I absolutely loved Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier so I was really excited when I saw this available to request. After reading the description I was definitely intrigued and this lived up to my expectations. Jennifer has a knack for making you second guess yourself and then throw in one last twist to completely throw you for a loop. This is told in a dual timeline style and I found myself interested in both timelines and couldn't decide which one was more intriguing. The characters were well developed because of the multiple POVs set in both the past and present. I really enjoyed the drama in this and couldn't decide what I thought happened. The multiple final twists really made me do a 180 and I really did not see them coming. I can't wait to see what Jennifer Hillier brings us in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a read! I was drawn into Things We Do in the Dark from the beginning and continued to read diligently until the very end. It was hard not to have compassion for the main character, Paris, and to cheer her on throughout her story. Of course, there are some great twists along the way! If this book is a representation of the depth of all of Jennifer Hillier’s books, I want to read all of them!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

Jennifer Hillier continues to surprise me with her detailed storylines, compelling characters, and fantastic plots! Things We Do in the Dark is a story woven between the current time and the early years of the main character. It was a fantastic story, and I would recommend it for domestic thriller readers!

Paris Peralta has a past, and she hopes to always keep it separated from her current life. When she finds her famous husband dead in the bathtub, and the police find her in what looks like a murdering position, she’s thrown into the spotlight. With her face in every media avenue, her past smashes into her present, and we’re along for the ride!

I enjoyed that this story was told through Paris’ perspective as well as a podcast reporter, Drew. I enjoyed Drew’s perspective and voice in the story. He gave interesting backstory, and I enjoyed having him in the story.

This one isn’t a heart pounding thriller like some of Hillier’s book, so I would recommend going into this one as more of a mystery to unravel and understand. I knew where we were headed for most of the book, but I still found the reveals to be fun and interesting. I enjoyed the storytelling, and I would absolutely recommend this!

Thank you #NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. It is currently almost 3am and I am writing this review. I could not stop reading this one, obviously. (Lol!) There were so many twists and turns here and I loved every single second. The crafting of this story was impeccable and I know I’m going to be thinking about this novel for days to come. With the multiple perspectives of the main character from childhood through the present, it really felt like I was reading multiple stories as times. So far, this is one of my favorites for the year.

**Triggers: child abuse, rape, sexual assault **

Paris, a Filipino yoga instructor, comes out of a haze covered in blood and holding a straight razor next to her wealthy husband Jimmy’s body. Jimmy is 30 years older than her and a retired comedian who’s recently decided to re-enter the spotlight after some election jokes gave his career a new boost.

Paris doesn’t like the spotlight but that doesn’t mean she’d hurt Jimmy. He’s much older but she loves him. Paris has had a hard life. She grew up in Canada and fled to make a new life, with a new identity, in the PNW. It’s clear that she did something there that is coming back to haunt her but what could it be?

The other side of this story is back in Canada. Drew, a successful podcast host, is doing a season on the Ice Queen, a woman who murdered her rich boyfriend and is supposed to be doing life in prison but avoided it by claiming to be a #metoo victim. She also happens to be the abusive mother of Joey, one of his best friends.

How do these situations, past and present, fit together? With Drew one one side of the border investigating Joey’s death and Paris on the other side fighting to remain free, who will figure it all out first or will it all collide?!

This was a great mystery. I’m always amazed by Hillier’s ability to weave timelines together. When you follow different characters for long portions of the book and then switch, it can be choppy but she always makes it enjoyable and it clicks together. I also love her taste in music and think it’s cute how she fits that in to her books! This was very twisty. I caught on to a few and was blindsided by a few!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read, listen and review. I received audio and ebook. Narration was fantastic!

I have a few Jennifer Hillier books on my shelf that I haven't picked up yet but after reading Things We Do in the Dark, I look forward to reading more of her work. This is an addictive psychological thriller about a woman running from her past and the extremes she takes to ensure that it doesn't catch up to her.

There are three main stories that take place within the overall story. First, the book begins with the death of Paris Peralta's husband. Then it moves to Drew Malcom, a true-crime podcaster who learns Ruby Reyes aka The Ice Queen is about to be out on parole after a 25 year sentence. He's particularly interested in Ruby's story because growing up he was close friends with her daughter Joey. Lastly, we see things from Joey's perspective.

The shifts between the present and the past and from one POV to the next kept me engaged in the mystery of it all. I felt like as a reader I was given breadcrumbs of clues and information to understand the characters, their motives and figure out the connections. Although this did lead me to figuring out both "twists," it didn't take away from the overall story. I don't think Hillier was trying to shock the readers with an OMG jaw-dropping moment, but rather offer a more in depth story with deeper character development and meaning.

This is an entertaining read that I couldn't put down, but I found myself wishing for a little more suspense and tension. That being said, I did find all of the characters to be intriguing and I liked learning their backstories. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of psychological thrillers/mysteries .

**Thanks to Minotaur Books, Jennifer Hillier and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

This was a really fantastic read! I've loved all the Jennifer Hillier books I've read, and this one did not disappoint. She kept me hooked throughout the story and I can't wait to see what she does next. Definitely recommend!

Loved every minute of this book! Who killed whom? Which individuals are actually the victims? And finally….how does one get revenge? This will keep you guessing until the very end! If you like thrillers, you need to read this!

Okay I liked this one but not as much as I enjoyed her other books. I felt like a lot of stuff was repeated more than enough times to the point where it got tiring reading some points. While I found it somewhat predictable, I enjoyed it.

I loved this one!!
It is fast paced, has some twists and turns, is very well written, and held my attention the entire time!
I flew through this one because it was so good I didn't want to put it down.

I could see how some might say it's slow, but for me it really works with this storyline and I loved everything about it!

Also, in full disclosure I haven't loved the endings of two other JH books I read and this one was perfect! No complains from me!

*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review! This one comes out July 19th and y'all wanna grab it!

I have always loved Jennifer Hillier’s books and initially I was interested in this storyline. After a few chapters, I could not get into this one. I really, really tried to push through but ended up putting this one in the “do not finish pile.” This is an extremely popular book that many readers have enjoyed. It will be published on 7/19/22 and it has received tons of positive reviews and will continue to; however, I felt it lacked strength of concept and depth of characters. Hillier is incredibly talented as she demonstrates an authentic writing style yet I never felt any psychological suspense or captivating themes in the narrative. Thank you to the publisher for my review copy & I will definitely read future novels from this author. I’m sad I couldn’t share the love for this one. Don’t let my feedback stop you from reading this one as it has been well-received.

Paris Peralta wakes up on her bathroom floor, covered in blood and holding a razor. Her husband is dead and she has no idea what happened. When she is arrested for his murder, she is not afraid of jail so much as she is her secret past coming out. Twenty-five years ago, Ruby Reyes (aka: The Ice Queen), was convicted for a similar crime in Canada. Ruby is up for parole and knows about Paris’ past. Drew, a podcast host, has an invested interest in Ruby Reyes and tries to contact her.

This book was so good! I thought the author did a great job telling Paris’ story, weaving between the past and present. I figured out one of the twists early on but that didn’t stop me from enjoying how the story unfolded. I loved Paris and Drew so much too - I wanted to hug them at some points! While most of the story was from Paris’ perspective, we had a little from Drew’s point of view as well. I felt that made their friendship full circle.

This was actually the first Jennifer Hillier book I read but I can’t wait to check out her other work!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Jennifer Hillier for the ARC! “Things We Do in the Dark” releases July 19th.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊

“In the dark, it didn’t happen.”

Absolutely Phenomenal – compelling, gripping and enthralling from page 1!

Things we do in the Dark is the most captivating page-turner that I have read all year. When famous comedian Jimmy Peralta is found dead in his bathtub, all fingers point to his 30-year younger wife, Paris, who just happens to be found at the scene holding a straight-razor. Paris immediately hires her husband’s best friend to defend her, which is risky if there is a chance that Elsie believes she did it. Elsewhere, Ruby Reyes is being released from prison for a murder she committed years ago, and Journalist Drew Malcom wants her story to come to life on his Podcast: Things we do in the Dark. But when Drew starts investigating, the answers are not what he is expecting, shocking us all.

Past collides with the Present in this full circle novel about buried secrets, abuse, and self-preservation. Paris learns that: “While you can reinvent yourself, you can’t outrun yourself.”

There are numerous twists and turns – and while you may expect some, you indisputably aren’t expecting them all. Even if you guess some, the story is not ruined by any means. Yes, the book is a tad repetitive with a lot of backstories, but it is all necessary to fully understand what is happening in the present.

This book was a complete surprise for me; I have never read Jennifer Hillier before and didn’t know what to expect. I went into the novel blind, not knowing any premise or plot line and was glad I did – I loved the plot and character development. I was engrossed from the beginning and did not want to put it down.

I will be buying Hillier’s previous novels – she is a MUST READ! The last page left me with a smile! I definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves psychological and domestic thrillers, who isn’t skittish around triggers such as severe child abuse and graphic sexual content – because we all know, “bad things happen[] in the dark.” 5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel, all opinions are my own!

Really enjoyed this one (more than Little Secrets or Jar of Hearts)! While it wasn't super "twisty," there was so much going on and it was written and woven together so well that you didn't need big twists to make it enjoyable or shocking. A page turner!!

Where has Jennifer Hillier been all my life?! I cannot believe that this is the first book I have read of hers, but I can guarantee that it will not be my last. From the first line, I was hooked. Hillier throws the reader right into the plot within the first chapter. Paris Peralta is under arrest for the murder of her husband, famous comedian Jimmy Peralta. The scene looks suspicious. He is found dead in a bathtub, bled out from a wound in his thigh caused by an old fashioned shaving blade that he frequently used. Paris is found covered in his blood and holding the murder weapon. What starts as a murder mystery, slowly unfolds into so much more.

I loved the dual timelines and multiple character perspectives that brought this story to life. I am a huge fan of thrillers that start out with a bang, giving you a million unanswered questions, then going through the backstory of the characters to slowly answer them. That is exactly how Things We Do in the Dark plays out. We learn more about Paris and who she truly is, as well as her infamous mother who was convicted of murdering her married boyfriend.

I loved this book and could not put it down. I immediately put Hillier's backlists on my library hold list.

If you haven't been keeping an eye on Jennifer Hillier as a fun new voice in thrillers, you really have to do so now. THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK is the third novel of hers that I've read, and it had me hooked from start to finish. What I thought was going to be a pretty straight forward mystery had some really deep and dark layers, and it was more a character study about trauma, resilience, race, and preconceived notions about certain people. Our main character Paris has secrets, and lots of depth, and as we slowly get to know her through her own eyes and through the eyes of others around her, questions arise, questions resolve, and all the while you become incredibly invested in her, even if you aren't so sure you're seeing all of her. I kind of figured out one of the reveals pretty quickly, but that said, it didn't matter because I was enjoying the ride so very much. There are lots of satisfying moments, lots of dark moments, and lots of moments that had my heart racing as I flipped pages to see what happened.

THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK tackles hard topics (definitely be aware, there are content warnings for sexual abuse and child abuse), but Hillier's storytelling prowess and mystery construction are superb. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

At the heart of this domestic thriller are two stories: Paris’ Peralta’s arrest and trial for killing her famous comedian and billionaire husband, who was thirty years older than her, and journalist Drew Malcom’s wildly successful podcast called “Things We Do in the Dark.” These two stories, including much twisty, dark and often disturbing backdrop to them, are woven together seamlessly to create a compelling thriller about secrets and revenge. This is a well-written page turner with interesting characters that will suck you in and the beginning and keep you reading until the end. A great summer read!

An interesting read, not an absolute favorite, was not an “I can’t put this down” but drawn in enough to finish. I typically enjoy all from this underrated author, so will probably reread this one later and have an even more impressed opinion. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity!

Things We Do In The Dark is a story about a woman who is running from her past, but is about to have it catch up with her. It’s difficult to talk about this book without spoilers so I’ll just kind of leave it at that.

Much like the other Hillier books that I read, I found this book somewhat on the predictable side. I don’t know that that’s necessarily a bad thing? I like to be shocked by a good twist, but there’s also some satisfaction in guessing correctly, and it may just mean the author has done a good job of foreshadowing in the end.

I liked the characters. Paris isn’t the kind of character I think most people will feel sympathy for right off the bat, but she feels authentic, and you can’t help but feel for her in the end.

I think the thing that holds this back from being a full five stars for me was just that it spent a little too much time on Paris’s backstory. By the time we dig into the meat of it- we already hate the villain of the story. I just didn’t feel like we needed to wallow in the details of it, honestly. Which are very dark, and very depressing.

Otherwise - it was well written, there's enough intrigue at the start to keep me hooked and reading, and the ending was good.

Trigger warnings: <spoiler>child abuse, sexual abuse, pedophilia, talk about drug use, suicidal scenes, domestic abuse…. I think that covers it?</spoiler>

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eGalley I received in exchange for a review.

I loved the sample of this that I read via the Minotaur Sampler but the beginning turned out to be the strongest part of the book for me. It lost steam with a long reveal of Paris’ backstory, plus a lot from the POV of a podcaster/reporter in the current day. I figured out at least two of the twists so it wasn’t very suspenseful and I wouldn’t call it a thriller. I sped through the book mainly to get to the end.

I’ve never read anything by this author and, based solely on this book, I’m not sure I’d seek out another by her.

Note: Publisher’s blurb only mentions Paris’ dark past but gives no hint that it includes child abuse and sexual assault.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was narrated well by Carla Vega.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.