Geo was just a teenager when she met Calvin. He was older, darkly mysterious, sexy. He wanted to drink, to party, to be physical. Geo wanted that, but she also had homework. She had cheerleading practice. She didn’t want to disappoint her father, who has raised her by himself since Geo’s mother died when she was just a kid. Geo was intrigued by Calvin, drawn to him, but a little scared of him too. But as a girl in high school, she had no idea what he would become.

In high school, Geo was best friends with Angela Wong. Angela was beautiful, confident, the captain of the cheerleaders, and the girl most boys would give anything to go out with. There were three of them who would hang out after school—Angela, Geo, and Kai, who had a crush on Geo and was one of her best friends. They would get drinks at the 7-11 together. They did homework together. They went to parties together.

And then Angela just disappeared. And Geo’s life was never the same.

Now Geo is older. She graduated from high school, went to college, got a good job, got engaged. She’s a rising star at the pharmaceutical company where she works, taking the company is new directions and planning a wedding with the CEO of the company. She had put her past behind her and moved on to bigger, better things.

Until the day Kai showed back up.

Now a detective, no longer a teenager with a crush, Kai shows up in Geo’s life for a purpose: to arrest Geo. The remains of their best high school friend have been discovered, behind the house where Geo lived back then.

Calvin, now known as the Sweetbay Strangler, has killed more women. And Geo is testifying against him as part of her deal. She testifies at his trial, goes to prison for 5 years, and her role in Angela’s death is forgiven. Legally, anyway. It will be years before all her shameful secrets come to light. But they will. The truth always comes out.

Jar of Hearts is a complicated, dark story about the secret shames we carry and what we are willing to sacrifice to save ourselves. Author Jennifer Hillier brings these characters to life, with all their frailties and strengths, and takes readers on a journey through darkness to humanity, through grief to redemption.

This is not an easy book. It’s not a lightweight, fun thriller. It goes to dark places, and HIllier does not shy away from them. There are scenes of sexual assault and violence, both inside the prison and outside. This is not a book you can read and set aside. It will live inside you, both the darkness and the light, and forever leave its stamp. I’m not saying not to read it, because it is also beautiful and lyrical and powerful. But I know that it’s not for everyone, and if you’re one of those people who don’t want to go there, there is no shame. No judgment. I’d rather you know before than halfway through that you’re reading the wrong book.

I listened to this on audio, and narrator January LaVoy did a lovely, unflinching job narrating a book with some very difficult scenes. So if this book is for you, audio is a great way to go. But be warned—the ending of my audio had an excerpt for her next book, Little Secrets, and the beginning of that one is even more compelling than Jar of Hearts. Books can be a dangerous drug!

Galleys for Jar of Hearts were provided to me by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I bought the audio book myself through Audible.