Order of Jennifer Hillier Books

Jennifer Hillier: The Queen of Twisted Minds and Psychological Mastery

Born on December 22, 1974, in Toronto, Canada, Jennifer Hillier is not just another thriller novelist—she’s the literary equivalent of a quiet storm. Gentle at first glance, but capable of erupting with emotional depth, raw terror, and pitch-black twists that leave even the most jaded readers gasping. As a Filipino-Canadian author, Hillier has carved out her niche as one of the most addictive voices in contemporary psychological suspense, frequently hailed for crafting characters who are both disturbingly real and heartbreakingly broken.

Hillier moved to the United States in the early 2000s, spending nearly 17 years living in the Seattle area—a city that deeply influenced the setting of many of her early novels. She attended York University in Toronto, where she studied English literature, but it wasn’t until later that her dark storytelling instincts evolved into full-fledged thrillers that would earn her acclaim around the world.

Jennifer Hillier didn’t always know she would be a writer, but once she embraced the voices in her head (many of them killers, liars, and damaged survivors), there was no turning back. Her debut novel Creep was released in 2011 and immediately set her apart as someone who could masterfully blend eroticism, psychological trauma, and high-stakes suspense. It was the beginning of what would become a reputation for writing books that peel back the mask of normalcy and reveal the monster lurking underneath.

Her breakout moment, however, came with Jar of Hearts (2018), a dark and brutal tale of friendship, betrayal, and buried secrets. The book won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Hardcover Novel and launched her into the top tier of psychological thriller authors. Since then, she’s continued to build a devoted following with hits like Little Secrets and Things We Do in the Dark—each more daring and psychologically cutting than the last.

Hillier is known for exploring uncomfortable themes—child abduction, murder, abuse, buried trauma—and turning them into razor-sharp thrillers that feel unflinchingly human. Her protagonists are rarely heroes in the traditional sense; instead, they’re survivors, people who’ve been shattered and reassembled, with flaws that bleed on the page.

Though her writing delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche, Hillier herself is a warm and candid presence in the literary world. She often speaks openly about imposter syndrome, the writing process, and her love for Stephen King (who, not coincidentally, shares her gift for pulling horror out of the ordinary).

She currently lives back in Toronto, surrounded by family and cats, continuing to create stories that haunt long after the last page. She is alive and writing today—thankfully for thriller fans—and hasn’t lost her edge one bit.

So, what makes Jennifer Hillier’s bio so ironic? Perhaps it’s the fact that such kind, smiling eyes belong to the mind that dreamed up some of the most bone-chilling scenarios in modern fiction. Or maybe it’s because she has an uncanny ability to write killers who are heartbreakingly human, and victims who sometimes aren’t so innocent. Either way, one thing’s certain—once you fall down the Hillier rabbit hole, there’s no escaping the shadows.