The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon takes place in two different time periods. In 1978, Vi and Eric live their grandmother who runs a treatment center in Vermont. In 2019, Lizzy Shelly runs a podcast called Monsters among us. The two stories collide as we learn the history of what really happened in 1978 and what is really happening in 2019.
This is a classic, creepy horror novel with serious Frankenstein vibes. Definitely recommended for any avid horror reader (but maybe not at night).

Jennifer McMahon delivers another solid, suspenseful novel! Her latest thriller is inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with a dual timeline that incorporates a 1970s psychiatric hospital and a 2019 monster-hunting podcast. Her books are consistently well-written pageturners, and this one is no exception! 🧌

I enjoyed this author’s last book, THE DROWNING KIND, very much and was very excited to read this one.

Full of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very dramatic ending.
It’s well written and definitely keeps you on the edge. A few sad moments that will tear you up also.
All the things that make a good thriller.
Job well done.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

A fun, chilling, roller coaster ride of a book! Terrific twists that are absolutely earned. Fun, fun, fun!!

I fell in love with Jennifer McMahon after reading The Drowning Kind. I was excited to read another book by her! Children on the Hill is a slow burn mystery that you can't help but be totally invested in. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout that leave you guessing until the very end. While the writing isn't for everyone, I enjoyed it and found it easy to read. That ending though, was absolutely perfect. If you're a fan of mystery thrillers and want a fun and easy read, this one is for you!

Most people know something about Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. They might not have read the book, but still they know at least one thing about the story: it’s about a monster made by a human, a mad scientist. But who is the real monster?

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑖𝑙𝑙 raises the same question. Two storylines take place in different years. One is in 1978. Dr. Helen Hildreth is a famous psychiatrist known for her work with the mentally ill at her treatment center in Vermont. But when she’s home with her grandchildren, Vi and Eric, who live with her, she’s just Gran.

One day Gran brings a girl home with her, Iris. This girl doesn’t act like a normal girl. Her actions are almost feral. Still, Vi is thrilled to have a new playmate. After some time, Iris begins to come out of her shell. Then Vi and Eric invite her to join their Monster Club. Before long, they are doing everything together: riding their bicycles, going to the drive-in, and hunting monsters. Because monsters are everywhere.

The other storyline is In 2019. Lizzy Shelley, the host of a popular podcast, ,𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑈𝑠, travels to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted. The abduction and a supposed monster sighting have the people uneasy. Lizzy is determined to track the monster down; she knows better than anyone that monsters are real. Not only that, but she is sure she knows who the monster is and is determined to stop the monster from abducting anyone else.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭? 𝐇𝐨𝐰?
This book was hard to put down. I always had the feeling that something dramatic was going to happen on the next page. Violet did so much snooping I knew it was only a matter of time before she found out something about Iris. But what she ultimately found out wasn’t what she (or I) expected.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲?
The ending. Okay, I know that isn’t the answer that was expected, but I truly thought the book was going to have a horrifying ending. But the ending was extremely satisfying, and once I thought about what happened, it made so much sense.

🔥 There were two unexpected twists at the end of the story that I appreciated. I didn’t see them coming, didn’t anticipate them in any way, and was well-impressed.

🔥 That said, the rest of the book didn’t hold my attention. I simply wasn’t engaged. The past/present narratives weren’t working for me in this book, mostly because neither narrative was particularly compelling IMO. The first 60% (or more) of the book was just setup.

🔥 This story was supposedly inspired by Frankenstein. I can see the comparison only in the analysis of determining who the real monsters in life are — is it Dr. Frankenstein (the creator) or his creation? Or maybe both?

🔥 I wish I had enjoyed this more, but I’m glad I finished it just for the twists at the end.

Thank you @netgalley and @gallerybooks for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I feel like everything Jennifer McMahon writes is gold, and this book proves that. She has such a gift with storytelling that it truly feels like her tales emerged fully formed from some ancient book of fairy tales. Her stories are modern but have an air of magic about them that I don’t often find these days. This story was heartbreaking, tense, and gorgeously written. 5 stars.

It took me three attempts to get through this book. Three! The opening chapter was so boring and for me, all of the 1970s chapters just dragged on and on. I much preferred the 2019 chapters and the monster hunting theories. The twist at the end was disappointing but was an actual twist. The last page was a nice twist. The kissing your "sister" and "twin" stuff made the connection between Iris and Vi icky and confusing. I did love the Frankenstein interpretation--big draw for me. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I really liked the first half of this but felt like the second crumbled a bit. The writing is very engaging (as it is with all of her books), and I particularly liked the sort of gothic atmosphere in the past timeline with this hospital/inn/treatment facility. We definitely get some creepy and sinister moments here! I also really enjoyed the discussion of monsters and cryptid hunting. This is always an element that I like, and I think this had some interesting moments questioning what makes a real monster.

This is told with two timelines: the past, where Vi is telling us about this inn and her grandmother, and the present, where Lizzy is hunting monsters. We also have excerpts from books in between these sections which were fun to read about (this felt like a bit of mixed media). I enjoyed the present timeline with this monster hunting element and learning about some of the supposed creatures Lizzy is tracking. I was able to predict one big reveal but was surprised by some others. I definitely liked these turns of events and thought that they kept things interesting. I do feel like the second half or so got a little repetitive and lost steam in some ways though (as mentioned above).

Vi is a precocious child, and I really liked her overall. She seems curious about some things and is a good person in general. She wants to help solve some mysteries and must deal with things she’s uncovered. Eric, her brother, seems caring, especially towards animals. I liked how they’re both super into monsters and monster hunting, and it seemed like they were pretty close. They live with their grandma who’s a renowned doctor and took them in after their parents died. Lizzy, a grown woman, is rather skeptical about some things but also willing to believe in monsters. I thought this was a reasonable attitude to have overall! The characters all had some interesting depth to them, though the motivations for some aren’t as well explained as I’d like.

I enjoyed this and would recommend it! I’ll be reading more of the author’s books for sure.

Content warnings for eugenics and medical experimentation

Initial thoughts: The Children on the Hill was very atmospheric. The surroundings and characters were well-defined and I was instantly immersed from the beginning. The story was a bit slow in the first 20% but I understand that the build-up was necessary. I also l did not see the plot twist coming. I honestly thought that I had it around the 50th mark but boy was I wrong. Overall, I would definitely recommend this! 4 stars!

This was an interesting thriller focused on children finding out the truth about their past, growing up and coming to terms with each other as adults. I did not see the ending coming.

Overall, I really liked this. I flew through it which is always a good sign. There are parts that are intentionally ambiguous and I figured some things out pretty early on, but there were definitely a couple of things I didn't see coming. I liked the Frankenstein aspect of the story as well, it's such a great book.

Jennifer McMahon drew me into her worlds back when she published Winter People. Since then, I have been an avid, rabid reader of everything she's put out. The Children on the Hill may be her best work yet. Terrifying and indulgent, you won't guess the ending...

This book freaked me out, sucked me in and gah that twist!
Vi and Kyle live with their Gran - they have minimal adult supervision, growing up in the house next to the Inn. Gran is the Director of the Inn - a place for those who need psychiatric help.
Lizzy is all grown up - her childhood living with Gran part of a best seller, a movie. With her name change, she investigates monsters across the States. Her brother, now Charlie, middle aged as well with a family.
But girls keep disappearing - after meeting a monster. Lizzy knows it's her sister. And she must be stopped.

Jennifer McMahon has quickly become one of my favorite horror authors. I love the way they merge horror with mystery; and the dual timelines that we follow in their novels. This one was no exception; I had a great time reading this story and really enjoyed the Frankenstein inspiration. These characters were interesting to follow and get to know. They mystery and reveal in this one managed to take me by surprise and had me wondering how I missed it. Overall, a compelling mystery, with intriguing, gray characters.

Wow Jennifer McMahon can sure write a creepy, atmospheric book. Every single one of her books has had me staying up WAY too late trying to finish while also being a bit creeped out!! Her writing is so intriguing and had me from the very first page - I couldn't stop reading! the pacing was perfect and loved the different perspectives as they tried to untangle everything they had been told (and those things they hadn't!)

3.5 stars // I don't read much horror (I'm typically more into traditional thrillers), but this was good. Jumping between 1978 and 2019, the story follows 3 monster hunter siblings and their Gran who runs a psychiatric hospital. There are several twists that I didn't see coming and I was intrigued throughout. It loses stars for me because the first 60% was a lot of set up and most of the action happened in the latter 40%. Still good, though!

A good spooky, atmospheric read. The characters are interesting and mysterious in an engaging way.I think a lot of people will like this book.

Definitely the minority here, but this book bored me. I don’t think the book was poorly written, I just never felt the creep factor that I was waiting for. It moves slower than I wanted and had little scare. I did really like the switching between the past and present, as well as the different perspectives. I was looking for a “I can’t put down but I’m afraid to turn the page” book and this one was not it, which was disappointing.

1978 - Eric and Violet’s gran, a brilliant psychiatrist, brings Iris home to live with them. Iris becomes like a sister to them. Fast forward to present day, Lizzie is a world famous monster chaser. She is currently chasing one that is abduction g young girls. Lizzie knows monsters are real, because her sister is one.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.