* Winner – Best Novel, 2019 ITW Thriller Award * Authors on the Air Network – Thriller of the Year 2018 * Finalist – Anthony Award for Best Novel * Finalist – Macavity Award for Best Novel * MysteryTribune Ten Women Mystery and Thriller Writers You Should be Reading * Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Best of 2018 * Bustle’s Best Thriller 11 Authors Read This Year * CrimeReads’ 20 Best of 2018 * Writer … CrimeReads’ 20 Best of 2018 * Writer Types Podcast Favorite Books * LitReactor Best Books of 2018 * CrimeReads Favorite Crime Books of the Year * BOLO Books Top Reads of 2018 * SouthFlorida.com Best Mystery Novels of 2018 * Suspense Magazine Best of 2018 – Mystery/Thriller category
“Jar of Hearts grabs you by the throat! The perfect blend of riveting characters, chilling details, and gasping twists in this standout thriller will keep you frantically reading until the explosive end.” – Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Right Behind You
This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years . . .
When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong–one of the most popular girls in school–disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.
But fourteen years later, Angela Wong’s remains are discovered in the woods near Geo’s childhood home. And Kaiser–now a detective with Seattle PD–finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.
To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he’s something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo’s first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.
For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela’s death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.
While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.
How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it? Find out in Jennifer Hillier’s Jar of Hearts.
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Jar of Hearts grabs you by the throat! The perfect blend of riveting characters, chilling details, and gasping twists in this standout thriller will keep you frantically reading until the explosive end.
I was hooked on page one. Hillier’s masterful storytelling and compelling voice pulled me deeper and deeper. The plot only twisted and ratcheted tighter from there until I couldn’t pull away. This is a smart, edgy thriller with lots of surprises. Buckle up.
Wow! That ending. I didn’t see that one coming. Great, face-paced thriller with enough twists that kept me wondering as to what exactly went down the night Geo’s best friend died. This book had quite a few startling, gasp-worthy reveals. A highly-entertaining read that I really enjoyed.
As a reader of mainly YA fiction, psychological thrillers always shock me. I thoroughly enjoy the genre when done right, but it takes some getting used to shifting from milder content. With that said, Jar of Hearts is comparable to a brilliantly crafted train wreck that satisfies the reader deep down in places we don’t like to admit exists inside of us.
What I loved about the story is that it has so many layers. Not simply the layers that must be included in an attempt to deceive our minds, but the type of depth that really builds a full picture over a long period of time. The story isn’t just about something horrible that happened to these characters; it spans years of their lives without feeling overwhelming or dragged out. The individual characters are believable; each and every one of them distinct and true to themselves.
Jar of Hearts is a dark, twisted, mind-bending story that will disturb the reader in the most skillful way. It’s full of secrets, heartbreak, and nail-biting intensity all at the same time. It’s going to be hard to top this psychological thriller for me. I’m still a bit speechless trying to wrap my mind around this story. I highly recommend this book to all fans of the genre!
When I saw Jennifer Hillier’s name attached to a book titled: Jar of Hearts, I literally envisioned a story about human hearts sitting in a pretty jar somewhere. Hillier can write some messed up thrillers. This one takes the cake though…and I ate it up, every last crumb.
The characters were fleshed out well (hehehe), the alternating timelines were strategically placed to give just the right amount of information needed, it plays with your emotions and your judge of character, and the content was messed up just enough to make the reader slightly uncomfortable with their desire to keep reading. Engaging and easy to invest in, it was a near perfect Jennifer Hillier experience.
In my opinion, Jar of Hearts is an ideal first read for Hillier newbies and a must read for existing fans. She’s an amazing author of thriller/suspense/mystery who does not get near the amount of attention she deserves. Hopefully, we can all change that for her. You have my heart Jennifer Hillier…my cinnamon heart
Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of Jar of Hearts. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Genres: Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date: June 12, 2018
Jar of Hearts was a fabulously addictive page-turner of a read.
A psychological crime thriller that I was glued to from start to finish.
Starting almost backwards we begin far along in the timeline when Angela Wongs mutilated remains are finally discovered in the woods by Geo’s childhood home.
An axe that Geo has been waiting to fall on her head for the past fourteen years.
With her high powered career destroyed and her CEO Fiancee abandoning her to face her fate, Geo prepares for a lengthy stay incarcerated behind bars.
This is a tale told in flashbacks and we get to hear first from Geo herself then later from her and Angela’s other BFF Kaiser who is now a detective in the Seattle PD: during there school years he had strong feelings for Geo: more than just friendship but she never reciprocated his affections instead obsessing in a toxic relationship with the much older and dangerous Calvin James.
The same Calvin who later went on to murder three other women and earned himself the moniker The Sweetbay Strangler.
Now Geo has paid her dues and is trying to forgive herself and put her awful past behind her.
But there are now victims who bear a striking resemblance to Georgina being killed and disposed of in exactly the same way as Angela Wong was and Geo finds herself right at the centre of this new mystery.
So, This was a definite read in one sitting story and though I did kind of see the twist coming a mile off It didn’t really take away from my overall enjoyment of this.
This is a book I highly recommend and it really was such a heart-pounding, satisfying read.
Full of twists and turn throughout this has so much going for it.
A massive thumbs up from my camp.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of Jar Of Hearts.
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
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Angela Wong disappeared at the age of 16 after attending a party. She was beautiful, wealthy, and the most popular girl in school. Her best friend, Georgina “Geo” Shaw, who was with her on that fateful evening, became an executive with a Seattle pharmaceutical company. Kaiser Brody was their good friend in high school and is now a detective. Angela’s remains are unearthed 14 years later near Geo’s childhood home where her physician father still resides. Calvin James, a serial killer responsible for the deaths of at least three other women, who was Geo’s older boyfriend in high school, also murdered Angela. Geo finally admits her involvement in Angela’s death and serves five years in prison. When released, she returns home to live with her father. But she is not welcome there & is the subject of derision, harassment, and vandalism.
A series of heinous new murders appear to have been committed by the same person — Calvin, who escaped from prison and remains at large. After all, Geo told the truth about her knowledge and involvement . . . didn’t she? Kaiser is determined to learn the truth, not just to solve the current crimes and prevent further deaths, but also to finally resolve long-standing questions about the night Angela disappeared and his relationship with Geo.
Hillier creates a story based upon secrets and half-truths that keeps readers guessing about Geo — just how involved in Angela’s murder was she? What does she know that she has yet to reveal? What was the real nature of her relationship with Calvin and how far will she go to keep their remaining secrets from being revealed? What disgusting acts is Geo capable of? The pace of the book never slows as Hillier peels away the layers of secrets, leading to a disturbing and dramatic conclusion, and shocking conclusion.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book!
Dark, tautly written with flawed and real characters, I couldn’t put it down!
Told in 5 parts with 2 main characters, I found everything about this book engaging – the plot, the characters and the writing. There are some moments where Geo flashes back into the past, but it’s done so eloquently as to not disrupt from the tension and forward movement of the plot. Plus it’s set in Seattle (my hometown!), so obviously I loved that. 🙂
I’ll be looking out for more books by Jennifer Hillier!
Non-stop suspense that will keep you turning pages until dawn. Hillier brings her flawed characters to life, testing the assumption that doing bad things makes you a bad person.
How long can you get away with a lie? In Geo’s case, about fourteen years and then some. Jar of Hearts is psychological thriller at its finest – unreliable characters, secrets revealed bit by dark and twisted bit, and an ever rising tension with knowing that all is not exactly as it seems. It’s a rare thing to find a book that even when you expect a particular twist, you still can’t stop turning the pages, but I found that here. The storyline isn’t anything especially new in the genre, but the writing style is so completely compelling that I wasn’t at all disappointed by that. Hillier managed to take the expected and make it refreshing with her complex and intriguing characters. So much so that I found myself waffling on my feelings for certain characters and even those that I knew should be hated still stirred some sympathy from me at times. There are some graphic and disturbing scenes that are certainly not for the faint of heart, but they are necessary for this plot. To sum it up, Jar of Hearts is a wonderfully written bit of twisted that begs the question of nature versus nurture while peeling back the layers of the past as it comes rushing into the present.
This book blew me away. I’d heard for a long time how good it is, but I had no idea what I was in store for. JAR OF HEARTS is about Georgina Shaw, who was there the night her boyfriend Calvin killed her best friend. She helped cover up the murder when she was sixteen and never breathed a word of what happened—until fourteen years later, when the girl’s remains were found and Calvin, now dubbed the Sweetbay Strangler, was connected to the murders of three other women. When Georgina serves a five-year prison sentence, it seems that all the dark truths have come out into the light. But when new bodies are discovered, killed in the same way as Georgina’s best friend, it’s clear that some secrets have remained buried—and unearthing them will have horrifying consequences. This book CONSUMED me. In addition to becoming addicted to the riveting, can’t-look-away plot, I fell in love with Jennifer Hillier’s writing style, which manages to be both gritty and graceful. There was so much stark truth and blunt wisdom in this book, I wanted to highlight so many lines. The depth of the novel’s characters, its settings, its story and themes, was all impressive, and I love how its complex layers were revealed through jaw-dropping, unpredictable turns. I also admire so much how even minor characters, who enter the story for only a chapter, leave a lasting impression. If you like your thrillers twisty and super dark, you can’t do better than JAR OF HEARTS.
I loved every single part of this book from the first page to the last. It was a little bit sick, a whole lot of twisted and it was absolutely thrilling. I read a LOT of psychological thrillers so I picked up some of the clues very easily and had one of the big reveals figured out early on but that in NO way took away from the enjoyment I had while reading this book. I couldn’t stop. I stayed up late to finish. I read it in a day. The other twists and turns, I didn’t see coming until Hillier hit me in the face with them and I had to smile to myself that she managed to string me along so long without me even questioning one of the story lines. I don’t want to give too much away so I won’t include any details except to say that the characters are dark, twisted and realistic as hell. It’s scary what we are capable of when it comes to protecting ourselves and the ones we love and Hillier captured that concept perfectly in this thrilling story.
Although I had some quibbles with the ending, this was a suspenseful psychological thriller. The portrayal of the teenage characters was spot-on. Even good kids can make terrible choices that have repercussions that follow them throughput their lives.
I wanted to start off by saying I win this audio book in Goodreads giveaway. In return for my honest review and my thoughts. Georgina is a young 30 year old successful woman with many secrets. Then one day some of those secrets come back to haunt Georgina. Sending her to prison for five years for a crime she tried to hide for many years ago. This book had everything mystery and thriller and even some crazy. The narrator January LaVoy did amazing job with all the different characters voices. I highly recommend this book.
I really liked this book. It is twisted but I found Geo to be likable and empathized with her. I know her secret disturbed many but I found it helped make all of her guilt make sense to me. This is my first book by this author. I will look for more.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Murder, Stalking, Rape
This is a dark story. Just be prepared for that if you’re taking this story on. It is wonderfully written and there is a lot of really good development.
Geo is a character that you want to do well – you want her to succeed. However, there is a part of you that wonders if she really should get that second chance. I enjoyed the fact that you were able to see the story from the before perspective and after – it gave the book a depth that really helped the reader know the mindset of the characters.
As you read, you see that the flaws of Geo are due to immaturity and not necessarily malicious intent. However, as you keep reading, there are aspects that definitely make you question her.
I loved this story and the only reason I didn’t give it the five-star rating is that I found it to be somewhat predictable. You saw the ending before it happened and that was somewhat disappointing after a wonderfully complex story unfolded.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier to read and review.
Phenomenal book
I honestly did not like this book at first, but the more I read the more I was pulled into the story of Georgina and her poor choices. Georgina is in high school when she meets Calvin James and is drawn to his “bad boy” attitude. Calvin is older than Georgina and seems to take over her life. She sacrifices friendships so that she can have a relationship with Calvin. She is a good girl gone bad in this tale dark choices and redemption. I enjoyed reading the description of Geo’s life in prison and the way she managed to survive there. It was important that Geo was presented as a real person, a kind of “this could happen to anyone” girl. Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers will enjoy this book. It had a kind of magnetic pull that made me want to keep reading the Geo’s story in order to find out what really happened to her best friend Angela and how Geo would finally resolve her issues with Calvin. The book was definitely worth reading and would make a good movie!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
When the authorities come knocking Georgina Shaw knows the secret she has been holding onto for the last fourteen years needs to finally come to light, but doing so will put her life in jeopardy… it’s a small price to pay for taking part in the death of her once best friend. She knew back then that Calvin James was trouble, but she was young, naive, and thought she was in love, and now she is paying dearly for her ignorance. She has given up five years of freedom for that man, and now that she has rejoined society, that man is once again reeking havoc on her life, he believes they have unfinished business and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants… more time with her! Bodies start to pile-up, in the same way they did years ago, and all signs point to Calvin… but sometimes things aren’t always as they appear!
Between the pages of this twisted little tale, you will meet some exquisitely crafted characters who will immerse themselves into your world, manipulate your thoughts and feelings, push you beyond your boundaries, and make you second guess yourself at every turn! Ms. Hillier has created a gem of a tale here, with it’s thought-provoking plot, edge of your seat action, and well constructed characters you won’t be able to put this one down… it will lure you in from the first page and hold you hostage until the last!! It’s definitely one of the best first reads I have had the pleasure of devouring in a long while, I wholeheartedly loved every single mind twisting moment of it!! Highly recommend!!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed.
Just Another Book Bitch’s ALWAYS SPOILER FREE REVIEW
“This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years . . . ”
That’s it…That’s all I needed to know I had to get my hands on this book! I very rarely read a synopsis of a book before reading because I think everything is a spoiler, especially when dealing with a thriller. I’m not sure how this book first appeared on my radar but once I laid eyes on the cover I was intrigued. (because hello #coverwhore!) I read the first tagline and then saw that an author I simply ADORE read and loved this book. That’s all it took I WANTED IT. I NEEDED IT, I HAD TO READ THIS BOOK! I had a feeling this was going to be the best thriller of the summer if not the year. I can’t even explain to you, why I had these feeling for a book I had yet to read… there is just something about this book that radiates through the cover and sparked an intrigue inside my soul…
Jar Of Hearts is the fifth novel by Jennifer Hillier. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong please) If you love a great thriller you may have already heard of her and read her work. If you love a great thriller and like me, Jar Of Hearts will be your first taste of the mystery and intrigue Hillier has to offer, then you, my dear friend, are in for a treat. You are about to be blown away by a breathtakingly epic journey that will have you questioning how everyone that has ever read a book, has not heard of Ms. Jennifer Hillier!
Georgina Shaw (Geo), Kaiser Brody, and Angela Wong. Three inseparable best friends until the day Calvin James invades their lives. Set in Seattle this horrifying tale shows us that not all friendships are meant to last, not all love is true, and our skeletons rarely remain in the closet. These complex multidimensional characters weave a web full of lies and truths. Of the present, and the past, so seamlessly that you, my little fly, will be trapped. Held captive in Geo’s intricately spun web. Consuming every tiny morsel of this disturbing tale. When the past catches up with her, Geo is finally able to exhale. Knowing this day would come, you’d think it’s the final chapter she’s been waiting for to put a horrifying experience behind her, to pay her dues, and to finally let the past lie… But for you little fly… Your journey has only just begun.
“what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows…”
Watching as Geo disentangles herself from the past. The struggles she faces and horrors she endured had me mesmerized. This hair-raising tale is not for the light of heart and does contain some triggers. (FYI, that’s your trigger warning) I found myself fully immersed in this unique and gripping thriller from the first to the very last page. Jar Of Hearts is full of jaw-dropping twists and an ending that will leave you shell-shocked.
I can’t say for certain if this is the best thriller of the year just yet, but I can say good luck to the other authors writing in this genre because Jar Of Hearts will be hard to beat! This MUST READ thriller needs to be on your summer reading list. This chilling novel will stay with me for a very very long time. Jennifer Hillier my dear readers and authors, has just raised the bar.
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