Jennifer Hillier has done it again! THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK is a smart and deeply layered mystery that will have you flying through pages this summer.

We meet Paris Peralta as she is covered in her husband’s blood at the scene of the crime. Paris becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her celebrity husband. Has the past she desperately tried to outrun finally caught up to her?

As the title suggests, this story is not a light-hearted read. I love the multiple meanings to the title and how Hillier took on tough topics such as domestic abuse, vulnerable women, and confronting the past in a thoughtful way.

With three separate mysteries in various times/places to solve, I was constantly trying to work out how the murders were related and who I could trust. If you’re looking for a thriller with a fresh storyline, add THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK to your beach bag.

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: July 19, 2022

A big thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date.

What an excellent book! It is chock full of family drama, secrets, and lies. Paris Peralta awakes to find her wealthy, much older husband dead. She is thought to be guilty by the media and the police, but she is innocent. Of this murder, anyway. I loved the story of this book and how the dialogue and action really sped up the story. I kept reading so fast because I wanted to know what happened next!

I'm a bit shocked at how long it took me to get through this novel. Jennifer Hillier has been a favorite since I read Jar of Hearts a coupleyears back. I went back and read her other novels too since I liked her other books so much. The jist is, I like her books. Hillier tells a captivating story. Things We Do In the Dark isn't as quite 'grab you by the throat' intense as I've come to expect from her. I liked how the narrative was divided between three point of views. We get Paris, Drew, and Joey's POVs. I'm really glad it was separated like this, it kept me interested. The characters were all likeable except Ruby and her family members. I seriously felt for Joey's story. It was painful to revist her past. I was bored with Drew's addition at first but after a while the story really started to come together under his POV.


My main complaint is that this didn’t exactly feel like a thriller or a suspensful book. It felt more like a strait mystery... which I'm fine with. It just lacked in that "get your heart pumping" feeling. A bit if a warning though, if you have trouble with child abuse or sexual abuse, tread carefully here. There was only talk about sexual abuse in a past context and wasn't explicit. The child abuse tugged at my heart a lot and I really wanted to hug some social workers afterwards.

Paris Paralta is arrested for her husband’s murder. Tbh, things don’t look great for her. She was found in her bathroom, covered in blood, and holding a straight razor that seemed to be the murder weapon. Oh ya and her husband? He’s a famous comedian currently riding the wave of a comeback out of retirement. Meanwhile, investigative podcaster Drew is looking into a crime that hits way close to home. Ice Queen Ruby Reyes — who killed her lover with an ice skate — is being released on parole and Drew wants to get to the bottom of what happened that night and to her daughter Joey. These two storylines connect and everyone gets their answers — whether they like them or not.

Wow this book has everything (Stefon voice) — strippers, murder, missing person, mobs, and more. I truly am not sure if it was just me or not, but this was finitely a slow burn. The book starts with Paris before shifting to Drew — felt like starting a whole different book! It’s not long until things intersect. There are also like a lot of characters you get to know pretty well throughout the book so that also made it feel a bit slower paced — not that a slow burn is a bad thing! I also really liked the diversity in here — lots of yummy food mentioned too that made me hungry!

Thank you so much St. Martin's Press, NetGalley & Jennifer Hillier for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This review will be posted on my bookstagram @bookswithbrielle in May.

This was my very first Jennifer Hillier book & now I totally understand why I've seen people rave about her writing. I have Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets of my TBR book car and I can't wait to read them both, This was a really good thriller through and through.

The story follows is about a woman named Paris accused of murdering her celebrity husband while running from her past of demons. I really enjoyed the NOW/THEN POV and and appreciated that despite the back and forth I was never confused about what was a flashback and was happening in real time. I enjoyed learning about Paris backstory and character & how the writing really made you empathize with Paris.

RUBY. OMG RUBY. This is how you know it's a good thriller. I HATED her, Jennifer Hillier was able to elicit strong emotions with her writing and her development of Ruby truly did that.

There are some parts of this book that can be hard to stomach-- specifically when it comes to child abuse. But if you like a good thriller with interesting characters and backstories you are a fan of true crime type writing then this book is for you.

The book comes out July 19, 2022.

Maybe this is a case of “it’s just me” and not the book. But…

I’m a huge Jennifer Hillier fan and loved all her previous works. So my question is…what happened here?🏻‍♀️. A question I kept asking myself while reading this latest release.

Paris’ husband is dead in the bathtub. Paris herself is covered in his blood, gripping a straight razor. She has no memory of killing him. WOW! Right!?💁🏻‍♀️ You’ve got my attention! But then things took a hard turn. The focus and point of view changed to exploring Paris’ backstory. At this point the pace slowed and I quickly lost interest.

I held out hope for a twist, an OMG jaw-dropping moment, the shocks, this author usually delivers. Unfortunately if felt like straight up fiction with no thrills.🥱

There are many mixed reviews with plenty of five-star reviews here. Hoping your experience will deliver all the stars!⭐️💞

A buddy read with Susanne that left us both underwhelmed.😕

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

I am a longtime Jennifer Hillier fan and was beyond excited when I heard she had a new book coming out this year. I’ve read everything she’s written and found that THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK has all the hallmarks of a Jennifer Hillier book that I’ve come to know and love.

I like to go into my thrillers blind and that’s my recommendation for other readers too so will keep my plot summary on the vague side - when the book opens we meet Paris Peralta who is found confused, covered in blood, and next to the body of her dead husband. And while being arrested isn’t exactly the best thing in the world, what Paris is more concerned about is that the notoriety of the case with threaten to expose who she really is.

Paris’s husband is a famous comedian, but when Paris met him he was retired and living a life out of the spotlight, which is exactly what Paris needed. But when a famous person is murdered the press jumps and a murder charge becomes the least of her worries.

We get complicated characters that don’t always say or do the most likable things but who are so profoundly human and messy and make choices and live with consequences and find themselves doing what they need to do. She does not shy away from dark subject matter, unlikable characters and gut wrenching moments. But she also weaves in a drive for survival, devotion and a recognition of how we can’t escape our pasts but perhaps we also don’t let it define us.

I really enjoyed how the story was told and how different timelines were woven together. As usual, there’s a cast of dark and messed up characters (my fave) who inhabit this world and who instantly jump off the page. Jennifer Hillier does a great job of creating characters (even the minor ones) who feel real and who I can clearly picture in my mind.

I do think we were meant to be ahead of some characters as they unraveled parts of the story and I didn’t mind being with them as they put pieces together. I am happy to go on any journey Jennifer Hillier wants to take me on and if you haven’t been reading her books are a fan of character-driven thrillers that twist and sometimes shock I highly recommend her books.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in return for an honest review.
3.5 ★ rounded to 4
Paris Peralta has been arrested for the murder of her superstar husband Jimmy Peralta. She has been found covered in blood with the murder weapon in her hands. While the press is gearing up for what is sure to be the trial of the century, Paris is concerned by another issue that plagues her mind- the possibility of being recognized. Sure enough someone from her past starts threatening to reveal her darkest secrets. Told in 3rd person with past and present timelines, Hillier takes us on a disturbing ride as the truth is finally revealed.

I looooved it! At no point did I guess what was going on! It has me hooked from the beginning and had my spinning the whole time! This is a must read!

Jennifer Hillier is an amazing thriller writer. This follows a dual perspective of two murders that take place 25 years apart. It is a gripping story. Sometimes it was a big graphic and I did figure out the twist but it is still worth the read. I read it in a day which is always the sign of a good thriller

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Short and simple: I enjoyed this one. I had a feeling from the beginning of the book "who done it" so that wasn't a shock but the ending felt rushed after so much back story.

I liked the layout of the writing broken down into parts of past and present.

I will continue to read all books by this author.

<I>”Sometimes the only way to start over is to burn it all down.”</I>

Jennifer is one of my favorites. I absolutely loved Jar of Hearts. When the opportunity came up to read this one of course I jumped on it!

It’s not my favorite JH, sadly, and I’ll tell you why. JH, for me, is so good with twists and throwing them at you. You think you got the twist but then the twist will have a twist. This book didn’t have that, so while I was expecting it in true JH form, it was disappointing that it never came.

This book touches on <b>a lot</b> of dysfunctional family drama. Abusive family. I felt like that was touched it on the most when really it was supposed to be about a murder mystery. Yes, all relevant, but still not what I thought I signed up for.

For me, both “twists” were pretty much told to you, you just get the luxury of watching how the twists happen. And again, that’s not my favorite. No big grand reveal. Just lots of telling.

If you’re an easy going light reader this may be your cup of tea.

Paris Peralta's perfectly constructed life crumbles the day she is found holding the murder weapon that took the life of her famous husband. She knows how the situation looks and also knows that it's probably going to the police and media looking through her life with a fine-toothed comb, which is something she definitely does not need. There's a part of her past that must stay hidden, because if it doesn't it will cost her everything!

Things We Do in the Dark is a emotional and gripping thriller that should not be missed! The pages of this novel hold a story that give your heartstrings a nice little tug and stir your thoughts a bit too. When I read the synopsis I thought our heroine was going to be the bad guy, but after further inspection I don't necessarily feel that is the case at all. This is a multi-layered story, some parts will hurt to read and really make you feel for our heroine, while others will make you question her motives. That whole "don't judge a book by it's cover" thing really comes in to play for our female lead, she isn't quite what she seems, there is more to her than meets the eye for sure. And the journey she takes you on is quite dramatic and thrilling, but also quite an emotional too... which was unexpected, but appreciated.

I really enjoyed this newest offering from Ms. Hillier, it's was a little different from her previous titles, but just as thrilling and captivating. For me, it was the emotional element that really put it over the top. Highly recommend!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Famous comedian Jimmy Peralta is discovered dead in his bathtub, his wife Paris Peralta is arrested, covered in blood, and clutching his straight razor in her hand when the cops arrive on scene. She knows this looks bad, but she’s more worried about the media attention drawing attention to her and the secrets she left behind.

Twenty-five years ago in Toronto, Canada, Ruby Reyes dubbed by the media as the Ice Queen was convicted of murdering her lover. She’s about to be released from prison but, not before she threatens to destroy Paris’s life by exposing all of her secrets and, who she really is. Paris is forced to finally come face to face with the past.



Things We Do in the Dark is a fast paced, page turning mystery / thriller story filled with so many twists and turns. I could not put this book down; I was hooked from the very first page. I love the format, the separate parts were focused on a different person’s perspective, the effortless weaving between past and present and the dark vibes were all written SO good. Jennifer Hillier was born to be a thriller writer! I adored the personal touch of placing lyrics at the beginning of each part, some of my favourite songs were included. I found some parts were predictable, all the clues led to where the story was going twist wise but, it didn’t ruin the book for me. The very ending was not only unexpected but, freaking AMAZING!



Highly recommend this book, on shelves July 19, 2022.



Thank you Netgalley, @stmartinspress and @minotaur_books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

First off, receiving a thriller that GLOWS in the dark is just about the most fun thing EVER, and this title was such an unexpected surprise, I was honored to receive a copy from Minotaur Books to read and review.

I picked it up to read as soon as it arrives and finished it in almost one sitting (aka my boyfriend took me to dinner, and I didn't even put down my book while we ate lol) Hillier blew me away at how she started the story off with a bang and the drama, action and details just kept coming. I was completely immersed in the story, becoming enraptured with how she wove the details together as the past catches up with Paris after she's accused of murdering her husband.

This book reminded me why I love reading thrillers, and need to prioritize reading more of them. Who knew all of these elements could add up to such a juicy page-turning spectacle, I don't even want to say more so you can experience it yourself! I was absolutely here for it and hope you pick it up and enjoy the story as much as I did, it was brilliant and I am already looking forward to what Hillier treats us to next.

Compulsive and thrilling this had me flipping the pages to find out the ending. While I did guess the ending, I was still invested in the story. I’d really love to see this one brought to the screen!
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Paris woke up covered in blood and her husband was found dead in the bathtub. Paris becomes the number one suspect. Her husband is significantly older, a famous comedian and extremely wealthy. I don’t want to say too much but this story definitely kept me hooked!
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Huge thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second Jennifer Hillier book. It was a quick read for me. I gave it a 3.5 while I loved the Canadian content and references within the book I was able to predict both of the twists in this book.
I really look forward to reading more from this author, I think she has a great relatable reading style and does a great job with her character development.
I would recommended this book!

I’ll read anything Jennifer writes, and this one did not disappoint. Suspenseful and compelling, with an original and dark premise I’ve come to expect from Hillier. Unputdownable.

My first Jennifer Hillier book did not disappoint! I would classify this more as a mystery than a thriller, and it has a very sensitive theme so I suggest checking trigger warnings before diving into it. While this one didn't have the big shocking twists (for me), I was roped in from start to finish. The way this one was formatted was really interesting. It is separated into multiple parts from different characters to look at the past to understand the present situation. The way the story was laid out was definitely handled well with this format and I liked getting more and more details of the past as the story went on. This story really starts out with a bang and gave me the thriller vibes, but then it falls into more of a mystery and almost a coming-of-age story while also shining light on a very real problem that happens way too often. I have recently figured out that I enjoy these sorts of mysteries/thrillers just as much as I like the major twist ones. I cannot wait to read more of HIllier's work.

Paris Peralta hasn't had the easiest life, but she has found peace in marrying the world-famous actor-comedian Jimmy Peralta. But when Jimmy is found dead in their home, Paris is immediately suspect #1. But being charged with murder isn't her biggest concern. If people start digging into her past, the secrets she has buried there may come to light ruining everything. Things get even worse when the convicted murderer Ruby Reyes is released from prison and immediately threatens to reveal all of Paris's secrets. Now, she must prove her innocence and fight to keep her past from coming to haunt her.

Thank you so much Minotaur Press and Netgalley for allowing me early access to this book! I cannot wait to get a physical copy in August.

My Rating: 4.5✩ rounded up!

Paris Peralta is suspected of killing her celebrity husband, and her long-hidden past now threatens to destroy her future.

Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, known as the Ice Queen, was convicted of a similar murder in a trial that riveted Canada in the early nineties. Reyes knows who Paris really is, and when she's unexpectedly released from prison, she threatens to expose all of Paris's secrets.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
- The character development was brilliant! Especially the main protagonist Paris, who had many layers and secrets to her. We get to see a lot of her backstory which really helped me connect with her character.
- Celebrity murder made for an entertaining plot, Hillier’s writing is so good and I wasn’t surprised how hooked I was from the first chapter.
- I loved the Canadian references how close to home this felt. (Toronto, all the neighbourhoods and landmarks that were mentioned.)
- Although DARK thrillers can be triggering, I tend to gravitate towards these. The darker, the better!

𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟:
I didn’t dislike anything, but the twists in this book compared to her other books were not as shocking to me (still made for an entertaining story).

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
✔️A woman accused of murdering her celebrity husband
✔️ Family drama and buried secrets
✔️Multiple POV’s and timelines
✔️a former journalist who can’t help but research true crime
✔️Someone running from their past

Trigger Warnings: there are a lot - please check them out before reading.