Twisty, intense and utterly impossible to put down, Things we do in the Dark is a psychological thriller you will not want to miss!

Holy WOW. A Million stars! This was SO GOOD!! I blinked and suddenly I had read over half of this book. I stayed up late finishing it because it was impossible to put down without knowing everything that happened! I loved the dual time periods, multiple POVs and how the book was seperated into different parts. This book was heartbreaking and I felt a deep sense of sadness while reading, but it was also so intense and thrilling. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

The writing is fantastic. I felt everything the characters were feeling: love, hate, fear, sadness. I felt everything right along side them. This would be a fantastic movie! Do yourself a favor and add this twisty, intense thriller to your TBR or pre-order it immediately!

TW: severe child abuse, child molestation/sexual abuse, rape, graphic murder, death, grief, dissociation, mentions of suicide & substance abuse

Thank you St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is due for publication 7/19/22 and I highly recommend it! This review will be posted to my blogs & Amazon closer to publication day!

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I am a big Jennifer Hillier fan, so I was excited from page 1. This wasn't my most favorite of her works, but I did enjoy the ride. I enjoyed getting to know Paris and her past, but I felt like there was so SO much more to dig into that we barely even scratched the surface on. Yes, we did learn more about Paris and her horrific upbringing, but I personally loved the flashbacks even more than I loved the current day story. Paris' husband, whom she's accused of murdering, never really felt like a real character to me because I never actually met him. Because of that, my feelings were stronger as we read the past vs. reading the present. While I had fun with the story, it sometimes felt disjointed and I was always hoping for more that I didn't end up getting.

Thank you so much to Jennifer Hillier, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the digital e-ARC in exchange for an honest and reliable review.

I really, really enjoyed this book! This is my first ever Jennifer Hillier book and now I can't wait to read Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts. I didn't realize Jennifer was a Canadian author until I read that a lot of this book was set in the GTA! So awesome, and another reason to love her. It goes without saying that I loved the setting of this book - Toronto and Seattle (I am obsessed with the Pacific Northwest).

This book follows Paris Peralta after her celebrity and comedian husband, Jimmy, is murdered in their home. Paris is charged with first degree murder, but she swears she didn't do it. Not only is Paris trying to clear her name, she's also running from her own demons and a past life back in Toronto, Ontario.

I enjoyed the Then/Now POV in this book. I also enjoyed the Ruby storyline and Paris running from her past - I hated the character of Ruby, but I think that's a sign of a good book - when the author can elicit deep feelings of love/hatred etc. towards a certain character. And there were a few different twists throughout the book. I highly recommend!

The ending was great and tied up all the loose ends!

TW: murder, death, sexual assault, poverty, abuse

4/5

4.25 stars

Paris Peralta isn’t who she pretends to be. Behind the self-assured façade lurks Joelle, a striking Filipina woman tormented and damaged by years of sexual abuse and parental neglect. If her celebrity husband knows the truth about her past, he won’t be spilling the beans, as someone has taken a straight razor to his femoral artery.

Suspected of the crime, Paris must prove her innocence with the assistance of her husband’s longtime attorney and friend. Meanwhile, her blackmailing mother, Ruby, is threatening to divulge Paris’s true identity, promising to reconnect once she’s sprung from jail, following a twenty-five year stint for her lover’s murder. Which means the bullet-ridden corpse—discovered within a torched apartment years before—isn’t Joelle’s and the police will have plenty of questions.

Pleasantly paced with strong characters and a few exhilarating twists, I enjoyed "Things We Do in the Dark"." There were times I felt the rumination over Joelle’s tragic childhood was a bit over the top, but I suppose the references somewhat explained her unusual life choices. I hope to read other books by this author. Much appreciation to Jennifer Hillier, NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

An intriguing suspense novel that didn’t thrill me quite as much as Hillier’s other books. However, still a great mystery!

This is a very, very good story by a very, very good writer! One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. I will definitely read more from this author. Recommended!

The story started out strong, with Charles lying dead in a bathtub in a pool of blood, and his wife, Paris, holding the murder weapon and covered in blood. Unfortunately, it all goes downhill from there.

I won’t waste time going into the plot, but instead on what did not work for me:.

• It was boring, repetitive, and tedious.
• There were no thrills, and no suspense.
• After the murder and Paris’s arrest, the majority of the book is spent on backstory.
• The backstory is icky and distasteful with much of the narrative focusing on childhood abuse and the life of an exotic dancer/stripper with graphic descriptions of “going beyond the call of duty”
• I knew the “twist” from the very beginning. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers and I’m always wrong so that tells you how obvious this one is.
• The implausibility of nearly everything.
• I disliked every single character and could not have cared less what happened to any of them. I love character-driven stories and I don’t mind unlikable characters if they are funny or relatable in some way. Or if the journey to the end is well-done and compelling.
• The characters were so over the top, they bordered on caricatures.
• The ending left me rolling my eyes.
• The story would have benefitted from the perspective of a police investigation to break up the endless backstory.

Here’s yet another winning novel for 2022, I think it may be my favorite Jennifer Hillier book so far! Things We Do In the Dark is yes, a dark story but has so many interesting elements to it that it earns a spot on my Best of 2022 list.

We have Paris, accused of murdering her much older, wealthy husband. It sure looks like she’s guilty. But Paris can’t afford to be charged with murder because what will happen once her past is exposed… what exactly is she hiding and why?

When Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom—covered in blood, holding a straight razor, her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub behind her—she knows she’ll be charged with murder. But as bad as this looks, it’s not what worries her the most. With the unwanted media attention now surrounding her, it’s only a matter of time before someone from her long hidden past recognizes her and destroys the new life she’s worked so hard to build, along with any chance of a 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. Left with no other choice, Paris must finally confront the dark past she escaped, once and for all.

Because the only thing worse than a murder charge are two murder charges.

I loved how Jennifer constructed the story and the twists and turns kept me fully engaged in what was happening with Paris. A definite must-read for those who love suspense, thrillers, and mysteries!

Coming out on July 19

This book was very unexpected. It was not your typical thriller. I liked that we got to hear from two different perspectives. We heard from Drew and from Paris. I always like to hear a story from multiple perspectives because it makes me understand and connect to the story more. I also feel like it makes the novel go by faster.

The author covered some very difficult topics such as child molestation and child abuse. She gave us a look into the foster care system and the prison system. My heart went out to Joey as her story was uncovered. The author did a good job of introducing us to a very sad part of society. She opened my eyes to things and educated me on a very sad but true part of the world.

I do have to say that I did guess the twist pretty early on. I think that is what made me dock the book down a star. It was too predictable.

Overall, I'm really thankful that I got the advanced reader copy and I encourage everyone to preorder the book as soon as possible!

**Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I enjoyed Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, so I was excited to read her newest book. This is a solid thriller where the main character is not who you think she is. I only saw one of the twists coming, and I stayed up late two nights in a row reading as much as I could. My only critique is that I think the pacing was a little off. The story bounces back and forth between the main character's present and past, and the second section--which focuses on the past--lasted so long that I almost forgot about the characters we met in the first part! But it ultimately all comes together. This book will keep you entertained and it's perfect for anyone looking for a book to devour in a weekend!

CW: child abuse, sexual abuse, suicide

I overall enjoyed this one! There were some points where it felt it jumped around a little too much for my taste, but then it came back around and was tied up!

I’m a big thriller fan, so this kept my attention.

2.5 stars

Thank you to Jennifer Hillier, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story.
I was so looking forward to reading Jennifer Hillier’s new book, Things You Do In The Dark. Unfortunately, it was not up to the caliber of her previous book, Little Secrets. Our group of three readers were so anxious to read this book as we had enjoyed her last outing, and of course there was raving reviews. So, count us hugely disappointed when this story turned out to be nothing but a tawdry book, that had a number of flaws and irritating writing. There were a number of things that bothered me about the story which included graphic child abuse and gratuitous sex. Another bothersome item was the author chose Filipino people as the villains in her story. Granted the author is Filipino, and perhaps that the underlying issue, but it was over the top. It made for an uncomfortable read that was at times, cringe worthy. The main character had an abusive relationship headed by her mother who was a heinous individual. With a parade of men, of course this opened up her daughter, Paris (Ruby , Joelle) to sexual abuse on a grand scale. There is murder too, and one of the scenes involving the way in which the man, Charles was killed was awful. The story itself has quite a few plot holes and as we follow the main protagonist, Paris , we become acutely aware of the abuse she went through. Her adult sexual escape working as a stripper made this reader cringe and seemed like a nod to a shock value. This was a thriller that lacked thrills and the best I can summon to describe this story is distressing. Jan, Dorie, and I were hugely disappointed and quickly realized that this story was just not for us. It made us cringe at many points. Readers should be forewarned that there is child abuse and sexual issues that make up a large portion of this book.

Jennifer Hillier has pulled off another outstanding psychological thriller. This has layers upon layers of suspense with lots of action and multiple twists. Dual time periods create an abundance of tension and make this a page-turner. The story is both heart wrenching and pulse pounding. It was pulled off brilliantly and will leave readers wanting more.

Fast paced, dark, and thrilling.
I was able to connect the twisty dots fairly early, but this was still a page-turner.
However, the back and forth with the present and the past was told in an almost jarring way. Although the information with the time-jumps adds up in the end, it does throw off the pacing a bit at times. But that's really the only critique. Otherwise, I thought this was well-written. The characters were riveting, the story was very dark, and surprising emotional for a thriller. Adding that to the already good things I've heard about Hillier's other books, they have definitely jumped up on my TBR.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I expected this book to be a real page turner and it did not disappoint! The story begins with Paris in her bathroom with a straight razor, covered in blood and her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub. She knows how it looks, especially since her husband is 30 years her senior. Being indicted for his murder is not her only worry. She knows her shady past could comes back to haunt her.
The story has many elements. A similar murder committed decades earlier, contains many similarities. Ruby Reyes is being released after her conviction of that murder. She knows Paris, what is the connection? The story takes us to the world of pole dancing and a popular podcast. Threatening to expose Paris’s well hidden past. Another winner by Jennifer Hillier. Thanks for the opportunity to review this book in advance of publication. #NetGalley #ThingsWeDoInTheDark @JenniferHillier #MinotaurBooks

Heavy trigger warning for this book: SA.

Look, I know this book isn’t about Bob Saget, but that’s who I pictured reading about Jimmy Peralta, and that made it even more awesome and more tragic. I don’t think it would have had the same impact if I read it before Bob Saget’s death.

That being said - this was the typical Hillier thriller… it was straight up AMAZING. I have literally never read anything dull from her. I was completely invested in the characters and their outcomes. It was written beautifully, it flowed so well, and it kept me wanting to know more. This is easily one of the best thrillers I’ve read so far this year. I HIGHLY recommend this book when it is published in July, you won’t regret it.

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

The story is about two girls that are actually one - Joey, a little girl who grew up with a difficult mother and a long line of awful stepfathers - and Paris, the wife of a successful, rich, older comedian who is found dead in the bathtub. The story of how Joey grows up to become Paris is a long, heartfelt and sad one. The books asks us to consider whether little Joey grew up into the type of woman who would murder her husband (it may be in her family history), or whether she is being set up.

Trigger warnings abound for sexual abuse and a lot of other sad and awful things, but the story of Joey’s childhood is told sensitively and with the lovely writing Jennifer Hillier is known for. I really got invested in the character of Joey/Paris and her unconventional but real marriage to an older comedian. Joey’s mother Ruby, also known in the media as the Ice Queen, is a trip. I loved the way this plot unfolded. The book was always interesting because Joey was always interesting, and even though I figured out all the twists including the ending, I loved the way they were revealed.

This latest work solidifies my status as a fan of Jennifer Hillier, and I will read her next book sight unseen. This book is a good companion to the other recent great read, Real Easy - both books are about women who are strippers, but both books also go way beyond stereotypes to paint a layered and interesting picture of the complex and intelligent women they describe.

Four plus stars, and I can’t wait for Hillier’s next book. Many thanks to Minotaur Books, NetGalley and the author for this satisfying and layered read.

Hillier is really great at crafting a story that draws you in. With well thought out characters, and a twist that’s sure to please. This one did drag at times for me, comparing to her previous novels. Overall the book is a work of art and has a great concept! It’s a steady guessing game, with many turns. It’s sure to make Hillier fans happy!

So I enjoyed this story of a much younger wife accused of murdering her wealthy husband. There were several POVs, as well as different time lines…past & present, childhood to adulthood. It was fast paced & I enjoyed the story….but there wasn’t much of a payoff at the end. There were 2 twists, 1 of which I guessed early on. But the journey kot me turning the pages. Jennifer Hillier continues to be one of my favorites & I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

This was great! I love how the plot & characters developed. My only two plot hole issues were wouldn’t Paris at least have brought her cellphone to Vancouver with her and don’t Teslas track your location in the computer? Or with the nav system at least. Aside from that I loved the book and couldn’t put it down!