I loved Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier! The amusement park setting is among my FAVORITE settings and Hillier did not disappoint. Not only was this book intriguing but the writing, I love Hillier's writing. I have read multiple books by this author and the intrigue level is always high. Wonderland boasted high stakes, multiple points of view, and mysterious elements. I also liked the characters and their development very much. The narrator added to the storytelling and the audio quality was superb.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Vanessa Castro moved her children to Seaside, Washington for a fresh start. Her husband died six months ago, and shortly after, she found herself in the middle of a scandal at work. On her first day on the job in Seaside, a dead, already decaying body shows up at the amusement part, Wonderland. Immediately, thinks are off. The police chief is the one working the case. The more she digs around, the more corrupt the entire police department seems. Then, more bodies start piling up. She tried to investigate, but who can she trust in this corrupt small town?

I really liked this one. The setting was great (amusement park), which kept it interesting. There are so many characters, many of them terrible human beings, so it is hard to guess who is guilty- and of what!

Eunice Wong narrates the audio book. I do not recognize the name, so while this may not be the first time I've listened to one of her narrations, I definitely do not know her work. She did good- well paced, no annoying voices, etc...

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
I was worried that Wonderland was going to be too scary for me— the horror genre tag and descriptions of a clown area in the amusement park made me understandably concerned about what I’d signed myself up for. Thankfully, it was nowhere near as scary as I’d feared. It was more of a mystery/police procedural for most of the book. There was suspense throughout but not too much horror/gore. That’s definitely more up my alley!
The narration was great so that made the book easier to enjoy.
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance audiobook copy for review.

This book actually came out as an e-book in 2015, but it’s finally being released on audio. I really enjoyed this spooky story overall! There were plenty of questionable characters and the creep factor was high! The final twist took me by complete surprise. If clowns, old dolls, and/or shady amusement parks thrill you, then this is the book for you!

I feel like the audio was done well, but it definitely missed the opportunity to throw in some carnival-type sound effects to really suck the reader in. If you prefer physical books to audio, you won’t miss out on anything by reading it instead.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

The kind of book you can’t put down. It is so well written. The mystery and twists and turns had me intrigued and glued to the pages from start to finish. This is an addictive thriller with an ending that you will not see coming. I absolutely love everything Jennifer Hillier writes! You can't go wrong with her books!

‘“Another dead body at the amusement park,” she said. “Wholesome family fun at its finest.”’

Thank you Jennifer Hillier, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to Wonderland. By day, it's a magical place boasting a certain retro charm. Excited children, hands sticky with cotton candy, run frenetically from the Giant Octopus ride to the Spinning Sombrero, while the tinkling carnival music of the giant Wonder Wheel-the oldest Ferris wheel in the Pacific Northwest-fills the air. But before daybreak, an eerie feeling descends. Maybe it's the Clown Museum. Or maybe it's the terrifyingly real House of Horrors. Or...maybe it's the dead, decaying body left in the midway for all the Wonder Workers to see. Vanessa Castro's first day as deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, is off to a bang. The unidentifiable homeless man rotting inside the tiny town's main tourist attraction is strange enough, but now a teenage employee-whose defiant picture at the top of the Wonder Wheel went viral that same morning-is missing. As the clues in those seemingly disparate crimes lead her down a mysterious shared path of missing persons that goes back decades, she suspects the seedy rumors surrounding the amusement park's dark history might just be true. She moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past, but has she brought her family to the center of an insidious killer's twisted game?

I really enjoyed the amusement park setting for this thriller. The pacing was perfect in my opinion and I loved the imagery. Jennifer Hillier, always keeps me guessing with her twists. I definitely wasn’t expecting that final twist at the end! This book was originally published in 2015, but is finally getting an audiobook. Macmillan Audio always does a fantastic job with their castings. Eunice Wong did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed her narration!

Book Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm a big fan of Jennifer Hillier, and was not let down by Wonderland. It was creepy, but kept me wanting more. I loved that it played out in a realistic situation, not an overly far fetched thriller. Narration was great as well. If you like thrillers, and want a good creepy factor, definitely pick this one up!

Wonderland is a thriller for the ages. If you like amusement parks or carnivals his book will make you think twice when you're walking down the midway.
Great choice for readers who want to stay awake all night.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the audio arc which kept me up well past my bed time.

Another thrill ride from one of my favorite authors, Jennifer Hillier. Originally published in 2016 Wonderland comes to audiobook on April 11, 2023.

I loved everything about this creepy theme park! From Bianca, the CEO of Wonderland to the new detective in town, Vanessa Castro, who has a murder scene on her hand's the first day on the job.

This was a binge worthy book that I could not stop listening to.

Missing boys, a creepy doll house featuring girls dressed as life size dolls, some romance and secrets that are meant to stay hidden! What could do wrong at Wonderland?

Eunice Wong does an excellent job with the narration. Whether listening to the audiobook or reading the book, I highly recommend this thriller!

I am so happy I discovered this older book of Jennifer Hillier. I have read and enjoyed her more recent books so I'm not surprised that her older books are excellent too. She is a fantastic writer of thrillers and Wonderland was no exception. This book took place at a theme park which already lends itself to being a creepy place. There were lots of unexpected turns in the book and it was overall an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this newly recorded audiobook version.

Wow!

This book was a wild ride. It made me never ever want to go to an amusement park & definitely never work at one!

We follow Vanessa Castro as the towns new detective. Interestingly enough she has some secrets of her own which keep the reader guessing the entire time. When a worker from the town amusement park, Wonderland, is suddenly missing- she’s on the case. She discovers more craziness around the operations at Wonderland and other suspicious cases. Readers are left constantly wondering “what the heck?!”

I loved Jennifer Hillier’s Little Secrets & Things We Do in the Dark. She has such a knack for thriller writing that isn’t clique!

I also really enjoyed this narrator. She gave us the creepy allure of a clown filled amusement park with sketchy workers.

I really liked this book. Some of the description of people I didn’t agree with but I thought the main mystery was very captivating and drew me in from the first page.

Vanessa Castro, a homicide detective, leaves Seattle for Seaside, Washington, seeking a new beginning after a personal tragedy and professional scandal. The charming beach town, famous for its popular amusement park, Wonderland, seems like a perfect place to start afresh and raise her teenage daughter and young son. However, her new job as the Deputy Chief of Police proves to be challenging, especially when a corpse is discovered at Wonderland on her first day, followed by the disappearance of a teenage employee. Despite resistance from the locals, who depend on the park for their livelihood, Vanessa continues her investigation. As she delves deeper, she uncovers unsettling truths about the park's history and its dark secrets. Vanessa's family becomes embroiled in a dangerous game orchestrated by a serial killer, and she must rely on herself to uncover the truth and protect her loved ones in a town full of lies, corruption, and secrets.




Regenerate response

Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier came out in 2015, but 2023 brings the release of the audio and the narration was fantastic for the story.
Ms Hillier has a thing for the PNW and capturing all the dark corners of it. Since I live here, I LOVE her books and the setting. The setting is probably my favorite part.

Wonderland brings us to Seaside, a (fictional) small coastal town in Washington state that has an amusement park that brings in the money and attraction for the summer. On Vanessa Castro's first day on her job of deputy chief, a dead body shows up at the amusement park along with a missing person and soon no one can look away at the past and what has happened over the years here.

I enjoyed getting so many characters that have intertwined storylines and the fact that Wonderland is at the center of it all. The amusement park could be a city in itself with how many people are employed there. While investigating the current murder and then a missing person, we slowly get to follow each character and how they connect to Seaside and Wonderland.

Wonderland was creepy, messy, twisted and had all the elements of a thriller that I love. While this wasn't my favorite of Jennifer Hillier's, it was still good. Great characters, great setting that had a history that comes full circle and twists that you don't see coming until the end. Plus, Eunice Wong performed the heck out of the narration. I did feel the story dragged a little bit at times, but overall, a solid creepy thriller that I enjoyed being immersed in.

This is a rerelease of a book from a few years ago. I loved the narrator, she is awesome for this type of book. I loved that the book felt like it was part mystery story telling and part police procedural- it really worked for me. Highly recommend!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel several years ago, but love it even more now after listening to the audiobook. Creepy thriller set at a seaside amusement park with a dark history. As much as the patrons love the park during the day it becomes a different place at night. When an employee goes missing after filming himself climbing the extremely high Ferris wheel, the park’s secrets and its owner’s secrets come to light. Fast paced, very scary thriller.

**Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Jennifer Hillier for the free audiobook of this title in exchange for honest feedback**

Wonderland was originally published in 2015 but is being released as an audiobook and mass market paperback on 04/11!

I enjoyed the narrator Eunice Wong a lot which is huge for me as always. This book has been fantastic to listen to on my commute and while doing my house chores. I kept finding myself listening to this story even after I would normally be done with audiobooks for the day because I needed to know what happened next!

The story follows the new deputy chief of Seaside - a sleepy little town in the PNW with one of the biggest amusement parks in the country. Right at the start of the book, chaos ensues as a boy goes missing and an emaciated body turns up on the same day.

The deputy chief, Vanessa Castro, has to navigate tricky political lines while trying to investigate crimes that go a lot deeper than the surface. All while balancing her own baggage and trying to keep her kids happy and healthy.

I enjoyed this story a lot as a thriller but found myself wanting to yell at the main characters a lot. I’m not a detective, but I felt like they could have been a lot quicker on the draw about some things. Even so, there were a lot of wild twists in this story and I definitely didn’t end up predicting the ending!

Check this one out if you like thrillers, clowns, creepy amusement parks, and towns with deep seated drama.

This wasn’t one my favorites from Jennifer Hiller! I love a mystery thriller but this one was a slower-pacing mystery/ crime novel.
Wonderland, an old amusement park, located near Seattle at the North Pacific Coast. The amusement park has a dark history and is strongly connected to the town of Seaside.
Seaside is also the new home of the new deputy chief of police, Vanessa Castro, who moved there after a work scandal and the death of her husband.
On Vanessa's first day, the dead body of a homeless man is discovered.
What secrets does Wonderland hide? What does the town try to cover up?
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Hillier, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review!

Thank you Net Galley and Jennifer Hillier for this advanced audio version read of Wonderland. I was not influenced for my honest review of this audiobook.

I was surprised/shocked I got my hands on this advanced audio listen to one of Jennifer Hillier's earlier books (I believe this was originally published back in 2015) Up until this point I have read her more recent novels (Things we Do In the Dark, Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts), and all have received 4 or 5 stars from me. I was a tad hesitant to read this book because I heard it was dark and frankly the e-book's cover scared me (I hate all clowns, yes that includes Ronald McDonald-Creepy) That being said I secretly kind of like the cover because it is so spooky. This book has all the elements of scary: Amusement Park, Clown Museum, Small Town, Dark Secrets and Dead/Missing Boys. Umm, where do I sign my name?
Well I put on my big girl panties as soon as I got approved and decided to face the creepy clowns and read. I am glad I did!
The book is about Seaside, invision a small college down-except instead of the college being the center of everything its an Amusement Park Town-Wonderland is the center of all. Pretty much everybody in the town has something to do with the park. When the new Police Detective Vanessa Castro arrives she enters the novel with a "bang"-literally (Did I seriously just type that?) She sneaks out from her 1 night stand only to be called to a crime scene first day on the job to Wonderland where there is a dead boy by the Ferris Wheel. Earlier that night a previous employee had free climbed the Ferris Wheel and posted a picture as a big stunt to instagram, however he is no where to be found. TO make matters steamier, guess who also shows up at the crime scene because he works at the park, Our Lovely Vanessa's boy toy from the night before-A-K-W-A-R-D!
So the story gets really messy and as it begins to unravel Vanessa learns more about the CEO, her strange obsession with young boys and how the police will do anything and everything to cover up the dark secrets of the town.

Like all Hillier novels, they are SO disturbing, but I couldnt stop. I think her ability to make her reader feel uncmfortable yet still hold us captive speaks volumes for her talent as writer. I have a low tolerance for bad language and detailed intimate scenes , but somehow Hillier's writing does not cause the usual response in me....
I have read many thrillers so I am pretty good at anticipating the twist, but JH totally got me on this one, I mean my mind was stewing with the "Who Dun It List" and my head was scratching...even to the point of when it was revealed I Had to back pedal and see if I had heard correctly! So JOB WELL DONE!

I really hope Hillier decides to release more of her older novels to Audio, because THIS was a thrill of a ride!

-Only reasons for not being 5 star-
As this is one of her earlier novels there were a few plot holes and plausability issues,but I will give her a pass.

Thank you to Jennifer Hillier and NetGalley for the ALC. This book 100% gets five stars hands down! The thrill of “who done it” was intense through the whole book. I enjoyed the multi story aspect that came together at the end. So many intertwining parts. Jennifer’s writing is always so easy to read. Her narrator for this one was great! My husband even got in on listening and was upset when I kept listening without him. I would be anxious to see this as a movie. Although, I found it kind of creepy at times and I don’t do creepy movies. I’ll stick to the book! Everyone who loves Jennifer Hillier, thrillers, creep, and mystery plots…this is a must read!