Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, a charming drifter named Sam met three inseparable teenage girls at the local amusement park. Days later, one of them was found dead, her body surfacing in a flooded cranberry bog not far from where she was murdered.
Barb and Nicolette were shocked to learn that the man they all met at Wonderland was the Carnival Killer. After he’s arrested for the murders of five young women – one of whom was their best friend, Lorelei – Nicolette moved to the city to pursue her dreams of being famous. Barb stayed behind in Seaside, eventually becoming a reporter for the local paper. Their past safely behind them, they’ve both moved on with their lives.
But when the Carnival Killer recants his confession and a new body washes ashore on the eve of Wonderland’s grand reopening, the secrets that Barb and Nicolette have worked so hard to bury begin to resurface, threatening to destroy everything in their carefully constructed lives.
This is the 2nd book I’ve read from the author (Jar of Hearts was my first—and a real banger!). It’s also the 2nd book in the Wonderland interconnected series, but it works as a standalone, and I had no trouble following the story despite not reading the first book. The author wastes no time pulling you into the story with an opening excerpt from the “Criminal Confessions” documentary featuring a convicted serial killer stating that although he confessed to 5 murders 25 years ago, he actually committed only 4. It’s a great setup that immediately had me intrigued, and from there the story never loses momentum.
The story is well structured, with just the right number of characters and POVs to keep you always engaged and never overwhelmed. It also has great tropes—a reopened missing person case, messy female friendships, reality TV drama, long-buried secrets, and big-city and small-town settings!
Told through the shifting 3rd-person POVs of Barb Bonifacio, Cole Lennox (the Trophy Wives reality TV star), and Kylie (a woman being held captive), with Criminal Confessions documentary clips woven throughout and flashbacks to the night of Barb’s best friend, Lorelei’s disappearance in 2001, I found it difficult to put down. The story mostly follows Barb and Cole, whose lives and personalities couldn’t be more different, but I sensed that their parallel storylines would come crashing together—and there were a few surprises linking them that I wasn’t expecting!
I especially enjoyed how the Trophy Wives reality show was woven in, adding dark humor and drama to make the story more layered. Cole’s efforts to stay relevant while navigating a toxic marriage and constant PR pressure are really entertaining—and love her or hate her, she’s more clever than she lets on. But Barb’s POV is the real heart of the story as she pulls out all her amateur sleuthing skills and even resorts to some shady tactics to learn more about the body that’s washed ashore and why she believes it’s connected to Kylie’s disappearance six years earlier. Her investigation is intricate, and she navigates uncomfortable situations, including a complex relationship with a local detective, fishes for information from people around town, and questions her own morals while writing a gossip column. She’s also an unreliable narrator, and you can sense that she’s not saying all that she knows about what really happened 25 years ago. As much as I was rooting for her, I knew dark secrets were coming—buckle your seatbelts!
The short chapters and fast-paced, immersive writing make this binge-worthy and perfect for a weekend read or a buddy read (like I did), where you can exchange notes on everything that’s unfolding. The only reason this wasn’t quite a full five-star read for me was that one of the major twists is more intentional than jaw-dropping and wasn’t fully explained, and part of the story’s resolution needed more clarification to feel completely believable. There definitely could have been one more chapter to fully flesh things out. Even still, the author did an excellent job bringing all the threads together, and I was satisfied with how the characters’ arcs were resolved.
If you enjoy multi-POV thrillers with dual timelines, serial killer elements, dark humor, and messy female friendships, this is absolutely one to add to your TBR—and one I think a lot of readers will be talking about this summer!
Narrator Performance
Heart Of Glass is read by a stellar cast of seasoned and powerhouse narrators, including Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, and January LaVoy.
This is a high-quality full cast production that really elevates the story, especially with the short Criminal Confessions documentary segments woven throughout the audiobook. Ferdelle Capistrano narrates the role of the documentary host and interviewer, while Chris Brinkley voices Sam, the convicted serial killer whose shocking revelations about the murders from 25 years ago immediately pulled me into the story. Capistrano voices the documentary segments with an authentic investigative broadcaster tone that feels like you’re listening to a true crime podcast. Brinkley uses a calm, yet almost chilling voice that makes Sam’s confession scenes incredibly compelling.
Eunice Wong portrays Barb Bonifacio, the main protagonist of the story, and delivers a standout performance. Early in the book, Wong gives Barb a steady voice layered with introspection and regret, perfectly reflecting a woman who has spent years carrying guilt while still trying to uncover the truth behind what happened to her friend. As Barb uses her amateur investigative skills to learn more about the body that washes ashore and relies on her connections around town for information, Wong gives her a more commanding, determined voice that feels completely authentic. A major highlight of her performance is the dialogue between Barb and Detective Cameron Wallace, her former romantic interest. She captures the lingering tension and feelings between them perfectly, especially from Cameron’s side. She also brings a lot of energy to Barb’s scenes with Cole Lennox, and their dramatic exchanges later in the story that reveal their complicated history are fully entertaining. Wong also does an excellent job giving each character she voices a distinct voice, making the story easy to follow and extremely engaging.
Brittany Pressley brings Kylie to life in a nuanced performance filled with tension, emotion, and resilience. After being held captive for six years, Kylie has developed strong survival skills and knows how to navigate her terrifying situation. Pressley narrates all of the character’s interactions with her captor with the perfect combination of fear and inner strength, making Kylie a character you’ll be rooting for and invested in seeing survive.
January LaVoy gives a dynamic portrayal of Cole Lennox, perfectly capturing the different sides of her character. Earlier in the story, her performance emphasizes Cole’s confidence and self-preserving nature, especially during scenes involving paparazzi and the team behind her reality TV show. Cole can often sound self-absorbed and focused on maintaining her public image, but LaVoy also makes it clear that she’s intelligent and always thinking ahead. A major highlight is how LaVoy shifts Cole’s voice once she returns to her hometown and is forced to confront the past she left behind. You can hear more vulnerability, compassion, and authenticity in her voice, and suddenly she becomes a much more likeable character.
Overall, Heart Of Glass is an outstanding full cast production that elevates this book to another level. If you’re considering reading this book and you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend the audio version. It’s one of the best productions I’ve listened to this year, and you’ll be fully immersed and impressed by the performances.
Narrator Performance
Heart Of Glass is read by a stellar cast of seasoned and powerhouse narrators, including Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, and January LaVoy.
This is a high-quality full cast production that really elevates the story, especially with the short Criminal Confessions documentary segments woven throughout the audiobook. Ferdelle Capistrano narrates the role of the documentary host and interviewer, while Chris Brinkley voices Sam, the convicted serial killer whose shocking revelations about the murders from 25 years ago immediately pulled me into the story. Capistrano voices the documentary segments with an authentic investigative broadcaster tone that feels like you’re listening to a true crime podcast. Brinkley uses a calm, yet almost chilling voice that makes Sam’s confession scenes incredibly compelling.
Eunice Wong portrays Barb Bonifacio, the main protagonist of the story, and delivers a standout performance. Early in the book, Wong gives Barb a steady voice layered with introspection and regret, perfectly reflecting a woman who has spent years carrying guilt while still trying to uncover the truth behind what happened to her friend. As Barb uses her amateur investigative skills to learn more about the body that washes ashore and relies on her connections around town for information, Wong gives her a more commanding, determined voice that feels completely authentic. A major highlight of her performance is the dialogue between Barb and Detective Cameron Wallace, her former romantic interest. She captures the lingering tension and feelings between them perfectly, especially from Cameron’s side. She also brings a lot of energy to Barb’s scenes with Cole Lennox, and their dramatic exchanges later in the story that reveal their complicated history are fully entertaining. Wong also does an excellent job giving each character she voices a distinct voice, making the story easy to follow and extremely engaging.
Brittany Pressley brings Kylie to life in a nuanced performance filled with tension, emotion, and resilience. After being held captive for six years, Kylie has developed strong survival skills and knows how to navigate her terrifying situation. Pressley narrates all of the character’s interactions with her captor with the perfect combination of fear and inner strength, making Kylie a character you’ll be rooting for and invested in seeing survive.
January LaVoy gives a dynamic portrayal of Cole Lennox, perfectly capturing the different sides of her character. Earlier in the story, her performance emphasizes Cole’s confidence and self-preserving nature, especially during scenes involving paparazzi and the team behind her reality TV show. Cole can often sound self-absorbed and focused on maintaining her public image, but LaVoy also makes it clear that she’s intelligent and always thinking ahead. A major highlight is how LaVoy shifts Cole’s voice once she returns to her hometown and is forced to confront the past she left behind. You can hear more vulnerability, compassion, and authenticity in her voice, and suddenly she becomes a much more likeable character.
Overall, Heart Of Glass is an outstanding full cast production that elevates this book to another level. If you’re considering reading this book and you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend the audio version. It’s one of the best productions I’ve listened to this year, and you’ll be fully immersed and impressed by the performances.
Heart Of Glass is read by a stellar cast of seasoned and powerhouse narrators, including Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, and January LaVoy.
This is a high-quality full cast production that really elevates the story, especially with the short Criminal Confessions documentary segments woven throughout the audiobook. Ferdelle Capistrano narrates the role of the documentary host and interviewer, while Chris Brinkley voices Sam, the convicted serial killer whose shocking revelations about the murders from 25 years ago immediately pulled me into the story. Capistrano voices the documentary segments with an authentic investigative broadcaster tone that feels like you’re listening to a true crime podcast. Brinkley uses a calm, yet almost chilling voice that makes Sam’s confession scenes incredibly compelling.
Eunice Wong portrays Barb Bonifacio, the main protagonist of the story, and delivers a standout performance. Early in the book, Wong gives Barb a steady voice layered with introspection and regret, perfectly reflecting a woman who has spent years carrying guilt while still trying to uncover the truth behind what happened to her friend. As Barb uses her amateur investigative skills to learn more about the body that washes ashore and relies on her connections around town for information, Wong gives her a more commanding, determined voice that feels completely authentic. A major highlight of her performance is the dialogue between Barb and Detective Cameron Wallace, her former romantic interest. She captures the lingering tension and feelings between them perfectly, especially from Cameron’s side. She also brings a lot of energy to Barb’s scenes with Cole Lennox, and their dramatic exchanges later in the story that reveal their complicated history are fully entertaining. Wong also does an excellent job giving each character she voices a distinct voice, making the story easy to follow and extremely engaging.
Brittany Pressley brings Kylie to life in a nuanced performance filled with tension, emotion, and resilience. After being held captive for six years, Kylie has developed strong survival skills and knows how to navigate her terrifying situation. Pressley narrates all of the character’s interactions with her captor with the perfect combination of fear and inner strength, making Kylie a character you’ll be rooting for and invested in seeing survive.
January LaVoy gives a dynamic portrayal of Cole Lennox, perfectly capturing the different sides of her character. Earlier in the story, her performance emphasizes Cole’s confidence and self-preserving nature, especially during scenes involving paparazzi and the team behind her reality TV show. Cole can often sound self-absorbed and focused on maintaining her public image, but LaVoy also makes it clear that she’s intelligent and always thinking ahead. A major highlight is how LaVoy shifts Cole’s voice once she returns to her hometown and is forced to confront the past she left behind. You can hear more vulnerability, compassion, and authenticity in her voice, and suddenly she becomes a much more likeable character.
Overall, Heart Of Glass is an outstanding full cast production that elevates this book to another level. If you’re considering reading this book and you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend the audio version. It’s one of the best productions I’ve listened to this year, and you’ll be fully immersed and impressed by the performances.
