Jennifer Hillier's 8th Thriller Revisits a 25-Year-Old Murder in Heart of Glass
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 24
Jennifer Hillier's 8th Thriller Revisits a 25-Year-Old Murder in Heart of Glass
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 24
Summary
A New York Times review casts “Heart of Glass” as a sleep-stealing thriller built around two linked mysteries: a 25-year-old killing and a newly discovered corpse.
Jennifer Hillier’s eighth novel follows Barb, a jaded Seaside, Washington, journalist whose best friend Lorelei was murdered in 2001 and whose convicted killer is now recanting his confession.
The new case begins when a body and severed foot wash ashore; Barb suspects the remains could belong to a reality TV star missing for 6 years.
Barb’s side job recapping “Trophy Wives” gives her unusual access to the world around the case, while a shared secret with cast member Cole ties the fresh investigation back to Lorelei’s death.
The review says the novel broadens beyond plot, portraying women facing economic precarity and exploitation before the story’s more direct predators emerge.
How does Heart of Glass turn the real Salish Sea floating-feet mystery into a thriller about trauma, exploitation, and the price of chasing spectacle?
When a body and severed foot wash ashore, what buried link connects Barb’s best friend’s murder, a missing reality star, and Seaside’s darkest secrets?