The fictional Granite Harbor in Maine is the type of small, quaint town where thrillers and mysteries take place, as it is full of colorful characters, wild spaces, traditional values and a false sense of security. This is the setting for Peter Nichols’ latest novel, GRANITE HARBOR, where a killer with a penchant for ritual tableaus is hunting local teens. Readers know they most likely have been introduced to the murderer, but Nichols will keep them guessing as his characters race to find the perpetrator before he or she strikes again.

Granite Harbor’s only detective is a former writer who had a promising career and marriage, but both are well in the past. Now English ex-pat Alex Brangwen is a single dad to a grumpy teen girl who he uneasily co-parents with his ex-wife. Since becoming a police officer, one of the only jobs he felt he could take in Granite Harbor, Alex has not had to deal with any complicated crimes.

"Overall, the premise is intriguing, the setting is perfectly chosen, the crimes are sinister, and the dogged detective seems like a mostly good guy. GRANITE HARBOR will appeal to readers who like their thrillers bloody and weird."

But that all changes when a teenager named Shane is found dead and on gruesome display at the Granite Harbor Living History Settlement, a historical attraction. Not only does Alex need to solve Shane’s murder, he also must protect his daughter, Sophie, who was one of Shane’s close friends. The instinct that the killer is targeting a group of kids is confirmed when another in their circle is attacked. Alex and the other investigators are keeping one important detail from the public --- something surprising placed inside the victims.

As the town reels, Alex follows the strange set of clues and bizarre bits of evidence. His work is made all the more difficult because of his worry for Sophie and her friends, especially Ethan, the son of Alex’s love interest. Interpersonal dynamics are often front and center here, and they both help and hinder the investigation. The mothers of the central teen characters are particularly drawn --- shrill, reactionary, old-fashioned, anxious or depressed, and checked-out. The teens also come across as stereotypically distrustful, entitled and quick to anger.

Readers are privy to the killer’s point of view and gain insight into his or her background and motivations. This individual is more developed, and his or her story and chapters are far more compelling than those of the families who are impacted by this violence. Those sections of the book are creepy but don’t give too much away about the killer’s identity. In addition to the domestic drama, the murders and the investigation, Nichols throws in some psychic visions.

Nichols is clearly aiming for dark and gritty. The violence here is horrific but also cinematic (think Hannibal Lecter). Readers should be warned that there is violence against animals depicted in detail, not to mention the seemingly requisite abuse of a child in the making of a monster. Overall, the premise is intriguing, the setting is perfectly chosen, the crimes are sinister, and the dogged detective seems like a mostly good guy. GRANITE HARBOR will appeal to readers who like their thrillers bloody and weird.