Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, Jennifer Hillier’s Heart of Glass scared a New York Times reviewer “too much to sleep.” But for a thriller, that’s basically the highest compliment.
The novel follows three best friends whose lives are shattered when one of them, Lorelei, turns up dead days after meeting a charming stranger at Wonderland, the local amusement park. Twenty-five years later, the two surviving friends have moved on: Barb is a local reporter, while Nicolette — since rebranded as Cole — is a reality TV star. But when the convicted “Carnival Killer” recants part of his confession and a new body washes ashore ahead of Wonderland’s reopening, the pair is forced to reckon with what actually happened.
Expect buried secrets, a genuinely shocking ending, and, yes, a connection to that Blondie song. We got in touch with Hillier to chat about what she’s watching and the hot take she will not be talked out of.
Q: What's one thing that’s made you 10% happier?
Hillier: Remembering that not everything is about me.
Q: What’s one unpopular opinion you have?
Hillier: White chocolate isn't chocolate. I said what I said.
Q: What’s one thing you’re an armchair expert on?
Hillier: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I haven't missed a single episode in 15 seasons and I may or may not be an active lurker on the Reddit subthreads.
Q: What’s the last thing you read that you can’t stop thinking about?
Hillier: What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins. The nonfiction book explores all the different ways we learn how to do what we're meant to do, which the author refers to as "encoding." It was fascinating, and so much of it resonated with me as a writer.
Q: What’s one thing everyone needs to watch?
Hillier: Ted Lasso. While on the surface it's a show about soccer (or football, as it's called outside the US and Canada), it's actually about kindness, friendship, grief, and doing hard things. Also, it's just really funny.
Q: What’s the one place everyone needs to visit?
Hillier: Paris. I visited for the very first time this past summer, and I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations — which were extremely high, based on everything I'd seen on TV and in movies. But it far exceeded my expectations. I loved everything about it — the food, museums, people, and overall vibe. I hope to go back again and again.
Q: What's one recipe everyone should make?
Hillier: Adobo. It's the national Filipino dish, and everyone I know makes it differently. The basic ingredients are chicken or pork, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and some type of sugar (white, brown, or even Coca-Cola). Some like their adobo saucier; some like it drier. There’s no wrong way to make it. It’s all delicious.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...
Meanwhile, on the internet…
If you don’t know why anyone in their right mind would walk into a hotel gym while on vacation, you’re going to feel personally attacked by the hottest new travel trend.
Forget the Wirkin. Walmart just dropped a handbag inspired by a product we truly never could’ve imagined. And it’s only $5.97 — the same price as the item it’s based on, naturally.
Apologies to Eater, but you absolutely, positively can’t convince us that it’s ever acceptable to sit like this when dining out.