I wish more Horror authors followed Jennifer McMahon’s particular brand and approach: Eerie, macabre, and satisfying without being grotesque or gratuitous.

This one is especially good if you love revenge-driven horror (I do!), and if you’re just here for the chills and thrills, you’ll love the atmosphere and twists McMahon gives us in Children on the Hill as well.

Old psychiatric hospitals aren’t a new setting for horror by any stretch, but McMahon gives us a truly fresh take on the locale and adjacent themes, and *cue trumpets blaring* she absolutely nailed the dual time line approach commonly used but rarely used well in these types of books.

If you like McMahon’s work in general, you certainly won’t be disappointed in this one, and if you like stuff like Stranger Things, you’re going to LOVE the plot and the characters in this one.

Jennifer McMahon seems to get better with each book. Always a blend of supernatural and reality, or is it all reality, I like that it keeps me guessing and the pay off is always good.

Obsessed. This book was absolutely captivating, what an amazing storytelling of monsters! Just when I thought everything was figured out a shock comes along. Jennifer does such an amazing job of really keeping you engaged the entire time. I could not put this book down. Iris and Vi’s relationship was so intertwined. Ugh I wish I could experience this book again for the first time!! Thank you so much NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

Jennifer McMahon knows how to craft a spooky story, leaving readers to consider if the known or unknown is more sinister!
In 1978, the acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Helen Hildreth is working with the mentally ill at a peaceful treatment center in Vermont. At home she’s simply “Gran” to her grandchildren, Vi and Eric.
One day Gran brings home Iris, a silent girl who is peculiar but immediately accepted as a playmate since the children have no friends besides each other. Iris is invited to join the Monster Club and help write their book about monsters and how to defeat them. While Iris eventually comes out of her shell and begins to speak, she doesn’t remember anything before her arrival.
Vi, curious about her new playmate, begins to investigate her mysterious arrival in hopes of learning who Iris is.

In 2019, famed podcaster/monster hunter Lizzy Shelley arrives in Vermont to investigate a missing girl. She’s noticed a pattern of missing girls for years but is always one step behind. She isn’t afraid of monsters … but she is afraid of her missing sister.

I really loved this story. While the ending was a bit far-fetched, the Frankenstein inspired story is a wonderful mix of coming of age and mystery with major spooky vibes.
Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Children on the Hill was released on April 26, 2022.

Slow start but absolutely loved it! The twist completely caught me off guard and the ending was perfectly done! It wasn't at all what I was expecting, in a good way! Highly recommend.

Dual timelines, 1978 and 2019, and narrators, Violet and Lizzy, tell the disturbing story of the Hillside Inn and the renowned, Dr. Helen Hildreth, who changed their lives forever. As Violet says in the book, “Monsters are everywhere.”
This creepy, ‘monster’ mystery, started very slow and I almost put it down, but I’m sure glad I didn’t. The pace quickly picked up and I finished it in an afternoon. Strong, fearless characters and solid twists and surprises that I didn’t see coming made this book a solid four star read for me.

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL, by author Jennifer McMahon, may be my favorite book by her to date! This one seemed--on the surface--like a good "asylum/mystery", and with her writing style, I expected to enjoy it.

What I did not expect was... everything! Normally I am able to predict quite a bit of novels early on, but McMahon did such a fantastic job with her characters, the different timelines, and by creating the perfect atmosphere and emotions involved, that I honestly didn't know WHAT to expect by the end.

The story follows a brother and sister who live with their grandmother. While she is the caring Gram to them, she works as the head of a psychiatric institute next door. Little things are given that all is not as it seems (of course, or there wouldn't be much of a story!), but just enough to pique one's interest and make you not want to stop reading at ANY point.

". . . monsters are real. They're all around us, whether we can see them or not."

Vi and her younger brother Eric are suddenly given one of Gram's "strays", as they call them. Patients from the institution were sometimes brought to the home for a taste of "family life". However, this new patient is a young girl, around Vi's age, and they know the institute doesn't take children in. The new addition quickly becomes a sister to them.

"Some monsters are born that way.
Some are made."

This novel was so complex and full of little details that eventually end up painting a much different picture than what we originally think. It was, in my opinion, masterfully crafted, and I loved each and every minute of it!

". . . Killing a monster is never easy."

Highly recommended.

Ok, I was enjoying this book, but seemed kind of childish with all the monster and monster hunter talk. Then, about halfway through, I thought that I knew where it was headed, and it was still just an ok read. Then when the big twist happened, I was shocked and couldn't stop reading. There's a few more twists in the end that boosted my rating to all 5 stars. Such a good read! Not as thrilling as I was hoping for, but so good in the end!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this amazing novel. I devoured it in one day and found myself unable to pull myself away. The characters are rich and you feel their struggles and desires and fears as they are going through them. The plot was breakneck and I found myself breathless until the final pages. This story will leave you on the edge of your seat and leave you questioning your thoughts the whole time. Highly recommend.

The Children on the Hill did not take any paths that I expected it to take. I loved the alternating POV between past and the present. I loved the idea of how monsters are everywhere and the questioning of what makes them monsters and how perceptions can be deceiving.

DNF at 51%
I was expecting a spooky supernatural thriller. It was anything but. The writing, which consisted mostly of the children’s stories, was very juvenile. I’ve read YA books that weren’t written as juvenile as this.

This is my first Jennifer McMahon book so I’ll definitely try another of hers although I’m a bit apprehensive.

The Children on the Hill is a book about monsters. I think we all know that Scooby Foo proved that monsters do exists, only it's people who do are the real monsters, not the stuff of storybooks and legends. I found the back and forth between the timelines and the different perspectives a bit confusing at first. One of the twists I saw coming, but the ending was very surprising in a couple of ways. Overall, fans of atmospheric thrillers will enjoy this one.

First, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Jennifer McMahon and I thought this was a solid book. Was it as good as the Winter People? No. That book absolutely terrified me in the best way. This book I think was really great, with a good twist, but the nail-biting, white-fingered, edge-of-my-seat action just wasn't there. I still think this is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves horror/thriller/mystery.

Jennifer McMahon knocks it out of the park again. This book is a modern take on the story of Mary Shelley's work Frankenstein. As the author likes to do, there are two timelines, 1978, when the children are growing up in the shadow of The Inn, and 2019, when a podcaster, Lizzy Shelley, hunts monsters.
In the early timeline, Gran is a doctor caring for the mentally ill who are institutionalized at The Inn and she comes home to her grandchildren, Eric, Vi and Iris. Iris is the youngest and new member of the little family. She is selectively mute presumably from trauma or head injury and she is mentored by the older children. They spend their days with homeschool and monster hunting. They are curious children and decide to try to figure out who Iris really is and where she came from. Vi creates elaborate ways to obtain more information about her young mentee.
The later timeline follows a podcaster who travels around the country trying to spot and give evidence supporting sightings of various monsters that people have reported seeing. She then gets a notice about a monster in Vermont, home to The Inn, and decides to follow the lead. She sees the pattern of girls going missing from a certain area over the years and tries to find the monster responsible for the disappearances.
This is a fantastic read. Her books are always a joy and this one lives up to the praise. I found the beginning to drag a little for me, I think it was more me being distracted by other things and when the pacing picks up you know it. The story flies from there as you are quickly turning the pages. I enjoyed both timelines which each add very necessary aspects to the overall story. And even if you think you know where this story is going, you probably don't know. I could see this one being made into an onscreen adaptation as well. It was written in such a way that I had no difficulty choosing the atmosphere and characters and envisioning watching it.
Highly recommend to all thriller/suspense and atmospheric readers.

#TheChildrenOnTheHill #NetGalley #GalleryPressScoutBooks

This is another hit for Ms McMahon! It has everything that you want in a book like this; mystery, suspense, thrills and so much more...

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press for this advanced readers copy. This book released April 26, 2022.

Yes I loved this one. I had no expectations really going into this but I am in my horror element and this was a fantastic read.

It does take influence from Frankenstein but I really enjoyed the more modern feel it gives. I always enjoy a dual timelines, and I liked that there were two perspectives to follow.

The characters are unique and the message about our own monsters resonated well.

The twists were great. I enjoyed the ending in particular.

5 stars.

I really enjoyed this novel. The ending did not disappoint! I enjoyed the short chapters and multiple perspectives.

Fast paced and easy to read, this novel really caught me by surprise! The edge of your seat suspense and pulse pounding twists will tempt you to speed through the book. Don't. It's not as predictable as it seems. The details are easy to miss if you're not paying attention to this intricately woven story. For risk of spoilers, I don't want to say too much. But I will say this riveting novel is hard to put down!
*Thank you Gallery Books, Jennifer McMahon, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this novel! It was so creepy and atmospheric. I did find myself more interested in one of the timelines in particular, but overall a really good book!

I loved the influences of Frankenstein! Such fun elements. I feel like I’m going to be thinking about this one for a while!

THE CHILDREN OF THE HILL by Jennifer McMahon


What starts as a homage to monster books and movies seamlessly transitions to an exploration of the many forces that mold ones childhood and the evils foisted upon us, by
the monsters who live among us. Told in two timelines … the events in 1978 collide with the present day of 2019 with multiple twists and surprise reveals in this atmospheric and chilling tale of monsters …. who are real and hide in plain sight. In a small town of Fayeville, Vermont
Is the renowned psychiatric center, the Hillside Inn, run by the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth. She is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill, utilizing a unique holistic and humanistic approach. She raises her cherished grandchildren, Vi (Violet) and Eric in her own distinct way … homeschooling and personally nurturing all of their needs. Apparently her title of “Gran” is just as important as that of Doctor. Vi and Eric are obsessed with everything relating to monsters … both visual and literary. Vi’s favorite scene is that of Boris Karloff being brought to life in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory …. as the storm rages around the prostate body, lightning strikes and brings the creature to life. With the aid of Eric, they perpetually gather in their Monster Clubhouse to discuss ways to hunt and kill monsters. They have even created their own Monster Book .. written by Vi and illustrated by Eric. One day, Gran brings home a young girl, called Iris, who is withdrawn, mute and almost feral. She harbors scalp scars that are hidden by a dirty old cap that she will not relinquish. Gran tells Vi to treat her “like a sister”. Iris is willingly brought into their orbit … slowly she comes out of her shell, as she is invited to join their Monster Club and even sneaks into the drive-in movies, as they ritually devour the weekly monster movies, under the stars. Gran has never offered any background history of Iris’s previous life and circumstance. Vi cannot help herself and initiates her own investigation into Iris’ origins that involves sneaking around forbidden areas of the Inn.
Shift to 2019, narrated by fifty-three year old, Lizzy Shelly …. she has changed her name to avoid questions regarding her life at the Hillside Inn …. taken “Lizzy” as a homage to Gran’s middle name of Elizabeth … and naturally “Shelly” of course, because of Mary Shelly, the author of Frankenstein. She is known affectionately, as the “Monster Hunter” … besides her popular podcast, “Monsters Among Us”, she travels across the country chasing a plethora of
“monster sightings” …. Sasquatches, shapeshifters, lake monsters, cave-dwelling goblins, and all sorts of crypts and bogeymen. Spreading her perpetual message - “Monsters are real and living among us.” She comes upon an article: “Girl Missing from Chickering Island in Vermont”
She has noted a pattern of missing young girls since 1988, at least ten, all seeing some sort of local monster shortly before their disappearance, and never being seen again. She is determined to venture to Vermont and hunt the monster down and hopefully save the young girl. She has periodically received emails from “mnstrgrl”… almost taunting her to “come find and catch me” …. “I dare you”
Intermittently throughout the book are short cryptic passages, titled: “The Helping Hand of God: The True Story of the Hillside Inn” by Julia Tetreault, Dark Passage Press, 1980.
Jennifer McMahon crafts a masterful, complex, twisted narrative with multiple unexpected reveals that escalates into an exciting denouement fraught with tension and intrigue. Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books / Scout Press for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.