I love Jennifer McMahon books, and her latest The Children on the Hill did not disappoint. Three young children live with their Gran, who runs the mental health hospital across the street on an isolated hill. Obsessed with monsters, they have their very own monster club and a book they wrote describing all sorts of monsters and how to destroy them. Little to they know, they most damaging monster is closer to home than they ever could have imagined. Told with two different timelines, the writing and characters are strong and the story is suspenseful and fluid. This is definitely a book I will recommend to my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 #netgalley #TheChildrenOnTheHill

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL is a slow burn mystery, alternating between various perspectives and books that slowly but surely provide insight into what happened to cause the now infamous demise of a mental health treatment center in Vermont.

Violet is a young girl living with her siblings and grandmother, who runs the treatment center. Her deep interest in monsters - how they are created, discovered and defeated - sets the tone for the story as a whole. We also become familiar with Lizzy, a monster hunter with a mysterious past, who is playing a cat and mouse game with her biggest monster of all. These two characters were well-developed and easy to invest in. That said, my favorite chapters were from the perspective of the monster itself. They had me wondering exactly what Vi had been trying to discover all along: are monsters really real?

As the story progressed, I felt a bit unsettled by its ominous tone, which made it clear that something dark awaited me in future pages. While I found the pacing a touch slower in the middle, I knew that whatever was to come would be well-worth the read.

And wow was I right about that! The last section went at break-neck speed and I could not put it down. The various perspectives and timelines came together seamlessly and the twists and turns kept me on my toes. My head was spinning while reading the revelations within the final chapters. It was exciting and unpredictable and I absolutely loved it!

The perfect atmospheric fall read with ties to fictional monsters we know and love, I'd definitely recommend THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL. I'll be picking up more by JENNIFER MCMAHON in the very near future!

SIDE NOTE :: As a Vermonter, I was particularly pleased with each little 802 reference. (All hail maple creemees!) I was ready to call out JENNIFER MCMAHON for writing a book about monsters and skipping the most famous Vermont monster of all, but much to my delight, the beloved lake monster, Champ, found his place in the final chapter!

The Children on the Hill
By: Jennifer McMahon

Do you believe in monsters?
This book definitely delivered on the creepy scale, intertwined with the evils and demons we have buried inside of us. You may think you have it figured out -- but you won't see what's in store for the dynamite ending. I think this may possibly be my favorite JM novel to date!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5)

Coming soon! Pubs 4/26/22
Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks my early copy!

Goodreads Synopsis:
1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when’s she home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.

Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.

Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalogue all kinds of monsters and dream up ways to defeat them. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything together: ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.

Up soon on my TBR: The Drowning Kind 😳

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I have read every book by this author and truly love every one of them. This was probably her best yet! I can’t wait until her next book. Thanks to Publisher for allowing me to read this book.

The first time I read a book by Jennifer McMahon I was hooked. I’m not a big horror fan if it involves a lot of gore or borders on science fiction although some supernatural elements don’t bother me. Jennifer McMahon’s books hit that perfect balance for me.

I switched to audiobooks for the majority of my reading a few years ago because it allows me to multitask so I don’t feel like I didn’t accomplish anything on the days I spend doing nothing but reading but there are a few authors I’ll take their books in any form I can get them the fastest- Jennifer MacMahon is one of those authors.

When I saw The Children on the Hill available on NetGalley as an ARC, I requested it and as soon as I received the approval I put aside the book I was currently reading- The Hidden by Melanie Golding- despite it being a great book and me being 75% of the way through because I couldn’t wait to start this. I started it last night and fully plan to binge read the rest of the day to finish it today so figured I’d start my review while details were fresh in my mind and honestly, I just feel the need to talk about what I’m reading because it’s THAT good.

From the first chapter I knew I wasn’t going to want to put this book down. The book starts out from the POV of the monster taking her next victim. Who is the monster? Is the monster alive or dead? Who is the monster’s sister?

The story jumps back and forth from when the main character- Vi/Lizzy was a child and went by Violet or Vi to present day when she is now known as Lizzy. Something happened when she was a child that caused her and her brother to change their identities and their names and relocate and the story is leading up to just what happened.

Lizzy as an adult hunts monsters. Her obsession or passion started when her and her brother were kids and they had a monster club. Her brother formerly known as Eric is now called Charlie and whatever happened in their childhood has caused him to leave all that behind but not Lizzy. She has made a profession out of it. She writes a blog, hosts a podcast and also a television show where she hunts small town monsters of legend. Her hunt has brought her back to Vermont and hunting the monster she encountered as a child that caused everything in her life to change.

I’m never sure how much to say in the synopsis without giving away spoilers, even some small details people sometimes leave in reviews that seem inconsequential when you have finished the story can really ruin key moments of suspense for someone that hasn’t finished the book yet before reading reviews.

I’ve never been disappointed with a book by this author and even if I just liked the book, I’ve never disliked one and many of her books I’ve loved. This book I LOVE. It was the perfect fall/spooky season read. It is a book that once you start reading, you don’t want to stop until it’s done and don’t mind that the laundry has piled up or that you only nibbled on cheese and crackers for dinner or didn’t shower that day because the book pulled you in and it was more important to finish it. Everything else can wait.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for making this book available to me in exchange for a review.

Truly captivating! The toggle between past and present does give the illusion of what is real and what's not. However, it does keep up the pace and the storyline moves it along nicely. All the characters were nicely developed. However, I do wish there was an explanation of why Dr. Hildreth continued the project. The subject of monsters within humans is fascinating. Psychology with Theology has never been explored in a twisted story like this before.

Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon is a thriller that toes the line between realism and supernatural horror. The story revolves around 53 year-old Lizzy Shelley, a self-proclaimed monster hunter who travels from town to town hunting down monsters. There are monsters kidnapping and killing women in the world, and it's Lizzy's responsibility to find them. There are also flashbacks to the 1970's when Dr. Helen Hildreth brings home a mysterious young girl to her grandchildren. The young girl, Iris, is going to stay with them from now on, but she can't remember anything about her past. What secrets are hiding in Iris's past? Why can't she remember anything? And what or who is monster-hunter Lizzy really looking for during her travels?

Here is an excerpt from an opening chapter where Lizzy introduces herself:

"I had a blog and now a popular podcast, named for my long-ago childhood project: The Book of Monsters. I’d been a member of the team on last season’s series Monsters Among Us and featured in the documentary Shadow People. I’d given lectures at colleges on the role of the monster in contemporary society. I crisscrossed the country hunting Sasquatches, shapeshifters, lake monsters, cave-dwelling goblins, vampires, werewolves—all manner of cryptids and bogeymen. People posted on the forums on my website every day giving me leads, sending photos, telling their own stories of close encounters, begging me to come investigate. Between advertising, sponsors, affiliate links, the TV gigs, book royalties, and the branded merchandise I sold, I made more than enough to cover my expenses and hit the road as often as I liked, moving on to the next town, the next monster.
My mission was to do everything I could to get the message out loud and clear: Monsters are real and living among us."

Overall, The Children on the Hill is a Frankenstein-inspired novel that will appeal to fans of Grady Hendrix's The Final Girls Support Group or Megan Collins' The Family Plot. I read this book on Halloween, and it was chilling and creepy. Even though this book won't come out until the spring, it would be the perfect read for a cold day spent inside curling up on the couch. If you're looking for heart-pounding thrills, you won't be disappointed. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the ending wasn't entirely satisfying. I had predicted one major twist from the beginning, and then another twist happened that felt pointless. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the majority of this book and would recommend it for readers looking for a spooky read. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers with semi-gothic atmospheres, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in April!

What a great book to read during this time of year. When it gets dark sooner, is chilly, damp and you can smell wood smoke in the air” Jennifer McMahon is quite skilled at writing something-is-not-quite-right books. You know, the creepy ones, the ones you read that leave you with the little hairs standing up on the back of your neck, wondering just what she has up her sleeve.

Don't confuse The Children on the Hill with the children of the corn. This isn't horror although some horrific things have happened in this book!

1978 -Violet (VI) and her brother, Eric live in Vermont with their grandmother who is a renowned Psychiatrist. One day she brings home a young girl named Iris. She doesn't speak at first and she appears uneasy and fearful. The children, especially Violent try to draw her out and include her in their club - the Monster hunting club. They have also written a journal about monsters, how to detect them, what to do with them, because as they know - monsters are everywhere.

2019 -Lizzy Shelley, is the host of Monsters Among Us, a popular podcast. is traveling to Vermont where a young girl has been taken. Lizzy has made a career out of hunting monsters. She knows monsters are real - her sister is one.

Again, this isn't horror, nor is it scary - but it does have a sense of dread, of tension, and unease. It will have readers wondering and trying to figure things out. I especially enjoyed the journal entries of the kids, the talk of monsters, I thought it was a very nice touch and really added to the story. Speaking of the story, this book goes back and forth between 1978 and 2019. Each time readers are given more info and more food for thought. I have been a fan since I read The Winter People, it remains a favorite. McMahon is a go to author for me and I found this one to be enjoyable as well. Perfect for long fall nights, curled up with a blanket, candles lit.

Fans of McMahon will not be disappointed.

Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This a slow burn mystery that alternates between 1978 and 2019. In 1978 Dr. Helen Hildreth, a psychiatrist, works with the mentally ill at her renowned treatment center in Vermont. There are some creepy elements when Helen takes in a child, Iris, a feral girl. Slowly Iris becomes a playmate for Helen’s grandkids, Violet and Eric. In 2019, Lizzy Shelley, host of podcast Monsters Amongst Us, travels to Vermont where a girl has disappeared and there’s a monster sighting. Lizzy believes in monsters because her sister is one too! Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

Full disclosure. I am a psychologist. This book exemplified the best and the worst of the potential of exploring the mind and changing our human experience. The line is thin between what is right and good and what may be seen as right and valuable.

Told in two intermingled timelines, the story explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetuated by the monsters among us. At a venerated treatment facility, we explore such evils through the eyes of three children and through their life decisions made by the discovery of “monsters” among us. The clues are subtle, the use of symbols and objects to illuminate the nature of each person is exemplary. What happened? Does the intention of the person justify the solution they develop. The reader will be intrigued, want to adopt and rescue Vi, Erik, and Iris and will question in their own mind if all monsters are truly evil. An intriguing, inspiring, thrilling read. May your wishing stones all be good.

This book was *the* book to read during October during spooky season. It was like reading a classic horror flick, and I loved it.

Thanks to Gallery Books for the free book.
McMahon writes such fun horror books, and I loved the direction she took in this one. She brought an original idea to the monster trope. Some of the aspects were expected, while others left me speechless. I loved the alternating chapters in this book - I think it's what made it be so well done. There is a slow burn and a desire to figure out what exactly is happening in the children's world in 1978 and what is going on with Lizzy in 2019. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to figure out where McMahon was taking this monster story.
The twists were well placed and not overly dramatic. Everything made sense once the story unfolded. The ending wasn't rushed, and it left me shocked.

When Netgalley approved me for The Children on the Hill, I literally felt like I was just granted my Christmas wish!!! Holy Smoke! I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Jennifer McMahon and her writing style. I was grateful but also extremely shocked and honored to be given the opportunity to read this upcoming novel.

Well, The Children on the Hill, does not disappoint (I mean could anything by Jennifer McMahon, ever disappoint?) I read that the inspiration behind this novel was Frankenstein and I can totally see that!

Set back in the 1970's, Helen, or better know as Dr. Hildreth, works with the mentally challenged. Helen has a way with working with her patients but Helen is also the beloved grandmother to Eric and Vi . Helen is filled with compassion and love for her beautiful grandchildren.

On a whim, Helen decides to take home Iris. Iris does not behave like a normal child but more comparable to an untamed animal.

Vi, is absolutely ecstatic ! She has a new friend to play with! Eric and Vi have a club its called the Monster club, and they ask Iris to join their monster club. They have to hunt the monsters and of course, monsters are everywhere as Vi explains.


Fast forward to 2019, Lizzy is the host of a Monster podcast. When Lizzy gets word that a little girl has been kidnapped and a small town goes in crazy, Lizzy is determined to solve the mystery and travels to Vermont to see just what is going on and if monsters truly are real.

But what happens if Lizzy has monsters in her own family ?

I cant give too much away without spoiling the ending but I promise you, you do not want to miss this one!

This book was Jennifer's best book yet! It was completely unputdownable. This was my favorite book this year. Can't wait to read more by this brilliant author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

Mind blown. So many twists that I did not see coming.

There are several different stories going on concurrently:
* In 1978, Vi and Eric are being raised by their grandmother who runs a well regarded psychiatric hospital in Vermont. Gran brings home Iris to live them.
* In 2019 Lizzy Shelley is a podcaster traveling the country hunting monsters.
* Excerpts from a 1980 book about the hospital from an investigative journalist.
* Excerpts from Vi, Iris, and Eric’s book about monster hunting.

Fabulous book that is well tied together. Great homage to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein which I will go back and re-read. Highly recommend this book.

Jennifer McMahon delivers a creepy psychological thriller, and just in time for Halloween! Mental institutions, monsters, and a brilliant psychiatrist provide all the nods to Frankenstein but with a modern day spin. It was spooky and haunting in the best of ways, and the writing was brilliant and everything I’ve come to expect and appreciate from McMahon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

While I absolutely love Jennifer McMahon's novels, I had a super hard time reading this one. Had to make myself finish it.

THIS. BOOK!!! OMG where do I start? This is the first book I’ve read where just a few chapters in I was thinking how Steven Spielberg needs to make this into a movie. The writing is that good. It has this vibe of pure adventure and excitement of what’s to come. Many twists that I didn’t figure out beforehand. Very surprising ending that I absolutely love. PERFECT! Now I have to prepare for a major book hangover because nothing I start will measure up!

Jennifer McMahon is a master writer. The Winter People, The Drowning Kind, I’ve devoured them all. While not generally drawn to supernatural themes, Jennifer has a way of weaving a story together that is incredibly unique, riveting, and believable. The Children in the Hill is no exception. This story begin in the late 70’s when Violet and her brother Eric, living with their grandmother, welcome a new sister into the family. Vi’s grandmother is also a medical doctor and in charge of running renown mental health facility in Vermont. Accustomed to having patients in their home, they welcome this new “sister” with open arms and even introduce her to their Monster Club. Fast-forward to the future and Lizzy is a famous monster hunter who travels the country researching monster sightings. One perplexing thing that has bothered Lizzy, with each monster sighting, there is also a missing teenage girl. Are these sightings and missing cases connected? Lizzy is quickly being drawn back to her hometown and she believes her sister is responsible for all the girls. This book started a bit slow, but the twists and turns were well worth the wait. If you enjoy monsters, medical thrillers, and unique stories, check out The Children on the Hill. This book will be released on May 18, 2022. Mark your calendar!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I love this author! Really enjoyed the nostalgic monster movie bits, and I liked both timelines/storylines equally. Well done!