Paris Peralta is found in her bathroom, covered in blood, holding a straight razor over the body of her much older, much richer husband, unable to explain what happened to him. The media circus is immediate. She didn't kill her beloved husband, but this isn't the first murder she's been involved in.

I was immediately pulled into this fast paced thriller. I wanted so badly for Paris's husband not to be dead. I know, there wouldn't be a book if he wasn't, but the author's descriptions of their relationship had me wanting to know more about him and their backstory. There's a little of that, but the main focus is on the woman Paris was before she married a famous comedian and the events she thought she'd finally left behind her. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down.

What is going on between the covers

Paris Peralta, married to a celebrity, has tried to keep a low profile and stay in the shadows of her famous husband. She is worried someone will recognize her and expose her dark past. Pairs has secrets she wants to be kept buried, but after she is found holding a knife over her dead husband, she has become front page news.

What made this one a thrilling read for me? The thrill is trying to figure out who Paris really is and the secrets she is trying to hide.

My Two cents

The story is told from three different perspectives and two timelines, beginning with Paris'. Then after about 20%, it switches to Drew, a former investigative journalist in Toronto who now hosts a true-crime podcast. I loved that it was set in Canada, and that always gives me a thrill when something feels familiar. The switch feels disjointed and throws off the pacing, and then another character's POV is added, and it does start to flow better. It doesn't take long for the pieces to come together with those twists and turns in the story. There are a few red herrings to throw us and keep us guessing.

Jennifer Hillier adds some diverse characters while she weaves in themes of racism, classism, and identity. There are some dark themes that are disturbing but do not overwhelm the story.

Overall: Things We Do in the Dark is a thrilling but flawed psychological thriller. The story is engaging and exciting, but with familiar tropes, compelling characters, and the emotional pull drives the story forward, but their actions are questionable and take away any believability elements to the story.

Omg what a fabulous thriller. So intense!

I loved the story despite its tough subject matter.

I can’t believe all the pain and struggles Joey/Paris went through.

While reading I definitely had a feeling I knew who the killer was or how the situation would be resolved. That being said it left me fully entertained and interested.

This book had lots of promise. It just didn’t keep me holding on. I was surprised as I have really enjoy this author’s books before.
This one just fell short for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

🌑 I was pretty hooked from the very start of this book.

🌑 I love dual timelines, particularly when they connect in a creative way.

🌑 While this is a thriller, it felt a bit more like a domestic drama to me at times. It was quite an emotional read too, and I wasn’t anticipating that. But I liked it.

🌑 There are a few good twists (one of which I anticipated) and the ending was very satisfactory.

🌑 This is my first read from this author and it won’t be my last.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress @minotaur_books for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This book is super twisty and has so many secrets. I love books about podcasts, so this was a lot of fun to read. I binged this book in a night. I couldn’t get enough of it. I am buying it for my shelf.

My favorite thriller end-to-end in a long time. Some dark subject matter but a solid story and mystery, in-depth characters, and enough twists to keep your interest high. First time reading Jennifer Hillier and she did not disappoint. I'll be looking to go through her other works soon. 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this thriller!

I especially liked how the past played a central part. It kept me engaged and feeling like it was going at a good pace. There were definitely some unhinged characters and decent twists. The different time periods came together well, too. I think the ending could've been a little more twisty or had more of a wow-factor, but overall really enjoyed!

LOVED this book. Every Jennifer Hillier book I've read has blown me away. I was able to guess some parts of the mystery, mostly because of my familiarity with the author's work, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment. Hillier books cut DEEP, and Things We Do in the Dark was no exception.

I read this title immediately following completion of the author's previous novel. After reading these thrillers, I was blown away! Seriously, I had a book hangover for days and so far this is my favorite book of the year.

Paris has been accused of killing her celebrity husband. But Paris is not who we think she is. Being caught up in this investigation is not going to make it easy to keep her real identity a secret.

This was told in two timelines and both were suspenseful and very well written. I was invested from start to finish and highly recommend.

3.5⭐️ Many thanks to my partner @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies.

The “Prince of Poughkeepsie” is found in a pool of blood with his (much younger) wife covered in blood and holding a razor. She did it, right?

I devoured Little Secrets. It was fast paced and disturbing. But for some reason, this one didn’t hit the same way for me.

Maybe it’s because this is more of a character driven suspense, and I was expecting a propulsive thriller. Maybe it’s because the story is heavy on flashbacks that slowed the overall pace. Or maybe I couldn’t get past how unlikable and cringeworthy the characters were.

While not what I expected, it’s worth noting that I was intrigued enough to finish it quickly. And though I didn’t love it, I did like it and will be looking forward to what Hillier does next.

🎧I went back and forth between my physical copy and audiobook. Carla Vega’s narration for the audiobook was exactly what I expected for Paris.

“There's a time and a place for erect nipples, but the back of a Seattle police car definitely isn't it.”

Paris Peralta is about to be charged for the murder of her husband who just so happens to be a famous comedian. Unfortunately for Paris this is about to be world wide news, and typically when you have a deep secret from your past this isn’t the ideal situation to be in.

⚠️⚠️⚠️
CHECK TW for this book.

I was excited when I was approved to get an early release of this book (even though it took me forever to get around to it lol) but sadly this one was a miss for me. While I can see why people enjoyed it, it was too predictable for me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and to be frank once you were able to put the pieces together I found myself bored.

I do appreciate NetGalley and the publishers for granting me this ARC!

Thriller

Paris Peralta is found with a straight razor in her hand, standing over the dead body of her husband. When asked if she did it, she says she doesn't remember.

What a way to begin a novel! This book grabs your attention and doesn't let go.

Paris has had a traumatic past and details of her life gets revealed in timeline shifts. This was very successful here. She previously had another name and was connected to a very famous murderess. If anyone delves too deeply into her past she could be accused of two murders.

This was the third of Jennifer Hillier's novels that I've read. They have all been fantastic and she has quickly become a go-to author when I want a great mystery/thriller.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

actual rating: 5/5 stars

jennifer hiller always creates dynamic, flawed characters that show all aspects of humanity but are people who you also root for. they are relatable but sometimes you feel like screaming at them through the page. that is definitely how i felt about our main character, paris throughout this book.

while we do have a main plot line that is beautifully crafter, there are multiple timelines being told that eventually all weave together and honestly those were my favorites. this is like if a classic domestic thriller combined with allegedly by tiffany d. jackson and the last housewife by ashley winstead which are two of my all time favorite thrillers.

the way the backstories of our characters were explored to show why they are they way they are today was honestly so fascinating and the dynamics between characters were also super interesting. this book was dark without crossing the line of being widely enjoyed. don't get me wrong i love a thriller or horror book that pushes the envelope when it comes to being dark and sinister but those aren't books i would often widely recommend because they are most likely too much for the average thriller reader. this on the other hand i think can be enjoyed by the average thriller lover and those who love to explore the darker aspects of life.

i was not surprised by the twist at the end and thought it was slightly predictable but there were a ton of other twists throughout the book that left my jaw wide open and the whole story just came together so beautifully, that the slight predictability did not take away from this book for me.

thank you to st. martin’s press, jennifer hillier, and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Paris Peralta wakes up with blood on her hands to her husband dead in the bathtub. She has no memory of what has happened. At the same time Ruby Reyes aka the Ice Queen is being released from prison after 25 years. Ruby has been sending threatening letters to Paris asking for money or else she will reveal what she has done. How do these things fit together? This is a suspenseful, page turner that is full of surprises.

I love Jennifer Hillier books and this one did not disappoint! It was twisty, intriguing, and emotionally rich. Definitely highly recommended.

Thanks to @netgalley and @minotaurbooks for my gifted copy of Things We Do in the Dark, by Jennifer Hillier. This book is out now, and is PERFECT for lovers of her past books or fans of dark and twisty thrillers!

Y’all…THIS BOOK WAS SO GREAT! I loved the whole experience of reading it, going along on Paris’s journey, and how many twists this book took. It was so great, and might be my favorite out of Hillier’s books. I’m officially her biggest fan, and can’t wait to read what she writes next.

I liked this one, but it wasn't my favorite from Jennifer Hillier. I found the pacing a little more slow than her previous books, where I was interested, but I wasn't completely hooked in the story. Her books are pretty dark, and this was no exception, so be sure to check out trigger warnings if need be. There were a lot of twists along the way that I didn't see, but I felt the murder mystery was pretty obvious. I will definitely continue to pursue this author's releases!

A really great book that was a lot heavier than expected, but the exact type of thing I expect and love Jennifer Hillier for!

Fantastic thrilling read. I read it and also listened to it on audiobook for when i was not able to have book in front me me. Love Jennifer Hillier and her characters