My first introduction to Jennifer Hillier came last year when a coworker recommended I read her novel The Butcher. That twisted take on a serial killer story grabbed me from beginning to end and left me eager to read more of her work. So when Hillier's publisher offered me a copy of her latest thriller, Heart of Glass, I didn't have to think twice.
I ended up alternating between reading the book and listening to the audiobook, and whichever way I experienced it, I had a hard time putting it down. Once again, Hillier had me completely invested from the start.
Twenty-five years ago, the town of Seaside was rocked by the horrific murders of five girls at the local Wonderland amusement park. Sam Figg, better known as the Carnival Killer, confessed to all five murders and was sentenced to life in prison. Now he's dying of cancer and finally ready to tell his side of the story to podcaster Jana Jones.
His big revelation? He only killed four of the girls.
According to Sam, the fifth murder wasn't his.
Barb is a local journalist who was living in Seaside when the killings happened. For twenty-five years, she's held on to a secret that could change everything people think they know about what happened at Wonderland. Now, just as Seaside seems to be turning a corner and the long-shuttered amusement park prepares for a grand reopening, Sam's confession threatens to drag the past back into the present. And the secret Barb has spent decades protecting may finally be coming to light.
A small town with a dark past and new secrets bubbling to the surface is exactly the kind of setup I love in a thriller. And for a while, Heart of Glass delivered exactly what I was hoping for. The mystery surrounding the Carnival Killer and what really happened twenty-five years ago was more than enough to keep me turning the pages. The problem is that Hillier keeps adding more.
She also explores Barb's obsession with trashy reality TV and the investigation into the disappearance of one of its stars. Add that to the mystery surrounding the Carnival Killer, the possibility that another killer has been hiding in plain sight, and everything else happening in Seaside, and Heart of Glass starts to take on an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. There's simply too much going on. Sure, I was invested, and there were plenty of twists and turns along the way, but I couldn't help feeling that narrowing the focus would have helped me connect with the story more.
Heart of Glass is technically a sequel to Hillier's 2015 novel Wonderland, but since I'd never read that one, I had no trouble jumping into this one. Ultimately, this is a case of too much being crammed into one book. It's bloated, yes, but Hillier still knows how to keep the pages turning. I may not have enjoyed Heart of Glass as much as The Butcher, but there's enough here to ensure I'll happily pick up whatever she writes next.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2026, 68)
That would be quite the twist and so many years later to try and find another killer that could be out there all this time.
ReplyDeleteI loved the atmosphere and setup of this one. There was just too much "more" added in.
DeleteGlad to see you ended up enjoying the story overall. We're opposites in this case. I loved this one and was so-so on The Butcher. I thought the audio with the full cast added to my enjoyment. I wonder if she'll do more stories in this series.
ReplyDeleteHow funny! No denying she's a great author. It's inevitable that not every book will land for us.
DeleteIt does sound like the author added too many ingredients to her writing recipe...the part about reality shows and investigating the disappearance of a contestant, for instance...
ReplyDeleteI'm not in the majority of readers on this one, at least based on the other reviews I've read, so take what I say in strides.
DeleteThat's quite a reveal after so many years. Glad to hear you were able to enjoy the story despite there being a lot going on.
ReplyDeleteI'm still interested in circling back to read the first book!
DeleteI still need to read The Butcher. This one sounds good, too.
ReplyDeleteThe Butcher is great! Rachel liked this one better, so I might be in the minority!
DeleteOh, too bad after it already had you hooked that you got inundated with those extra storylines to muddy the plot. Still, that set up sure does tempt one.
ReplyDeleteIt's a page turner nonetheless!
DeleteSuddenly a lot of older posts showed up, oops. So weird
ReplyDelete