Little Secrets @JenniferHillier @MinotaurBooks #thrillerperfection #familydynamics #missingchild #fictionfriends #duoreviews @JanBelisle @absltmom

Always on the hunt for the perfect thriller, Jan and I decided to read Jennifer Hillier’s newest book Little Secrets. We were absolutely thrilled with this thriller for it had all its ducks in a row and was perfection as far as we could see. What a thrill it was to read and share thoughts on this fabulous thriller!

Jan’s review

And this is exactly what a thriller should be! Go into this one blind, as I did.  Do not read the blurb as it gives away way too much. 

What makes a riveting thriller? A compulsive page-turner that keeps you flipping the pages, a story that touches you deeply, making your heart race. A book that is plotted perfectly with no eye-rolling moments, no ridiculous endings. This author hit all the right notes and delivered a thrilling, gut-punching thriller. In a genre that has often failed to deliver, this one is perfection.

Four minutes. That’s all it takes to steal a child. “A lollipop, a Santa suit, and 240 seconds”. It’s now been four hundred eighty-five days since Marin lost Sebastian in a crowded marketplace during the  Christmas season. As a mother and grandmother it was heartbreaking to travel the depths with Marin, to watch the downward spiral after her son Sebastian goes missing. The pain is real and kudos to the author for delivering what is an authentic tale of grief. As I read, I felt all the emotions right along with Marin.

I won’t reveal more of the plot, but the main thrust of this book is not the missing child. There are no cheap emotional strings pulled. This is a gripping tale of complicated troubled people.  Not all of them are likable, but all elicit a measure of empathy. All have deep-seated issues that drive their motivations and decisions. Every person here is the result of everything they’ve ever been through. “Hurt people hurt people”. The cast of characters is colorful with deep secrets. No one is who they seem. The twist and turns of this story had me reeling. In a good way. 

It’s been a long while since I’ve read such a perfectly plotted thriller and it was a joy. Yes, it’s a thriller but with a psychological depth that is often missing in the genre. 

This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce and we had a great time discussing this as we read….guesses as to the resolution and our shared shock at the revelations.

If you are looking for a fun, propulsive thriller with depth, look no further.  Date of publication is 4/21 and if you have not added this to your queue do so immediately!  

·      I received a digital review copy of the book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest opinion

Marialyce’ review

What is there to say about a thriller that checks off all the boxes on what a thriller should be, has no eye rolling moments, and ends the story with a slam bang conclusion that is not only satisfying but also makes one think now this is what a thriller should be?

A stolen child, an unfaithful husband, a wealthy couple, and the spirit of loss and revenge filled this book with lots of suspense and uncertainly. The characters of Marin, mother to the missing child, Derek, the unfaithful husband, Sal, the nefarious but totally connected friend, and Mackenzie the erstwhile lover of Derek, combine themselves to make a twisted, tense group of people who carry with them a plethora of secrets that might doom them all.

Marin and her husband are uber successful and life is super up to the point where their son is taken and life takes a deep curve to the unpleasant and the dangerous. Marin suffers and tries to find an outlet in a counseling group, while Derek finds other pleasures to consume his time. Little does Derek realize that his paramour has a definite plan in mind and she believes she will come out a winner in the financial sector of life. As always life is a crap shoot and as the character juxtapose themselves in this tragedy of loss, each one reveals secrets that are devastating and detrimental.

Then there is Sal, a true connected man who carries a torch for Marin, a man who has a history not only with Marin, but also with the steamy and somewhat shady underworld. He is a man on a mission to possibly win the woman he has loved for a very long time. Will he be successful in wresting Marin away from hearth and home?

This was a book of perfection. Ms Hillier definitely dotted all those i’s and crossed all those t’s to make a book that flows seamlessly and has no gaps, no holes, and perhaps the greatest feat of all..no eye rolling moments. This is how you create a thriller, where all the pieces come together to create a totally believable tale. You must read this one if you are at all a thriller lover.

Thank you to Jennifer Hillier, Minotaur Books, and Edelweiss for a copy of this book due to be published on April 21, 2020.

and here’s the author:

Hi there, I’m Jennifer Hillier. I write about dark, twisted people who do dark, twisted things. My newest psychological thriller, Jar of Hearts, is now available from Minotaur Books. I’m also the author of Creep, Freak, The Butcher, and Wonderland, which were published by Gallery Books and are available now.

I was in born in Toronto, but I spent eight years in the Seattle area, which is where all my novels are set. I’m a Seahawks fan but I married a Packers guy. We have a young son who looks most like me when he’s crying. My favorite author is Stephen King (but whose isn’t?). I’m afraid of the dark and can’t sleep unless I’ve checked the locks on the doors several times. I love writing when it’s raining, sleeping when it’s sunny, and reading after everyone else has gone to bed. I cherish my family (those who read, and those who don’t), and my friends (those who write, and those who don’t).

I’m a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Crime Writers of Canada. I’m also a regular columnist at The Thrill Begins, where I talk a lot about my writing journey and dispense advice you may or may not find helpful.