Angela Wong, Georgina Shaw, and Kaiser Brody were best
friends in high school, but their friendship suffered when
sixteen-year-old Georgina -- Geo -- started to date Calvin
James, twenty-one. Angela went missing, and when her remains
are found fourteen years later, Geo's world comes crashing
down hard.
If the blurb sounds run of the mill, JAR OF HEARTS is
anything but; this novel is one of the most compelling I
have ever read, and only the urgent demands of real life
could have pulled me away because I would not have stopped
willingly. Jennifer Hillier is a most remarkable
storyteller. Her grasp of teenage friendship and love, the
psychopath's mind, domestic violence, prison life, and
basic human psychology is simply astounding! JAR OF HEARTS
is told in the third person, from Kaiser's and mostly
Geo's points of view, and in the present tense, the latter
which is a trifle unusual for this type of story, and I felt
it was the best possible choice as it conveys the immediacy
and adds to the authenticity of the narrative. It really did
feel as if I was right there, and in some instances it was
pretty unnerving. The vivid descriptions and the lively pace
also contribute to make JAR OF HEARTS utterly irresistible.
Ms. Hillier writes in such a way that I read without
judging, and considering the subject matter, this was a feat
in itself. I was riveted from the first page, and this is
one of those times when I wished I were a speedreader! I
also did something that is rare for me: I found myself
highlighting passages, some of which were of incredibly
insightful from a philosophical and psychological point of
view. JAR OF HEARTS is superbly structured: it is set in 2
stages of "the present time" (I know it sounds odd, but
it's brilliant!), and also going back to the year where
Angela's murder occurred. Done so seamlessly that it felt
natural, Ms. Hillier possesses impeccable timing: every
timeline is presented precisely when needed, and it serves
to add to the suspense if this is even possible in this
case. JAR OF HEARTS spans nineteen years altogether, and
every step of the way the characters sound their age.
JAR OF HEARTS is so exceptionally well written and carefully
plotted that it never felt as if I were reading fiction. In
several instances, I got honest-to-goodness chills when a
tiny hint was dropped and I was filled with horror at what
might have happened or would happen. JAR OF HEARTS is
absolutely amazing, and will definitely have a place of
honor on my keeper shelf. It was my first time reading a
book by the extraordinarily talented Jennifer Hillier and it
will not be my last! JAR OF HEARTS is a must-read for anyone
who craves a spine-tingling, unputdownable thriller!
"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 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?
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