Cover Image: Things We Do in the Dark

Things We Do in the Dark

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Member Reviews

Jennifer Hillier does it again with a twisty, multi-perspective thriller! I thoroughly enjoyed this read because it kept me guessing throughout. I especially appreciated the multiple storylines interwoven together bringing this thriller to life.

Paris wakes covered in her husband’s blood. Stunned when she arrived home and found his bloodied body, she had passed out only to be awoken to police arresting her for his murder.

Searching for answers, Drew is looking into the past for his upcoming podcast about the mysterious death of his friend, Joey. His search leads him down a path of answers he never expected and places he never thought he would go, like the prison to meet with Joey’s mother who is serving time for the murder of her lover.

The web of lies and murder link these stories together, and the truths that have been hidden for years.

It is hard to give too much background because of the many different perspectives and how the stories weave together. This is a great thriller and will keep fans of the genre interested!

I also had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of this book. I thought the narration was wonderfully done and created a great listening experience.

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I have LOVED some of Jennifer Hillier's previous books, so was thrilled to get this!
It starts off strongly, and I was listening and reading at every opportunity!
The pacing slowed in the middle for me- unexpectedly for this author.
The ending was good but I didn't feel consumed by it.

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Things We Do in the Dark was hard to resist. Jennifer Hillier is a go-to author. This thriller felt nonstop and gave me the creeps (in the best) way the entire time. Have been recommending to all of my thriller loving friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook.

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Things We Do in the Dark is the first book I've read by Jennifer Hillier. This fascinating thriller piqued my interest with its unique storyline and characters. I have only read a handful of thrillers, so the suspense kept me guessing where this book would end. I would recommend this book, especially with the narration of the audiobook.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for my gifted copy.

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I absolutely loved this story. I have enjoyed everything Jennifer Hillier writes and will continue to be one of her fans.
Fast paced story enjoyed the narrator.

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The audiobook itself was produced really well. I personally wasn't to thrilled about the story as a whole. The premise is great but the timeline of events were a little confusing and I was honestly bored through most of it. After seeing all my friends rave about the book I figured the ending would be amazing but it was far from it. The conclusion was too convenient and just bleh. I am typically a Hillier fan but this one was a dud for me.

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The narrator does a great job telling this story and bringing it to life. I have a physical copy of the book and enjoyed having access to the audio as well. Jennifer Hillier is the queen of page turning, fast paced, thrillers that are chilling and pulse pounding. Very interesting and entertaining. Triggers warnings clearly given at the start of the novel.

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I was really looking forward to this one because of how much I enjoyed Little Secrets, but this did not compare to that one at all. This was much too long and had too many different storylines, many of which were not even necessary. Like the podcaster character being a podcaster served NO PURPOSE. There were so many unnecessary details like this. Also, the reveals were so underwhelming that they made me roll my eyes. I am very disappointed in this book, but will have to go back and read some of the author’s other work because I have heard good things.

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This book has been beloved by all, I mean I keep seeing great reviews, but I have tried to read it, listen to this version, and I can't get into it. The narrator on this is great, but the story isn't compelling me to keep on.

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I absolutely loved Jennifer Hillier's previous book Little Secrets, so nobody was more disappointed than I was to not love Things We Do in the Dark. This book started out so strong for me. I listened to the audiobook for this one and I was HOOKED during the first section. We see Paris Peralta, celebrity wife of an older husband who was found dead in his bathroom. While Paris herself was standing over his body. This storyline was so addicting to listen to. However, there's a second story that was woven throughout which happened 25 years prior to Paris's story. In this interwoven story, we have Ruby Reyes, who is convicted of a similar crime to Paris Peralta. Though they were interwoven to tell a similar story and show the connections between the women, I found the second story of Ruby Reyes to not be as captivating as Paris's story. I quickly lost interest in the story and it began to feel long and tedious to me. I do appear to be in the minority, so if this book is in your wheelhouse of usual reads, I think it's worth a read for sure.

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(Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback)

Oh my goodness, this one was an intensely wild ride with so many twists and turns.

This story opens with a woman, Paris Peralta, who is in the bathroom with her dead husband, famed comedian Jimmy Peralta, covered in blood and holding a weapon. The suspicion of murder is just the start.

As this book interweaves Paris's story with the story of Ruby Reyes, a woman serving a 25-year sentence for the murder of her married boyfriend, the plot thickens even further.

I certainly don't want to spoil too much but suffice it to say that as this story bounces back and forth between the past and the present of multiple different characters and their own stories, you'll think you've figured out all the little twists. You are wrong. There's more that will knock you off your feet.

This book doesn't shy away from some difficult topics, including sexual assault on minors, child abuse, and how the ripple effects of these actions can still be hitting decades later.

This was simply an amazing book and read by an amazing narrator. Carla Vega does a superb job of keeping you engaged throughout the audiobook.

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This was a DNF for me.

I LOVED Jar of Hearts and I was hoping for something similar in this book. I found the pace too slow.

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Things We Do in the Dark is probably my favourite book of 2022 so far, due in large part to the narration. Hillier knows how to write a plot twist and keep her readers guessing!

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Where are my Jennifer Hillier fans at? I’ve read (and loved) the author’s last three novels, and must admit that Things We Do in the Dark is by far my favorite. Hillier’s latest isn’t as dark and horrifying as her past thrillers, but it packs more of a punch, in my opinion. It’s not your typical thriller. This one has more layers, depth, and some truly fascinating characters. Here’s what I loved most:

- True crime vibes
- Slow-burning mystery
- Oodles of suspense and grit
- Phenomenal character study
- Dual timelines
- Complex mother/daughter relationships
- Dysfunctional family drama

I also love that part of this story takes place in Canada, so I appreciated the references. Especially with the music. Some fantastic Canadian bands like The Tragically Hip and The Barenaked Ladies received mentions, and that made me smile. I honestly haven’t been this impressed with a thriller in a long time. Definitely sneak this one in for spooky season if you get the chance. Things We Do in the Dark receives 4.5/5 stars from me! Highly recommend!

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I wasn't super impressed by this new novel by Jennifer Hillier. The mystery felt a little obvious in my opinion and left me feeling like I had already figured it out.

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Hi, my name is Jenn and I love thrillers 👋 If you are looking for an author who delivers with every book she publishes, look no further: Jennifer Hillier is your girl.

This book has everything I love in a thriller. A razor-sharp plot (see what I did there?), well developed characters, unforeseen twists, short chapters and an entirely plausible story.

To add to this, I loved the nods to her earlier works buried in this book. I also really liked all the pop culture references, song lyrics and tie ins to current figures. Most of all, I loved all the nods to Jennifer Hillier’s Canadian roots. I fucking LOVE this author!

My only teeny complaint was that this one seemed to hold back a bit on the triggers and gore I love. To be fair, most people probably struggle with some topics (check for trigger warnings if you’re one of them), even though I don’t, so I can’t really fault her for trying to be more socially conscious.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022 and was worth every page! Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and author for this free book in exchange for my honest review.

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The denominator behind all the terrible things that have happened to you is you.” This belief is explored in the very dark, disturbing and compelling thriller Things We Do in the Dark. The story is told from alternating timelines that enables the reader to totally become immersed in the life of Paris Peralta. To understand someone’s actions you must first understand their history and motivations. This character driven thriller definitely takes you on a journey that will make you cry and leave you breathless while at the same time breaking your heart. The narrators expertly bring the story to life adding an extra layer of heart wrenching suspense. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.

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Paris Peralta is discovered in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor, a straight razor in her hand. Her celebrity husband, Jimmy, is dead in the bathtub behind her. Paris is promptly arrested for his murder, but she hardly remembers anything from that night. It seems she suffered a head injury. What really happened to Jimmy? Did Paris kill him or was it someone else?

Jennifer Hillier does a fantastic job developing Paris’ character. The story is told in a dual timeline. The past timeline slowly reveals details of Paris’ past. As the story goes on more details are revealed about Paris’ connection to the Ice Queen. The writing was superb and had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for more of Paris’ past secrets to be revealed. I highly recommend Jennifer Hiller to anyone that loves psychological thrillers! I give this one 4/5 stars.

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2.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio version in exchange for things we do in the dark.

Paris Peralta wakes up in her bathroom surrounded by police, covered in her famous husband's blood, holding the murder weapon. If being arrested for a murder she doesn't remember committing wasn't bad enough her face is being splashed across every major media outlet and the people she is running from just might find her.

I really was hooked by the description of the book and the opening few chapters but then the story turns and focuses on Paris backstory and her history that is not as interesting or gripping. It spends the majority of time of Paris' abusive childhood and years as a stripper. The characters were unlikable and the predictable "twist" was spotted way too early. This story had way more potential then the end product produced.
I had the audio version read by, Carla Vega which I did not enjoy at all. She is a heavy breather and pops her consonants which was incredibly annoying and distracting. If not for feeling obligated to do a fair review I would have stopped listening to this book.

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Please check out my podcast episode reviewing this title. While this book didn't hit the mark for me, there were several things that my cohost and I did like. If you want to go straight to things that we liked about the book, you can find that about 30 minutes into the episode. https://kite.link/BuddyReads44

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