The Children on the Hill

More about the book

In 1978, Dr. Helen Hildreth, a compassionate psychiatrist at her Vermont treatment center, balances her professional life with her role as a loving grandmother to Vi and Eric. Their peaceful life changes when Gran brings home Iris, a silent, skittish girl who struggles to fit in. Excited to have a new friend, Vi and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalog monsters and devise plans to defeat them. As they bond over bike rides, secret club meetings, and adventures, Iris slowly begins to emerge from her shell, and the children navigate a world where monsters are omnipresent. Fast forward to 2019, Lizzy Shelley, host of the podcast Monsters Among Us, travels to Vermont amidst a young girl's abduction and rising panic over a monster sighting. Lizzy is determined to uncover the truth, aware that monsters exist—and one of them is her own sister. This haunting and suspenseful tale explores deep-seated fears and the complexities of human connections, drawing readers into a gripping narrative that intertwines past and present, revealing the darkness that can lurk within.