In Wonderland: A Novel

by Joyce Maynard

In one golden summer, Frances trades her working-class world for an elite Maine lakeside estate—where privilege and betrayal turn into a deadly game.

Frances believes she’s found a ticket to paradise when a wealthy couple hires her for the summer as their mother’s helper at their lakefront summer home in Maine. The vintage wooden boats, days at the country club, a shiny new bicycle and a tennis racquet—suddenly Frances has everything her modest childhood lacked. Best of all, she gets to spend the summer with Forrest Emerson, her father's charismatic childhood friend who escaped their neighborhood when he married into money.

But below the glittering surface of Lake Catherine, nothing is what it seems. When Forrest’s wife Regina pulls Frances into her private obsession, the girl finds herself witness to the intimate secrets of adult lives. As the summer heat builds, so do the tensions within Wonderland’s walls. By Labor Day, a death will shatter the seemingly perfect family, leaving Frances to question everything she thought she knew about privilege, power, and the price of belonging.

Genres: Fiction, Coming Of Age, Historical Fiction, Family, Summer, Contemporary, Ebooks

413 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2026

About the author

Joyce Maynard first came to national attention with the publication of her New York Times cover story “An Eighteen-Year-Old Looks Back on Life” in 1973, when she was a freshman at Yale. Since then, she has been a reporter and columnist for The New York Times, a syndicated newspaper columnist whose “Domestic Affairs” column appeared in more than fifty papers nationwide, a regular contributor to NPR. Her writing has also been published in national magazines, including O, The Oprah Magazine; Newsweek; The New York Times Magazine; Forbes; Salon; San Francisco Magazine, USA Weekly; and many more. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Charlie Rose, and on Fresh Air. Essays of hers appear in numerous collections. She has been a fellow at Yaddo, UCross, and The MacDowell Colony, where she wrote her most recently published novel, Labor Day.

The author of many books of fiction and nonfiction, including the novel To Die For (in which she also plays the role of Nicole Kidman’s attorney) and the bestselling memoir, At Home in the World, Maynard makes her home in Mill Valley, California. Her novel, The Usual Rules—a story about surviving loss—has been a favorite of book club audiences of all ages, and was chosen by the American Library Association as one of the ten best books for young readers for 2003.

Joyce Maynard also runs the Lake Atitlan Writing Workshop in Guatemala, founded in 2002.

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog


⭐⭐⭐⭐
In Wonderland
Joyce Maynard
Publication Date: July 14th, 2026
Little A
413 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Literary Fiction

I love Maynard’s storytelling style—she really knows how to write a good slow burn.

This story is about a teenager named Frances who comes from a dysfunctional, lower-class family. It’s 1986, and Frances gets a summer job as a mother’s helper at a lakeside estate in Maine nicknamed "Wonderland." She is thrilled for the opportunity, especially since Wonderland is owned by the very wealthy Emersons—and Forrest Emerson happens to be a childhood friend of her father.

It doesn’t take long for Frances to see that money can’t buy happiness and that this family is anything but perfect. Forrest’s wife, Regina, has an obsession and drags Frances right into it, leaving Frances to uncover the dark secrets these grown-ups are hiding. And then, there’s the death.

This is a coming-of-age story of sorts, but it’s also a suspenseful read. Maynard excels at world-building and literary fiction. Frances is happily plucked from her normal surroundings and dropped into the fancy world of the upper crust, and the characters are so well written that you can feel the tension between them throughout. I liked how the author showed just how vulnerable Frances is and how out of her depth she feels in this elite world.

I really enjoy literary stories that take their time to build up. This is a slow-paced read, but in the best way possible, and the events on Labour Day make it well worth the wait. It’s intelligent, beautifully written, and Maynard has yet to disappoint me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyce Maynard continues to be a literary chameleon, and In Wonderland is yet another stunning surprise. On the surface, it’s a classic coming of age story taking place in 1986: Frances, 14, eager to escape her tumultuous household with her neglectful parents , accepts a summer job babysitting at a prestigious estate on Maine’s Lake Catherine. What follows is a masterclass in the noir aesthetic. It’s a story that basks in the glow of a heatwave while a chilling feel of dread pulls at the moment the first page starts where there is indeed, a dead body.

The novel captures that strange bridge between childhood and adulthood. Frances, caught in the intoxicating friction of being an outsider looking in, misinterprets the kindness of the patriarch, Forrest, as romantic love. Meanwhile, his wife, Regina, remains a haunting presence, retreating into a depressed haze for most of the season, yet remaining unnervingly observant of her family’s inner workings.

As Frances pours her energy into tennis and prepares for a high stakes end of summer match, you can't help but fall for her. Maynard expertly reminds us that despite her yearning for maturity, Frances is still just a child. The mystery unfolds entirely through her POV, and there are moments where you might forget her youth until Maynard poignantly nudges you. It’s a beautiful, aching reminder that while our teenage logic doesn't often translate to our adult lives, we never quite forget the raw, desperate need to be loved.

I was fully absorbed by both the tension and the nostalgia of this story. Don’t miss In Wonderland when it hits shelves on July 14, 2026.

Huge thanks to Little A for the advanced copy!

[Tracy Greer-Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Francis, is a 14 year old, sent to Wonderland Maine to baby sit (mother helper) of family friends' children. Getting out of Jersey, and going to Maine seems like hitting the jackpot. Frannie will be away from her parents contentious marriage and seems to be overlooked. This is a chance to live the high life, that includes a new bicycle, tennis lessons and boating.

As it always is, the outward appearances are never as they seem. Frannie is quickly pulled into the strange world of the Emersons. The cheating husband, the manic depression of his wife and their kids being caught in the middle. Secrets and scandals galore and with a healthy dose of obsession.

This book is a slow burn. I did feel the pacing was a bit off. However, as you continue to read you can feel the tension rising as the stakes get higher. By Labor Day the world of everyone is turned upside down.

The ending brought the story together. You are invested in Frannie, and her predicament, being a lonely, impressionable young teen. It took a turn I did not seen coming and had a satisfying end.

Highly recommend for as different style of beach read.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are worse things than feeling sad,” Regina said. “Feeling nothing. That’s worse.”
It was hard to know what she meant. My problem was, I felt everything.

________

I reached for you
But you were gone
I knew I had to go back home
You searched the world for something else
To make you feel like what we had
And in the end, in Wonderland, we both went mad
~ Taylor Swift, “Wonderland”

Steeped in sultry, wistful atmosphere, In Wonderland is a gripping coming of age novel about fourteen-year-old Frances. In 1986, she’s a working class Jersey kid living in a windowless apartment with her unhappy parents, and her only escape is the week each summer she gets to spend at Wonderland, the lavish Maine lakeside estate owned by her father’s childhood best friend, Forrest, and his wife Regina. This year, though, Forrest and Regina have asked Frances to be a mother’s helper for the entire summer, and Frances can barely contain her excitement over three whole months in her version of paradise.

But Frances soon realizes that beneath Wonderland’s shimmering veneer, all is not as it seems. There’s palpable tension lingering deep within Forrest and Regina’s marriage, and as Regina draws Frances further into her private world, Frances is forced to reckon with grown-up truths that shatter everything she thought she knew.

In Wonderland is one of those intensely personal novels that reads almost like a memoir. Joyce Maynard draws readers deeply into Frances’s contrasting worlds – her life in Jersey, where she feels stagnant and hopeless, and the world of Wonderland, where she experiences a glittering, privileged, easier way of life. The atmosphere is rich and immersive and also offers an intriguing contrast: a sun-drenched lakeside in the oppressive heat of summer, but laced with a chill, a darkness, that builds as the book goes on.

Maynard perfectly captures the feeling of being fourteen, when everything feels both simultaneously meaningless and the most important thing to ever have happened, when you feel desperate to be an adult long before you’re able to understand quite what adulthood, with all its nuances, really means. I recognized my teenage self in Frances; she’s such a well-crafted character, with her raw vulnerability, complex emotions, and her searing want. In dreamlike prose laced with an unsettling noir sensibility, and through Frances’s intoxicating first-person point-of-view, Maynard explores girlhood and womanhood – and the thorny bridge between the two – as well as privilege, desire, yearning, and the intimate hearts of adult relationships.

I’ll be sitting with the feelings In Wonderland evoked in me for a long time. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy domestic dramas and literary coming-of-age stories. Thank you to NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

[Lee-Ann]

What happened here Joyce? This is no The Bird Hotel or Count the Ways. Oof. I struggled through 30% of this and just couldn't go on. The voice of Frances felt forced, it felt like a man was trying to write from the perspective of a 14 year old female. I was once a teenage girl and I understand the dissatisfaction with one’s body, but the continual mentioning of Frances’s breast size and obsessing over her period and her weight over and over again. Ok we get it, teenaged angst. Give it a rest.

And is Forrest a pedophile? I can't tell, and I'm not sticking around to find out. I keep waiting for him to touch Frances inappropriately. He feels slimy.

I don't even care about whatever Regina's deal is. I'm sad this was a flop for me, because I typically love this author's work.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

One big long boring cliche of a book. I had really looked forward to the latest Joyce Maynard, as I usually love her books. This was awful. I am so disappointed.

[Quilted.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I’ve just started falling in love with this kind of story over the past year these unsettling coming of age drama and this one really sealed it for me. I’m so glad I picked it up because it completely pulled me into its world.This book follows Frances, who gets the opportunity to spend a summer working at this elite lakeside estate in Maine called Wonderland. Coming from a working class background, it feels like stepping into a dream beautiful grounds, polished lives, everything she didn’t grow up with. On top of that, she’s surrounded by people who seem larger than life, especially Forrest Emerson, her father’s childhood friend who built this whole world, and his wife Regina, who slowly pulls Frances deeper into their inner circle.But of course it doesn’t stay a dream.As the summer goes on, the cracks start to show. The relationships get messier, the secrets get heavier, and Frances ends up seeing way more than she should especially when it comes to the complicated, very real lives of the adults around her. By the time everything builds to that Labor Day ending, there’s this sense that something has been wrong under the surface the entire time, and it all finally spills over. It’s less about big twists and more about that slow unraveling watching Frances lose that sense of wonder as she starts to understand privilege, power, and what people are willing to hide to protect it.that’s why stories like flow so well. It’s about growing up and realizing that the “perfect” lives you look up to aren’t real. There’s a cost to belonging in those spaces, and Frances having to figure out where she stands in all of that felt really grounded and emotional.I’ve really been getting into this genre lately, and this just made me even more excited to keep exploring it. There’s something about these moody, character driven stories that just sticks with you after you finish.i really enjoyed this one. It’s immersive, a little haunting, and just quietly powerful in the way it tells its story.Highly recommend.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the overall feel of this book, especially that slow-building sense that something is off beneath all the privilege. It definitely nails that dreamy but also unsettling tone.
However the pacing felt quite slow and while the tension builds, it never really pays off in a surprising way. I was hoping for a bigger emotional or psychological impact by the end.
Overall, an enjoyable read for the atmosphere, but for me it was a bit too predictable and lacking that extra depth that would have made it really memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the eARC

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Maynard books are a must read for me, and when I can I choose to listen to them, because she reads them and she is an incredible narrator. In Wonderland did not disappoint. A summertime coming-of-age story that doubles as a master class in foreshadowing, this novel is a gripping tale of 14-year-old Frances, spending the summer as a mother’s helper while simultaneously trying to belong … anywhere. An easy read that is hard to put down, I recommend this novel to anyone looking for an engaging read that explores what it means to be part of a family and the journey to self discovery. Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC!

[Rach · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Wonderland follows Frances, a fourteen-year-old who spends her summer as a mother’s helper at Wonderland, a wealthy family’s lakefront home in Maine. This belongs to Forrest Emerson, an old friend of her dad’s, as well as his wife Regina and their two young children. Frances is tasked with taking care of the children and additionally spends her time playing tennis, reading books and writing in her journal. She soon feels as though she is a part of the family unit, which operates much differently to her own, and becomes enamoured by Forrest, fantasising about what it would be like to have him as a father, or more…

This was such a bingeable read that I flew through; the narration by the author was excellent. In this coming-of-age story, Frances was such a multifaceted character that I initially struggled a bit to connect with, but grew so fond of over time. Her naivety and longing for love and belonging tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to shelter her. At the same time, her preoccupation with getting her first period, her body changing, understanding adulthood and “growing up”, only to realise being grown up isn’t all it is cracked up to be, invoked such a sense of nostalgia for the same period of time in my own life. Frances allows her imagination, loyalty and search for acceptance and approval to lead her into murky waters involving the Emerson family’s affairs. I could foresee part of the ending, but not quite how it played out, which was a nice surprise. I did wish at times that it were a bit quicker or action-packed in terms of pacing, but I appreciate that this was not that kind of story.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing, Joyce Maynard and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Holden Wunders · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some books that have absolutely nothing inherently wrong with them but they just aren’t for you. In Wonderland is unfortunately that book for me. Alice illusion, coming of age, literary fiction devices and yet nothing really hit me in the way I needed it to. I’m not sure if it was a lack of voice or lack of point but I just felt lackluster throughout and it didn’t change once I finished.

[Eadle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, but no rounding up. (Not after WHISTLER and NOTHING MORE DANGEROUS.)

I had the luxury of switching between reading and listening. Maynard is an exceptional narrator. I wish that was my voice. However, as pleasant a listening experience as that suave, smoky voice provided, I had to READ in order to accelerate the story playing out. It was like being on a four-lane highway with many things going on, but your attention has been captured by eye flashing lights of emergency vehicles ahead. You ignore any exits—you want to see the wreck that inevitably lies ahead. You want to crawl past and gawk and observe and SEE the victims. All of them. As a reader, you know this crash is ahead and you are drawn to it. (It’s a book! It’s not real life!)

No spoiler here. On the first page, the author reveals Regina’s fate. I wonder how it would have affected the story had that device not been used. I have no opinion; I am merely curious. I also wonder if that was something the author debated.

Also curious about the possible symbolism of the names:
Regina—meaning queen. Queen of the Lake?
Camille— from the Dumas tragedy?
Forrest—lost in the forest? Hiding?
Although Prudence, the cook is a very minor character, was that just a whisper of a hint for a cautionary tale?

Though it may seem the relationship that bears the most significance is that between Frances and Forrest/Howie, it’s really the relationship between Frances and Regina. From page one, it’s emitting those first flickers of emergency lights, a combustible combination with foreshadowed, unstoppable tragedy ahead. There’s the power issue, with Frances the subordinate, tangibly and intangibly. Employer,employee. A mature experienced woman, a naive, inexperienced pubescent. One cultured from wealth, the other from a turbulent, financially-struggling family. Yes, Frances is extremely sharp and observant, but her inexperience and maddening naïveté do not allow her to process the glaring facts we see as mature readers. “You idiot!” I wanted to declare, then quickly recalled her age (what are lyrics from that Miley Cyrus song?)and how small was the world from which she came, additionally starving for love and attention.

(Now Brenda, she IS an IDIOT.)

Regina is damaged, fragile, with a heartbreaking backstory that explains her mental illness. As a product of her manipulation, Frances inadvertently feeds her toxic,lethal bits of information. Regina calls this unseasoned, impressionable fourteen-year-old her only friend, and Frances thrives on the connection and the feeling of importance she garners from playing Regina’s Nancy Drew. It’s a perfect storm.

The title, IN WONDERLAND, carries its own significance/symbolism. Isn’t life just a series of rabbit holes? Aptly names, with its sad, psychological edge, it will grab you and not let you go as you knowingly head toward the flashing red and blue lights. Well worth the read.

[Diane OLeary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always get swept up in Joyce Maynard's family stories and In Wonderland, a coming of age story, was no exception. 14 year old Frances is ignored by her parents and welcomes a summer away in Maine working as a mother's helper for the family of her father's childhood friend, Forrest. Forrest pays attention to Frances and she develops a crush on him. Frances discovers that this seemingly perfect family is filled with dark secrets. Forrest's wife, Regina, is a depressed pill addict. She confides in Frances about Forrest's many affairs and recruits her to spy on Forrest and his latest woman, Brenda, and report back to her since Regina may be considering divorce. A death occurs and while many characters are consumed with guilt it was really a preordained tragedy. This was a moving and sad family saga that I very much enjoyed.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book very much...it would have been a 4.5 to me. This novel reminded me of several other books, in a positive way. The idea of a teenage girl from an impoverished background thrust into a coming of age story amongst the 'posh people' is not a new concept, but this one is very well told. If you like this novel, I'd highly recommend reading:

"Last Summer at Maine Chance" by Jessica Everett
"Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau
"The Summer of Naked Swimming Parties" by Jessica Anya Blau
"Joy School" by Elizabeth Berg
"The New Girls" by Beth Gutcheon
"The Seas" by Samantha Hunt
"The Academy" by Elin Hilderbrand

These books are not carbon copies of "In Wonderland" by any means, but the overall vibe is similar enough that if you enjoyed one, you will enjoy all!

[Bcuddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably 4&1/2.. maybe even a 5! I don’t know anymore lol

[Dna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, I enjoyed it…? But it was flat characters, a predictable plot and goofy melodrama. I really did enjoy it, but by the end I was rolling my eyes at the Wonder Breadedness of it all.

I previously loved Maynard’s novel, Under the Influence. It got me hooked on drunk mom stories for a while.

[Serenity Lovenberg-Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An "interesting" coming of age story that I have mixed feelings about 🤔. There were moments when I really liked it and others where I was disappointed about the direction the story was going in. I guess that might be part of the point...

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too long, way too icky, very repetitive (way too many mentions of Teddy Ruxpin and way way way too many references to American Girl dolls) On the plus side, completely unmemorable!

[Olivia Kahny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really not good at all

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It pulled me in right away and kept that quiet tension the whole time.

Frances is a teenage girl from a working-class background who takes a summer job at a wealthy family’s lake house in Maine. At first it feels like a dream—beautiful home, money, freedom, and a life she’s never known. I really connected with her. She felt real, observant, and a little unsure of where she fit in.

The family she works for is where things get interesting. The wife is complicated and a little unsettling, and you can feel something is off with her from the start. The husband is more distant, almost cold, and not as present as he should be. Then there are the children—each with their own personalities and struggles—which added a lot more depth to the story. You really see how this family works (and doesn’t work).

There are also other people around the lake and in town that make the setting feel alive, not just a backdrop. It truly felt like a place you could step into.

What I loved most was how the story slowly builds. Nothing feels rushed. The tension, the secrets, the obsession—it all creeps in until you know something bad is coming. And when it does, it changes everything.

This is a coming-of-age story, but also about messy families, class differences, and seeing the truth behind a “perfect” life.

One of my favorite reads this year

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC

[Trisha]

sounds like a coming of age mixed in with a mystery. Sounds good, I'm excited to read it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Sarah Skelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I debated between 3 and 4 starts for this read but in the end I decided 3 felt more fitting for how the book left me feeling. This coming of age story with a darker twist was a lot to unpack and while I enjoyed the story and sped through it I got to the end feeling as though something was lacking. Perhaps it was the injustice for our main character Francis. I think we could have had a completely separate book to talk about the loss of innocence and the way in which men will take what they want. Again, not a bad read, just a little ambiguous for me.

[Barb Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Wonderland is immersive, a little haunting, and quietly powerful in the way it explores messy families, class differences, and the truth behind a seemingly perfect life. Joyce Maynard slowly reveals the cracks beneath the surface in this unsettling coming-of-age drama.

[Debbie Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Joyce Maynard’s books and this is another home run! Frances, a girl from the working glass of New Jersey spends the summer in Maine working as a mother’s helper. This coming of age story looks at class, privilege, fitting in, sexual awakening and power. Maynard is so good at developing her characters and making them believable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing and deeply moving and overall- a downright disturbing story. The ending is absolutely shocking and perhaps the most disturbing part of it all.

“The look on her face was just sad, that was all. The saddest look I’d ever seen on her maybe—like she was a dead person, back on earth just long enough to pay a quick visit to the living before heading back to wherever it was dead people went once their hearts stopped beating.”

[Annabella Tavares · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Little A for an advanced reader copy of In Wonderland in exchange for my honest review.

This story takes place over the course of the summer of 1986. Joyce Maynard is quickly becoming a "go to" author for me. Really enjoyed the character of Frances in a more innocent time of no phones, earbuds etc.

[Emmmylizzzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is told from the perspective of a 14yo, but unfortunately it reads like it was written and edited by a 14yo as well. Incessant repetition, inconsistencies, and weirdly short chapters, all with titles pulled directly from the text of that chapter.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unrated, good writing. Joyce doesn’t really disappoint.

[Valerie Tisler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to finish so I rounded up. The writing lacked depth and authenticity for 1986. This was my first book by author and I will give another try as her stories are typical of what I enjoy. I just didn't like the characters, except for tennis coach and Prudence- which were minimal in the story. Also there are no surprises- very predictable