I will say at the outset that I would have read Wonderland, the first book in this now two part series first if possible. In fact, this book is so good that I’m going to make up for that even though it appears that Heart of Glass gives us many Wonderland spoilers. This totally engaging thriller that takes place in fictional Seaside, Washington at time that there is an effort to rejuvenate the town. I read the audiobook, which was performed by a wonderful cast: Brittany Pressley; Chris Brinkley; Eunice Wong; Ferdelle Capistrano; and January LaVoy.
Heart of Glass picks up the story twenty-five years after Wonderland. The park, where fifteen year old Lorelei initially met her killer, is just about to be reopened under new management. Barb, one of the threesome of best friends that were at the drive-in theater with a strange man later that night is now a “stringer” for the local paper. She never recovered from her best friend Lorelei’s death. Instead of moving to New York and writing a novel, Barb ended up staying in town after her mother’s death. Nicolette, the third member of the trio, left shortly after the murder. She is now “Cole,” a strong favorite on the television reality show “Trophy Wives.” Barb and others in town watch this show faithfully. Barb is hurt and furious with Cole for leaving town and Barb is totally gaga over the show. She writes about the show online. Barb is particularly curious about the disappearance and likely death of one of its first year trophy wives six years ago. Anything to do with the show matters to her, but this nags at her because there is reason to believe Kylie was headed to Seaside when she disappeared. Barb would love to solve this mystery and figure out where Kylie’s body is.
Meanwhile, a woman is making a documentary about the serial killer who confessed to killing Lorelei and others. The filmmaker is persistently seeking participation from Barb and from Cole. Barb declines but Cole, possibly against an agreement she made years ago about Lorelei”s death and in contravention of small town Seaside’s values participates, but unwillingly. Her producers gave her no choice. The serial killer, has cancer. He’s serving multiple life sentences. And he has a surprise for everyone that leaves people who were there twenty-five years ago and who have things to hide quite worried.
Ultimately, the whole town is itself a character and the many individual characters contribute to the plot, once we realize what the plot is. The players range from high school classmates and staff of the past, to family members, to local law enforcement then and now, to Trophy Wife Characters, to reality show groupies and fan sites trolling and supporting the show’s participants. . Hiller bestows lots of surprises, significant danger, more than one plot line with troubling scenario of how things happened to some characters weave in and out of the novel. There’s also a satisfying gotcha plot line.
While most of the narrative takes place in the present, it also takes us to twenty-five years ago and the impact of those days on the present. Really well done! And now I cannot get Blondie’s Heart of Glass out of my brain.
They Called me Bookworm 