Heart of Glass

by Jennifer Hillier

Some lies can save you. Some lies can break you...
Twenty-five years ago in a small beachside town, a charming drifter met three inseparable teenage girls, Barb, Lorelai and Nicolette, at Wonderland, the local amusement park. Days later, Lorelai was found dead, her body surfacing in a flooded bog near where she was murdered.

Now, Wonderland - the infamous site of murders by the serial killer dubbed The Carnival Killer - is about to reopen, revitalizing the dying town. With their past safely behind them, Barb and Nicolette have moved on with their lives. But when the Carnival Killer recants his confession about killing a high school girl, and a new body of a young woman washes ashore, the truth about what happened to Lorelei all those years ago - and what is happening now - threatens the very fabric of the town itself.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook, Adult

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Jennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people, and then writes about it.

She's the author of seven psychological thrillers, including the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling Things We Do in the Dark, winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Audiobook. Described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine, it was a Book of the Month Club selection, an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a LibraryReads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame.

She's also published six other novels, including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anthony Award), and Jar of Hearts (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and shortlisted for the Anthony and Macavity Awards). She also wrote Creep, Freak, The Butcher, and Wonderland, which have been recently reissued by Gallery Books in beautiful trade paperback formats. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages so far.

Jennifer is Filipino-Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, but she spent eight amazing years living in Seattle, which is where she first became a published author. She's a Seahawks fan who married a Packers guy, and they have a son in middle school who wishes she wrote books like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (she does too, kid, she does too).

She's afraid of the dark and can’t sleep unless she's checked the locks on the doors several times. She loves writing when it’s raining, sleeping when it’s sunny, and reading after everyone else has gone to bed. She's a cat person without a cat, which makes her sad. But she's now back in the Toronto area permanently with her family, which makes her happy.

Heart of Glass, her newest thriller, will be coming August 25, 2026 from Minotaur Books.

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Series ~ Wonderland #2
Others in the series ~ Wonderland
Setting ~ Washington
Publication date ~ August 25, 2026
Est Page Count ~ 368 (56 chapters)
Audio length ~ 12 hours 57 minutes
Narrators ~ Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, January LaVoy
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ 5 parts, dual timelines, reality tv stars, missing persons, references to cheating

Content warning from the author:
references to murder, sexual assault (references to, not explicit), violence, substance abuse, terminal illness and physical and emotional trauma

There's a documentary on the The Carnival Killer in the works. He's adamant he only killed 4 girls despite confessing and be convicted of killing 5. Why would he lie back then and say he did it when he didn't? Or is he lying now? He doesn't have much longer to live, so he doesn't have much to lose. Love the sound effect for these chapters.

Our main characters:
Barb ~ a local Seaside reporter and reality tv show gossip columnist
Kylie ~ a reality show star who has been missing for over 6 years. No one knows she's alive and being help captive, except us, and the other victims throughout the years.
Cole~, formally known as Nicolette, one of Barb’s best friends until a falling out. She is now on a super popular reality show called Trophy Wives.

We head back to 2001 and meet Lorelei, the teenager supposedly killed by The Carnival Killer.

Overall, there was a lot going on and quite a few characters to keep track of. The pace was pretty steady throughout. Happy to report I hadn't figured out who was behind the the current abduction storyline, so that's always a good thing.

Series notes:
I read Wonderland back in 2023 and can't say I remember it vividly, but I always suggest it's best to read series in order. Here's my Wonderland review if you're interested.

Narration notes:
Please as punch there are 5, and well seasoned ones at that!

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️ You know what’s the difference between a truth and a lie? Perspective.

Is it just me or is there always something haunting and unsettling about carnivals and amusement parks??

Twenty five years ago, a 'Carnival Killer' murdered five women, including a 15 year old teenager Lorelei. Now the abandoned amusement park, Wonderland, is getting a revamp as the Carnival Killer recants his confession, claiming that he never killed Lorelei. So why did he admit to the five murders instead of four twenty five years ago?

Two ex best-friends, Nicolette and Barb, no longer in contact, have to revisit the traumatic events of that summer. Barb now a reporter/journalist starts digging into long buried secrets of the little Seaside town in Washington as a body is washed ashore. Nicolette, going by 'Cole' nowadays, is a reality TV star living a very different life. She's now married to Jordan, her male costar but her relationship with him is not as perfect as it is on-screen. Meanwhile, on and off, there are flashbacks to 25 years earlier where we see the three girls--Barb, Nicolette and Lorelei--being the typical wildcard teenagers, always chasing thrills and never thinking of consequences, until the night that changes their lives forever.

Split into four sections, the documentary-style interviews with the Carnival Killer that start off each section, set a suspenseful tone to each section while keeping the readers guessing.

Whoooaa. This book, this story. Jealousy drives people to do despicable things. And Jennifer Hillier never fails to deliver. I thought that the past and the present collided in a thrilling, satisfying, heart pounding way while keeping the mystery twisty and suspenseful up until the very end. I love small town thrillers because their secrets are so vile and shocking and this definitely delivered on how dark and complex the motivations were. The mystery kept me guessing and the psychological suspense remained high. It was quite clever for Jennifer Hillier to use the Reality TV/show to propel the mystery forward.

My favorite part of this novel was how two different women drove the perspective forward. Barb and Cole shared the same trauma: their childhood best friend died & they were responsible for it or were they not? They led very different lives but their secrets refused to stay buried. Each character was incredibly compelling. Hillier mapped the valley of fear in both characters by carefully deconstructing their lives. Nicolettes chapters particularly were chaotic, messy and emotionally damaging. Through flashbacks we meet Nicolette as a 15 year old girl who had no problem with getting boys to fall for her left and right. While attending a carnival, the three teens meet Samuel Figg, our Carnival Killer. Figg was quite interested in Lorelei from the very start and the four hung out until Figg realized their friendship was too messy for him and he leaves them be. But Nicolette was harboring a secret that neither Barb nor Lorelei knew. In present timeline, Cole led a very different life--her life was not as pretty as Reality TV made it to be. I didn't know if I should root for her or hate her, the flashbacks raised terrifying possibilities and sometimes I thought they would cross into her present. So for majority of the book I was left guessing & none of my guesses were exactly all accurate..Barb was more of grounded character for me. Despite the trauma, she always remained the voice of reason.

The ending was a big surprise for me. That is one twist I did not expect. Overall, I think most readers will be pleased with the ending but I can also see how it might leave readers asking more questions. There is absolutely NOTHING in the story that points to this person being the killer.

For those who are asking if you need to read Wonderland first before diving into this book, the answer is no. wonderland was released 10 years ago and while this book is connected to the events of Wonderland, this can be read as a standalone. I am someone who did not read the first book & was initially hesitant to read this. I can honestly say that I did not miss anything at all from the first story but I plan to read Wonderland sometime in the future.

Narrators really elevated my immersive experience and did such a great job!!



Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and the author, Jennifer Hillier for an early ARC!
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for an early copy of ALC.

Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, January LaVoy
Duration: 13 hours 57 minutes
Speed: 1.5x


Publication: August 25, 2026

[Laura Lovesreading]

My fave is releasing a new book!
I cant wait to get my hands on this one!
I know its going to be a five star read!
💙🤍💙🤍

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Seaside: the murder capital of Washington State or maybe it’s the Bermuda Triangle for pretty young women. Wonderland is due to reopen after twenty five years of closure but is the body of a woman washing up on the beach a harbinger of doom? Twenty five years ago, serial killer Samuel Figg,The Carnival Killer, confesses to five murders, but now he claims it’s four, on a soon to be released docuseries. Why does he confess to a murder he doesn’t commit and perhaps, more to the point, who is the actually murderer of his ‘final victim’, Lorelie? Does her best friend, local journalist Barb, know more than she’s telling?

I loved Wonderland but this novel, which works as a standalone, is not as strong in my opinion. However, I’ll start with where I think the strengths of the book lie. The podcast ‘Criminal Confessions’ where Samuel Figg is interviewed in prison are good as they are tantalising interludes, adding to the mystery of who the true killer of Lorelai is. The dual timelines give another matching layer to this, as little by little, the reader learns of what happens between Figg, Lorelai and her friends twenty five years ago. The dynamics between the girls at the time of the murder and in the later timeline as women, are very good, especially between Barb and Nicolette. The latter has reinvented herself as Cole, a reality TV star of Trophy Wives. These characters feel very authentic and scenes between them are described vividly with plenty of barbs! Barb as a character is very strong and I come away liking her and admiring her in many ways. In addition, Seaside feels very claustrophobic, the vibe is totally skewed and off and it’s not somewhere I’d like to experience. I do think it’s a pity that Wonderland itself doesn’t feature more prominently as that’s where the creepy atmosphere comes in the book of that name, here, it’s peripheral. The ending is good, part I guess, part I certainly don’t.

Whilst there are moments of suspense and tension, they tend to get lost because the pacing is so uneven. At times it is very slow and this is particularly true of the first half. In addition, it’s too long and with 50 to 100 less pages the pace might have picked up, along with my rating. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, too many side stories, asides or plot strands which I find very distracting. There’s a reality TV element via Cole/Nicolette and other characters and that is definitely not for me!

Overall, I don’t think this is Jennifer Hillier’s best book but it still has many strengths and I definitely still want to read what she pens in the future.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Atlantic Books, Corvus for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.

[Whitney Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a handful of Jennifer Hillier’s books and really enjoyed them and Heart of Glass was no different. While I have to say this would fall lower in my ranking of her books, it's still an excellent book. This book has a fun mix of drama-filled reality tv vibes and small-town vibes mixed with true crime vibes. They all come together for a fun, bingeable read! The beginning started a little on the slower side for me as there's a lot of characters introduced and intertwined that you have to figure out and keep straight. The ending is more face-paced and twisty turny. The storyline was fun and now I want to go back and read her book Wonderland that took place at Seaside years ago. Overall, a great book if you're looking for an entertaining mystery. Can't wait to see what Jennifer Hillier comes up with next!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley, for a copy in return for my honest review.

[Marialyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

I will preface this by saying I have enjoyed three of Jennifer's Hillier's books, Little Secrets was a five star one for me, and both Wonderland and The Butcher earned a four star rating. However, this current book was a massive disappointment for me.

I felt that it had an extraneous amount of characters,each seeming to have a story line that went nowhere. I really wanted to enjoy this book as it had components that made it sound alluring, an age old murders committed by a serial killer, a creepy amusement park, and a killer telling the world or whoever would listen that he only murdered four girls, not five.

So starts the adventure which should have lured me into a compulsive read, but left me wishing for its conclusion.

For me, sometimes a story can have too much and besides by the middle of the book knowing the killer, it was filled with podcasts, a reality TV show, the girls stories, it felt overcrowded and eventually boring and dull.

I didn't connect with any of the characters felt their overdone telling marred the story.

All in all, it was a dissatisfying story for me. It always is when a story you were so looking forward to is insufficient in living up to your expectations.

I alternated between the text and audio and try as they might, the narrators couldn't save this book for me sadly.

[Stephanie]

pre-read: in Seaside, Washington twenty-five years ago a teenage girl is found deceased by the Carnival Killer.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Audio, and Jennifer Hillier for the ALC

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Seaside, WA: a small town that despite its innocent sounding name, has one of the highest murder rates in Washington State, second only to Seattle.
Despite its charming small town feel and friendly locals, it has a sinister past (and not all of those friendly locals are exactly who they appear to be).

At first I was hesitant to request this because I have not yet read Wonderland, but a couple of people assured me that they both can be read as a standalone and don’t need to be read in order.
It took me a few chapters to get into this, but I am SO glad that I stuck with it!

I really enjoyed the reality TV theme.
As someone who doesn’t watch reality TV, it was really interesting to get into the headspace of both the people who star in it and the superfans.
I have a friends who religiously watch The Real Housewives, but I had no idea that there are actual conventions for reality TV fans.

This book has some dark parts and a few sick, horrible people in it.
One thing that I appreciated is that before the book even opens, Jennifer Hillier acknowledges this and also includes trigger warnings.

This wasn’t really what I’d call a popcorn thriller, but at the same time, after the first 10-20% there was no point at which I felt bored or didn’t want to keep reading.
Actually, I’m not sure as to whether consider this a thriller, mystery, or neither, but what I do know is that I really enjoyed it!
Hillier has a gift for putting together a story that keeps the reader engaged.

This was my first read by Jennifer Hillier, and now I definitely have to read Wonderland!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC to review via NetGalley.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audio production was great, but the story was all over the place. A lot of unnecessary story tangents that didn’t support the main mystery of the missing women. Sadly, this one won’t be memorable for me and doesn’t warrant above 3-stars.

[Kristina Pauls (ARC Reviewer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

PUBLISH DATE: August 25, 2026
Heart of Glass (Wonderland #2) by Jennifer Hillier ⭐⭐⭐

I read Heart of Glass in both audiobook and ebook formats. While I referred to the eBook occasionally, I found myself gravitating toward the audiobook because the production was so well done. The book has multiple narrators for the different points of view, and although I couldn't always identify each character by voice alone, having a different narrator helped signal when the perspective changed.

Jennifer Hillier is clearly a talented thriller writer. I genuinely couldn't figure out who was responsible, and every time I thought I had it solved, the story shifted in another direction. The mystery kept me guessing all the way to the end which is something I always appreciate in a thriller.

The story follows multiple points of view and dual timelines. Early on, I had no trouble keeping the characters and timelines straight. Around the 70% mark though, the storylines began crossing over and the growing cast became harder to keep track of. It didn't make the book unenjoyable, but I found myself spending significantly more time tryin to remember who knew what and how everyone connected instead of just enjoying the mystery.

Although there are murder and serial killer themes throughout, most of the violence was more specific than graphic. There were references to sexual assault, some closed-door sexual content, and fairly strong language. The profanity became more frequent as the book progressed, which ended up being one of my bigger negatives.

I enjoyed the mystery and thought the author did an excellent job keeping the reader guessing. For me the increasingly complex cast of characters and heavier language kept it from being a higher rated read. It is an enjoyable phycological thriller, with great storytelling between the multiple perspectives and timelines.

I did want to note that I did not realize this belonged in a series as book 2, so reading this and reviewing this book is without having read the first book in the series and could have impacted my opinion on the story overall.

PUBLISH DATE: August 25, 2026
BOOK TITLE: Heart of Glass
SERIES: Wonderland Book 2
AUTHOR: Jennifer Hillier
PUBLISHER: St Martin's Press
FORMAT: ebook & audiobook
PAGES: 352
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything worked with this novel, maybe I would call it a suspenseful mystery? Serial killers, reality tv stars, multiple pov's, dual timelines, many strings in many directions but everything worked. It is no problem to keep track of everything and everyone , and the pace was consistent throughout. Characters were flawed, but in equal parts likable and unlikable. I wouldn't change anything about the plot other than the regular proof corrections. While the plot progressed in a pretty linear way, there were not too many surprises but there were a few interesting twists along the way. Thoroughly enjoyed and this being from a Canadian writer is a bonus.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

[Lauren Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

HEART OF GLASS
📖 / 🎧: book/audio review
Narrated by Brittany Pressley; Chris Brinkley; Eunice Wong; Ferdelle Capistrano; January LaVoy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5)

Thank you @stmartinspress for my ARC and @macmillan.audio for my ALC #macaudio2026

jennifer hillier can write 👏 a 👏 book 👏

sam, aka The Carnival Killer, is serving five life sentences for murders he committed 25 years ago. he’s dying of cancer, and while being interviewed for a documentary, he states he only actually did 4 of the 5 murders - saying he didn’t kill the young girl named Lorelei. Lorelei’s best friends - Nicolette & Barb, are now facing the truth of what happened.

I so enjoyed being back in Seaside, and although I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to read Wonderland first - I’m glad I did. I fully understood the setting, and caught a few red herrings and loved that! This one is definitely for fans of reality tv shows, as that actually plays a major part in it - Barb is a writer for a famous reality show, and other reality tv show stars have recently gone missing.

The audiobook gets all the stars, and will go down as one of my favorite listens of the year. Told in many POV - with a documentary feel for Sam’s POV - and the perfect cast for all the characters.. CHEF’S KISS 👌🏻

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I think of fun, slasher-type thrillers (with a little less of the slashing and a lot more of the creepy atmosphere), this book is just what I envision. Pickup up twenty-five years after its counterpart, Wonderland, we are right back revisiting the horrors of the amusement park just as it’s set to reopen. I completely flew through this all-absorbing thriller that felt like teen horror meets reality tv show with an air of over-the-top but in the way that makes it perfect for a summer binge.

🎧 The audio is incredibly well done and the way to go if you want to feel fully immersed. The full cast, including faves January LaVoy and Brittany Pressley among others, allowed for each character to stay wholly unique, a small factor that becomes much more important with a large ensemble cast such as this one.

Read if you like:
-domestic suspense
-psychological thrillers
-reality tv
-ensemble casts
-atmospheric setting

Thank you Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier. Thanks to @minotaurbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Twenty five years ago the Carnival Killer was arrested and confessed to murdering five teenage girls, including Barb and Nicolette’s best friend, Lorelei. Now, he’s recanted his confession. Barb and Nicolle have moved one, one as a journalist and one as a reality tv star, but his recantation will shock their world especially as a new body washes up.

For those who read Wonderland, you’ll be excited to go back to Seaside! While not a sequel, it takes place in the same town, so you don’t have to have read the first book. If you have, you’ll know that something just isn’t right with the town. I liked this one a lot, especially the reality tv show background and wish it got even more into that! The dual time lines were great, although the past chapters were few. I liked the twists that occurred. They weren’t mind blowing for the plot, but the perfect amount for keep suspense and a feeling of unease. The tense kidnapping chapters were also amazing. So many different things were going on that it was impossible to be bored with this plot. I loved the ending as well; very satisfying for the characters.

“She wasn’t my victim. But invite a stranger in, and strange things will happen.”

Read if you like:
-Kidnapping plots
-Reality TV tropes
-Friendships gone wrong

Heart of Glass comes out 8/25.

[whatkelseysreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up💫 maybe a full 5???

[Corinne Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay. Small-town vibes with a serial killer and a number of women who have gone missing. What took the enjoyment level down a notch was the number of different characters involved in the book and all of the back stories that needed to be kept up with. I would be reading sometimes wondering when we would get back to a certain character and their story. I have read other books by this author that I would highly recommend, but this isn’t one that I personally would rave about.

Thank you to Netgalley & Minotaur Books for an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jennifer Hillier’s books and was so excited to revisit Seaside. This is set in the same universe as Wonderland but you do not need to read it before jumping into House of Glass.

The first 30% of this book had it all witty dialogue, small town secrets, and a serial killer who is being featured in a documentary. Somewhere in the middle things started to drag on and the dialogue went from witty to juvenile. I enjoyed the ending but it wasn’t enough to bring it to 4 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Cynth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you loved Wonderland, you will love this one. I did and this one didn’t disappoint. It was gripping and had an interesting storyline with some bits of mixed-media. Secrets from the past and missing people storyline that worked well. I would absolutely recommend.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 5 out of 5]

have been eagerly awaiting a new @jenniferhillierbooks thriller and I was absolutely not disappointed!! Set in the same world as Wonderland (but completely stand alone), this is absolutely another winner. This is a cover to cover read in one sitting if you’re as eager to know what happens as I was!

Thank you to Minotaur for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kate Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Hillier has done it again with Heart of Glass. I really enjoyed the storyline, especially how current and relevant it feels with its focus on reality TV personalities and the culture surrounding fame. It made the story feel believable and timely.
I also loved the dual layers of the mystery. The backstory of the Carnival Killer was fascinating and added so much depth, while the present-day kidnapper kept me hooked from beginning to end. Hillier does an excellent job of weaving the two storylines together without losing momentum.
One of my favourite things about Jennifer Hillier's books is her writing style. She knows exactly how to build suspense, reveal just enough to keep you guessing, and deliver twists that make it difficult to put the book down.
This wasn't quite a five-star read for me, but it's still an engaging, fast-paced thriller that I'd happily recommend to anyone who enjoys psychological suspense with well-developed characters and plenty of tension.

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier is a suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. The story follows three friends who meet a mysterious man named Sam at a carnival one night. When one of the friends is later murdered, it seems obvious that Sam is responsible—but the truth is far more complicated than it first appears.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the setting. As someone who enjoys books set in Toronto, I loved seeing the city woven into the story. Hillier also does an excellent job with the multiple timelines, gradually revealing pieces of the puzzle until everything merges together in a satisfying way.

The characters of Barb and Cole were particularly well written and stood out among the cast. Their development added depth to the story and made me more invested in the outcome. While some twists were easier to predict than others, the overall mystery remained engaging and entertaining.

If you enjoy character-driven thrillers with layered timelines, intriguing twists, and a strong Toronto setting, Heart of Glass is definitely worth picking up.

The audiobook had a solid cast…including my fav Britney Pressely.

Thank you NetGalley

[Michelle’s Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a sequel to Wonderland until I started it! I gave Wonderland 3 stars and the same with this one. I liked this one more than Wonderland I just felt like some parts were pretty slow.

[Hadriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing follow up to the first book in the series - Wonderland. However, you do not need to read the first book to enjoy this one. Not a lot is carried forward other than the town and the messed up amusement park that was the center of the first novel. The town is just as messed up and still producing serial killers - yikes. This will have you on the edge of your seat and I absolutely loved the audiobook. All the narrators were really good and just the right amount of tension to build the story. Jennifer Hillier is an auto buy author for me and I will be happy to add a trophy copy to my library once released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC for this book.

[Kayla Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this was really good (all of her books are) but I have so many questions!! I feel like in the end, there wasn’t enough details explaining the why behind everything. What were the motives behind the multiple crimes throughout this book? And the wonderland scandal - I just assumed that was about the original murder… but then there were other details that made me think more happened. But it was never fully explained (unless I totally missed it). Maybe it’s totally intentional to keep the reader guessing. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a quick read but ahhhh I want more!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK!!! now THAT was fun!!! RTC

[Keagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book got me out of my reading slump! I was very excited to get Heart of Glass after reading The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier last year and I can say that this book was just as good. A little slow burn in the beginning, but definitely picked up in the end. She did a great job of making you think one thing and the truth being completely different! That’s when you know a thriller has done its job. The ending did feel a bit rushed, and left me with some questions (which sounds like the characters also had these questions), but doesn’t deter the storyline. I didn’t realize that the setting was based on another of her books, so I may have to add that to my TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the eARC.

[Mandy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of Glass (audio) 5⭐️
Jennifer Hillier is back! I flew through this and listened every chance I got. This is part of Hillier’s Seaside world, alluding to previous books without spoilers.

Amazing audio: documentary production, multiple narrators (including one of my favorites-Brittany Presley).

I was surprised some comments mention not liking the reality show aspect. It didn’t feel like a spotlight, but more like background character info. I’m certainly over the whole “reality show” trope, but this didn’t overly focus on it. There are two mysteries: the past mystery (to the reader) that continues to weigh heavy on two characters 25 years later, and the current mystery of missing women. There is A LOT going on, but wasn’t overwhelming to me.
I do wish there was a bit more info behind the “why” of the guilty ones. Though it cements the perspectives of the two characters, Barb and Cole, and the limitations of their knowledge.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Aug 25 2026

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In typical Jennifer Hillier fashion this book was disturbingly good. A thriller mixed in with some Real Housewives type drama.

A bit of a slower burn in the beginning, but the pace picks up and it gets hard to put down. I enjoyed the interview chapters and the dual timeline. The ending felt a little rushed and I wish we had more closure on who was really pulling the strings. The story is full of secrets and untrustworthy characters. It seems like everyone has something to hide in Seaside!

Thank you St Martins Press for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and loved all of Jennifer Hillier's books except for Wonderland, so I was hesitant to pick this one up, but I'm really glad I did! Even though this one takes place in Seaside and mentions Wonderland, it is completely its own story, and it ended up being one that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was a slow start, but once I got through the beginning, I couldn't put it down. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hillier has been one of my favorite modern thriller authors!
This one wasn’t my favorite of hers but still a solid book and a bingeable time. I’m personally just a bit tired of the missing girl trope, so the initial setup felt a little generic and took me a minute to get into, but once the story got going i felt a lot more invested. There’s a fun incorporation of real housewives type reality stars, but the story definitely takes dark turns as usual for Hillier.