4.5 spooky and twisty stars!!

And I do mean all the twists, all the turns! What did I just read!? This is my 3rd book by the author and whew I never know what to expect. This one had me on the edge of my seat and took me for a while ride. The multiple POVs where a bit much at first but I like the way it all played out in the end. I kind of wish we got more from the ending because it left a few unanswered questions for me. I would absolutely recommend this one if you like

Nostalgia/ Creepy Amusement Parks
Thrillers
Murder Mysteries
Multiple POV

Triggers:
Sexual Abuse
Violence- all types
Attempted Rape
Murder

Thank you NETGALLEY and Macmillan audio for an ALC of this!

This book was creepily fantastic and I could not stop listening to it! I loved the main character, the setting was terrifying, and the narrator was great. Highly recommend!

This is my second book by the author and I definitely love her writing style. A few disclaimer’s- I’d say if you’re expecting this to be more of a horror, you might not be as happy. While this book definitely has a creepiness factor, it’s not what I’d classify as horror. I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying it was too long and while it is indeed a long book (10 hours + on audiobook), I didn’t actually mind. I enjoyed the different looks into each characters past and present. I think the author really did a great job at describing the relationship between a mother and daughter as well as her son, while captivating an established cop that is dealing with her grief in her own way.

This story follows Vanessa Castro, a Seattle coo with a past who moves to a small town called Seaside accepting the deputy chief position. Her two kids, Ava and Jon-jon, are not particularly thrilled in the move and all of this while dealing with the loss of their father 6 months prior to the move. The story follows Vanessa and her kids life while adjusting to small town life. Quickly Vanessa is realizing that this small town has SO many deep, dark, and creepy secrets that she is determined to uncover. Filled with love, grief, and determination, this book is an amazing read. The narrator of this book did an absolutely phenomenal job and if you only rest the ebook of this, I would highly encourage you listen!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this audiobook ARC!

Holy cow- what a crazy creepy ride. Now I love Jennifer Hillier and this book was no different. It is creepy and will keep you guessing. I just love that her books are never cookie cutter, they are just different, and they are all very dark.

The audio was phenomenal!!

I'm desperately awaiting the next Jennifer Hillier book that will WOW me as much as Jar of Hearts did. Unfortunately, this one isn't it. Whereas I was expecting creepy and sinister and edge-of-your-seat suspense, what I got was slow and rather forgettable. The audiobook narrator however did a fantastic job with a vast cast of characters. Thank you NetGalley, Macmillian Audio, and the author for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the setting of this book. Amusement parks can be extremely creepy, especially at night when no one is around. My issue with this book was that I didn't really like any of the characters. They all seemed to be hiding things and none of the main characters seemed like very good people. The author did a good job of having a twist at the end and I was unsure of which characters I could trust. The author did a great job of misdirection. I'm a big fan of Jennifer Hillier's books, but this one isn't my favorite. The book just fell middle of the road for me, not terrible, but not great either. I give this book 3.5 stars, but I'll round up for the sake of the review.

This was sadly a DNF for me I really wanted to love it since I love Jennifer Hillier’s other books but this one was too slow for my taste and wasn’t capturing my attention as much as I would’ve liked.

I devoured this audiobook today. That eerie feeling of being in an amusement park at night had me hooked immediately and not for nothing, but I absolutely hate clowns. The dynamic of all the characters were so intertwined, it kept me guessing. I could predict a couple of the turns this took, but I’m not sure how I didn’t figure this one out in the end. I really enjoyed playing detective with a strong female lead (extra points for her being Chief Deputy)!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

If you like thrillers and are not looking for something that will take you by surprise or do something different this is for you. I enjoyed it, but it didn't wow me. I can tell I will forget this. We had such a great setting and I never fully felt it. As an audio book it would get confusing because the characters stories were all pretty similar and no stand out voices, so they all blended together.

Vanessa Castro and her family move back to her hometown to get a fresh start. She accepts a job as the new deputy police chief. Wonderland, the largest amusement park in the Northwest is what helps profit the town. When all of a sudden multiple boys that use to work at the park wind up missing, Vanessa has her hands full getting to the bottom of things.

I feel like the first 50% dragged on. It seemed like we were still just getting backstory and still introducing characters at that point. There were so many characters introduced that I had a hard time keeping track since I listened to it on audio. I had to take notes to keep track on who was who. The narrator did a fantastic job! Her pitches changed depending on which character she was portraying. In her voice you could hear her expressions which was great. There were some creepy aspects with it being an old amusement park. I was shocked with some of the twists. If you enjoy suspense and character driven stories, this one’s for you.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a ride! A dead body turns up at an amusement park after hours and the new-in-town deputy chief, Vanessa is assigned to work on the case. While Vanessa is working the case, she finds a whole lot more than just an open and shut murder case. It seems the park is hiding quite a lot, and has been for quite a while. Vanessa herself is not a stranger to secrets, as she is here to start a new life, with plenty of secrets of her own.

Overall a creepy thriller, featuring an actual Clown Museum, that doesn't fail to surprise you with the ending!!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Pub date 4/11/23

This was my second read from Jennifer Hillier, and I was excited to review the audiobook after having loved Things We Do in the Dark. For Vanessa Castro, the new deputy chief of Seaside, the bodies keep piling up in the amusement park of Wonderland. In true suspenseful fashion, this grabbed me from the start and kept me engrossed the whole way through all the unexpected thrills. The narrator did a fabulous job at bringing the characters voices to life, and I loved all the surprising gasp-out-loud twists and turns of the story. You will definitely want to add this to your TBR! Thank you to Jennifer Hillier, the publisher, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC audiobook!

Thought this was good. The idea of a creepy theme park with missing kids. The messy relationships. All kept me interested till the end. This is being rereleased in an audiobook but was originally published in 2015.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Below the surface of Wonderland amusement park lies dark, sinister secrets and missing teenage boys who all seem to have the same sort of look; attractive, lean & blond, clean-cut.

Vanessa Castro's first day as Seaside's Deputy Chief is anything but routine. A young man is missing and another decomposing body turns up on the midway at local amusement park Wonderl.and in the early hours prior to opening. The story follows Vanessa's investigation into the dark events of the park's history. It seems everyone has secrets they're hiding and possible motives. What should be a squeaky-clean fun place is really a house of horrors (which even includes a clown museum & doll house)

This was a deliciously creepy & compelling read.

I don’t know how I had never heard of this one before. It was really good.

This was a multi level story with a great, fast pace and characters you could really sink your teeth into. The amusement park symbolizes family fun but the sinister past this particular park had was darker than I thought going into it.

Teenage boys have been going missing for years in this town, but it isn’t until new deputy police chief Vanessa Castro shows up to really start an investigation. But, in a town where the police department covers for any bad publicity the beloved Wonderland amusement park may attract, she isn’t quick to make friends when she centers her investigation around the park.

The cast in this book was so well written. I was invested with them all from the very beginning. So much happens in the span of this book and all against the creepy backdrop of an amusement park with a plethora of dark secrets.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I read and enjoyed a previous book b y this author, so I thought I would give this one a try. Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook, the narration was well done, and the story moved along well. There was enough backstory for Vanessa and her family to clue the reader to the story without going into every detail. Vanessa seemed to make some questionable choices and we can see how that impact her family. I did not see the twist at the very end, it was a bit unbelievable, but what is expected in this sort of story.

I would recommend this to friends who like thrillers - or are afraid of amusement parks! - especially this audio version, as it is well done.

3 stars for "liked it"

This book was AMAZING! I absolutely loved the story. The location was creepy, the characters were full of secrets, and the twists were great! LOVED IT!

By day, Wonderland is a wonderful, magical place. But before daybreak, it gets an eerie feel. Maybe it's the dead body left for the Wonder Workers to find? Vanessa is investigating the case when a teenage employee disappears.
I loved Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier. That one? Not that much. There was too much foreshadowing, the changes in POVs were confusing at times, and it just didn't grab me as much as some of her other books did. I loved the eerie/creepy/horror-y feel of the story, and the narration in the audio book was great.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am an avid audiobook listener and am so grateful for NetGalley allowing me to listen to Wonderland ahead of its release!

Vanessa, a recently windowed and now single mother of two, needs to find someplace to start over. After being accused of wrongdoing as a police officer for Seattle, an old friend of her recently deceased husband, reaches out to offer her a position as a detective for the town of SeaSide. Vanessa fondly recalls her years as a teenager working for Wonderland, the primary employer for those residing in SeaSide. She packs up her daughter and young son and they cautiously look ahead to the future.

Once in SeaSide, Vanessa has a one night stand which proves awkward on her first day on the job. Also while on the job, Vanessa soon realizes this quiet town isn’t without its mysteries. With a dead body discovered on the grounds, talks of a dungeon under the amusement park, and the disappearance of several teenagers who all work for Wonderland, Vanessa will have her hands full. Closer to home, Vanessa will question her decision to allow her 14 year old daughter to work for the amusement park.

Vanessa thought her life was already in free fall after the sudden death of her husband but she has no idea just how much farther she’ll fall as she walks into a new town and starts digging around at the long held secrets of Wonderland and those who hold those secrets.

I loved the audio version of the book and the narrator does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. I will always consume anything Jennifer Hillier writes and encourage everyone to check out Wonderland! Definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Welcome to Wonderland"

Ever wonder what it is like to work at an amusement park? It looks fun by day, the lights, the music, the attractions, the smiling people milling around, but at night it becomes a desolate, still, and empty place.

Wonderland has been around for a long time. Most of the town has worked there in some capacity. It makes for a great first job! You learn to work with the public, get along with co-workers and deal with a dead body left behind for employees to see. What!?!

Vanessa Castro is the new deputy police chief and has her work cut out for her when the body of unidentifiable homeless man is found at wonderland. To top it off, a teenager who took a picture of himself on top of the Wonder wheel/ Ferris wheel is missing. During her investigation, she begins to uncover more missing young men that goes back for quite some time. She came to town to escape her past but has brought her family into a nightmare!

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. I found this book to be atmospheric and creepy. The amusement park was a great setting and really set the vibe. I also enjoyed how Vanessa came up against walls but went through them instead of over them. As she investigated, we learn more about her, her past, and her investigative skills.

This book had me changing up my suspect list and I was certain that I knew who the killer was to be shocked and taking my hat off to Hillier for that reveal. Well played! Hillier has impressed me yet again!

If you enjoyed many of her other books, you will most likely enjoy this one as well. Jar of Hearts remains my favorite of her books but this one was impressive and well written.

Atmospheric, creepy, dark, and well thought out.


#Wonderland #NetGalley #JenniferHillier #MacmillanAudio