"Things we do in the dark" is going to be, for sure, one of the best thrillers I read this year. It was that good, possibly the best from Jennifer Hillier so far. The plot felt fresh and innovative, we even have a gang in here. I loved it. The characters - even the secondary ones - were very interesting. This would be a perfect book to be adapt as TV series, I hope it will.

4 dark stars

You know that a book is going to be interesting when it opens with one of the main characters covered in blood and arrested for murder. In this one, we have Paris Peralta, much younger wife of comic husband Jimmy, as the character in the back of the police car. Along with the murder charge, Paris is really worried about what other secrets the police will dig up about her from her past.

Another character in his one is Joey and she has a horrifying childhood with a mother who abuses her. Trigger warning that some of these details are hard to read. Her mother, Ruby, is currently behind bars for murder.

We also meet Drew, he’s a reporter with a podcast – “Things We Do in the Dark” – and he’s decided to devote his next season to the story of Ruby Reyes when word gets out that she is going to be paroled. Drew has his own personal reasons to expose Ruby.

I really like this author but had to deduct a bit in this one for the very slow burn and low level of suspense. I would have liked to hear more about the love story of Paris and Jimmy. I guessed a few of the twists, however still very much enjoyed the read!

Thanks so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Love this story- gripping family drama mixed with a true crime podcast.
The story opens with a woman named Paris Peralta waking up from a head injury in her bathroom, her husband Jimmy dead in a tub full of blood, and police pointing guns at her- telling her to drop the weapon. She looks at her hand and realizes that she is holding a straight razor.
She tells us that her whole life is a lie and slowly peels back the layers of how she got from being a little girl who suffers from years of abuse at the hands of her mother to the beloved wife of the famous comedian who is 30 years her senior. She has a lot of secrets as this is her 3rd involvement with a murder, and she died in fire when she was 20. Did Jimmy kill himself, or was he murdered?
This story deals with some really difficult subjects, but I found the characters engaging and believable. I really want to see this book made into a movie. A couple of love stories here, and was especially touched with the reminders of how family is not necessarily blood but those who care about each other.
Highly recommend

It is no secret that I have been a fan of Jennifer Hillier since her first novel Creep -- and her horror and mysteries have only gotten better. This author knows not only how to write a well developed narrative, but her characters are complicated and believable. In addition, her casting is inclusive and not in a way that is superficial or tokenizing. I love that Hillier is making this genre more representative of its readers and hope that more authors do the same.

What a fantastic read! I figured out one of the twists early in but it didn’t affect how much I enjoyed the unraveling of secrets, the deep character developments and some surprises along the way. Thank you to Net Galley for the early copy!

I have long been fan of Jennifer Hillier and am solidly on record as considering her books an "auto-request" but Things We Do In the Dark is perhaps her knockout amazing best.

Told in six parts, we learn how the stories of Paris, Joey and Ruby intersect, nay collide spectacularly, in the Jennifer Hillier-est of ways.

She expertly weaves a taut, engrossing thriller into some moments of genuine vulnerability in that way that is uniquely hers and I was so there for it!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

A good suspense mystery that had many twists and turns, some predictable, some not, but well worth the read. I can see this book doing very well. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins for the ARC.

To make this review short, this was a great read.
But you aren't here for a short review, you want the 'deets'.
This book pulled me in right from the start. I was instantly intrigued (and confused). I wanted to know more and I really wanted to like Paris and have her be of no fault. the reader struggles too whether we pity Paris or if she's a murderer or if she's a gold digger or .... whatever it is, there is a natural tension to how we, the readers, should feel about her story.
I really enjoyed this tension and the writing that presented this interesting character to me. That is why I rated this book higher than I would have otherwise.
Without this excellent writing... the story was 'meh'. The twists were predictable and supporting character's actions predictable. The 'Ice Queen' didn't scare me as much as she should have.
Yet, I was sucked in. I enjoyed the riveting perspectives. The different points of views. The way the story was told and again, Paris. Paris, with all her multiple lives and different personalities she had taken on to survive... Well done Hillier. I could do a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ... or a solid 4 stars. I can't decide. I would recommend you to pick this book up and decide for yourself. That I know for sure.

Little Secrets” by Jennifer Hillier made my 2020 FAVORITES list…..so, when I received an early copy of this book-it went straight to the top of my overflowing TBR pile!

And, clearly from early reviews, most people are enjoying it….so, nobody is more surprised than I am, that I didn’t love it!!

⚠️ OUTLIER OPINION

Jimmy Peralta, best known for his role as “The Prince of Poughkeepsie” has been found lying in a pool of blood in his own bathroom tub.

Accused of his murder-his fifth wife-who is found beside him, holding a straight razor, covered in blood.

She is 30 years his junior, so everyone assumes, she married the aging celebrity for his money. But, Paris has been running from a troubled past and the last thing she would want is this kind of publicity.

Did she take his life?

Jimmy has struggled with addiction and depression in the past-has had multiple stints in rehab, overdosed twice, and attempted suicide once before, and now he is frustrated by memory loss-and it doesn’t help that he watched Alzheimer’s take his mother’s memories.

Could this be a decision that he made?

The podcast “Things We Do In The Dark” is about to do a feature a woman, Ruby Reyes-The Ice Queen-convicted of murdering a man in a similar fashion, twenty five years earlier.

The timing couldn’t be worse.

Ruby knows Paris-and the secrets she has been hiding, and she wants something in exchange for her silence.

This is about as suspenseful as this gets.
It is NOT an edge of your seat kind of thriller with multiple twists.

Instead almost all of the book tells us the backstories of Paris and a woman named Joey-a study of their dysfunctional childhoods- which is something that I just don’t PERSONALLY enjoy reading about.

And, it was obvious to me, how Ruby knew Paris.
Maybe, I just read too many thrillers.

Eventually the PAST catches up with the PRESENT, and the truth is revealed in the last 15% or so-but the guilty parties finally getting what’s coming to them, wasn’t enough of a payoff for me after slogging through all of the family dysfunction.

Too much backstory, for my personal tastes, but I am still on the Jennifer Hillier bandwagon, and looking forward to her next!


Available July 19, 2022

Thank You to Minotaur books for my gifted copy, in exchange for a candid review!

Another totally addictive binge read from Jennifer Hillier!!

You can't go wrong with the short chapters, multiple points of view, and twists on twists! There's also a true crime podcast, a freshly released murderer queen, strippers, gangs and comedians doing yoga.

The cast of characters includes an aging celebrity comedian who died under mysterious circumstances and so obviously his much younger yoga teacher wife did it....right?
Except, maybe Paris didn't marry for money and perhaps she's got her own complicated history with murder.

Hillier once again mixes a zillion tiny stories into one bigger plot and somehow pulls them all together in the end. You keep thinking you know what happened, but then you turn the page and are wrong again!

In a book reading rut? Try this!

Not quite as thrilling or suspenseful as JH's previous books, but man. This is a captivating story about a young woman running from her past and the lengths she takes to make sure it doesn't catch up to her.

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 it's 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.

This is a great addition to JH's bibliography. If you enjoy in-depth characters, crime stories and murder plots, and compelling storytelling, then this is a book you can look forward to!

With all the 4-5 star reviews on this book, I began to ask myself if I was reading the same book. I have loved every single book Jennifer Hillier has written so I was excited when I got approved for this one from NetGalley. It starts off with Paris’ husband being found dead in the bathtub and Paris herself has a razor in her hand so of course they think she did it. Then we change scenes to 20 years ago with all different characters thrown in, talking about strip clubs .. etc and I was just waiting for it to all tie together somehow. And it did with a great big twist at the end. That’s how this author likes to do things! Can’t wait for her next book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in for my honest review.

Over the last several years, Jennifer Hillier has quickly become one of my favorite writers of any genre. I know when I pick up one of her books it’ll have everything I look for in a great read: deeply flawed characters I care about, twists I didn’t see coming, and an emotional depth not often seen in thrillers. THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK is no different, and I’d say this is Hillier’s best work yet. This isn’t simply a thriller; it’s a book about someone trying to overcome the worst kinds of trauma, which Hillier handles with empathy and care. She even somehow makes her most horrible characters empathetic, a feat not many writers can pull off. This book is sure to hit every best of list this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

From the publisher: 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.

Once again, Jennifer Hillier has masterfully crafted an intense, spellbinding, often disturbing tale filled with rich true-to-life characters. The addition of Filipino culture into the history awakens the senses as one reads, and makes it easy to visualize the characters. The alternating POV between Paris and her one-time-friend Drew are carefully separated by book parts, and the alternating timelines between past and present are easy to follow, weaving the tapestry toward its logical conclusion. I have to say, I was able to figure out two of the big "twists" long before they were revealed, and I suspect many readers in this genre will do the same, but it doesn't spoil the suspense of wondering how Paris is going to get out her predicament. And the more important twist, what really happened to Jimmy Peralta, was a good surprise. This book will keep you turning the pages to find out how everything will work out. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Goodreads, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the opportunity to read this book in advance of release in exchange for an honest review.

I have heard such good things about Jennifer Hillier and I have been so eager to read her books. I am so excited that she did not disappoint! This book contained so many different mysteries. I really thought this was solely about a woman who killed her husband, but it was so much more than that. Honestly, I can't even list all the mysteries if I tried because there was so much going on. Although there was a lot going on, it never felt like too much. I never felt lost or confused. I will say that I correctly guessed every single reveal before it actually happened.

This book actually switches between past and present and different perspectives, and I think it does it SO well. It switches between these different perspectives without warning, so I was worried I would be confused, but that was not a problem at all. All the characters have such a unique and different voice I was able to keep track easily of who was speaking or what time people we were in.

The writing was so great and kept me engaged the entire time. I also really love how dark Jennifer Hillier took things, and how she described things. She was definitely not afraid to push the limits. I am so excited to read all of her books!

Jennifer Hillier has delivered yet another intense, twisty thriller for us in her latest book, “Things We Do in the Dark.” In this one, Hillier flexes her ability to give us intense, plot driven thrillers without taking away from character depth and development. It’s addictive from page one. Dark, compelling and complex, “Things We Do in the Dark” is sure to be a standout thriller of the year.

The book is complex in that there are multiple subplots within the overall plot. Murders of the past crash into murders in present day and Hillier is able to tie it all together without muddling the narrative. There are two main narrators and the timeline bounces between past and present day with plenty of flashbacks to give the characters backstories and depth. While there is a lot of attention to character, it doesn’t take away from the pacing. If anything, it makes the story all the more compelling—especially Paris’s. There are plenty of curveballs in this and while you will likely see a few of them coming, I doubt you’ll see them all. With everything going on and multiple pieces of the puzzle up in the air, you’ll wonder how she can possibly pull everything together—but she does. This is another solid book from Hillier, who is quickly becoming a fan favorite for thrillers. 4.5 stars.

SO GOOD!! Every time I thought I guessed what was happening it was so different than I expected. Couldn't put this book down!

An utterly compelling thriller telling the story of two women, one charged with murder and the other arrested, and their stories intertwine in the most surprising manner. Highly recommend this book.

FIVE STARS!

I absolutely loved this book, such a great twisty thriller. Paris Peralta, wife of famous comedian, Jimmy Peralta comes home to find her husband dead, after she spent the weekend out of town. Because of the surrounding cirumstances around his death, and suspicions regarding the significant age difference between them, Paris is accused and arrested of murder. While Paris fights for her life in her current reality, she must also confornt her past, which she has tried so hard to erase.

This storyline switches from past to present, and the author intertwines them so well throughout the storyline, I was hooked from start to finish! While the ending may be somewhat predictable for thriller fans, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment one single bit. I flew through this one and am going to look at some of her previous books.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Normally, I tend to stay clear of books that are in 3rd person simply because I am not a fan of it. I prefer 1st person stories. However, the plot of this book sounded interesting enough to have me giving it a chance anyway.
The book starts off with Paris Peralta who has been arrested for her husband's murder even though she claims she did not do it. Her husband, Jimmy Peralta, was 29 years older than her, a retired comedian who had just come out of retirement to do a few comedy specials for a tv network, and apparently a lot richer than she was aware he was. His best friend steps in temporarily as her attorney to get her out on bail and help her find a good criminal defense lawyer as she does not believe Paris killed her husband either. So the path to fighting the charges begins. Paris has a very complicated and dark past that she has been able to keep hidden but with the media buzzing all over this high profile case she is concerned someone from her past will figure out who and where she is. That her entire life she has worked so hard to build will be ripped away from her. Then she receives a letter mixed in with her late husbands fan mail addressed to her and suddenly her worst nightmare is coming true.
So this story is broken into 6 parts. I like that it kind of gave me a moment to pause and reflect on the part I just read before moving forward. It almost felt as if I was reading a series of books within one book. There are also several time jumps or flashbacks in order to slowly and continuously feed the reader information as to what happened and why. I feel like the different parts also helped with that by keeping me focused on the most important subject of each section. I liked that by the halfway point I had some theories about what truly happened but at no point had I felt I already had it figured out. This is a big deal for me because I seem to always figure out the ending before I get there so I really enjoy books that I am not able to do that with or that I get it wrong. I really think mystery lovers are going to enjoy this one a lot because it does keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next or what clue is going to be dropped about how it will end. Even then I bet most will not see it coming and that reveal is so so worth it.