Jar of Hearts
* Winner - Best Novel, ITW Thriller Award * Authors on the Air Network - Thriller of the Year * Finalist - Anthony Award for Best Novel * Finalist - Macavity Award for Best Novel *
"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.
Pages: 311
ISBN: 9781250154194
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See all editions (14)Reader Reviews
3 ratings
Jolene C.
Carol G.
Cheyenne Joy .
I went into this one with very high expectations — everyone’s been hyping it up, so I was ready for my mind to be blown. But honestly? It took me a while to get into. The beginning felt a bit slow, like I was waiting for the spark to hit. Once it did, though, I was all in. Hillier has a way of writing that makes you feel every ounce of guilt, pain, and twisted loyalty between the characters.
The story follows a woman whose dark past literally comes back to haunt her — with secrets, betrayal, and the kind of trauma that doesn’t stay buried no matter how hard you try. It’s gritty and emotional, full of tension and regret, and even when I could guess where things were headed, I still wanted to see how it would all unfold.
Was it predictable at times? Yeah. But it was also heartfelt and raw enough to keep me turning the pages. Once I got past the slow start, I couldn’t stop reading — there’s something magnetic about watching everything unravel.
So yeah, 3.5 stars. Not quite the jaw-dropper I expected, but still a solid, emotionally charged thriller that’s definitely worth the read. #jarofhearts #jenniferhillier #thriller