📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

Things We Do in the Dark
By Jennifer Hillier
Release Date: July 19, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Paris Peralta is married to a famous comedian. She is found covered in his blood, weapon in hand, next to his dead body, and is arrested for his murder. Unfortunately for Paris, the murder charge brings attention that she’s tried desperately to avoid. Now as she tries to find out who really murdered her husband, she must also confront secrets from her past.

This book was well written and held my attention. However, the plot twists were pretty easy to figure out. While I am content with the validation that comes from being right about the culprit, I do prefer a little more shock and intrigue. Overall, I’d say this is a good but predictable read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the arc in exchange for my opinion.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minataur books, Jennifer Hillier and Netgalley.
This was a very readable story. I finished it in a day and a half. But, I honestly can't say that I liked this story or the characters. I had a difficult time keeping the characters straight. To me, they all sounded alike. So I would end up having to constantly remind myself of who was speaking.
The story was fairly predictable. I didn't hate it, but it was more of a.palette cleanser for me.

Jennifer Hillier can do no wrong. Every single book of hers has kept me on the edge of my seat! A slow burn.

An amazing thriller with huge twists. You think you have it all figured out, but you don't. It is a read you won't want to put down. Allie yourself plenty of uninterrupted time to read this one it will blow you away!

Thank you NetGalley And the publisher for granting me the privilege to read and review this one in exchange for my honest opinion. It is a must read for sure!

LOVED this book. Hillier's novel had just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued, her characters were well-balanced, and I loved her handling of different perspectives and time periods. Her ability to keep unique narrative voices (and, at times, continuous voices), is impeccable.

The story was fast-paced and I wound up breezing through it in 48 hours! Highly recommend for fans of thrillers, twists, and strong characters.

oh my twisty turny LAWD!

I had literally no idea where this one was going the entire time so I was just along for the ride 😨🤯🤭

I’m allllll for a mysterious backstory premise so I threw myself into this one and let me tell you - I could NOT put it down! it physically pained me

by separating the sections into parts 1-4, it kept the story moving and flowing in chronological order without confusing the multiple POVs and shifts. it was so well written that the reader got a tingly sense of what was coming a few chapters before the twist actually happened.

it built suspense perfectly!!!! and made my thriller queen heart so happy because I hadn’t gotten a real good gasp in awhile 🤌🏼🤌🏼

there were a few loose ends that remained open, but I found that it didn’t bother me BECAUSE THAT TWIST AT THE END WAS SO PERFECT!!

a huge thank you to netgalley, jennifer, and minotaur books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I already pre-ordered my copy for july!!!! 😅

rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: gevery-chambertin pinot noir

Queen Jennifer Hillier is back with another page turner that had me gripped to the page until the very last chapter! I love Hillier's books and Things We Do in the Dark is another winner. With shifting timelines and viewpoints, TWDitD had me reading cover to cover in just one sitting!

Wow, I loved this book! I have so many friends that are Jennifer Hillier stans, so I figured I’d try this one out, and it blew me away. I really, really enjoyed the pacing.

I've read a number of Hiller's books and, like the others, this novel is compulsively readable. The character development is full and rounded, the narrative is dark and twisty, and the POV shifts are done subtly yet effectively. Overall a strong read.

I wasn't sure how many of the narrative plot points in this one were meant to be surprises and how many we were meant to see coming. For the most part, there weren't many surprise twists here for me; however, that didn't impact my reading or overall urgency to find out the whole story. So I'd say the twists are less for effect and more to keep us glued to the tale (which is, again, dark in many ways). I would have loved to see the character of Drew and his podcast used to better effect, though I can see how there was only so much room for the different plot lines to work in this book. A sequel following Drew would be very welcome!

I'd recommend this book for mystery, thriller, and psychological thriller lovers. If you're a Hiller fan, I think you'll like this one too. Hiller is one of my "must reads" now, and this one is not to be missed!

Mystery and thrillers are not my typical genre but I just love Jennifer Hillier's writing. She hooked me with Little Secrets and Things We Do in the Dark did not disappoint. One again, Hillier writes amazing character backstories and there are lots of twists and turns, I could not put this down.

Thank you so much for my digital copy of this book. It was well written, suspenseful and had me turning the pages until I finished it in a day! I always look forward to reading books by Jennifer Hillier as she never disappoints. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the best thriller I’ve read in a long time! I gasped through all the pages, chapters, and parts. I can’t wait to re-read this already!

I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will look for more. It kept me in suspense and I wanted to know what happened. I would definitely recommend this book!

Paris has lived a hard life. As a child, she was the victim of vicious child abuse. Her mother, it turned out, was a cold-blooded killer known as The Ice Queen after killing her lover. Paris had testified at the trial and her testimony sent her mother to prison for life with parole possibility after twenty-five years. Paris was sent to live with relatives who resented her presence. As soon as she turned eighteen, she ran off and made her way the best she could, a way that included stripping in a men's club.
After a tragedy, Paris ran away again and started another new life. She put her old life and identity behind her and that's when she became Paris rather than the name she grew up as. She ran to California and started teaching yoga classes. Eventually she owned her own studio and that's where she met Jimmy. Jimmy was much older than she but somehow they clicked. He was a well-known retired comedian who had had a hit series that everyone knew. It took a while but he eventually convinced her to marry him.

Returning from a weekend away, Paris finds Jimmy in the bathtub, covered in blood. She is arrested for his murder although it could have been suicide just as well. Paris isn't that worried about the murder charge because she knows she wasn't even in the area when his death occurs. What she is worried about is her mother who has gotten parole and is threatening to reveal Paris' past unless Paris pays her off. Are some people just meant for tragedy?

Jennifer Hillier is a Canadian author whose crime novels have won many awards. In this, her eighth novel, she creates a character in Paris that the reader can't help but love and cheer for even as it seems life is determined to drag her down no matter what she does. Paris is an example of how some people can overcome terrible life events while others drown in them. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

I went in blind because I've really enjoyed two of Hillier's novels and was excited to get my hands on this one!

Started off pretty good, but got bogged down in short order. The flashbacks and backstory were a bit long winded and I wasn't invested in the characters. The only character I liked was Drew and he wasn't a major player. I also didn't connect with the celebrity scene. The two timelines felt somewhat disconnected. I wanted to be engaged, but it wasn't happening!

Ultimately, this one turned out to be a predictable read for me, though there are some twists. All these things combined, made for a bit of a slog with some gaping plot holes.

Many others have had a better reading experience, so check out higher reviews.

She is a talented author that I look forward to reading again even though this wasn't one for me to rave about. Fingers crossed for next time!!

Wow! Jennifer Hillier strikes again! What a riveting book about Paris Peralta and her lover's mysterious murder. This book is told from multiple timelines and perspectives, which I enjoy a lot. In order to discover who Paris is, you need to dive into her past...did she really kill her husband?

Trigger warnings include: rape of a child and child abuse.

Geez, I don’t even know what to think. This book was wild. I think I have whiplash from me going back and forth on point my finger at the whodunnit. The some parts of the flashbacks were a little slow but necessary. Other than that, amazing! If you’ve read any Hillier’s other work, you know it’s going to be one dark wild ride, and she did not disappoint! July cannot come soon enough!

⚠️Rape, murder, sexual abuse, child abuse, suicide

Thank you netgalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review

3.75/5. Tore through it - Hillier’s writing is fantastic. But I was left wanting a bit more from the Jimmy reveal; it didn’t feel very unique or exciting. I also found myself craving more suspense/tension at times. But, all in all, a very good thriller that I couldn’t get myself to put down!

I became a Jennifer Hillier fan when I read Little Secrets. Then I read Jar of Hearts. I was excited t0 get an an advanced copy of Things We Do in the Dark from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best book I've read in a while. It has great pacing overall, builds tension, and has fresh twists. The story centers on a young girl who was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused throughout her teen years, and the adult she has become two decades later.

Hillier is masterful in telling the story in multiple flashbacks. I was never confused. If Hillier had told this story in chronological order, it would not have been as compelling.

I have given this book **** instead of five for two reasons:
First: Hillier referenced current celebrities a few times, and this always bumps me out of the story.
Second: the ending felt rushed. There are two despicable villains. I would like to have savored each getting their punishments more.

I highly recommend this book.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jennifer Hillier always amazes me with how complex her characters are. She can write one incredible thriller. Paris is married to a beloved actor. When he winds up dead, her world comes completely apart. And in more ways than one. Fast page turner and one twist after another. Unputdownable!