I have always been a big Jennifer Hillier fan, and while I haven’t gotten to all of her books yet, I have loved the ones I’ve read. Knowing her past work, and seeing all the amazing reviews coming in for Things We Do in the Dark, I thought it would be an easy five stars for me. It pains me to say it, but I just didn’t love this one as much as everyone else has.

The main issue I had was that this book just didn’t seem like a thriller to me. There were some mildly suspenseful moments, but I found myself pushing through hoping for something surprising or shocking to happen and it just didn’t come. There are two main twists, but they were obvious, easy to guess, and just didn’t hit the way I’m used to with her books. It honestly read as more of a general fiction, in my opinion.

There is no doubt that Jennifer Hillier is a talented writer, and she will continue to be an auto-buy author for me. While it wasn’t what I expected, it was well-written. It was a great story about resilience, overcoming trauma, and had solid character development. I think if I had adjusted my expectations then maybe I would have enjoyed it more. Fingers crossed that her next one is the one for me!

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a long-time fan of Jennifer Hillier since reading her books Creep, Freak, and The Butcher, so I knew this one wouldn't disappoint-and I was right, I loved this one, too! The storyline follows an all-familiar trope of prominent rich white guy dies under mysterious circumstances suspiciously after changing his will, so the number one suspect is the much younger Filipina wife named Paris. However, the wife's backstory reveals there's much more at hand than what meets the eye. I think the thing I appreciate the most about this book was how Hillier really used people of color as her characters, and made those clear distinctions right away. I felt as if I were able to really be in the home of a Filipino family, and the way Hillier wrote about Ruby Reyes and her family, I was able to understand some of the social and cultural experiences Filipino families endure. I liked that Drew's character was black and Hillier put us in his shoes...that he would be apprehensive knocking on strangers' doors in investigating for his podcast, etc. It was very interesting, and something I would love to see more of in modern storytelling today. The twists and turns of the plot were great, lots of things I didn't see coming, and some that I did, but wasn't bothered by. I loved the sex positive attitude since some of the book takes place at a strip club. Fans of the movie Hustlers would probably love this book. All in all, another amazing book by Jennifer Hillier! Thanks NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!

Paris is not her famous husband's first wife, but she’s his last. Saying “I don’t remember”, when found holding a straight razor and drenched in blood, puts Paris at the top of the suspect list.

Finding out what happened to her husband Jimmy is interesting, but finding out what Paris is hiding is even better.

The story unfolds in separate parts, dividing the story, introducing new characters and diving into backstories with ease and grace. Every section of the novel holds its own and the characters are intriguing.

I have two other books of Jennifer Hillier’s in my TBR pile, and after reading Things We Do in the Dark, they will be moving up much higher in the stack!

For anyone who reads even a smidgen of suspense or thrillers, the twist won’t come as a shock, and there is a good chance that you will figure it out very early one, but the excellent writing, great characters, and fast pace will keep you turning the pages to find out just how exactly the events have and will continue to play out.

I really enjoyed how Hillier took a real look at people’s lives. Many are not great, maybe there are some good days, but there are just as many, if not more, bad ones. She didn’t sugar coat anything and nothing magically turned easy for Paris. She kept trying and the punches just kept coming. Now this could have turned the book into a real downer, but Hillier added little, realistic touches that made Paris and the reader want to keep going.

I am very excited to see how her other works of fiction read, and highly recommend Things We Do in the Dark.

Trigger Warning for rape and child abuse.

Overall I thought this book was pretty good the beginning was some of the best writing I have ever read, however, when it started to get more in-depth in Drew's point of view I started to get bored fast. I really like everything involving Paris but not Drew. I thought the ending was pretty good and overall this was a solid story that I would recommend.

Jennifer Hillier writes a great thriller packed with twists and turns. I really liked Things We Do In The Dark. Filled with great characters, different POVs and storylines, it keeps you guessing. If you’re looking for a quick thriller that will keep you guessing this is the one for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book for an honest review - all thoughts are my own. This book starts off with Paris being arrested for the murder of her Hollywood star husband Jimmy - who was found dead in his bathtub, with Paris holding the razor. Paris doesn't remember a whole lot but she loved Jimmy and would never harm him right? This book had so many twists, surprises, lies, and backstabbing - I never wanted to it end, but I had to see how it was going to end. Bravo Jennifer Hiller - you did it again - can't wait for more from you.

Book Review

Thing We Do in the Dark
By @jenniferhillier

Are you looking for a #thrilller full of #Canadiancontent - then look no further!

What its Got
✅90s references
✅Fast paced chapters for easy reading
✅Music quotes at the start of each part
✅Multiple points of view
✅Canadian content
✅ Secrets, revenge, love, twists and turns

⚠️Triggers- addiction, child abuse, rape, sexual assault

Characters
Drew- podcast journalist and friend of Joey, looking to save the world and redeem his past mistakes

Ruby- the violent alcoholic mother of Joey, now imprisoned, she is till looking out for number one, herself

Jimmy- recovering drug addict, famous comedian, a millionaire who likes being married

Paris/ Joey/ Joelle- she is a survivor, a phoenix who has risen from the ashes, remaking herself time and time again, proof that your past doesnt define you

Zoe- assistant extraordinaire to Jimmy

Elsie- Paris’ lawyer, Jimmy’s
Long time friend and confidant

Hillier’s writing is compelling, from the first page, she ensnares the readers attention and immediately pulls them in. Her characters are relatable and complex, giving the reader a chance to become emotionally invested. Her narrative is well timed and paced with quick chapters that move the storyline along.
Overall a fabulous read!!


Thank you to @minotaurbooks for my gifted copy in return for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

This was a solid read, but it fell apart at the end for me. I liked the way the back story was built, and the unfolding of events was natural and kept the story moving.


I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 stars rounded up

This book didn't really work for me. If it would have 2 times shorter, it would still have been too long. The whole thing is predictable from the first pages, but the author is taking the reader on a very long journey where there's a back story for every back story and every single person and so on...

A big thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this book!

Jennifer Hillier provides a well-paced and mysterious story of murder, revenge and secrets. The writing is smooth and easy to read between both Paris and Drew's POVs and timelines. Hillier is fantastic with writing complex characters and she never holds back with the darkness. While I didn't find this one to be as thrilling as Jar of Hearts, it was an enjoyable and quick read.

Paris is a yoga teacher and the profession really has nothing to do with the plot. While I do appreciate Hillier's attempt incorporating Sanskrit into the novel, some moments were disrespectful to the ancient practice of yoga. This could've been switched to a fitness instructor.

CW: suicide, fire, child abuse, sexual assault, toxic relationship with parent, blackmail, drug use

I loved this book! I went into it knowing absolutely nothing about it, other than that the cover looked right up my alley. Jennifer Hillier has been on my list to check out for a long time, and now I am certainly going to need to go read her backlist.

I was able to guess the twist pretty easily, but I do read a lot of thrillers. This didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. I really enjoyed the in-depth examination of Paris’s dysfunctional childhood and how she got to be where she is. I’m all for family drama, even when it’s dark, and the multiple murder mysteries that unfolded in these pages. I also find thrillers focused around sex work to be extremely interesting–if you liked this aspect, also check out Real Easy by Marie Rutkoski.

Drew was my favorite character, and I do wish we got to see more of him and his podcast. I think the podcast aspect could have made this audiobook even better!

This was a well-paced, interesting thriller, and I can’t wait to read more by Hillier.

"There is a time and place for erect nipples, but the back of a Seattle police car definitely isn't it."

Things We Do in the Dark is the newest thriller from Jennifer Hillier.

"Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom, covered in blood and holding a straight razor - with her dead husband in the bathtub behind her. She knows she'll be charged with murder and worries that someone from her past will recognize her and destroy the life she's built for herself.
Ruby Reyes, who was convicted of a similar murder 25-years-ago, knows the truth about Paris and threatens to expose her secret. Paris must finally confront her dark past once and for all."

Like many current thrillers, this book has dual timelines. We see what is happening with Paris and the murder charge and we also see what happened to Paris to get her to this point. And Hillier puts this character through some awful things.
One thing I love about Hillier's book is there is always an unexpected, crazy twist at the end. This book has a couple of them. (There's actually one in the middle you'll probably guess but it makes sense for the story.)
I found myself pulling for Paris and hoping she could have a great life without fear.

Another great book from Hillier.

I love everything Jennifer Hillier has ever written! I enjoyed this so much I also got this as my Book Of The Month so I could have a hard copy! The thrillers are always engaging and fast paced! I had no idea what to expect because this one was so unique in comparison to Hillier’s other stories. Edge of your seat roller coaster ride!

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read an advanced copy of Things we do in the dark by Jennifer Hillier. Jennifer is one of those authors that is an automatic read for me, so when I am given a chance to read one of her books I jump at it. This book starts with a bang and while I found the middle lagged a bit (just a bit) i was committed to it from start to finish. I love the author's style of writing; Things we do in the dark is written in dual timelines; the present, starting with Paris Peralta being arrested for the murder of her husband, celebrity Jimmy Peralta, and the past; Joey, whose mother, known as the Ice Queen was convicted of killing her lover and who abused her over the years. Joey ends up dead in a fire so what do these two women have in common, and why is the Ice 'Queen reaching out to Paris to blackmail her after being in prison 25 years? This is a fabulous read and I highly recommend it as I do with all her other books!!!

The first third of this book was unputdownable. So. Addicting.

A woman is married to a famous comedian that is well her senior and then he dies and GUESS WHO IS THE SUSPECT.

But wait there’s also another murder we’re trying to figure out. 😱

This also has a podcast BTS element, so if you like books about true crime podcasts you might love that detail.

Back to the review, the middle however started to drag a little bit.

The chapter lengths and breaks in the different sections were helpful though to keep this moving.

Overall this was a decent read, and I didn’t mind it. The end picked back up which was nice way to finish it up.

ok I finished this in literally one day. In true Jennifer Hillier fashion, I’m obsessed. The pacing, the vulnerable characters, everything. Even though I don’t have much in common with the main characters I still felt a connection. Jennifer is able to create psychological thrillers with pristine character development. I feel like I knew everyone so intimately. She writes in a way where I’m not shocked by the twists, but I enjoy the entire ride. I’ve read all of her books at this point and I’ve never been disappointed. I will say, Joey’s job choice after leaving her home surprised me a bit considering her past traumas - but I think this is part of the psychological thriller aspect I expect with Jennifer’s writing. There’s a reason Joey chose that path and I don’t think it included just finances. I like how this one was layered, with past and present traumas and murders. I think what gets me about this one is that it’s totally plausible in real life (maybe not the entire story) but joeys childhood, and young adult life happens all the time. I recommend this, and every Jennifer Hillier book!

This was one of my anticipated releases of the summer. I have read several of her books and enjoyed them. Wonderland is my favorite of hers hands-down.

In this book we are following Paris who comes across her husband‘s dead body in the bathroom. For her being charged with his murder is the least of her problems and as the reader we begin going further and further into her past.

We also are following Drew who has a podcast of the same name as the book. As he investigates another case we learn how Paris and the other case are connected.

I really liked the characters in this book specifically Paris and Drew and I was definitely rooting for them. It definitely has that popcorn quality that I enjoy in a summer thriller where I just wanted to keep changing the pages. If you’re looking for a thriller I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley.. The opinions expressed are my own

I really enjoyed this! In classic Jennifer Hillier fashion, this is a dark and twisty mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end!

Jennifer Hillier always creates characters with lots of depth and layers and I always love that about her stories! No one character feels “cookie cutter” and it adds to the mystery of her plot lines, and Things We Do In The Dark is no exception!

Also, make sure to check out the trigger warnings as this does deal with some difficult topics (that Jennifer provides at the beginning of the story).

I love all of Jennifer Hillier’s books. I was so excited to get approved for Things We Do in the Dark. I can never predict the twists and turns in her books which is one of the reasons I’m drawn to them. This is definitely a book you will want to dive into, and you’ll demand answers!