Wonderland: País das Maravilhas

Wonderland #1

by Jennifer Hillier

DURANTE O DIA, UM PARQUE ALEGRE E VIBRANTE... À NOITE, UM REFÚGIO PARA O MAL.
Uma tragédia na vida pessoal, seguida de um escândalo na carreira, leva a detetive de homicídios Vanessa Castro a buscar um novo emprego em outra cidade. Ela está determinada a recomeçar sua vida ao lado da família. A nova cidade é famosa pelo parque de diversões chamado País das Maravilhas, e representa para ela a esperança de um ambiente ideal para a criação dos filhos.
Entretanto, o recomeço se mostra desafiador, especialmente agora que ela assumiu o cargo de chefe-adjunta da polícia da cidade. No seu primeiro dia de trabalho, duas ocorrê um corpo encontrado no parque e o desaparecimento enigmático de Blake Dozier, um jovem funcionário do local.
Sua investigação enfrenta alguns obstáculos. Afinal, o parque é um ponto turístico que atrai visitantes de diversas partes do país e gera milhares de empregos para a população local. Então, quando um escândalo afeta o parque prejudica também a cidade.
E quanto mais Vanessa levanta questões, mais dúvidas aparecem... as pistas a conduzem a uma misteriosa rede de desaparecimentos que foram ocultados por décadas. E ao descobrir que Blake não é o primeiro funcionário a desaparecer, os rumores assustadores sobre o passado obscuro do lugar vêm à tona, mostrando que tudo o que buscou ao mudar de cidade ela não teria paz e tranquilidade. Vanessa tem de ser cuidadosa e precisa agir rápido para que sua carreira não desmorone outra vez.
Cercada por segredos, mentiras e corrupção em altos níveis, ela se encontra no centro de um jogo distorcido envolvendo um serial killer... e não há ninguém em quem possa confiar além de si mesma.

Genres: Thriller, Horror, Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2015

About the author

Jennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people, and then writes about it.

She's the author of seven psychological thrillers, including the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling Things We Do in the Dark, winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Audiobook. Described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine, it was a Book of the Month Club selection, an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a LibraryReads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame.

She's also published six other novels, including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anthony Award), and Jar of Hearts (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and shortlisted for the Anthony and Macavity Awards). She also wrote Creep, Freak, The Butcher, and Wonderland, which have been recently reissued by Gallery Books in beautiful trade paperback formats. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages so far.

Jennifer is Filipino-Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, but she spent eight amazing years living in Seattle, which is where she first became a published author. She's a Seahawks fan who married a Packers guy, and they have a son in middle school who wishes she wrote books like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (she does too, kid, she does too).

She's afraid of the dark and can’t sleep unless she's checked the locks on the doors several times. She loves writing when it’s raining, sleeping when it’s sunny, and reading after everyone else has gone to bed. She's a cat person without a cat, which makes her sad. But she's now back in the Toronto area permanently with her family, which makes her happy.

Heart of Glass, her newest thriller, will be coming August 25, 2026 from Minotaur Books.

Reviews

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love amusement parks featured in the story line of books. So I got all hyped up to read this book and phtttt..it fizzled.

The story starts off with a Wonderland employee ticked off because the CEO of Wonderland (A thirty something year old woman) has ended their affair. So he is going to pay her back. He climbs up the WonderWheel (He is something called an Urban Climber or some shit)


He does it in his uniform and shoots a bird and posts the picture to his facebook, so that it will go viral. He'll show her. Oh yeah, he is eighteen.
Come to find out the CEO has a bit of a habit of sleeping with the young male employees at the amusement park.

Then you have the new deputy police chief, Vanessa. She has left a past in Seattle that includes her former husbands suicide and a former lover entangling her in his drug charges. She leaves to take the job at Seaside (where Wonderland is located)
First thing she does in Seaside is have a one night stand.
This woman is messed up.


Dead bodies keep turning up around Wonderland and now the kid that took the Wonderwheel selfie is also missing.


Vanessa is working the case since her superior just wants the bad publicity at Wonderland to go away.

Now this book could have been really good. You have an great setting in Wonderland. They have a Wax Clown museum with creepy porcelain dolls for crying out loud!


But it doesn't. I had to keep making myself pick this book back up. I looked up at 47% of it and thought it had gone on forever. Surely something would happen. It reads very predictably and what bright spots happen just get overshadowed by me being bored.


Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderland-formerly World of Wonder-boasts about having the oldest Ferris Wheel in the Pacific Northwest. 🎡

By day, it’s a magical place boasting a certain “retro” charm.

The sight of the giant turning wheel-the sound of the tinkling carnival music-the smell of hot dogs and cotton candy-are the things that keep locals and tourists returning year after year.

The children of Seaside, Washington grow up wanting to become Wonder Workers as teenagers, despite the rumors of evil and an underground tunnel below the House of Clowns (and antique porcelain dolls)

That’s just an urban myth, right?

CREEPY

Some other things don’t change either.

Like the owners of Wonderland being sexual predators.

And, the local police covering things up.

Vanessa Castro is the new Deputy Police Chief of Seaside-moving there from Seattle after the death of her husband-with her 14 year old daughter, Ava, and her younger son, John John.

After a most welcoming first night there, her first day is less welcoming-and she will have some fun with those who don’t embrace her.

But, that will have to wait because a decaying body as been found at Wonderland, the morning after a teenage employee climbed to the top of the wheel and posted a selfie of himself-giving the middle finger to his employer, right before he disappeared.

Does the body belong to a homeless man? Or to one of the many other blond haired, blue eyed boys who have gone missing over the years?

Not at all what Vanessa expected from this sleepy town.

But, our likable lead is up for the challenge.

This Audible copy arrived in my INBOX, from my library-just in time to make it one of my SPOOKY SEASON reads! Perfect timing!

The story is a rerelease of a digital book that Jennifer Hillier wrote in 2015, now released for our “listening” pleasure and narrated by the wonderful Eunice Wong.

Eunice is quickly becoming MY favorite narrator, after being introduced to her work earlier this year when I listened to “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers”. Her authentic accents, distinctive voices and engaging style help bring to life her characters, and the stories she is narrating.

Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of this title.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up
Intriguing audiobook release of Jennifer Hillier's 2015 book.

I was caught up right away in this police procedural mystery set in the small town of Seaside, Washington. The town exists and thrives because of its main attraction, the Wonderland amusement park. The park provides jobs and tourism, and therefore it's in everyone's best interest that the park continues to operate. Vanessa Castro has just moved to Seaside from Seattle with her two children after the death of her husband. She arrives on her first day of work to a call from Wonderland, a dead, decomposing body has been discovered in the midway. Everyone involved wants things wrapped up quickly and quietly, but Vanessa isn't willing to just let things go. Not when she discovers how many young men who have worked at the park have gone missing.

The audiobook narration is excellent and kept me invested in the story, even with multiple points of view. The mystery is, while not completely surprising, decently satisfying. I liked how everything fit together in the end and how there are a few sneaky twists. Is it wholly believable? Nope, but that was fine overall as it was entertaining.

If you've enjoyed other books by Hillier or you just enjoy small town mysteries or those set in an amusement park (creepy for sure), Wonderland is sure to satisfy.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Jennifer Hillier's tense and twisty amusement park-set Thriller, Wonderland, was first published in 2015. I've had this on my TBR for years, but just never picked it up.

Now, for the first time ever, it is being released in audio format via Macmillan Audio. After graciously being gifted a copy by the publisher, I excitedly read it and loved it!



This story follows Vanessa Castro, the new deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, home to Wonderland. Vanessa is a lady with a past, that is clear, but all isn't revealed to you right away. She's a mystery unto herself.

Vanessa has moved to Seaside, along with her two children, after the death of her husband and a corresponding scandal at her old department. Vanessa is hoping for a fresh start and her older child, Ava, is almost excited to be working at Wonderland for the Summer.



Vanessa's first day on the job kicks off with a bang, after the decomposing body of a homeless man, dubbed Homeless Harry, is discovered on the main causeway of the park just before opening.

Who is this man? It's clear he didn't die in the spot where he was discovered? Why would someone deposit his body there? What's the message?



On the same day, prior to the body discovery, a disgruntled employee, a self-proclaimed free climber, scales the Wonder Wheel and photographs himself giving the middle finger in his Wonderland uniform.

He posts the image to his socials and it goes viral. After he posted, he disappeared. What is going on at Wonderland?

Homeless Harry and the Wonder Wheel Boy all in one day. Vanessa is left scratching her head and is about to get a quick lesson in how things work around Seaside.



Wonderland is by far the largest employer in the town. Not only that, it brings in huge amounts of money as a well-known and hugely popular tourist attraction.

Because of this, the powers that be at Wonderland hold quite a bit of sway within local politics and law enforcement. While Vanessa isn't necessarily surprised by this, she is surprised by just how deep that river runs.



I loved Vanessa. She wasn't perfect. She has a history, she has a dark past and it's something that she struggles with at times throughout the novel. So, even though she has a successful career and is a great Mom, she can still have her own personal demons.

To me, that kind of character is so much more believable than the main characters who are perfect in every way, have it all, and just terrible things happen 'around' them, but not necessarily to them, or because of them.

Vanessa Castro is the type of character I would go to bat for. I think she was great at her job and did the best she could balancing her work and home life. For that, I give her props.



I also liked Vanessa's daughter, Ava's, role in the story. The dynamic between them, as well as what was going on in Ava's private life added a lot of tension to the story.

Even though they have that mother-daughter relationship and lived together, there were still quite a few secrets between them. The transition to the new town wasn't easy for Ava. At her age, I think she was 14, almost 15, that type of move will always be rough and I thought Hillier did a great job exploring that.

Ava's work at the park was interesting as well. She ended up working in the Clown Museum and it sounded totally nuts. Definitely something I would have wanted to do at that age.



Overall, this is an engaging Mystery, with strong Police Procedural aspects and a ton of tension. I loved the pacing of the reveals as secrets come to light and I found the setting to be eerie and interesting. I couldn't believe how quickly this drew me in.

Additionally, the audiobook is absolutely terrific. I cannot recommend it enough. The narration by Eunice Wong brought this story to life for me. I was transported while listening to it. A++ job!!!



Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm so happy that I finally had the chance to read this one. It's a great reminder of why I love Hillier's work; so good!!

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If it were up to me, I’d move.”🎢🤡

Seaside, Washington is a small and picturesque town and is home to Wonderland the Northwest’s largest amusement park. Many residents of Seaside work for the park in some capacity. Many young folks have a summer job at the park, they're called "Wonder Workers".

I really enjoyed this atmospheric crime mystery novel by Hillier! Back when I was in the horror movie-watching phase, theme park horrors are my favs. Although, Wonderland is more mystery/thriller than it is horror, scary attractions like House of Horrors or Clown Museum add creepy vibes to the stillness of the park at night.

Vanessa Castro is the new deputy police chief of Seaside. She and her 14-year-old daughter Ava moved to Seaside from Seattle much to Ava's dismay but Ava does look forward to working at the park in the summer. When a homeless guy is found dead and a teen whose last selfie was climbing the Wonder Wheel has gone missing, Vanessa's new job just got a lot more interesting!

Originally published in 2015, Wonderland upcoming audiobook read by Eunice Wong is excellent. I enjoyed her voice and ability to tell different characters apart. It's also easy to listen at a fast playback speed. (11H 39M)

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my audio listening copy.
Expected audio release on April 11, 2023!

TW: Descriptive sex scenes.

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

When we lived on Long Island, there was a small children's amusement park that our daughters loved to go to. It was fun, full of laughter, pizza, soda, popcorn and all those foods we shouldn't eat! However, that was in the daytime, sun showing and gaiety filled. When the park closed at night, it sent off an eerie atmosphere with the lights off and structures highlighted by the moon or total darkness. I could really see the horror and eeriness of what occurred in Wonderland.

On Vanessa Castro's first day in the police force of Seaside, a homeless man is found and a young adventurous man goes missing. As Vanessa begins her investigation, she finds other young men going back years had also vanished. Wonderland had always offered work opportunities to the young and so many young people worked there over the years. Is there a link between Wonderland and the missing?

When Vanessa's teenage daughter can't be found, she is convinced the park or at least someone at the park is the responsible party. She finds lot of nefarious goings on and the eeriness and macabre happenings at a place of supposed fun, made for a story with such a creepy, sinister book.

Thank you to Jennifer Hillier, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story due out April 11, 2023.

[Courtney ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seaside, Washington: the “Wonder of Washington.” Picture a town, right on the Pacific Ocean–small, picturesque, charming. A downtown full of bustling little shops displaying retro signs, where everyone knows everyone and their mothers. A town that eats up just how charming it is by selling as many postcards of itself as it can. And at the center of it all stands Wonderland, the beating heart of Seaside.

Wonderland–the amusement park where this story takes place. Once tainted by sexual assault allegations against its previous owner, it is now literally the lifeblood of Seaside. Nick Bishop, the current owner, made the park what it is today: a thriving tourist attraction the town desperately needs to survive. Looping roller coasters, giant swing rides, carnival games, the smells of prepubescent angst and steaming hot dogs. The creepiest of all? The clown museum, featuring wax figures and a room full of porcelain dolls.

This story begins at the Wonder Wheel, where soon-to-be ex-employee Blake Dozier decides that for his final act as a Wonder Worker, he will climb the giant ferris wheel. Days later, he is reported missing. In fact, a handful of similar young, blonde employees have gone missing over the years. Vanessa Castro, the new Seaside deputy chief, arrives on the scene to uncover the truth. But what she finds is a decomposing body, a town full of corruption and deceit, and an amusement park with questionable employees…where her defiant teenage daughter is now excitedly working.

✎𓂃 “Welcome to Wonderland! Or as we like to call it, Funderland! ...Stay, play and have a great day. That’s the Wonderland Way!” 🎡🎢

☆First Thoughts:
I’ve been in a thriller mood and Jennifer Hillier does it again 🔪 I’ve had this one downloaded to my Kindle for a while, gathering dust as I ignored the call of the menacing dollhouse room. The dark carnival vibes ended up making this such an enticing read for me, idk maybe immersing myself in a museum full of my phobias in book-form is the way to overcome my fears 😅



☆Writing, Pacing, POVs:
Wonderland is written in 3rd person, with five POVs. Now, I know many people abhor 3rd person and that many viewpoints, but just hear me out. It works in this case. I personally prefer 3rd person in a thriller, as the plot and suspense outweigh the importance of inner thoughts to me. As for the multiple POVs, Blake’s chapters are the only ones that are fairly short (~4min or less), so we do stick with one person for enough time that it doesn’t feel chaotic. Bianca’s POV was the most interesting to me, while 14-year old Ava was insufferable (but what self-absorbed preteen isn’t?). I also love Hillier’s writing style–it provides suspense in its descriptions and plot, versus the short, choppy sentences we often see in thrillers. She has a way of making what should be a relatively short 300 page book feel longer than it is, but I enjoyed every second.

☆A Few of the Characters:
Deputy Chief Vanessa Castro is the most prominent character. After her husband dies and due to work circumstances, she packs up her family of three and moves from Seattle to Seaside. I loved her IDGAF who’s in charge attitude, it was the refreshing shake-up the town desperately needed. However some of her decisions, especially as a mom with a shit-ton of baggage, had me annoyed. Like maybe don’t sleep with a person of interest in your case??

Bianca Bishop, the 36-year old CEO of Wonderland (I mean, c’mon, you go girl!), is niece of the owner Nick Bishop, and oversees the park’s operations. This woman is a PIECE OF WORK. Described as narcissistic, non-empathetic, self-absorbed, emotionally distant, and charming when need be, this woman is as psychopathic as it gets. But plz tell me why Hillier made me slightly feel for her?!?! But only for a second, I promise, bc some men are trash 🗑️ Though it did have me laughing and cringing at the same time when a teenage boy described this woman in her 30s as “ancient” bc HI THAT’S ME NOW THX! 🫠

Ava Castro, Vanessa’s 14 year-old daughter, is the definition of a preteen girl. She cares only about herself and what she wants to do, regardless of how anyone else feels. I mean, understandable, every young girl’s world revolves around herself. I absolutely saw young me in her, every time she freaked out when Xander looked her way, her excitement at her job promotion, lying to her mom about her whereabouts 🫣 For her age though, she can hold her own and it actually impressed me? But maybe if she had a smarter, more present mom, she wouldn’t have worked at Wonderland in the first place lol. Dead body: not exactly the best indicator of a sound workplace??

☆Final Thoughts:
I HATED CLOWNS AND DOLLS before and I still do 🤡 Nothing triggers me more than the thought of being locked inside a clown house, all the creepy beady eyes looking at me and staring into my soul 🫨 For those thrills alone I give 5 stars, but I’ll be sending my therapy bill to Ms. Hillier lol. No amusement parks for me for a while!

The twists were aplenty, and while some were guessable, I felt I was so engrossed in the story that a few took me by surprise. Others had me shouting at Vanessa like, c’mon girl, you’re a COP you should know IMMEDIATELY where to look!!! The janitor character felt unnecessary, and honestly on the cliche side of things. There were also some references that very clearly showed the book was published in 2015: references to “making it” if your social performed well on Twitter and Facebook, as well as transgender comments that tried to be progressive but again, 2015.

If you were a fan of Hillier’s Jar of Hearts or Little Secrets like I was, I highly suggest picking this one up as well, especially if a creepy carnival scene is your thing. If not, plz continue about your *hopefully* happy, non-traumatized day!

☆Trigger Warnings/What to Expect:
Clowns (briefly mentioned), dolls (mentioned, and used as a costume), sexual assault, age-gap sexual relationships, murder, violence, mention of abortion, transphobia, PTSD, mention of suicide.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a boy goes missing, last seen on top of a Ferris wheel in Wonderland, and a rotting body is later found in the same amusement park, Deputy Chief Vanessa Castro sets her sights on the amusement park. What evil is lurking beneath the theme park's facade?

Wonderland was a bit of a rollercoaster, pun intended. Vanessa Castro is new to Seaside, a Washington town supported largely by Wonderland, a theme park. Since the entire town's livelihood depends on the park, she runs into quite a few roadblocks during her investigation.

For my money, a thriller has to have a certain amount of misdirection. This one certainly had its share. I thought I knew who the killer was at the 20% mark but I was in the dark until the book was nearly over. Hillier sidestepped a lot of the usual thriller cliches, although the obligatory insta-love/hookup was there.

I did like the Vanessa Castro character aside from the times where she was clearly thinking with her vagina. She was torn between duty and her love for her kids, as well as having the guilt over her husband's death gnawing at her. Actually, a lot of the characters had hidden depths. Bianca Bishop, the sultry CEO of Wonderland, came from a broken home and wasn't the bwa-ha-ha villainess I originally pegged her as.

The disappearances of boys with the Wonderland look tied nicely into the park's sordid past. Like I said, Hillier led me by the nose through most of the story. She's a clever one. Another thing that I liked was that while Wonderland took place in a theme park, I wasn't beaten over the head with lots of carnie stuff. I'm looking in your direction, Joyland.

While I didn't think it was fantastic, Wonderland was a pretty good thriller and I'll read more of Jennifer Hillier's stuff. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Delee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover reeled me in...but in the end- it was kind of its downfall too- because I expected more from it because of "said cover". I wished for more creepiness..and less predictability. Alas, neither of those two things were achieved...



Widowed Vanessa Castro has moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past. With her, she has brought her two children- Jon-Jon and Ava. Ava is signed up to work for the one money maker in Seaside. WONDERLAND! The end all be all of all the businesses in the area. The police, the politicians, and the public- rally around this one place in order to keep their city going. And nothing will get in its way. Especially not murder...missing teens...or scandal.



...and Vanessa is going to have to deal with all of the above- to try and keep her head above water- and save her new found job of deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington.



Don't get me wrong- I enjoyed WONDERLAND. It kept me entertained. I loved the main characters. I had some chuckles- A few ewwwwwwwwwww moments, a few laugh out loud moments, and a couple of times where I stuck my head under the covers....but it was much more mainstream than I expected. It fit a formula that I was hoping it would veer away from.

I have always meant to read Jennifer Hillier before now, and I have two of her other books purchased and waiting- and THAT is one of the things that bothered me about reading this FIRST. It was sold as a stand alone...but that is not completely the case. One of the characters in her first two books makes an appearance here- and it was such a disappointment that I now know his fate before I even picked up the books that came before it. I sooooooooo hate that. Make note readers- Read her first two before ever thinking of picking this one up. I wish I had.

Thanks NetGalley!

[Utkarsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, paint my face and call me a carnival attraction! 🎪🎠

Twist my balloon animals and call me suspicious! 🎈🔪

Welcome to Wonderland, where the clowns are creepier than your uncle’s dance moves at Thanksgiving, the dolls might just blink at you, and the only thing more twisted than the rides is the mystery lurking in the shadows. Hold on to your cotton candy, because things are about to get terrifyingly real! 🎡🎭

Plot:
One eerie morning, a decaying body is discovered in the heart of Seaside's Wonderland amusement park, and a missing teenager's picture goes viral.

Vanessa Castro, the new deputy police chief, is thrust into a web of old rumors and dark secrets.

Did the park’s twisted past spark these crimes, or is there a killer lurking among the workers?

Is the seemingly quiet town hiding more than it lets on?

To uncover the truth, tune into the gripping tale of Wonderland, where the thrills come with a chilling twist.

Overall experience:
Reading Wonderland was a wild ride! The twists kept me on the edge of my seat, with so many red herrings that I was left guessing until the end. The creepy atmosphere of the amusement park—complete with unsettling dolls, a haunted history, and dark secrets—made the story even more gripping. The characters, especially Vanessa, were complex, and I found myself torn between sympathizing with them and questioning their motives. By the time I reached the shocking conclusion, I was both satisfied and left wanting more. I especially enjoyed reading it alongside Getlyn, whose dark take on every sinister twist had me laughing out loud. Her perspective on the darkest moments made it all the more fun, and it was like solving the mystery together. I am always game for our buddy read. Thank you for being so kind to me. Definitely a psychological thriller worth diving into. Though in the middle book definitely dragged a little, could have been shortened.

Who Should Read This Book?

If you’re a fan of atmospheric thrillers with a touch of Gothic horror, Wonderland is your ticket to a ride you won’t forget. With its labyrinthine plot, sinister characters, and jaw-dropping twists, it’s perfect for those who love peeling back layers to find the dark truths beneath. Just don’t read it at night unless you enjoy jumping at shadows.

Buddy reading with Getlyn, Her majesty of thrills @Getlyn

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Creep, Freak and LOVING them and then being a bit disappointed with The Butcher, I was eager to read Jennifer Hillier’s new thriller novel, “Wonderland”. I was not disappointed…this novel is another winner!

Wonderland is the ideal location to disclose a chilling thriller. Living in Toronto, it brings back so many childhood memories of Ferris wheels, cotton candy, carnival music, and the House of Horrors with its creepy characters. The setting is the amusement park in Seaside, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest, but it could be anywhere.

The cover drew me in and gave me the creeps, and starting stirring up all kinds of past memories. So many secrets and dark pasts.

Wonderland, home of the giant Wonder Wheel, the Clown Museum, The House of Horrors, the Wax Museum and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls…but that is not all as there is…there is a dead, rotting body left in the midway for all the Wonder Workers to see.

“Weren’t dolls just miniature replicas of little girls? ...they looked like dead little girls.”

Vanessa Castro, the new Deputy Chief, has just left Seattle, with her two children, John-John, seven and her fourteen year old daughter, Ava, to start a new life, and new job in Seaside.

And what happens on her first day of work. A decomposed body of a homeless man is found with his face eaten off left under the Wonder Wheel. But that isn’t all! A teenage rebel employee, an “Urban Free Climber”, climbed up the Wonder Wheel, took a selfie that went viral, and now is MISSING.

Vanessa determines there are a number of young boys, all blonde, age eighteen, all worked at Wonderland, have gone missing over the last eight years. Vanessa and her team must unravel the mystery, and hunt down the serial killer.

Did I figure out the ending? No! I was shocked with the ending, although it was there for the reader to solve. One of the characters in her first two books makes an appearance in this book, so I would suggest you read the books in sequence, so you are not disappointed that you know his fate.

I loved this book and am rating it a 4 and not a 5, because I feel the book could have lent itself to a slightly darker side…but that is just my personal choice.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for a free advance download of Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier.

Read this book for Halloween!

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This town, its to small, too corrupt, too tainted. Everything is fake”

Wonderland is an amusement park situated in a small town but hidden beneath is plenty of dark gruesome secrets. It is Vanessa Castro’s first day first day as deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington and a supposedly homeless man has just been found deceased in by the Ferris Wheel in the amusement park. To top that off one of the teenage staff members has gone viral for climbing the Ferris Wheel the night before and is now nowhere to be seen. Are he two connected and what other hidden mysteries are about to be exposed.

One thing you can always pride Jennifer Hillier on is great storytelling when it comes to her characters. She really fleshes them out and makes you feel like you have known them for ages. I feel like I will remember forever all these characters names and their backstory. In this book there is a mixture of likeable and unlikeable characters, but there is one character in particular that is so vile and disgusting, I wanted to wash my eyes out with bleach over their storyline.

The pacing of the book is evened out, but admittedly it did take me until halfway through to get uber excited about the plot. I found the first half to be dwelling a lot on the characters and too much information about the history of the amusement park. This is all well and dandy, but I needed more of a thrill, anticipation and suspenseful buildup. But when it arrived boy oh boy did it deliver. I was on the edge of my seat seeing how it would all climax.

I thought I had it all figured out and while some of the twists were obvious and predictable there was one that took me by such a surprise! It was executed well and I loved how I was completely bamboozled.

⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Fleshed out characters
➽ Twists and turns
➽ Creepy unnerving vibes (mostly second half)

⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ Long chapters
➽ Not very thriller -y
➽ Could have been about 100 pages shorter

Still going through this authors backlist and I am so excited for what I read next of hers! Check out trigger warnings for this book also before you read.

3.5 ⭐




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⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
First read of February!🥳
Amusement park, Deaths and Hidden Secrets!
I hope this one thrills me to the core! ☺️
💙🩷🧡💛💜

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderland! The pride and joy of Seaside Washington.

A magical amusement park where every young teen dreams of having their first job!
Only there is a darker side to this funhouse. One that no one brings up…until now!

Leaving her position with the Seattle Police, (under less than favorable circumstances), Vanessa and her daughter recently relocated to Seaside now employed as the Deputy Chief of Police. And things immediately heat up. After only a few hours into her new position, not only is a dead body discovered, but one of the young employees is missing. All within the gates of this happy, little Wonderland. Welcome to the job Vanessa!

Can our new Deputy Chief uncover all the long-hidden secrets here in this Carnival town before another body is found?

A fun, dark(ish) read. With the ominous cover art I was expecting something a bit more sinister or at least scary. Luckily it was rather tame! As I am somewhat of a scaredy-cat!🙀

I listened to the audio and Eunice Wong did a fabulous job with the narration.

[NZLisaM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A+

Now I can’t decide which Jennifer Hillier book I like better, ‘Jar of Hearts’ or ‘Wonderland’? I think this one wins by a smidgen as I’m a long time fan of novels featuring amusement parks, carnivals, circus, etc where people are disappearing, and frightening things are happening – whether it’s crime, horror, sci-fi, or fantasy. In ‘Wonderland’ there’s a pretty disturbing Clown Museum with a porcelain doll room called the Dollhouse, rumoured to have dungeons and tunnels beneath it – eek! It’s strictly crime/mystery/suspense though, no supernatural happenings. This one isn’t quite as graphic as ‘Jar of Hearts, but there is still violence, including sexual violence, sex scenes, and bad language, so for those that prefer a tamer read you may want to skip this one, or perhaps skim over those parts.

Regarding the crime plot, I was so fixated on who I had convinced myself the murderer was, that the actual murderer totally escaped my notice. Love it when that happens. And there were plenty of suspects to choose from – this was definitely a small town with a lot of bad people of varying degrees. I really enjoyed the main character, the new Deputy Chief of Police, Vanessa, and would be more than happy for her to feature in a future book.

I also must rave over the cover art – so creepy. And there’s a really cool amusement park logo, complete with Ferris Wheel and Roller Coaster, under each chapter heading as well.

You might want to read ‘Creep’ and ‘Freak’ beforehand, as a character from those books makes a cameo appearance in this one. I wish I had of known as a small spoiler was unfortunately revealed to me. I enjoyed the character though, so still looking forward to delving into those books.

I highly recommend ‘Wonderland’ to those who enjoy darker crime novels. Jennifer Hillier is fast becoming a top author of mine.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
Publication date ~ book ~ October 5, 2015, audio ~ April 11, 2023
Page Count ~ 434
Audio length ~ 11 hours 39 minutes ~ a great job
Narrator ~ Eunice Wong
POV ~ multiple 3rd person
Featuring ~ missing teens, police procedural, serial killer, dark thriller, attempted r@pe, imprisonment, abuse (I might be missing some triggers)

We have a few main characters:
Blake ~ missing Wonderland worker, Vanessa ~ new deputy police chief, Oscar ~ security guard at Wonderland, Bianca ~ CEO of Wonderland who likes to sleep with the teenage staff, and Ava ~ Vanessa's daughter who just started working at Wonderland.

Vanessa begins her new position with dead bodies and missing teens. I found her to be a great investigator and she acted like she really cared about the missing boys. She certainly did a better job than her predecessor.

This is a pretty dark read with more sexual encounters than I would have expected from a thriller. Overall, it was fast paced with some predictability, some twists and a whole lotta creepiness.

*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

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[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderland has been sitting on my shelf for some time. I kept putting off reading it after reading Joyland by Stephen King, thinking it was going to be similar. It is similar because it is a really good read. But then again, it isn't similar. Not at all.

Insidiously creepy, Wonderland had my mind jumping all over the place, suspecting any and everybody of killing the Wonder workers. Hillier does a great job of sowing these little suspicions....

Vanessa Castro moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past taking up the post of Deputy Chief of Police in the small town famous for Wonderland, a magical funfair that is the only thing keeping Seaside afloat.

Her first day on the job must be one of the worst in history. The majority of the force resent an outsider being brought into the position and do little to make her welcome; there is a decomposing body found in the main thoroughfare of Wonderland; and the guy she picked up in a bar the previous evening for a night of casual sex is her liaison at Wonderland. Then another boy, also a Wonder Worker, is reported missing.....and it turns out that he is not the first. Over the years several have gone missing, all Wonder Workers, all virtually clones of one another.

Perhaps this funfair isn't all the fun its meant to be.

Wonderland is my first Jennifer Hillier novel. 4.5 stars for this deliciously creepy, tense, and compelling read.

Thank you to NetGalley, and publishers Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and Pocket Star for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa Castro is the new deputy chief of Seaside. The town features Wonderland, a big amusement park. On her first day she is confronted with a dead body there and a young employee missing. Soon she discovers that there are more Wonderland workers missing. What is the connection of Bianca Bishop, the CEO of the park, the security man Glenn and her new fling Oz to the missing? Can she solve the case? What about Amy, her daughter who works in the Clown Museum? Is there some tunnel underneath? This was an extremely exciting thriller with some good horror elements (dolls, the Clown Museum) inside. Up to the last page you were guessing who was responsible for the disappearance of the young people. To the point, great setting, straightforward plot, best entertainment. Read like a movie. Highly recommended!

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading all the buzz about Jennifer Hillier's first books and I was really excited to have received this ARC from NetGalley. The cover alone set the bar pretty high!

Unfortunately, this didn't turn out to be the creepy thriller I was hoping for, and I think the best word I can use to describe it would be bland, or maybe generic. The pace was slow, the characters a bit cookie-cutter, and while the ending provided a nice twist, I think the 'gasp' surprise of it got lost in too many storylines coming together all at once.

I haven't given up in this author though, as the reviews for her other 2 books are too strong to ignore.

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½ rounded down

I'm not usually into thrillers, but this kept me on the edge of my seat. I find certain genres translate well onto audio, and this is one of them. I will give this a bit more leeway as it reads a bit like a police procedural, which is definitely up my alley.

Vanessa Castro leaves Seattle PD to move to sleepy Seaside, WA, with her two kids in tow. While she has her own skeletons in the closet, they are nothing to the secrets and depravity that run rampant in this small town. The town's main business is Wonderland, a theme park with the oldest Ferris wheel in the PNW, and the Clown Museum, which I would absolutely never step foot in.

Everyone in this town seems to know something Vanessa doesn't. The police department is shady. The Wonderland owners and CEO are shady. Everyone is shady. In thrillers, I tend to suspect everyone until they're cleared, and I will say I wasn't expecting the outcome that occurred. That in itself made this more enjoyable.

🎧 NetGalley

[Shey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderland is a crime thriller in which every character is connected by this massive amusement park. It centers around a recently appointed deputy police officer who's trying to solve one dead body mystery after another while uncovering some juicy secrets along the way. A memorable read. I completed it last month, and I can still recall the details of the story. My third Jennifer Hillier, and she has a knack for creating characters that are easy to get to know, and I appreciated the way she skillfully formed this narrative together. While the twists weren't shocking, the mystery was well-executed, with plenty of suspects and clues scattered throughout. The story's pacing worked for me, and I thought the flow of the story was great. Hillier established the storyline right from the outset. It also features a few things that definitely entertained me - a house of horrors, creepy dolls, a clown museum, a killer of white-blond teenagers, and a series of other events.

[Kimberly R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deputy Chief Vanessa Castro investigates the disappearance of teenage boys with blonde hair and blue eyes from Wonderland. They were all working shortly before they disappeared.
This was a very creepy read and kept me up at night flipping the pages!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

I thought this book was AWESOME. When I first saw the book cover I was pulled right in, I mean it's wicked cool and looks creepy! I love amusement park books, movies, stories...

I was thinking it was going to be some creepy clown or some deranged person that escaped from a lunatic asylum running around taking people out. Not, so much. This is a very long and drawn out book about murders that are so complex you don't have a clue where to begin. I mean everyone in this little seaside town know each other and everyone has a secret. All of this revolves around WONDERLAND the second largest amusement park, but back in the day it was the largest.

All of these boys over the years have been going missing. The book starts out with who they call homeless Harry who had his face eaten off and was found down by the Wonder Wheel. Then a boy named Blake who had climbed the Wonder Wheel to prove a point and taking pics for social media goes missing the same night that homeless Harry shows up. The thing is when the new deputy police chief Vanessa Castro starts working on this case, she finds out other boys have been missing over the years. What is going on with these boys? Who is killing them? Are they all dead? Where did they go? What in the holy clam bake is going on in the dungeons under the creepy clown house? Wait... there is a dungeon? Why in the crap didn't anyone tell Vanessa? Why didn't a lot of people tell Vanessa a lot of things. She digs up so much stuff on this town it's insane and let me tell you, the freaks don't just come out at night!

All of this craziness started many years ago with the first owner named Jack Shaw. Now I'm not going to say what good ole Jack the jerk did, but it was pretty bad and the town wasn't sad at all when he became..um... removed. Then you have Nick Bishop the current owner and his daughter Bianca and their VP of operations, Oscar Trejo.... DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON THIS CRAZY TRAIN! All of these people, and there are more, make this town a who dunit and why and what in God's green earth is wrong with you people!!! They have all went bat sh*t crazy!

I loved it! I'm going to buy it when it comes out in Oct. Right now you can pre-order on Amazon the kindle edition for $1.99 or you can run over to Netgalley and try to get a copy.

I had a lot of fun with this book, like I said before, I love anything with amusement parks. Then you throw in a wack-a-doo mystery/thriller/psycho/freaks......etc...... and you have one awesome book. But that's just my opinion and you know what they are like :)

I recommend to anyone that likes any of the many genres or descriptions I have mentioned here.

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and GALLERY, THRESHOLD, POCKET BOOKS for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.**

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

K I L L E R !

WONDERLAND is a 5 Star+ Top-Shelf Psycho-Crime Suspense Mystery Thriller!

Part whodunnit thriller and cop procedural set in the small fictional town of Seaside, WA, where there’s a popular amusement park filled with teenage “Wonder Workers”… some of whom go missing.

Someone better grab the film rights to this Wonder, ASAP! No one can do creepy, and twisted, like Canadian, JH. Definitely worthy of the hype, plus more!

Now, to the down-and-dirty, twisted roller-coaster ride.

What you will find at WONDERLAND: intrigue, magic, fun, clowns, Ferris wheels, amusement, porcelain dolls, thrills, excitement, and mystery. What you do not see behind the façade of Wonderland and the small town, of Seaside, Washington, its preppy young faces, purple shirt crisp uniforms, and winning smiles, . . is a serial killer.

Of course, there is the Clown Museum, home to creepy wax replicas of movie stars and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls, and did I mention hidden dungeons and tunnels? Spine-tingling.

Everyone wants to work at Wonderland.

Most of the management and ownership of this well-known amusement park—for generations past, has been a victim of a sexual predator. Even the prior owner of Wonderland, Jack Shaw, now deceased, preyed on young boys and used them to his advantage.

Many of his once victims, now grown– have returned to Wonderland, to demonstrate life goes on, by working in management or ownership. The police department seems to cater to Wonderland's needs since without this business, the town would have no jobs, revenue, or nothing to attract tourists.

Everyone has a secret. Many have a dark past. They are disguised; successful, handsome, beautiful, and the worst kind of scary, you would not be aware of their addictions, love/hate, demons, or obsessions. They look like normal, the guy or the girl next door.

MEET THE MAIN CHARACTERS:

A femme fatale, CEO, of Wonderland Bianca, (Dragon Lady) —a cougar in her late thirties, loves young teenage blonde boys. She lures them with her position, offering promises, and advancement while using her sex appeal and alluring evil seduction. When she is tired of them, they are discarded like trash, and on to the next. She leaves behind a string of sex-crazed teenagers and men. Can we count, how many? How does she have time to do her real job?

An MIA grimy creepy night security guard, of Wonderland, Glenn loves porn and is not playing with a full deck. Why is he still working here after all these years? What does he know? Is he capable of murder? Where was he the morning of the murder of Homeless Harry and the missing boy wonder, Blake? Is his mom protecting him?

VP of Operations, Oscar Trejo, best friend with the new owner, Nick (who is sending emails and traveling). Good-looking and intelligent, he appears to be rather protective of the CEO, Bianca, yet he longs to get to know Vanessa a little better.

The new Deputy Chief, with her own demons, Vanessa Castro has left Seattle behind for a new start with her teenage daughter, Ava, and younger son, John-John in Seaside. It is her first day as deputy police chief and everything falls into her lap on day one.

There is an unidentifiable homeless man rotting inside an amusement park, and now a teenage employee with a photo going viral on the top of Wonder Wheel the same morning—now he seems to be missing?

The mayor, Frank Greenberg was a best friend of Vanessa’s late husband, and she has to do a good job to make him proud. Of course, as the book opens she is getting a little action of her own in the sack, which could complicate things when she finds out his identity.

To make matters worse, her fourteen-year-old daughter, Ava is now working at Wonderland with a janitor stalker on her trail and has eyes for a sexy teen new employee.

As the book opens, Wonderland normally a sea of moving bodies, noise, and energy; is totally inanimate, dead. Blake, a disgruntled young teen employee, the social media king, wants to give his last FU to Wonderland, by climbing up the Wonder Wheel and taking selfies to tweet. He plans on this being his last day at work, and wants to make an impression with his middle finger, displayed promptly. It was only 5 am before the park opens; however, he happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

A murdered homeless man with his face eaten off left at the park, and Wonder Boy, missing in action on the same day. After further investigation, she finds a number of young boys, all blonde, age eighteen, which have gone missing over the last eight years. They all worked at Wonderland? It appears the police department has many cold cases and looks like they did not do a lot of investigating. What is the connection?

Vanessa is tough and determined to get to the bottom of this mystery—a dangerous serial killer. She continues to balance her work and personal life, as a single mom. She refuses to allow the politics of the small town and the connections between the police department and Wonderland, to get in her way.

Her head is spinning and this small town is anything from dull. Between all the cold cases, the parents of the boys demanding answers, her strained relationship with her daughter, the weird relationship with Oscar, and the pressures of the job, mayor, and chief of police; Everyone expects her to find the serial killer before he or she strikes again.

WOW! One fast-action heart-pounding intense page-turner. With many red herrings, mixed with, wit, and contemporary social media fun ---keeping you guessing until the end! Loved Vanessa’s character; hope we see more of her in the future, as well as Ava.

For all you Freak & Creep fans, you will enjoy revisiting Seattle PD Officer, Jerry Isaac, (love him), with the scarred neck and tortured speech, who comes back to town, to help out Vanessa with a case he worked on years ago in Seaside.

Also if you read Little Secrets, this is PI Vanessa Castro's original story. A former homicide detective with Seattle PD, Vanessa has just moved her family to Seaside to take on a new job as the town’s Deputy Chief of Police, only to discover a dead body in Wonderland midway through her very first day.

Jennifer, being pregnant and giving birth, during the writing of Wonderland, did not slow down Hillier, the serial killer queen of fiction. Your Twitter fans, and bloggers offer a special “thank you” for your brilliant execution once again. Trust me, you need to buy; one you will not want to miss; A wild twisted ride!

I was delighted to revisit WONDERLAND again in audio format narrated by the fabulous narrator, Eunice Wong, for a highly entertaining performance for all voices.

I read WONDERLAND for the first time when it came out in 2015 and landed on my Top books of 2015. I was introduced for the first time to Jennifer with The Butcher in 2014 when I started my blog and grabbed this gem from NetGalley and was blown away. Top Books of 2014. I then went back and grabbed the audiobooks,Freak and Creep, and then Wonderland.

Since these have been a huge fan and have read all her books. I would not miss a book! They are all 5-star WINNERS. A huge fan, I anxiously await her next book, and she is so much fun to follow on social media. A TOP thriller author!

A special thank you to #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for a gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review Posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Audio Pub Date: April 11, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
April 2023 Must-Read Books


*****
My Reviews - View on the blog post
THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK
TOP BOOKS OF 2022

LITTLE SECRETS
TOP BOOKS OF 2020

JAR OF HEARTS
TOP BOOKS OF 2018

WONDERLAND
TOP BOOKS OF 2015

BUTCHER
TOP BOOKS OF 2014

FREAK (2012) before blog
CREEP (2011) before blog

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great thriller; good mystery. Really enjoyable!

[Dutchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A dead body is found right dab in the center of Seaside’s lucrative theme park, Wonderland. This does not give the small town a good look and the new Deputy Chief of police, Vanessa Castro’s first job is finding the killer. Vanessa comes with her own baggage, she is recently widowed and essentially pushed out of the Seattle police force due to her relationship with a big-time drug dealer. She is given this job as a favor by a friend and is trying to put the past behind her. Wonderland is basically the towns bread and butter and Vanessa is pressured to solve this case quickly. However, she is starting to notice that there may be some connections to previous missing people that were pushed under the rug and not investigated properly.

This is a perfectly good thriller that will certainly hold your attention until the end. It wasn’t one of those books where there were so many twists and turns it became outlandish. It was just a cut and dry thriller/mystery. As far as Hillier’s books go, this isn’t my favorite. It seemed it was a little bit longer than it needed to be.

For those of you familiar with the Creep series there was a character that popped in for a visit in this book. It had been such a long time since I read that series that I kept thinking this character seemed familiar, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it, thank goodness for the authors note! For those not familiar with the series, this can still be read as a standalone, as it’s only a slight part of the book that doesn’t really impact the plot.


As an aside….I would love to see a book based on Castro and her life in Seattle…

[Sadie Hartmann]

This one starts off strong, establishing a creepy setting for murder and mystery. I love that Hillier sets her stories in the PNW, specifically in or around the Seattle area. Wonderland is a fictional amusement park in Seattle. The 'Wonder Workers' are all chosen to represent a certain aesthetic with blonde hair, toothy grins, and a sunny disposition. But Wonderland has a dark side too. Workers, specifically attractive, young men go missing every once in a while.

Vanessa Castro is investigating the most recent situation, the body of a homeless man discovered in the park before hours of operation and a worker that took a photograph at the top of the Ferris wheel went viral on social media, but now he's missing.

I feel like this book was a little padded and could have been trimmed down for a leaner, meaner, horror/thriller. It took longer than I anticipated to get through it and didn't move as fast as Little Secrets which was a 2 day binge-read. This book comes up on horror lists quite a bit, but I think it leans more into the thriller genre. A fun read, just maybe takes its time developing.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this creepy story. There were so many little twists along the way. I am finding that I really like Hillier's writing style. There were a few areas that didn't make complete sense Like why was he keeping the people in the dungeon? What was he planning to do with them? Why not just kill them? and you had to suspend your disbelief for a few parts For example, Nick survived getting hit in the head multiple times with a baseball bat and losing enough blood that he was believed to be dead without any medical treatment? Not to mention other physical issues around being kept in a dungeon for years. Again... why was he kept there? , but those bits aside I loved being surprised and I couldn't wait to keep reading.

Pretty much every character in this story needed some serious therapy. There are not many that you will like, if any, but I loved getting their back stories and the messiness of it all. I don't think any of the back stories changed my opinions of the characters, but it did explain a lot. I will mention that there are multiple trigger warnings for this book. Attempted rape, grooming of minors, physical abuse, psychological manipulation, imprisonment of captives, murder, etc. It has some graphic descriptions, so be aware if you have a hard time with that sort of thing.

I listened to the audio of this one narrated by Eunice Wong and thought it was very well done. I would recommend the audio.

#Wonderland #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic audio copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Gabrielle Grosbety · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderland was the perfect book for summer with its eerie carnival setting in the fictional town of Seaside, Washington. Gutsy Police Officer Vanessa is looking to escape her past with her two children, 14-year-old Ava and 7-year-old son John-John. Ava, however, has plenty thoughts of her own regarding being forced to leave Seattle and her friends. Though, she, like many others before her, eventually becomes enthralled by the prospect of working a summer job at Seaside’s one and only alluring attraction that brings all the tourists to town en masse: Wonderland amusement park.

But, Wonderland, past its artificially wholesome, All-American image, is nothing like what it seems. There are an exceeding amount of cover-ups going on, even from the inside, especially from the inside, with images and reputations on the line in a small town where gossip travels like wildfire. Tragedy seems to strike just as fast as Blake, a self-proclaimed urban free-climber, climbs the Wonder Wheel at night, eventually tripping and falling, after-hours to boast to his followers the best aesthetic shot and spite the park and its current CEO.

The next day he goes missing in action as spotty, antiquated security footage doesn’t reveal much about his whereabouts or where another additional dead man came from who is found lying on the freeway inside the park.

The book only builds from here as the chapters are action-based and punchy. The characters felt damaged, deeply flawed, and cosmically real. I loved spending time with them in this corrupt town with its severely tainted set of politics. No one is to be trusted and everyone knows a different piece of the puzzle, that they may not be revealing right away, for fear of what its impact could have on their future in the town and among its people. Juicy tidbits are only revealed sparingly and at just the right pace as many seek to save face rather than be open and honest.

The ambience of the setting was my favorite as I could feel myself transported instantly back to childhood to an exciting summer day/night riding a thrill ride or eating cotton candy or a candy apple amongst colorful lights and right in the midst of the booming action and music. I love books where I can just intuitively connect and go on an escapist joyride for many pages and this book definitely became that for me in the realest and most alive way.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several of Jennifer Hillier’s books, but I hadn’t read this one and was excited to see it was going to be released as an audiobook. I really loved the narrator, I thought she brought the characters narrating to life. I did think the story dragged a little in the middle, the ending was exciting enough to make up for it. I will admit there was a twist at the end I didn’t see coming. I thought the characters were well written and developed, even the ones that were impossible to like. I love when a book includes an amusement park and the fictional Wonderland in this story seemed really awesome. Even though the fictional Seaside in this book was set in Washington, every time they mentioned Seaside I pictured it as the Seaside in Oregon but adding in a giant amusement park which was cool because I had a preset build for the small town setting. Deputy Chief Vanessa Castro has left Seattle to take a job in Seaside because her career had hit a few bumps in Seattle. Her teenage daughter isn’t thrilled but she is excited to work in the amusement park. Her son is excited but he’s much younger and easy going. Vanessa is happy to let her daughter Ava work at the park, but on her first day a body was found at the park and the more Vanessa looks into the case the more concerns she has with Wonderland. But the park and it’s CEO are like royalty in this town because without them the town would die so not everyone wants Vanessa to solve the crimes she finds.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderland, by Jennifer Hillier, is a bone-chilling thriller about the gruesome secrets beneath a small-town amusement park.
Chapter One grabbed me as we read about an 18 year old disgruntled employee that sneaks into the park in the wee hours of the morning to free climb the 150 foot (14 stories) Wonder Wheel to take a selfie and post it on the internet. What happens next is terrifying!
Once the park opens it is discovered that the free climber has gone missing and that a body (dead for quite awhile) has been found below the Wonder Wheel.
On this fateful day Vanessa Castro starts her job as the new deputy sheriff police chief. As the clues unravel to these mysterious crimes, they lead her to discover a connection to missing persons that goes back decades. She moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past, but has she brought her family to the center of a cunning killer's twisted game?
This is one of those books that you just don't want to put down!