HH Whitby's Blog
December 20, 2025
From the Outport to the Charts: My Debut Thriller is Live (and Free)
I am writing this from my home in an outport in Newfoundland, watching the weather roll in off the Atlantic.
It has been a surreal 36 hours. My debut novel, The Butcher of Blackwater Cove, has officially launched, and the response has blown me away. In just a couple of days, this story set on "The Rock" has started charting globally:
#8 in Psychological & Suspense (Germany) 🇩🇪
#15 in Noir Crime (USA) 🇺🇸
#19 in Psychological Thrillers (Canada) 🇨🇦
When I sat down to write this series, I wanted to capture the true atmosphere of Newfoundland. Not just the postcard views, but the isolation, the rugged terrain, and the way the weather dictates life here. My background in criminal psychology helped shape the twisty plot, but living off-grid here with my family provided the soul of the setting.
Seeing readers from Germany to the US connecting with that atmosphere is incredible.
A Quick Heads-Up for Readers: As part of the launch celebration, I have made the eBook 100% FREE for a limited time.
If you enjoy atmospheric noir, dark crime thrillers, or just want to see what happens when isolation meets a twisted mind, you can grab a copy on the house right now.
Download it here: https://mybook.to/TheButcherofBlackwater
Thank you to everyone who has already left a review or rating. It makes a massive difference for an indie author.
It has been a surreal 36 hours. My debut novel, The Butcher of Blackwater Cove, has officially launched, and the response has blown me away. In just a couple of days, this story set on "The Rock" has started charting globally:
#8 in Psychological & Suspense (Germany) 🇩🇪
#15 in Noir Crime (USA) 🇺🇸
#19 in Psychological Thrillers (Canada) 🇨🇦
When I sat down to write this series, I wanted to capture the true atmosphere of Newfoundland. Not just the postcard views, but the isolation, the rugged terrain, and the way the weather dictates life here. My background in criminal psychology helped shape the twisty plot, but living off-grid here with my family provided the soul of the setting.
Seeing readers from Germany to the US connecting with that atmosphere is incredible.
A Quick Heads-Up for Readers: As part of the launch celebration, I have made the eBook 100% FREE for a limited time.
If you enjoy atmospheric noir, dark crime thrillers, or just want to see what happens when isolation meets a twisted mind, you can grab a copy on the house right now.
Download it here: https://mybook.to/TheButcherofBlackwater
Thank you to everyone who has already left a review or rating. It makes a massive difference for an indie author.
A Debut in the Fog
The Butcher of Blackwater Cove is out now, and for a limited time the ebook is free until December 21, 2025.
This novel grew out of a fascination with isolation, weather, and the quiet agreements that exist in small communities. Places where the barrens stretch empty, the bog keeps what it takes, and witnesses close ranks. Newfoundland is not just a backdrop in this story. It is a character.
This is my debut novel and the first book in the Dark Shores crime noir series. It introduces Major Crimes investigator Claire Rowan, a woman drawn back into places she once tried to leave, chasing a case where silence is as dangerous as violence.
If you enjoy atmospheric crime, slow-burn tension, and stories where setting matters as much as plot, I hope you give it a read while it is free.
Thank you to everyone who has already stepped into the fog with me.
This novel grew out of a fascination with isolation, weather, and the quiet agreements that exist in small communities. Places where the barrens stretch empty, the bog keeps what it takes, and witnesses close ranks. Newfoundland is not just a backdrop in this story. It is a character.
This is my debut novel and the first book in the Dark Shores crime noir series. It introduces Major Crimes investigator Claire Rowan, a woman drawn back into places she once tried to leave, chasing a case where silence is as dangerous as violence.
If you enjoy atmospheric crime, slow-burn tension, and stories where setting matters as much as plot, I hope you give it a read while it is free.
Thank you to everyone who has already stepped into the fog with me.
