Things we do in the Dark is overall a great read. The opening scene sets the tone of intrigue as we are already trying to figure out who Paris is and who killed her husband. I read this book in one sitting and can’t wait to get to Hellier’s back list.
The plot is propulsive, and the characters are real. I couldn’t decide if I liked our main girl, Paris, or not, but ultimately did at the end. I was very invested in her from the start. The other characters also were well developed, and I especially enjoyed getting to know Drew and Chaz. The romance also was believable and a nice side plot to the thriller genre.
The writing was fast paced but non-intrusive; in fact I don’t think I noticed it much so caught up as I was in what was happening. The different timelines and POVs were easy to follow. Things are not always as they seem and the gradual reveal of past and present kept me glued to this book. I was constantly predicting what I thought was going to happen and sometimes I was right but also wrong enough to keep me engaged.
Thanks to St Martin’s and Net Galley for this wild ride! I signed with relief when it was done. Great book!

Jennifer Hillier hits it out of the park with another throat grabbing premise. I was intrigued from the very first chapter and couldn't put this one down! This book contains all the hallmarks of a great thriller: a murder with an unknown killer, a missing girl and a closed case revisited. The short chapters and quick pace make it easy to binge this book in one sitting.

When Paris is accused of her famous husband's murder it is very obvious that she is hiding something. The question is what? Drew's life has been impacted by a loss he endured many years ago- but what really happened to Joey?

Hillier's mind takes us to the deepest, darkest places and creates incredibly memorable characters. I love how Hillier's characters live in the gray- they are both good and bad, redeeming and irredeemable. I also loved the multiple POV between Paris, Joey and Drew.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Read this book if you like dark thrillers, twists and turns and fast reads. To me this is on par with Jar of Hearts.

Things We Do in the Dark was good but not great. It was read in a couple days, but not read in one sitting (which is what I expected to do based on the blurb). It felt at times like some subplots were added simply to exist as red herrings, but they didn't add enough to be necessary. When I finished the book, I felt like wow, that was long for a thriller, and things easily could've been cut to make it more cohesive and more fast-paced. I really liked the concept of the story and Paris' character, but we could've cut the entire POV of Drew I think and been just fine, IMO.

I have read all of Jennifer Hillier’s books and she is one of my favorite authors. I dove head first into this book and didn’t even want to come back up for air. It is very well written, compelling and even if the concept has been done many times by many authors, she manages to keep it fresh and interesting and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. Definitely recommend for fans of the psychological thriller and murder mystery genres.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity.

This is my first thriller by Jennifer Hiller and I really liked it.
Paris Peralta wakes up one morning in her husband’s bathroom. She’s covered in blood. He’s dead in the bathtub, luxuriating in blood. He has a fatal cut. She’s holding the straight razor. That’s how the police find them.
However, Paris didn’t kill him…and yet she’s arrested on suspicion of murder.

Elsewhere in the world, Investigative Journalist Drew Malcolm is getting ready to produce a new season of his podcast…focusing on convicted killer Ruby Reyes. She’s about to be released from prison.

Somehow these stories come together in Things we do in the dark.

I really enjoyed how the narrative is structured - the shifts between present and past, as well as the different POVs, make sure the reader is given as much information as possible to really understand the characters and their motives. one might argue that a little too much information is given, as its very easy to figure out the halfway point “twist” very early on. but that didn't bother me because I was just so invested in the characters.

It has lot of trigger warnings. So readers beware.

Jennifer Hillier has written a lovely, deeply felt story about love, loss, family, and murder.

Another amazing read by Jennifer Hillier!! I was totally stunned by the twists and turns of this book, and I can't recommend it enough! My mom is already counting down the days until August so she can get her hands on this book, and it's definitely one to preorder. Thanks so much, NetGalley for my advanced copy.

Paris wakes up in the bathroom, covered in blood and her husband's body in the tub next to her. from there on we are taken on a fantastic story, diving deep into Paris's past. Edge of your seat terrific. I found myself really absorbed in her past and how it met her present. You won't be disappointed!

Paris Peralta awakes to find herself in the bathroom with her husband’s body, surrounded by police, and is charged with his murder. Her husband, famous comedian and wealthy 68-year-old Jimmy Peralta, was three decades older than Paris, who owns a Seattle yoga studio. With Jimmy’s history of drug abuse and mental instability, there is a chance his death was the result of suicide, but will Paris be able to dodge the charges against her?

Ruby Reyes, the infamous “ice queen,” is about to be released from prison after serving 25 years for murdering her married boyfriend/boss. She doesn’t seem to be a changed woman.

Drew Malcolm never got over the tragic death of his friend and roommate 19 years ago. Drew’s research for the fifth season of his hit podcast, Things We Do in the Dark, begins to dig up information about what happened to her.

Joey is a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after a life filled with abuse and tragedy. Sadly, her life doesn't get easier.

How these characters are connected and whether Jimmy died from murder or suicide provide enough drama and suspense to propel the reader quickly through this novel. Some topics, especially Joey’s abuse, were difficult to stomach. I wouldn’t say this was a fun read, but I was really invested in the story. There were a few good twists along the way to keep things interesting, including some surprises at the end. I haven’t read any of HIllier’s previous work, but I am definitely adding them to my TBR. 4 stars.

Another fantastic thriller by hillier.
This one definitely got me.. I was so sure I knew who was guilty and I was wrong! And I ended HP loving the ending. I feel like Hillier has a great way of wrapping everything up without me feeling like something is missing.

Paris has discovered her husband dead, but the signs are pointing to her being the one who killed him. Not only does she have to prove her innocence in this, but her face is now plastered over tabloids and she’s been hiding for many years and she can’t afford for anyone to find out the truth about her.

Meet Joey/Joelle/Paris. From a very young age she experienced the worst of life: abused by her Mom and her boyfriends,  passed around between foster homes and relatives who didn’t want her, worked in a club as a dancer and was witness in a murder trial that sent her mother to jail. So why wouldn’t she disappear and restart her life if the opportunity arose?
   Well it did and she did. She discovered her roommate dead at the hand of her drug dealing boyfriend. Hidden cash and cocaine gave her the funds to exit by letting the world assume she died in the fire Joey had to start to divert the attention from the drug addict’s revenge and the police.
   Now in her new life she meets a famous comedian, falls in love and marries him……but then she is found in her home bloodied, holding a straight razor and a dead husband in the tub. Another murder in her life?
   This was an addictive read about love, loss, greed and the drive of one lone soul to have a normal life.

As a fan of several Jennifer Hillier books, I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately it felt slow and underwhelming.

*Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Jennifer Hillier for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Jennifer Hillier is a master of her craft. Her new novel "Things We Do in the Dark" was unputdownable. It is that good.

Jimmy and Paris Peralta have been happily married for 2 years. Jimmy is 30 years older than Paris but still actively working as a comedian. Jimmy is a world famous comic still actively working in the entertainment industry. They are very happy together though some question whether or not Paris is a gold digger. When Paris comes home from a trip early and finds Jimmy dead in the bathtub, it looks like she has committed murder. But what really happened? Was it murder or suicide? Was she secretly a gold digger?

This book is so suspenseful. Nothing is what it seems and the characters and plot are so well-developed. There are dual timelines but it isn't confusing. The ending is shocking!

This thriller was amazing! I loved how interconnected the two plot lines were, without getting confusing at all! This was my second book by Jennifer and I can't wait to read what she writes next.

A wife is accused of murdering her husband but there’s so much more to the story than meets the eye. I thought this book had great buildup and was well written with just enough mystery and suspense. Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley & Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wowwww you guys!! This is a must read summer thriller & I can’t wait for you all to have your hands on it. Jennifer Hillier did it again with this book & I could not put it down.
With 6 different parts and alternating POVs we get to learn allll about Paris Peralta & her many secrets, Drew,-a true crime podcaster, and the stories of Joelle (Joey) and Ruby Reyes.

There were so many twists and turns in every chapter and part, you’re never quite sure what or who to believe. Just when you think you have everything all figured out- Hillier throws another curveball & has you second guessing everything. Basically if you think you’re getting a good old fashioned domestic thriller, think again! There’s sooo much more to this book than just a wife being accused of murdering her husband & nothing is ever as you first suspect.
The ending wrapped everything up perfectly but didn’t seem too overdone. This was such a good thriller & I can’t wait to see everyone else’s reactions to reading it!

This was overall an extremely well written suspense and mystery novel. Not so much thriller but much much more than just a murder mystery.

Let's start with the great things:
The character development was brilliant. I really got to know the characters, their personalities and could feel their emotions.
The twists. Early on, guaranteed you are going to be thinking you know the direction this book is going but guess what? It's not. I, seriously, thought 1/3 of the way in, I KNEW what was happening. And turns out, I absolutely did totally knew what was happening to that particular point. It came out as such in the book and then it just spun into a new direction.
The writing. Honestly, this book has the perfect flow to it. It is not repetitive, not overly descriptive and definitely not boring.

There is nothing I dislike about the book other than the fact it touches on child abuse and sexual assault which some people may find triggers. I don't necessarily have these triggers but just putting it out there in case others may be sensitive.

The book begins with Paris Peralta finding her husband dead in his bathroom. She is arrested and charged with murder. She is innocent but is more scared of her past being discovered as she is being investigated and having her past looked into. Her husband Jimmy is a famous comedian which brings forth a lot of attention to his death.

The book goes back and forth from present day to Paris' early days and tugs at my heartstrings learning about the sad and abusive relationship she has with her mother. Her life secrets are shared with the reader and many times I felt my heart squeeze with sadness. What I really liked is the fact information about her life and important pieces of the puzzle are given to us in small bits at a time and not thrown and rushed. I have read this happen in too many books where it is all of a sudden a fast forward ending with everything happening at once.

The clues were given in just the right amount of intervals. The book definitely held my attention right until the last word. I loved it, absolutely loved it!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for the advanced read copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Things We Do In The Dark starts out with a celebrity's wife being arrested for murdering her husband but Paris Peralta has more things to worry about than being accused of her husband's death. Paris has secrets, secrets of other deaths that she feels responsible for.
I figured out the entire plot of the story in the first ten chapters. I read the rest of the book to see how it would all unfold and to see if I was correct in my assumptions. I was disappointed to find out that I was correct.
I felt sadness for Paris for all that she went through and anger towards Ruby. I liked the character of Drew but I think that his storyline wasn't really needed as the story could have been told without the extra twist of a possible podcast. I was hoping there was more surprises in the plot. The storytelling itself was good in that it kept me interested in reading it even though I knew how it was going to end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

Things We Do in the Dark is the story of Paris, a yoga instructor married to a famous older comedian named Jimmy Peralta. Her husband is found dead in the bathtub with Paris standing near him clutching a bloody razor. Did she kill him? Did he commit suicide? Will her secret past come out now that she's the subject of so much media attention? This book jumps between 2 timelines- present day and 20 years before. The before tells the story of an infamous murderer named Ruby Reyes and her daughter Joey. I like Hillier's writing style, but this book really didn't do it for me. It was extremely easy to figure out where all the twists were going. I also thought the resolution to Jimmy's death was pretty silly. And while it was sensitively handled, potential readers should be aware that there are many descriptions of child abuse. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

“But sometimes the only way to start over is to burn it all down.”

Things We Do in the Dark, Jennifer Hillier’s latest thriller is told in multiple perspectives, over multiple different timelines. Paris Peralta is arrested after being found in the bathroom with her dead husband, holding what just might be the murder weapon. But being charged with murder isn’t what she’s most worried about, it’s the dark secrets from her past that the attention can reveal. Because 25 years ago Ruby Reyes was convicted of a similar murder, and Reyes knows who Paris really is. Ready to get get out of prison and ready to reveal all her secrets, Ruby is Paris’ true threat.

Things We Do in the Dark is the best thriller I’ve read in a while. Unable to put it down, I raced through this book in one sitting. A fast-paced ride from start to finish, the book explores family trauma, the danger in trying to start over and the desire to break free from terrifying patterns. While I know it’s not everyone’s favorite style, personally I love multiple perspectives/timelines in thrillers. Hillier does a brilliant job of weaving several timelines and three main perspectives into a smooth cohesive story that makes you question every turn, and everyone. This book was easy to read and highly entertaining.

While I was able to predict most major plot twists it didn’t matter because of how intriguing both the story and characters were. I love flawed main characters who don’t always care to fix those flaws, and Paris is a great example of a strong morally grey protagonist, who I personally wanted to root for as the story unraveled. This book had surprisingly funny moments and I honestly teared up in a few spots too. I want to emphasize there does need to be a heavy trigger warning accompanying this book - there are graphic descriptions of abuse/child abuse, both physical and verbal, as well as allusions to and minor descriptions of sexual assault.

This was my first Jennifer Hillier book, but now I will be going back to read her earlier releases, and I will definitely be highly recommending Things We Do in the Dark as 2022 thriller.

Special thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for an e-arc of Jennifer Hillier's new novel to be published this July.

This mystery is definitely a page turner. I love a mystery that really keeps you guessing and her newest book does just that. I guess it would be classified as a dark mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think any mystery lover would to.