Great tale. Suspenseful. Creepy. And characters are well done. Don’t get me started on the twist at the end. Holy moly. Great story as all Hilliers are!

Wow this book was as creepy as it was entertaining. I had it figured out by around the 65% mark, but it was still awesome.

I absolutely love Jennifer Hillier's book. I was super excited when I received an audiobook of Wonderland. As usual her stories revolves around Pacific Northwest and the wonder wheel reminded me of the great wheel at Seattle downtown. I loved the characters especially Vanessa and Jerry ! Vanessa is a strong female lead with all the insecurities, but still passionate as a deputy chief and an amazing mother, The way the mystery unrolls was really awesome. I had the villain figured out towards the end - let's say it was a frequent thriller reader's hunch.

Wonderland was originally published back in 2015. It is being re-released as an audiobook later this year on April 11.

Wonderland is a multi-POV thriller with a detective story line, a serial killer, and a multitude of dark elements including grooming and attempted sexual assault. Please do look up trigger warnings before diving in. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is set in the PNW as I live in Portland, Oregon. This particular story takes place in a small coastal town called Seaside. Seaside is home to the largest and oldest amusement park in the PNW where boys keep going missing.

Vanessa Castro, a previous homicide detective for Seattle PD and now Deputy Chief of Police, has recently relocated to Seaside, Washington with her daughter after a terrible tragedy. As she begins to investigate the death of a man at Wonderland and the possible disappearance of a second boy, she uncovers hidden secrets of the town and that there is a serial killer loose.

I really enjoyed Jennifer Hillier's writing style. She has a way of sucking you into the drama of this small town rippled with secrets.

The multi-POVs were done incredibly well. I was completely engrossed in each plot line.
I need to warn readers who see the cover and expect a story about a creepy dilapidated carnival. There is an old amusement park screaming for a new renovation and there are some creepy scenes that take place there HOWEVER, the majority of the book is really about the detective solving the case and about the secrets of the town. Personally I enjoyed that angle.

I usually brace myself when I pick up older titles specially those written before 2018. I need to anticipate that they will contain some harmful stereotypes or trope but that was not the case here or at least not in large amounts.

One thing I didn't quite enjoy was a particular budding relationship in the book. It felt a little forced and unbelievable. There was also quite a steamy scene that came out of no where.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good thriller and this did not disappoint- I absolutely loved this much better than Things we do in the dark

I enjoyed this one by Hillier. I didn't realize it was a re-publication of an older title of hers but in any event, I liked the characters and the misdirection of who the ultimate villian was. Uncle Nicky was a bit of a record scratch "huh??" moment but other than that, I would recommend this one!

Book Title: Wonderland
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Narrator: Eunice Wong
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Creepy Adult Psychological Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: April 11, 2023
Original Pub Date was: October 15, 2015
My Rating: 4.7 rounded up

Another Great ~ dark and creepy thriller from Jennifer Hillier
I am okay with dark and creepy! I and am a big psychological thriller fan. This is my fifth author, Jennifer Hillier novel.
I read "The Butcher", " Jar of Hearts", "Little Secrets" and "Things We Do in the Dark]" all were GREAT!

This story starts with Blake an eighteen year old Wonderland employee who is upset with Bianca the thirty-six year old CEO of Wonderland. She just dumped him after a summer of playing around ‘day and night’. So he gets back at her by climbing up the Wonder Wheel - Ferris wheel – he is a free climber and has done similar climbs before. He takes a selfie of himself ‘flipping the bird’ and posts it on social media. Chapter ends with Blake ~ Oops you need to read on!

It is Deputy Chief Vanessa Castro’s first day at Seaside (where Wonderland is located). and it is off to a terrible start! (She left Seattle with her two children Ava age fourteen and John John age seven after her husband committed suicide. Plus there were concerns about her relationship with a former lover and his drug use. Poor Vanessa is a mess!

Her first day certainly is off to a terrible start.
There is an unidentifiable homeless man rotting on the main thoroughfare of the theme park.
Now a teenage employee (aka Blake)—whose defiant picture at the top of the Wonder Wheel went viral that same morning—is missing.
It seems crime and missing persons are not new; it goes back decades. Vanessa actually worked at Wonderland when she was a teenager and remembers the rumors surrounding the amusement park. Now she has real concerns they weren’t rumors!
Oh I almost forgot to mention- the evening before Vanessa started her new job she was picked up by a good looking guy in a local bar ~ surprise surprise! as he turns out to be her liaison at Wonderland.
(Oh yes this story has several twists!)

Just wait until you read about daughter Ava and her Wonderland job at the Wax Clown museum as a creepy porcelain doll!

Personal Note: I have a low tolerance for profanity. When I read [book: Jar of Hearts] my comments were~
“This novel is disturbing ~ rape, abuse, underage drinking, and a lot of sex, unlikeable potty mouth
characters. So why am I reading it? I actually could not put it down~ indication of a great writer!” </i>

Okay Yes! A lot of that can be said for this novel. Since I have read several of her other novels; I know profanity is typical of Ms. Hillier’s characters!

Knowing Ms. Hillier is a great writer, I was looking forward to another dark and creepy psychological thriller. This story had me from page one!
She did not disappoint. It was intense, and a very compelling read. The twists were great- totally fooled me!

The author’s bio reads ~ Jennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people and then writes about it.
She was born and raised in Toronto, but spent eight years in the Seattle area, which is the
setting for all her books.
I also enjoyed reading her “Author’s Note”. She explains some her motivation for this story.

Audiobook Narrator, Eunice Wong did an awesome job performing all the characters!

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early eGalley.
Audiobook Publishing Date scheduled for April 11, 2023

I got an opportunity to get an early listen to the audiobook version of this creeptastic novel. Personally, I think that a dark, creepy type of book is the best in audiobook format. Set in an aging, rehabilitated amusement park filled with largely despicable and/or deeply damaged characters (and a creepy clown museum), the ambiance is on point. Overall, I was drawn into the mystery and enjoying the twists and turns…but this book did drag in places and felt long at times. The ending was abrupt and left me wanting more closure. There was also a scene with blatant transphobia that didn’t need to happen…but this book was written almost a decade ago, so I suppose that even including a transgender character was progressive then?

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to fuel my nightmares for nearly a week.

This is the second book I have read from this author, and Jennifer Hillier doesn't disappoint. A small town, missing boys and a theme park? Sign me up. There was quite a list of viable suspects and it was a guessing game for me because I had no idea who was behind it all. I would definitely recommend this book and this author for anyone who enjoys a good thriller/mystery, and good pacing and storytelling as well. The narrator was fantastic as well. Pick this up!

So y’all know I love Jennifer Hillier! When people ask me why, I tell them it’s because she’s delightfully demented and her writing keeps me invested from start to finish. I have a short attention span so that’s really saying something.

Wonderland is a book I chased after forever. I had a bit of a hard time finding it and actually reached out to JH to find out what was going on….why was this book so hard to find!? Well it’s because it was initially supposed to be in ebook format only. Fast forward a few months and we are lucky enough to get an audiobook too! I finally tracked down a paperback copy totally bought it, I mean could that cover get any better!?! 🎡🎢🎠🎟️

This book is like a grown up version of Goosebumps and Scooby Doo (literally a mask comes off👺🎭) with sex, strong female MCs and Jennifer Hillier’s signature demented style of writing.

The opening scene with the 🎡 made me gasp as JH gave a perfect visual and hooked me right away. While reading this one, I was creeped out, grossed out, disgusted and impressed. Those are my typical feels when I read her books.

Here are my current Jennifer Hillier rankings with my favs at the top…

❤️Jar of Hearts & 👤Creep
🤠Freak & 🎡 Wonderland
⛸️Things We Do In The Dark

I absolutely recommend this one and have my fingers crossed that they make it a movie or show.

Jennifer Hillier is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors. I haven’t read a book by her that I didn’t like! But what surprised me the most is that this book has been out in ebook form for years. I must say I’m glad I waited for the audio version because the narrator did a really good job!

I liked the unusual storyline of Wonderland. It’s set in a smaller Northwestern town outside of Seattle and takes place in an amusement park called Wonderland. So many things that happen in this park are deceiving and kept under wrap by the town because this park is their main source of income. Missing boys, murders, and crazy ex lovers. The perfect combination for a psychological thriller!

If you’re a Jennifer Hillier fan or new to this author, I think Wonderland would be a great choice either way! The writing is great and the story sucks you right in from the beginning!

TW: Attempted rape, uncomfortable age gaps, suicide, Bipolar disorder

Creepy dolls, clown museums, hidden dungeons, and so many secrets!!! This was a solid thriller. The twists kept me guessing until the very end. There were some heavier subjects addressed in the book so check your triggers! Vanessa Castro is real, relatable, not always likable main character. That being said she is a bad ass and I would love to read more stories about her. I enjoyed this story, but this was not my favorite thriller ever. I was left a bit underwhelmed by the ending. I understand why the Carlos/Ava plot line was included but it’s culminating scene toward the end of the book was gratuitous in my opinion. I’ve seen other reviewers addressing Oscar’s transphobic comment near the end of the book. This was off-putting but I think it was meant to be. It was Oscar’s final straw for me. It made me lose all sympathy or interest in him. I felt that Vanessa had a neutral if not warm attitude toward Jane (the trans character). This was not a perfect book but it is one of Hillier’s older novels. Wonderland was originally published in 2015 as an eBook. The audio and paperback version of Wonderland are coming out on April 11, 2023. I loved the audio version of this book. Eunice Wong is an amazing narrator. This was my first Jennifer Hillier novel and I look forward to reading her other work. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC of this book.

This is a quick fast paced psychological thriller with twists and turns. There is also a creepy clown museum. I am a huge fan of Jennifer Hillier books and love her style of writing and telling a story. For this one I listened to the audiobook read by Eunice Wong. The audio is fantastic and really pulls you into the story.

Wonderland takes place in the PNW in a small town called Seaside. Vanessa is taking a new job as the police chief. Her first day on the job starts with a Jody found at Wonderland. As she begins to investigate this death and who the person is things start to come to light of other things happening at Wonderland. The story kept me intrigued. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

An old amusement park in Washington with a heartless domineering manager, creepy guards and custodians, and hormonal teenagers looking for the perfect summer gig. Welcome to Wonderland! Vanessa Castro takes on the job as deputy detective in Seaside Washington and is a single mom trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearances of teenage boys who fit a certain type: handsome and blond. Vanessa is fresh blood in a town where law enforcement is too afraid of investigating what's going on at the park because Wonderland is such a huge source of revenue for Seaside. Vanessa is not intimidated by anyone as she asks tough questions as she tries to get answers for a grieving father missing his son. As more boys turn up missing and Vanessa's daughter gets a summer job working at Wonderland she can focus on nothing else but this case. Vanessa's focus becomes a liability when she learns that some of those close to her have played a part in the danger and corruption occurring at Wonderland. I enjoyed the book but didn't care for the narrator's performance

A dead body turns up at an amusement park and slowly the cops begin to realize there may be more going on as the disappearance of 3 other boys years before begin linking together

I genuinely don’t think this book hits as well as it may have in its original 2015 market.

The mystery was great and intriguing. Even as I tried to put all the puzzle pieces together, i still wasn’t able to guess correctly in the end. It was fast paced and suspenseful.

However the homophobia from the security guards mom and the transphobia from Oscar as he calls his lawyer by her dead names. It was just too gross for me, that I wanted to stop immediately reading.

HOLY MOLY!!! This was such a wonderful book to listen too. The narrator was absolutely amazing. This thriller kept me wanting more. I didn't see the twist coming until the end. This is the third book of Jennifer Hillier and I can't wait to read more. She has not disappointed me at all. You will fly through this if you read it or listen to it. Highly Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.

I have been a HUGE fan of Jennifer Hillier since I read "Jar of Hearts." Yet somehow, I missed her backlog of books, including "Wonderland"! This one did not disappoint and delivered her true skill of suspense and a unexpected ending. "Wonderland" takes place in a small town where a large theme park resides, and seems to control the town itself. New to town detective Vanessa, sets out on her first day to solve a murder, and along the way finds a connection to a series of missing young men.

This story was creepy and tense almost the entire way through. When there is a "clown museum" how can you not be on edge? I listened to this novel via audiobook and found the narrator to do a great job, especially when each chapter rotated through different characters points of view. The ending reveal I did not see coming from a mile away, yet still made sense to the story and was a satisfying way to end the story. Highly recommend checking this one out, especially on audio.

Nearly 10 hours of listening later and I get to write this review. First of all, I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this book before it’s release. All thoughts are my own.

This was a thriller that I couldn’t put down (or press pause for) because it flowed so well, the narrator was great and the story kept you guessing.

A detective moves her family from Seattle to a small town with a famous amusement park. When she starts working, she realizes how entangled the police department is with the amusement park, as the park keeps the town alive. After a body turns up at the park, the detective (now deputy chief) does everything in her power to investigate even if it means going against the town’s normal rules. She slowly uncovers a more sinister side of the town, and the park, and works to make sure justice is served.

Another well written thriller by this author. Definitely a playground for a thriller. I personally have a different perspective of amusement parks now lol

Not her best work.

When people think of amusement parks, they think of fun and joy. Unfortunately, Wonderland isn't always a place of happiness. For some, it's a place of nightmares. Years of hidden secrets finally came to light after a dead body was found inside the park.

I remember really enjoying this author's other novel Little Secrets. Sadly this was just an okay read. I like the concept and idea but wasn't fond of the execution. For the most part, the story slowly moseyed along. Even though this wasn't that long of a read, it felt significantly longer. The story didn't pick up until the last quarter. I would've rated this two stars if it wasn't for the ending.

If you're okay with slower-pacing mystery/crime novels, then give this novel a try.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Hillier, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***