Did you ever wonder what happens when a dying serial killer recants a twenty-five-year-old confession, forcing two former best friends to confront the truth about the night their childhood friend died?
Overview
Heart of Glass is Jennifer Hillier’s return to the fictional small town of Seaside, Washington, a place first introduced in her earlier novel Wonderland. The book weaves together two timelines: the summer of 2001, when fifteen-year-old Lorelei Glass was murdered, and the present day, twenty-five years later, when the convicted serial killer Samuel Figg, dubbed the “Carnival Killer”, recants his confession about Lorelei’s death while being interviewed for a true crime docuseries.
The novel follows Barb Bonifacio, who stayed in Seaside and became a freelance journalist, and Nicolette Montes, who fled town, changed her name to Cole Lennox, and became a reality TV star. When a new body washes ashore just as Wonderland amusement park prepares to reopen, long-buried secrets begin to surface.
Table of Contents
Reader Recommendation: Who Will Actually Love Heart of Glass
Heart of Glass is for readers who enjoy:
- Character-driven psychological thrillers with multiple points of view
- Dual-timeline narratives that slowly unravel a mystery
- Small-town secrets and atmospheric settings (the Pacific Northwest coast comes alive here)
- Sharp social commentary on reality television, fame, and the true crime industry
- Dark, twisty plots with genuinely gasp-worthy moments
You might want to skip this one if: You prefer fast-paced action thrillers, dislike multiple POVs, or are sensitive to content involving murder, sexual assault, miscarriage, and trauma.
Background
Jennifer Hillier is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author whose novels have been translated into twenty-three languages. Her previous works include Things We Do in the Dark (winner of the ITW Thriller Award), Little Secrets, Jar of Hearts (also an ITW Thriller Award winner), and Wonderland. Born and raised in the Toronto area, she spent eight years in Seattle, which is where all her books are set.
Heart of Glass is her return to Seaside, the fictional town she first created in Wonderland. According to Hillier, the book explores “the darkest consequences of betrayal, and whether escaping the past really means you’re free, especially when the secrets you buried are calling you home”. The novel took four challenging years to write and was published on August 25, 2026, by Minotaur Books. It has 356 pages and is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats, with the audiobook featuring multiple narrators including Brittany Pressley and January LaVoy.
Heart of Glass has been described as “one of the most anticipated books of 2026” by the New York Times and has reportedly scared one reviewer “too much to sleep”.
Heart of Glass Plot Summary
Part One: The Past Resurfaces
The novel opens in 2023 with an unedited interview between Jana Jones, a documentary producer, and Samuel Figg, a fifty-four-year-old serial killer serving five consecutive life sentences at the Washington State Penitentiary. Figg, who is dying of lung cancer, makes a shocking claim: he killed four women, not five. The fifth victim, fifteen-year-old Lorelei Glass, was not his doing.
This revelation sends shockwaves through Seaside, the small coastal town where Lorelei was murdered twenty-five years earlier.
In the present day, we meet Barb Bonifacio, now a freelance journalist for the local Chronicle. She’s covering the discovery of a detached foot on the beach at Legacy Sands, a private gated community. The body is later identified as Ingrid Larsen, a former reality star from the dating show Happily Ever After.
Barb is haunted by the past. Her best friend Lorelei was murdered after they met a charming drifter named “Sam” at Wonderland amusement park on the last day of summer break in 2001. When Figg was arrested and confessed to five murders, including Lorelei’s, Nicolette fled town, while Barb stayed behind.
Nicolette, now calling herself Cole Lennox, is a star on the reality show Trophy Wives, living in Toronto with her wealthy husband Jordan. She and Barb haven’t spoken in twenty-five years.
The docuseries producer, Jana Jones, is relentless in her pursuit of interviews. She contacts both Barb and Cole, but both refuse to participate. Meanwhile, the Criminal Confessions trailer drops, featuring Figg’s bombshell claim that he didn’t kill Lorelei.
Part Two: The Unraveling
As Wonderland prepares for its grand reopening, more young women connected to reality television go missing or turn up dead. Sydney Carlisle, a former star of Showgirls, disappears while traveling to Seaside for a girls’ weekend.
Cole, struggling with the fallout from punching a teenage fan at RealityCon, is sent to rehab. But on her way, she detours to Seaside, reuniting with her brother Ray and confronting her father Richard Montes, who has been paroled after twenty-five years in prison.
The investigation into the missing women deepens. Barb discovers that Ingrid Larsen was wearing a ring that belonged to Kylie Kahl, a reality star who disappeared six years earlier. The connection is undeniable: three reality stars, all tied to Seaside, all vanished or dead.
Meanwhile, Cole’s interview with Jana Jones for Criminal Confessions is filmed. She sticks to the story she and Barb agreed upon twenty-five years ago, that Lorelei was with Sam when they last saw her.
Part Three: The Truth Emerges
Barb and Cole, forced to work together, discover the autopsy report for Lorelei Glass. The cause of death is listed as asphyxiation, strangulation, not blunt force trauma. This means Lorelei was alive when they left her in the Starlight bathroom.
The flashback to 2001 reveals what really happened. The three girls were arguing in the bathroom. Nicolette revealed she was pregnant with their teacher Daniel Hawksfield’s baby. A fight broke out, and Lorelei fell, hitting her head on the toilet bowl. She appeared dead. Hawk arrived, confirmed she was gone, and convinced the girls to leave, promising to “take care of it”.
But Hawk lied. Lorelei was alive. He strangled her and then blackmailed Marty Kieswetter (Lorelei’s stepbrother, who had been taking Polaroid photos of her) into helping him move the body to the cranberry bog.
Part Four: The Confrontation
Barb and Cole, now certain of Hawk’s guilt, track down Marty’s cabin on Bear Lake Road. They arrive with Detective Cameron Wallace.
Inside, they find Alice Chu, Barb’s contact at Seaside PD, and her boyfriend Owen, who is not Marty but has taken over Marty’s cabin. Owen is a psychopath who has been kidnapping women, including Kylie Kahl (held captive for six years) and Sydney Carlisle. Alice, it turns out, is complicit, Thing Two to Owen’s Thing One.
In the climactic scene, Owen attacks Barb. Cole strikes him with a poker stick, and Kylie Kahl, freed from the smaller cabin, delivers the final blows, killing him.
Kylie reveals that Marty’s journals, which she’s been reading for six years, contain the truth about Lorelei’s murder.
Part Five: Resolution
Daniel Hawksfield is arrested for Lorelei’s murder. Eight former students come forward with abuse allegations. Samuel Figg dies of lung cancer four days after his final interview.
Barb finishes her novel. Cole, having divorced Jordan (thanks to an infidelity clause in their prenup), plans to return to Seaside after rehab. Kylie is reunited with her husband Freddie and her sister Kaycie.
Heart of Glass ends with Barb adopting Marvelous, her therapist’s cat, and finally finding peace.
Heart of Glass Analysis
Characters
Barb Bonifacio is the novel’s emotional anchor. She’s the one who stayed in Seaside, trapped by guilt and grief. Her arc is about learning to forgive herself and break free from the past. She’s relatable in her ordinariness, she’s not glamorous, she struggles with her weight, she has a dead-end job. But she’s also fiercely loyal and surprisingly brave.
Nicolette Montes / Cole Lennox is Barb’s foil. She escaped Seaside, changed her name, married rich, and became famous. But her life is hollow. Her marriage is falling apart, she’s an alcoholic, and she’s trapped in a reality show persona. Her arc is about rediscovering who she really is beneath the fame.
Lorelei Glass is the ghost at the center of the novel. Even in death, she shapes everything. The book asks: what happens when we reduce a person to a victim? Hillier includes a poignant note: “Everybody remembers the man who killed her. Nobody remembers her favourite film”.
Samuel Figg is a fascinating portrayal of a serial killer. He’s not glamorized, he’s dying, gray, and pathetic. Yet he’s also oddly compelling, and his recantation drives the entire plot.
Daniel Hawksfield is the real villain. He’s the charismatic teacher who groomed Nicolette, impregnated her, and then murdered Lorelei to cover it up. His ability to manipulate everyone around him, including Barb, who had a crush on him, is chilling.
Marty Kieswetter is a tragic figure. He was obsessed with Lorelei, but he didn’t kill her. He was blackmailed by Hawk into helping dispose of the body, and then killed by Owen (who took over his cabin).
Kylie Kahl is a survivor. Held captive for six years, she never gave up hope. Her final act, killing Owen, is both cathartic and tragic. She’s been through unimaginable horror, but she emerges with her spirit intact.
Alice Chu is the ultimate betrayal. She was Barb’s friend and contact at the police department, but she was also complicit in kidnapping women. Her character raises uncomfortable questions about how well we really know the people we trust.
Heart of Glass Themes and Symbolism
Guilt and Secrets: The entire novel is driven by the secret Barb and Nicolette have kept for twenty-five years. Heart of Glass explores how guilt can shape an entire life, Barb stayed in Seaside, Nicolette reinvented herself, but neither truly escaped.
The True Crime Industry: Hillier is sharply critical of the true crime genre. Jana Jones is a producer who doesn’t care about Lorelei, she cares about a compelling story. The book asks: who gets to tell these stories, and who benefits?
Reality Television and Fame: Nicolette’s life as Cole Lennox is a hollow performance. She’s famous, but she’s also trapped. The book skewers the reality TV industry, showing how it exploits and destroys people.
Friendship and Betrayal: The core relationship is between Barb and Nicolette. They were best friends, then enemies, and finally, reluctantly, allies again. Their reconciliation is one of the book’s most moving elements.
Small-Town Secrecy: Seaside is a town built on secrets. Everyone knows everyone, but nobody tells the truth. The town’s desperation to protect Wonderland, and its own reputation, allows monsters to flourish.
Predators and Power: Daniel Hawksfield, Owen Stark, and even Samuel Figg are all predators who exploit their power over young women. Heart of Glass shows how systems, schools, police, the media, often fail to protect victims.
Heart of Glass Evaluation
Heart of Glass is an outstanding, gripping thriller that transcends the genre. It’s not just a mystery, it’s a deeply felt exploration of guilt, friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. The dual timelines are masterfully woven together, the characters feel real and flawed, and the twists genuinely surprised me.
As one reviewer put it: “What a demented delight. The twists were twisted”. Another called it a “terrifying tale of suspense, death, and secrets” and predicted “bestseller status and award nominations”.
Strengths
- Character depth: Barb and Nicolette are fully realized, complex women.
- Atmospheric setting: Seaside feels alive, beautiful, sinister, and claustrophobic.
- Multiple perspectives: The POV shifts are handled skillfully.
- Social commentary: The book is sharp about true crime, reality TV, and small-town secrets.
- Satisfying ending: The resolution is earned and emotionally resonant.
Weaknesses
- Overstuffed plot: Some readers felt the book had too many characters and subplots.
- Pacing: It’s a slow burn, which may not appeal to readers seeking a fast-paced thriller.
- Tangents: Some storylines don’t directly serve the main mystery.
Impact and Controversy
Heart of Glass deals with heavy themes: murder, sexual assault, miscarriage, grooming, and trauma. Hillier includes trigger warnings at the start, which is a thoughtful touch.
The novel has sparked discussion about the ethics of true crime. By making the “Carnival Killer” a dying man who may have been coerced into a false confession, Hillier challenges readers to question what we think we know about famous cases.
Comparison with Similar Works
Tana French’s The Likeness: Both explore small-town secrets and the weight of the past.
Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects: Atmospheric, dark, and centered on female trauma and small-town dysfunction.
Karin Slaughter’s Pretty Girls: Deals with the long-term impact of violence on families and friendships.
Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies: Like Hillier’s book, it’s about the secrets women keep and the lies they tell to protect themselves.
Hillier’s own Wonderland: This is a return to the same setting, but it can be read as a standalone.
Personal Insight with Contemporary Educational Relevance
Heart of Glass offers a powerful lesson about the ethics of true crime consumption. In an era where true crime podcasts, documentaries, and docuseries are everywhere, the book asks uncomfortable questions: Who gets to tell these stories? Who profits? And at whose expense?
In the novel, Jana Jones, the docuseries producer, is relentless in her pursuit of a “compelling story.” She doesn’t care about Lorelei as a person, she cares about ratings. This mirrors real-world concerns about the true crime industry’s exploitation of victims and their families.
Hillier also explores how perspective shapes truth. Twenty-five years ago, Barb and Nicolette believed they killed Lorelei. Samuel Figg confessed to a crime he didn’t commit. The real killer was a trusted teacher.
Heart of Glass reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories we’re told by others, aren’t always the whole truth.
Five Lessons from Heart of Glass:
- Guilt can shape an entire life. Barb stayed in Seaside because she felt responsible for Lorelei’s death. Only when she learned the truth could she move forward.
- Fame isn’t freedom. Nicolette got everything she thought she wanted, money, fame, a rich husband, but she was miserable. Real freedom comes from being true to yourself.
- Predators hide in plain sight. Daniel Hawksfield was a beloved teacher. Owen Stark was a quiet, unassuming man. Heart of Glass reminds us that monsters don’t always look like monsters.
- The truth has a way of surfacing. Even after twenty-five years, the truth about Lorelei’s murder came out. Secrets can’t stay buried forever.
- Healing is possible. Barb, Nicolette, and Kylie all survived unimaginable trauma. Their stories are ultimately about resilience and the possibility of starting over.
Heart of Glass Quotes
“My name is Samuel Figg. I’m fifty-four years old, and I was born in a small town in Arkansas I guarantee you never heard of.” , Samuel Figg, introducing himself
“Fuck yeah, I’m guilty. I killed four women, not five. That’s the truth.” , Samuel Figg, recanting his confession
“I thought it was a piece of driftwood. But it wasn’t. Not even close.” , Edna Sparrow, discovering a detached foot on the beach
“You’re very lucky. It could have been you.” , Police officers to Barb after Lorelei’s murder
“I was never the girl who got asked to homecoming. I was never the girl who got invited to the cool parties.” , Barb, reflecting on her teenage years
“All we are is the result of what we have thought.” , Epigraph, attributed to Buddha
“There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.” , Epigraph, attributed to Dante Alighieri
“Starting from zero, got nothing to lose.” , Epigraph, attributed to Tracy Chapman
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” , Epigraph, attributed to William Shakespeare
“Love is so confusing, there’s no peace of mind.” , Epigraph, attributed to Blondie
Conclusion
Heart of Glass is a masterful thriller that’s about so much more than whodunit. It’s about the weight of the past, the lies we tell to survive, and the possibility of redemption. Hillier has crafted a story that’s both a page-turner and a deeply moving character study.
Heart of Glass is significant because it challenges the true crime genre itself. By centering the victims, Lorelei, Ingrid, Kylie, Sydney, and showing how their stories have been commodified, Hillier asks us to think more critically about the stories we consume.
Who should read this book: Fans of psychological thrillers, character-driven mysteries, and stories about female friendship and survival. If you enjoyed Sharp Objects, Big Little Lies, or Hillier’s own Jar of Hearts, you’ll love this one.
