I don’t think Hillier can ever disappoint me. Her books are really easy to read and get into, managing to keep me engaged the entire time, and this one is no exception. In my opinion nothing was overly shocking as I was able to predict everything, but it was still a really enjoyable read. I can’t say I’m head over heels in love, but this is a solid thriller that I would recommend.

The beginning showed great potential, and as a fan of the author's previous work, I was eager to dive in. One aspect that I genuinely appreciated was the pace of the book—it kept me engaged throughout. However, despite the brisk tempo, the overall storyline turned out to be rather conventional and lacked the dark and twisty qualities that I've come to relish in Hillier's writing. The final confrontation, unfortunately, felt somewhat lackluster, and despite the favorable pacing, this one didn't quite meet my expectations, particularly as a fan of the author's earlier works. Perhaps I read too many thrillers.

Okay, okay maybe holding a straight razor being covered in blood, while your murdered husband in the bathtub looks guilty. BUT Paris Peralta didn't do it! Or so she says.

To make matters... more creepy... twenty five years earlier a very similar crime happened that had Canada absolutely (terrifyingly) riveted. The woman convicted is called "The Ice Queen" and she is out of prison, and she knows Paris' secret.

"Because the only thing worse than a murder charge are two murder charges."

*dun dun dun*

It's such a fun thriller, 4/5 stars. It had plot twists I did NOT see coming, which is always great! Recommend for those who love a true crime vibe.

*Gifted by Netgalley & Minotaur Books - thank you! All opinions are my own.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! It was a real thrill ride, packed with unexpected twists and turns, and told from multiple perspectives over six parts. Even though I guessed the plot twist early on, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story.

Paris Peralta wakes up on the bathroom floor to find her famous hubby dead and the police pointing fingers at her. Meanwhile, Ruby Reyes, the Ice Queen, who was convicted of a similar crime 25 years ago, knows Paris's secrets and threatens to spill the beans. Paris has to confront her past to save her future from crumbling.

Things We Do in the Dark had me hooked from the first chapter, keeping me focused throughout the weekend. Though the plot could be predictable at times, it still had some surprises that made it a worthwhile read. You don't need to be blown away by twists to like this book, but it would have been even better if I hadn't guessed so many plot points ahead of time.

I really liked this! It was fun trying to solve the crime and I thought it was very smart! Loved the many layers of this story!

Ahh, New Thrillers! 😱
Friends! I recently finished these two and I thought they were both so good! Come along with me as I tell you a little about each…

‘Things We Do In The Dark’ by Jennifer Hillier is out TODAY! This was my first Hillier book and it won’t be my last- you must pick it up. It was a twisty ride of false identifies, murder and revenge. The only thing that upset me was that I don’t have the glow-in-the-dark hardback. Woe is me. 😔

This one almost felt like two stories in one, but in a good way! Paris is arrested for killing her famous husband, and she knows she didn’t do it. She doesn’t want the publicity because of a troubled past that still haunts her… she doesn’t want to be found.

——

‘Stay Awake’ by Megan Goldin is out August 9th. I really loved ‘Night Swim’ so I was excited about this one! While I liked the story, it really stressed me out. It was like 50 First Dates + Russian Doll + murder. Eek!

When Liz wakes up on a park bench with no recollection of the last two years, she starts to freak out. Rightfully so. She also has the words Stay Awake written on her hands… same as what’s written on the window of the guy that was just murdered… 🤔

Thank you @netgalley & @stmartinspress for both of these digital copies! I also listened to a lot of SW on @librofm and the narrator is laughably terrible. I suggest NOT listening to audio on this one! Unless you like bad accents, bad pacing, and fake laughing. 🫣

🖤🖤🖤

A good twisty thriller that kept me guessing from start to finish. Will recommend to others to read.

Paris Peralta finds herself ensnared in a nightmarish predicament, drenched in a sticky quandary. She clutches her husband's straight razor, dappled with blood, while Jimmy lies lifeless in the bathtub, drained of vitality. The circumstances are a breeding ground for suspicion, as Jimmy's resurgence in the limelight after a career lull and Paris's youthful exuberance paint a stark picture of potential avarice turned lethal.

However, behind this enigma lies a labyrinth of obscurity. Paris, determined to rebuild her life, carries a shrouded and tumultuous history known to only a select few, including her blackmailer—Ruby Reyes, infamously dubbed the "Ice Queen." Ruby herself bears the mark of a murder conviction dating back twenty-five years.

Now that Ruby has been released from her prison of the past, she emerges as a looming threat. Armed with the knowledge of Paris's concealed truths, she stands ready to unveil these secrets, extort Paris, or even contemplate a sinister encore. The pivotal question looms large: can Paris persist on her path to redemption, or will she unravel the cryptic events of that fateful night with Jimmy? Or will the presence of the Ice Queen unleash a maelstrom of scrutiny, casting Paris into a relentless tundra of adversity?

I appreciated the narrative's structure, skillfully weaving between present and past, offering diverse points of view. It provides the reader with a wealth of information to grasp the characters and their underlying motives. One might argue that this abundance of information allows for an early revelation of the mid-story twist, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment as I became deeply invested in the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As the story begins a murder has already occurred and the victim’s wife, Paris, is under suspicion. She was found covered in blood and standing over her husband’s body with a straight-edge razor in her hand. Yeah, I would say she’s definitely a likely suspect. Moving on, two timelines develop, the murder investigation continues, and the backstories of several characters are revealed.

Things We Do in the Dark is, for the most part, a fast-paced thriller with interesting, well-developed characters and good dialogue. The plot is just complex enough to keep the reader’s attention, but it’s also easy to move back and forth between the various stories and time periods.

Here and there the pace seemed to falter a bit, but this didn’t really affect the mood the author created. I liked this book and I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms Hillier. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

My Bookclub and I read this book together and it is THE ONLY book we have read that we all agreed was 5 stars! It even encouraged us to cook some new recipes to try which we did not expect from a thriller! The twists were expertly executed and you rooted for the characters even though they were flawed. I have added this author to my must buy list and recommended this book to many!

Once again, another great story by Jennifer Hillier!

I loved the way Things We Do In The Dark was written. The past and present and the back and forth was great for how this story played out.

I was definitely intrigued with the characters and was hooked the whole time trying to find out what really happened!

So many twist and turns but it ended up being a satisfying ending so yay!

I can’t wait for more form this author!


*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review.**

Yes, yes, yes to this one! Hillier gives us another thriller that probes deep into our character's psyche and asks us what our past trauma can continue to do. However, be very certain to check out the content warnings as this tale may not be for everyone--tough, tough topics.

DNF 10%

The allure of the synopsis is much better than the flow of this book.
I really wanted to like this as the marketing was excellently done, but the story didn't live up to it.

Things We Do in the Dark is my first Jennifer Hillier book I have read. Overall I enjoyed even though I guessed all the twists very very early except the ending. It was interesting and fast moving and I liked how the last ties together with the future storylines.

Definitely trigger warnings for child and child sexual abuse, this is not a lighthearted story by any means. I’d recommend it for fans of Karen Slaughter.

I’d like to add that in addition to the copy I received from NetGalley I also purchased a hardcover via Book of the Month club.

**3.5 stars**

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this thriller and how the story was told. It starts with Paris Peralta being arrested after being found covered in blood and her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub. While this looks bad, only thing that could be worse is her past coming to surface.

It was well written and easy to follow the timelines. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good mystery.

Another fabulous thriller from Jennifer Hillier. Things We Do in the Dark is about a celebrity’s wife found covered in her husband’s blood as he lays next to her dead. A pretty open and shut case right? That would be a really short and boring book but Jennifer Hillier weaves a great story that has you questioning what really happened.

How is Paris Peralta, a wife of a celebrity comedian and a convicted murderer connected? Why is Paris scared of what this murderer will leak to the press? The answers are told over a dual timeline that spreads over 25 years. The answers may surprise you.

Jennifer Hillier is an auto buy author for me. I don't even read what it's about, just go in blind and for this author, this is the way to do it. Edge of the seat reading!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This was a quick paced murder mystery thriller. I enjoyed it and will be reading more from this author……..

Well this one was a wild ride! I absolutely love Jennifer’s writing and though it was no Jar of Hearts, this was still such a great thriller!
I loved how this story was unique and not like other thrillers I’ve read. It also kept me interested throughout the whole book and was a quick read!

Thank you Jennifer, Netgalley and Minotaur for my gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and words are my own.

Another unputdownable thriller from Jennifer Hillier.

I really enjoyed how she broke this story into parts with the perfect cliffhangers at the end of each leading into the next. Although I guessed most of the twists, I felt like the way the information was parsed out slowly helped up the tension and really made for a good pace.

As a Canadian, the references to Canada and Toronto were really enjoyable, and though there was a lot of tragic content, ultimately the MC was a woman you wanted to cheer for. I'll continue to pick up anything by this awesome Canadian author.