor shrouds HELLO, TRANSCRIBER in mystery. From little details that bring the story’s setting to life to the book’s epic finale which makes great use of the vivid picture that the author has painted of the town, there is so much to love about the way the author brings Black Harbor to life. As someone who frequently gravitates towards book with those dark, chilling, gritty settings, I can truly say I loved every moment spent in the world of Black Harbor. This book’s setting is bleak and desolate, make no mistake—this is not the book for you if you’re looking for a “feel-good” setting. For me, that kind of darkness and grimness in setting is an absolute setting point and something I gravitate towards in crime fiction, and if you feel the same, you’ll love spending time in Black Harbor. HELLO, TRANSCRIBER is an immersive read through and through, one guaranteed to pick you up from wherever you’re sitting reading and drop you into the heart of its gritty and dangerous world. 


BOOK DETAILS:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books (November 30, 2021)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250795958

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250795953

Crime by the Book is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the book(s) included in this post. 

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