McMahon’s latest book has all the weird and strange vivid elements you expect of her work. I’m constantly impressed at how she writes in such a dark but also captivating way that you find yourself just reading and reading.

Like many of her stories, we have dual timelines: 1978 and 2019. In 1978 we see Dr. Helen Hildrith’s unconventional treatment of patients at a creepy treatment center where she lives with her grandchildren after their parents were killed in a car accident. Vi and Eric love Monsters. They secretly have a Monster Club where they read everything they can about monsters, watch all the movies when they can sneak into the drive in and have a hideout in the woods. When their grandmother (Dr. H) brings home a girl, Iris, who has obviously experienced some kind of trauma. Eventually, Vi and Eric invite Iris into their club and together they work on The Book of Monsters where they detail all that they know about monsters. Iris doesn’t talk; she wears her clothes inside out. She looks a lot like Vi. What happened to her? Where did she come from? Why does she wear that orange hat everywhere?

2019: Lizzy Shelley is the host of a popular podcast, “Monsters Among Us”. The latest case has her returning to Vermont, close to where she lived as a child and where a teenage girl is missing.

That’s all the summary I think you need. There’s a lot of 70s references and nostalgia. Like all of McMahon’s books, it’s big on atmosphere. You will notice nods to Frankenstein but this is so much more than that. I love the way McMahon layers her narratives and here we have excerpts from The Book of Monsters and from a book called The Helping Hand of God: The True Story of the Hillside Inn throughout the narrative.

It’s so good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Picture this (Vermont, 1970s): your parents are dead. You and your brother live with your grandmother, who is a renowned psychiatrist and runs a psychiatric hospital right up the hill from your house. One day, a strange girl comes home with your grandmother who doesn’t speak and has all kinds of scars all over her body. You and your brother are self proclaimed monster hunters already, so you vow to figure out what is going on with this new girl and uncover all sorts of crazy shit along the way.

I went into this book totally blind and I loved it! It was quite a unique story that took inspiration from Frankenstein. It is a medium-paced atmospheric thriller with a twist I did not see coming, but really liked. I was totally into it from page 1.

There are alternating time lines with various POVs, as well as a few books within. It sounds like it may be confusing, but it all works really well and everything adds to the story. It wasn’t scary so much as eerie with some disturbing vibes thrown in.

I have 3 backlist titles on my shelf by @jennifermcmahonwrites and after reading this book I am so anxious to get to them all!

Violet, Eric and now add Iris, are siblings. Their grandmother is a renowned psychiatrist. She has a treatment center next to their home. Vi, Eric and Iris spend a lot of time pretending to hunt monsters. They have their own club and even write a book with illustrations. But, are they hunting monsters or remembering the past.

This story is told in several voices and several time periods and the author nailed all of them. To me, this is one of the hardest things an author does and sometimes it just doesn’t work. Every section of this book is mesmerizing and all work well together to tell the story!

I cannot tell y’all what kind of page turner this is! The children pull at your heart. Then the setting of the psychological treatment center and the secrecy of Gran, really mess with your mind.

Well! Jennifer McMahon has done it again! This is over the top good! I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen at the end…but..PLOT TWIST! Y’all need to run get this today…don’t wait!

Need a fantastic thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

It's 1978 and Gran has brought home a young girl to become a sister for her grandchildren, Vi and Eric. Iris doesn't behave like other children-- she refuses to speak, can't dress herself, brush her hair or teeth, and has to be taught everything. Vi invites her to join the monster club she and Eric created after seeing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and they happily chase monsters through the nearby woods. Gran is busy at her renowned hospital across the street where she works as a psychiatrist helping the mentally ill. Vi is put in charge of Iris and told to report to Gran if she brings up anything from her past. But Iris can't remember anything before the day Gran brought her home and, feeling bad, Vi promises to find out where Iris came from, including her real name. But the truth she finds is more than she can handle...
2019: Lizzie Shelley is famous for her podcast Monsters Among Us and even appeared on a popular monster hunter tv series. After a girl disappears in Vermont after seeing the local monster, the town is on edge. Lizzie has her own reasons for hunting this monster, fearing it's her long lost sister.
I've read several books by this author and loved them. This wasn't quite what I expected when I picked up the book so it took me a bit to get into it, but it didn't take long for her to put her spin on this story inspired by Shelley's classic. Before long, I was engrossed in the storyline and couldn't wait to see what happened next. Loved it!!
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

The events in Jennifer McMahon's "The Children on the Hill" are narrated in alternating chapters that take place forty years apart. In 1978, Dr. Helen Hildreth is a psychiatrist who treats patients at her private facility in rural Vermont. She is also the guardian of her grandchildren, Eric and Vi, whom she homeschools. These precocious siblings are curious, well-read, and obsessed with monsters. One day, Dr. Hildreth (Gran) brings home a thirteen-year-old girl, Iris, who is Vi's age. Iris wears a hat that she refuses to take off. Furthermore, she does not speak, is clearly terrified, and has no memory of her past. Vi and Eric induct Iris into their Monster Club, and the siblings gradually draw her out of her shell. Vi wonders, where did Iris come from and why does she behave so oddly?

In 2019, fifty-three-year-old Lizzy Shelley has become a celebrity. She hosts a popular podcast; writes a blog; has appeared on a television series, "Monsters Among Us"; sells branded merchandise; and travels around the country hunting for supernatural creatures. In addition, she is looking into the whereabouts of missing girls who may have been abducted. At the end of her quest, she will meet a real-life monster whose mind has been warped by unspeakable abuse.

Although "The Children on the Hill" is evocative and poignant, it is also too grotesque and bizarre to recommend wholeheartedly. Vi and Eric are peculiar youngsters who are not permitted to socialize with their peers. Dr. Hildreth distills her own gin and conducts tests on animals in the basement of her home. You do not have to be clairvoyant to suspect that something is very wrong here. When a reporter starts digging into Dr. Hildreth's background, Vi and Iris are drawn into the investigation. The plot moves along predictably, since McMahon provides numerous hints that allude to the big secret long before it is disclosed. Still, the author surprises us with a few additional twists in the final pages. This is a disturbing novel about a sociopath with delusions of grandeur who cruelly manipulates vulnerable individuals.

Paranormal stories are not my thing. I also do not enjoy horror. So tell me why author Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite genre bending authors of all time!?! Any book she releases I will read! She does a phenomenal job at writing. You can check out my past reviews of "The Drowning Kind" and "The Invited" and PLEASE read "The Winter People" which I loved and read prior to my blog days.

So, her latest book is a must-read! I mean, I was expecting nothing less than a 5 star read and I got what was expected!

This is told from primarily 2 different perspectives, but also has a 3rd view thrown in every so often from the "monster's view". I have to say that both perspectives and alternating timeline stories kept me on edge throughout the entire read. Even when I thought I knew how it would end, I still kept getting surprises thrown at me and I loved it!

McMahon has pure writing talent. I loved reading the 1978 story line. The picturesque landscape of the Vermont countryside with a looming and eerie treatment center filled with odd and sketchy characters was a whole mood. The way the she sets the dark, cautious and mysterious tone along side of the cheerful, playful, innocence of childhood was masterful.

Then we are in 2019 and podcaster and blogger Lizzy Shelly is a famous monster hunter. We know she has changed her name, but what we don't know is why. She seems to be hiding, yet searching for a monster from her past. She hears about a girl who has gone missing after bragging about an encounter with a "mythical monster". Lizzy knows this isn't the first girl to go missing under these circumstances. There have been many more spanning back decades. To investigate she will have to go back to the home state she left when she was a child and possibly face a monster she has been running from most of her life.


The ending is everything! Just when you think it's over, it's not! This is a 5 star read!

Lucky for you all this is set to be released in the U.S. tomorrow April 26, 2022! So get your copy now and be ready to be blown away!

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for allowing me an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest opinion.

Happy Reading!

Taking the horror classic, Frankenstein, and giving it a new twist, Jennifer McMahon proves she is mistress of horror. The Children On The Hill exposes the real life monsters that hide in plain sight.
The narrative alternates between the monster and the monster hunter, with past and present time jumping. Excerpts from an article about the horrors that happened at the Hillside Inn, as well a pages from a child’s handmade book of monsters, add to the backstory of the characters. There is a lot to follow, but it’s worth it.
The story is suspenseful and full of monster nostalgia. I enjoyed seeing monsters from a child’s perspective as well as the adults. What they perceive as real monster are totally different. The real monster is exposed in the big twist, which you won’t see coming.
I loved everything about this book. It’s suspenseful, thrilling and different from anything out there right now.

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL by Jennifer MacMahon. For the first half of the book, I turned on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein to run in the background.

This book is atmospheric and brooding and I read it on a cloudy rainy afternoon in California.

Such a vibe!

It’s inspired by FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelly and I loved Jennifer Mcmahon's take on it. This is one of my favorites by her.

This book will appeal to thriller and horror lovers alike as it stands on the fence between the two. I loved our protagonist and the deep atmosphere created in both timelines.

This comes out on April 26th and I think would be a great introduction to the author if you’re new to her books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books/Scout Press for the advanced copy!

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1978: Vi and Eric live with their grandmother, an esteemed psychiatrist who runs a center where she treats her patients. One day, Gran brings home a child, Iris, and tells them Iris will be living with them from now on. Present day: Lizzie is the host of a podcast where she hunts down reported sightings of mythical “monsters”, when a tip leads her to Vermont, where a girl has disappeared. The Children on the Hill is a spellbinding, eerie thriller that’ll firmly grab you and not let go. Perfectly told in alternating timelines that flow smoothly and never confuses the reader, with great characters and a totally unique and captivating plot. Any other details would spoil the fun, but it’s a pleasure to read such a well-written and totally creepy book! You won’t be disappointed, a solid 5 star read! Outstanding in every way! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. Part old school monster story part family drama, the story keeps you engaged the entire time. I was invested from the first chapter. It is definitely one of those stories that have you thinking, what if?

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the arc on this one, one of the most riveting reads I've had this year.
While I might well agree with those who'd label this one the perfect read for Halloween during the crisp Fall air, nobody, but nobody should wait that long to dive into this book.
Disturbing, grisly and surprisingly heartfelt (sometimes all the same time), this is one wild ride through a horrific childhood that reaches into the characters' adult lives.
The side-by-side timelines here, 1978 and 2019 bring the dark storyline closer and closer to each other - to the point where you can't warp-speed through the pages fast enough.
I'm not keen on going through an elaborate plot description, since the joys of a thriller like this come from the way it slowly but surely reveals all its terrible secrets.
Let's just say in 1978 there's two kids, Violet and Eric, living with their beloved "Gran", who happens to be a brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Hildreth. Gran practices at a Vermont inn converted to a treatment center for the mentally ill. And she's brought home, as a sort of foster adoptee and new 'sister' for her grandkids, Iris, a strange, silent child. Gran encourages Violet and Eric to befriend and embrace Iris, who appears physically and mentally damaged from events unknown.
Violet and Eric, obsessed with hunting down mythological monsters, soon bring Iris enough out of her shell to join them in their adventurous search for ghouls, vampires, werewolves and other assorted creatures of the night.
Speaking of monsters, in 2019 Lizzy Shelley has made a multi-media career (podcasts, TV shows) out of hunting down legendary monsters across the U.S. Lizzy's monster-hunts contain another agenda, though - since she suspects the disappearance of teenage girls may be the work of a very real monster hiding behind all the fanciful 'local legend' creatures.
And that's more than enough said. As the timelines converge, "Children On The Hill" reveals an ever growing series of horrors, suspense, some stunning surprises and a jaw dropping final twist. Needless to say, in both timelines, the three children of '78 and Lizzy Shelley deal with the difference between imaginary monsters and the all too real ones.
A superb read, one of the most entertaining and profoundly chilling novels I've come across - and a definite 5 star experience..

“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and, sometimes, they win.”
Creepy, monstrous, and wonderfully told, Children on the Hill is an excellent take on the monster-genre. Heavily inspired by Frankenstein, this thriller takes the gloomy atmosphere of a small Vermont town with a dark history and brings forth monsters, dread, and literal and metaphorical shocks galore. Each chapter strengthens that voice in your head, quietly and then loudly telling you: something's not quite right. And as for the plot twist, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed–you’ll be delighted.

It was OK. I would give it 2.5 stars. The ending is what ruined it for me. So much of the story seemed unbelievable. The character that should have been focused on was Helen Hildreth (Gran.) There was definitely a story there. There had to be a reason for everything she was doing. I didn't see all the twists and turns, but I definitely figured out who Patent S had to be. I was a little bit shocked when the truth about Lizzy was revealed. Somehow I never put two and two together. The scene in the cabin/shack between Iris and Violet didn't quite fit because they considered each other sisters. When the Monster reveals the motives behind the missing girls, it definitely wasn't what I expected. The story built up to that moment. Lizzy and the Monster face to face. What was the point of Lizzy chasing her for all those years? So many people could have been the Monster in this book. What would Eric, Iris and Violet's life be like if they never learned the truth about Gran? Gran had to suspect what Violet was up to? I have so many mixed feelings about the book.

Definitely give the book a try. I loved the previous books by the author, this one just wasn't for me. Loved the cover of the book. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Be careful when hunting monsters. You just might find one. This is a twisty tale that finds a lot of monsters hiding and living out in the open.

Jennifer McMahon has done it again, another story I just couldn’t put down! Are monsters real and are how can you tell you found one when there’s so many different kinds. I loved how it was told in the future monster hunting and in the past that got them where they are. The feeling you got during this one is you know something’s wrong but you just don’t know what and to what extent. There were so many questions I didn’t start to think about until towards the end as some of the clues started to happen but I would have never guessed where they went. I loved the aspect of the kids making a monster book and how it affected them long after they made it. The atmosphere of the INN and the kids left on their own a lot was a great mix.
The twists and secrets that are revealed are done so well … they had me shocked. I’m still thinking of this one and characters days after I’ve finished the book.

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for my review copy

For fans of: monster movies, true crime podcasts, Frankenstein, multiple timelines, slow burn books, American Horror Story: Asylum

Pros:
I have to say I very much enjoyed the ending, the last few twists were a chef's kiss and made reading the whole book worth it. I like where we ended up.
Also, has one of my favorite tropes- book within a book. Yay!
Overall, a very cool and unique story concept.

Cons:
I have to admit it was a very slow burn to get going. I found the beginning too slow for my liking and didn't find myself fully invested until about 35%.
One of the perspectives is told by children(13 year old) which usually isn't my favorite thing but I didn't mind it all that much here. It worked.

I wanted to love this one but unfortunately it wasn’t for me :( I know it was horror but it felt very unrealistic and I didn’t connect with any characters. I know so many people have given it 5 stars so I guess I just wasn’t the target audience for this one!

Three kids create a monster hunting club, not realizing the disturbing truth about what their so called grandma does while studying/trying to improve humans and their behavior. As they investigate, disturbing secrets are revealed and it changes their lives forever. As an adult, one of the girls becomes a monster hunter, investigating the disappearance of young girls. She's convinced her sister is behind it. As it drew to a close, the ending took a gigantic nosedive and I'm like "I read the entire book for this stupid ending"? I received an advanced copy for my honest review.

I think this is a story with great bones, but personally, I found the execution a bit lacking. The overall plot was certainly compelling, and on the surface level the writing was good. But I think it didn’t quite achieve the depth it was going for. The idea of 'monsters' never seemed to develop beyond the children's ideas, even though Lizzy in 2019 is an expert who has written a master's thesis and given a Ted Talk on the topic. This is something she's considered to be an expert on, but she doesn't really believe, but she kinda does? I didn't see any of this as being really fleshed out.
There are a few twists in this book, and sadly the biggest one is pretty obvious, almost from the beginning. The reveal felt a bit dragged out, but that may just be because I had been waiting for it so long. There is another twist that soon follows, and I thought it felt very out of place, so it's ultimately the main reason I've rounded down instead of up. I think there will definitely be people that disagree with me on that, so I may end up in the minority.
One last note-- this book is advertised in the horror genre, but I never felt scared or unsettled in the way I like to be with horror novels. The author does well at building atmosphere, but I would consider this more of a mystery than a thriller or a horror.
While this book is plenty fun, I felt like it lacked when it came to the depth and twists. I don't know that other readers would have the same issues, so I will still be recommending this book.
CW: animal cruelty, child abuse, confinement

Another great read from Jennifer McMahon!
As with her previous books, this book was 2 timelines- 1978 and 2019. It’s the story of Violet (now called Lizzy) and her family. Her grandmother is raising her and her brother, Eric. Their parents died in a car crash when they were younger. One day Gran brings home a strange little girl called Iris. Gran is a world renowned psychologist. They live next door to her famous institute called The Hillside Inn.
Iris remembers nothing of who she was before Gran brought her to live with them. Vi (Violet) promises her they will find out.
Then in 2019, girls are disappearing after telling friends they are meeting famous cryptids and monsters. Lizzy, now a monster hunter, is determined to solve this mystery.
I loved this one! The characters were great. I loved that Violet and Eric were so into monsters. The setting was great. I never saw the twists coming and yes, there is more than one. I read this in 2 days! I couldn’t put it down.