Hmm, while I enjoyed Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier I do have some mixed thoughts on it. The cover and synopsis of the book had me expecting a murder mystery in a dark, creepy amusement park that would leave me chilled but there was no atmosphere. I didn't feel the creepy vibes at all during this story. It was more like a small town police investigation story. And while there's nothing wrong with that, my expectations were not met. That doesn't mean the book wasn't good. It was fast paced and the plot was really engaging. A lot of the plot twists were easy to see coming, but they were still executed really well. I would have enjoyed this more with deeper character development and more suspense but this was still a pretty good thriller. I'm looking forward to trying something else by this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really liked this book! There were so many twists and turns, a number of possible suspects throughout, and it was so tough to predict the ending!

There are some sensitive topics in this book, so if you’re a highly sensitive reader, please do look into that before picking it up.

This was also fantastic on audio, I loved the narrator.

Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a twisty, creepy, amusement park thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio, for the ALC of this audiobook for my honest review.

This novel was originally published in 2015 but the audio is being published in April of 2023. I never got around to reading this, though have read another Jennifer Hillier book and loved it, so I had high expectations for Wonderland and it did not disappoint. Eunice Wong did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life and kept me engaged throughout the whole story. I like the different voices for each character she created to differentiate between them and bring them to life.
What an atmospheric crime thriller. Setting a thriller in a creepy amusement park hooked me from the start. All I kept thinking is creepy clows. Thriller fans will enjoy this.
I would give this a solid 4 star. I will be sure now to check out Jennifer Hilllier’s backlist novels and future novels.

I love this author! I was happy to see one of her older books was being offered in audio and while it was a little clunkier than her newer works, it was still great and has her charm.

Vanessa moves to Seaside to take a high-ranking job in the small police department. The department not so subtly caters to Wonderland, the revamped amusement park, because that's how the town gets people in the door to make money.

So it's pretty awkward when a body is found at Wonderland and another boy is missing, all linking back to Wonderland. Since Vanessa is new, she's not blinded by their power and is hellbent on solving this case but the more she digs, the more skeletons fall out and some of the answers could lie closer than she initially realized.

I love anything set around a spooky amusement park! That stuff gives me the creeps so this was right up my alley. My biggest issue was some raunchy sexual stuff and forced romance. The characters were well-developed and continued to evolve as the story went on. All in all, it was a great read and the narration was great!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen and review!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jennifer Hillier for an ALC of Wonderland in exchange for an honest review. What a book- I think its safe to say that Jennifer Hillier is starting to become one of my favorite authors. Everything about Wonderland had me wondering what the heck was happening in the park. I appreciated getting to meet so many different characters and I loved how most of their stories intertwined. The narrator did a great job of capturing my attention by telling this story so vividly that I had to keep listening. I was shocked by the ending but very happy with how it turned out. This book has been out in the world for sometime but I am so happy Macmillan Audio brought it to life via audiobook. This audiobook (which you absolutely need to listen to) is available on 4.11.23!!

Wonderland is an amusement park in the Pacific Northwest. It is a staple of the community. Most teenagers work there at some point and lots of people have fond memories of the park. The book starts out with a former employer free-climbing the wonderwheel. Blake is sending a message as he takes a picture atop the wheel, in his uniform, and flipping the bird at the camera. As the picture uploads to social media, the wheel starts to move and Blake loses his footing. This is just the start of a wild ride into the dark history of the park. What will an investigation into a murder uncover?

Jennifer Hillier is thriller writer who is a master of her craft. She creates such gripping storylines and raw, but real, characters. I've read quite a few of her books and I've loved them. This new audio version of Wonderland is fantastic. The narrator does a great job. I would like a bit more vocal distinction between characters but her performance was still great!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the oppurtunity to listen to this audiobook.

Jennifer Hillier again amused me. This was a great thriller. I enjoyed it.... touch of shock in the ending..

this was a strong start but then fell flat for me toward the middle. the ending threw me so much for a loop that i was like 'wait..did i miss something?' - thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I have been wanting to read "Wonderland" by Jennifer Hillier since I first read the synopsis after falling in love with her writing style. I have read all of her other books so I was delighted to find some old friends in "Wonderland".
This book is as twisty as the rollercoasters in the Wonderland theme park. I am so glad they are re-releasing this in print and newly in audiobook. The narrator is excellent and really keeps the story flowing while moving among multiple characters.

If you are a fan of Jennifer Hillier or new to her books, this is a must read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of the new audiobook in advance of release.

Sometimes I find myself biased when reading Jennifer Hillier. As a Washingtonian and PNW native, whenever she paints a picture with her story I’m immediately sucked in. Wonderland was, again, that book for me.

Immediately I was invested in the characters of this book. Blake, the free climber, was enough for me because of his hobbies. I true PNWer. The rest of the characters kept me on my toes and interested. Not to forget to mention, Wonderland itself. The fear of theme parks and what goes on behind the scenes was exacerbated with each chapter.

I almost wish there was more horror aspects to it, but it’s classified as a thriller and a thriller it was. So if you’re looking for a scary book about a theme park, this won’t be for you.

I was thankful to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the ARC audiobook releasing April 11th. Don’t forget to listen to that author’s note!

I love this author. I did read this book a few years ago so this review is more about the audio version.
The narrator was perfect. I felt all the creepy feelings she was going for and I was walking around listening to this during the spicy moments going "omg that ho" which is lovely.
I had a great time listening to this.

This was the perfect creepy amusement park setting for a thriller! Including a clown museum full of a porcelain doll collection and even teen actors playing a real living doll.

Wonderland is an amusement park where several blonde teenage boys have all gone missing from. They are all about the same age and have the same look and no one has been able to connect them.

This book has so many lies, is full of deceit, murder, imprisonment and scandal and is riddled with truly terrifying and predatory adults. The twists truly don’t stop coming right up until the very end! Definitely made me think of a Goosebumps book but for adults/with heavier content.

There was one instance of *surprise* this character is gay that I don’t know added enough to the plot to be a “gotcha” moment nor do I love when characters sexualities are used as plot devices.

Aside from that I’d just warn anyone sensitive to reading about SA, murder, predatory behavior towards teens from adults, false imprisonment, and/or violence to steer clear of this book.

The audio narrator was very articulate and did a great job with this performance.

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the Audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Carnival of horrors!
An older work of Hillier’s released in audiobook form while we wait for her next novel, this one was, well, weird. And if you are a fan of Jennifer Hillier, you know how weird and creepy she can be- this is definitely one of her deep cuts. Very entertaining, if you have the stomach for it.

little miss “hasn’t read a jennifer hillier thriller she hasn’t loved”. okay WOW. amusement park. creepy exhibits with clowns and dolls. multiple dead & missing employees. super shady small town. i was SUCKED into this story. and as usual the ending took me by complete surprise. absolutely loved it. also loved the connection to little secrets!!

special thank you to macmillan audio, jennifer hillier and netgalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Y’all! @macmillan.audio is releasing the audiobook of @jenniferhillierbooks’ Wonderland 🖤

This audiobook is well narrated and Eunice Wong was a fantastic pick as the narrator. The main character is a homicide detective who is making a fresh start as the Deputy Chief of Police in the small beach town of Seaside, WA. The town’s largest attraction and employer is the amusement park, Wonderland. When teenage boys go missing from the park, tons of scandals are uncovered. Jennifer Hillier is easily a must read/buy author for me after discovering her books last year after reading Jar of Hearts. I highly recommend her books and now need to rush to read Little Secrets!

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Hillier & MacMillan Audio for an audio of Wonderland in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

I was approved for the audio of Wonderland last Friday morning and it made my entire day!!! I've had the physical book on my shelf for a while, but I am so into audiobooks now that I just kept pushing it further down my TBR. I can listen to audiobooks much faster than my eyes can read.

This story revolves around a creepy amusement part called Wonderland and the disappearances of multiple teen boys over the course of several years, all of who have the same good looking physical appearance. All of the missing persons cases have gone cold until an roughly 8 days post mortem body turns up at the bottom of the ferris wheel with the face eaten off. This is what Vanessa Castro, the new deputy police chief, is faced with on her first day of the job. It becomes her mission to identify the body and find out what happened to all of the other missing boys and hopefully find the most recent one before it is too late.

This novel is incredibly atmospheric, dark & chilling. I mean, there is a clown & doll museum inside the amusement park, that alone is creepy AF.

The characters were well developed and you will have the intended feelings for each one. I will say that I was stumped on the "bad guy" for the majority of the book. I figured it out just prior to the reveal, so that's pretty good on Hillier's writing to make sure that you don't predict it from the very beginning.

Wonderland did not disappoint & I highly recommend grabbing a copy wherever you can find one and giving it a read. It was published originally in 2018 and has been highly sought after over the last couple of years. The new cover will release April 11, 2023.

4/5 Stars

I absolutely loved this! While I have read the book, I was excited to listen to the audiobook! It is a different experience, and listening to it was even better than reading it. The narrator was amazing and perfect.

Jennifer Hillier always delivers, and her creepy carnival vibe was spot on! Twisty and scandalous.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook! It’s one of my favorites!

⭐️Rating: 5/5
✍🏼Author: Jennifer Hillier
🗣️Narrator: Eunice Wong
📖Genre: Thriller

::My thoughts::
I received the ALC from NetGalley and was so impressed with the narration and performance by Eunice Wong. I thought she did a really great job , was easy to follow and kept me engaged / wanting more the entire time.

Jennifer Hillier is a great author and this book had me hooked from start to finish. I couldn’t figure out who the killer was and was so shocked at the very end. It’s everything you can ask for in a thriller, and it has my heart pumping. I loved the amusement park setting and the detail Hillier provided in describing each scene. I felt like I could easily picture each setting and character.

Overall the story is great and I can’t wait to read more of Jennifer Hillier!

*Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

Okay so I'm normally not even a person who loves the "creepy carnival" vibe but somehow I still blew through this thriller set in a creepy amusement park filled with slimy characters. The writing and narration are extremely well done - it's very evocative and you have the sense that you're almost watching a TV show or a movie rather than listening to an audiobook! The characters, despite being creepy and unlikeable (as the author intended!), are well-written and interesting. When there's a series of alarming disappearances at Wonderland, an amusement park in a small town, who could possibly be behind them - and why?

I love anything Jennifer Hillier so when I saw this backlist title come out as an audiobook, I knew it would be a must listen - and trust me, it did NOT disappoint in terms of entertainment value and readability! (I will give a small warning that this book does deal with some distressing themes (sexual assault), and leans quite dark, even for for a thriller.)

I love a good creepy amusement park story. This one’s a thriller set at an amusement park where teenaged workers have been disappearing for years. Bonus: it’s inspired by Canada’s Wonderland, the park I grew up visiting regularly.

The opening hooked me right away: a young man climbs the park’s Ferris Wheel before the park opens, as a social media stunt. While he’s at the top, someone turns on the wheel, causing him to lose his grip (I’m not even afraid of heights, and this was terrifying).

The boy then disappears, while the dead body of an entirely different person is found beneath the wheel in the morning.

Police detective Vanessa Castro is called in to the scene. She’s new in town and as she investigates the case, she discovers local corruption and plenty of dark secrets.

I loved the mystery in this one, which kept me guessing the whole way. There were multiple mysteries, a very dark history to the park, and plenty of creepy characters.

Vanessa’s relationship issues were less interesting to me, and I’d have eliminated Oscar’s viewpoint entirely. I loved the viewpoints of the teens, however — including one of the missing boys and Vanessa’s resourceful daughter.

Eunice Wong’s narration is strong and immersive. She creates a different voice for each of the characters without overacting and taking you out of the story.

I think the book could have been trimmed a little, but by the end the audiobook kept me hooked. My dog was happy because he had an extra few blocks in his walk as I was desperate to hear the end of the story.

Wonderland was originally published in 2015. This is its first release as an audiobook, and my first time reading the book. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my review copy of this audiobook.