On Vanessa Castro’s first day as Seaside’s Deputy Chief of Police, a decaying body is found in the midway of the popular, local theme park, Wonderland. That same day, a teenage employee of the park goes missing. After some further digging, Vanessa realizes that these two seemingly unrelated crimes might actually be related and the park’s rumored dark history might actually be true.

My thoughts:
This is my fifth Jennifer Hillier book but my first audiobook of hers. I really enjoyed the narrator for this one, but it was a longer one so it took me longer than I had hoped to get through it.

The premise was interesting and I feel Hillier is a master at weaving multiple plot lines into the story. There were some fairly predictable parts but I honestly didn’t guess the ending until just before it was revealed.

As with all of Hillier’s books, each character has a dark past that adds to the mystery of the plot. There are definitely some creepy aspects to this book but I’ve come to expect that from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced audiobook! This review is voluntary and honest.

Hillier is a master story crafter. I loved this one so much and the way everything tied together in the end. Such a great read!

✨Wonderland✨
By Jennifer Hillier
▪️Read April 2023▪️ 🎧

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for this awesome audiobook! I actually didn’t realize it was first published as an ebook in 2015 until I started reading reviews on @goodreads - so happy it was made into an audiobook, loved it! I could picture the amusement park, and the workers so vividly throughout the book.

Vanessa Castro didn’t expect to be thrown into her job so quickly. Her first day on the job as the new deputy chief of police in Seaside, Washington, she’s faced with a decaying body in the middle of the towns well known amusement park. A teenage employee of the park just so happens to post a shocking photo of himself hanging off the top of the wonder wheel all over social media too. Oh, and now that teenage employee is missing…

As Vanessa begins to dig deeper into both of these cases she finds so many more unnerving things about this little town. Although she moved to Seaside to escape her own messy past, she isn’t giving up on the other missing persons cases, and the odd happenings at Wonderland that have been covered for years.

Soooooo, I liked it. I was a little put off by the beginning. The cliche of it. OK, who did she sleep with? OOOOhhhh, who knows! Who did he sleep with? What are these two zany kids going to do? I also got a quick read on the killer. I am just very untrusting.

Still…I liked the opening with Blake. I liked the carnival feel, even though it was an amusement park. The body on the midway. The history of sexual harassment at this park. All of it was intriguing. I was intrigued! I hated the stupid teenage crap. I was a teenager. I have raised teenagers, Why are they so ridiculous in books?

Overall, it was a pleasant and creepy story.

LISTEN TO THIS AUDIO RIGHT NOW!! (audio pub date April 11th)

A personal tragedy and professional scandal lead Vanessa Castro to move to Seaside Washington.. She takes a job as the town's new Deputy Chief of Police and hopes to start anew. However, when a dead body is found at the popular amusement, Wonderland, and a teenage employee goes missing, all on her first day she discovers that Seaside is more sinister than she imagined.
audio comments

This is much darker than my last Hillier read, Things We Do in the Dark, and far superior! All the fear in this book is palpable and had my heart racing! I loved every moment of this book and could not listen to it fast enough. Reads like a dark thriller that has horror elements and it all works so well together. I wish I could have ignored all my responsibilities to read it even faster.

I think if you are okay with the TW in this book, and love thriller books, then this should be on your to be read right now.


**There are some darker TW so please check those out before

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to listen to the new audio release of Wonderland.

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧

Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

“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, home to creepy wax replicas of movie stars and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls. 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?”

This was a dark, twisty, edge of my seat listen! It was a bit darker than I expected - CSA, rape, pedophilia - but I enjoyed it. It was my first book of Jennifer Hillier’s and I can’t wait to read more!

I loved so many of the characters - Vanessa was an absolute boss bitch and I can’t wait to read more of Hillier’s books that feature Jerry. I didn’t see the ending coming at all!

This book originally published in 2015 but the audiobook is new!

✨ Do you have a favorite amusement park?

Thanks to @netgalley, @macmillan.audio and the author for the ARC.

#thriller #twistythriller #jenniferhellier #audiobookreview #bookreview #thrillerreview #audiobook #books #bookstagram #audiobookstagram #netgalleyapproval #netgalley #readingchallenge #bookish

4.5 I so much liked this book. The pacing, the dynamics, the structure, interesting characters, writing style, dialogues..
The story started as a horror /mystery triller, and I thought it will be like that till end, like we know the many stories about the horrors in the amusement park, but then the story was a pure detective/ investigation.
The theme was not new, a small town which looks like from a post card, but rotten inside out. And the author played it very well.
As a many readers, I was hooked from the first page and cannot put it down.
I really enjoyed the book :)
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free audiobook.

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