I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw that Lisa Jewel had written a Marvel novel. I can say it was my enjoyment of the Netflix series about Jessica Jones that pushed me to request this digital ARC and I’m really happy that I did!
Jessica is a private investigator and is approached by a woman who thinks that something happened to her twins when they spent the summer with their father in the UK. They came back “perfect” and they were just ordinary teen when they left. Jessica takes the case and then much of the novel is about perfection and the obsession of today’s youth with being perfect, both in real life and their online presence. It’s a pretty interesting concept for a superhero story and as long as you are willing to just accept some of what is stated as fact then you’ll enjoy the story. And Luke Cage makes a few appearances in the story!
Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for the digital ARC.

Lisa Jewell never misses, and Breaking the Dark is no exception! This gripping thriller had me hooked from page one. With her signature atmospheric tension, Jewell crafts an intricate mystery filled with secrets, deception, and jaw-dropping twists. Just when you think you have it figured out—boom! Another revelation hits.

What makes this one extra intriguing? The unexpected Marvel connection! Without giving too much away, Jewell brilliantly weaves in elements that will have fans of the franchise raising their eyebrows. It’s a subtle yet fascinating layer that adds even more depth to the mystery.

The characters are raw, flawed, and compelling. Their hidden pasts slowly unravel, pulling you deeper into the story’s dark web. The pacing is spot-on, the suspense is masterfully built, and the ending? Let’s just say… Lisa Jewell knows how to leave you reeling! My only tiny gripe? I wanted just a bit more closure on certain aspects, but overall, this one delivers.

Final verdict: A must-read for thriller lovers! If you enjoy twisty mysteries with complex characters and a touch of the unexpected, this one’s for you.

I could not even get through this because the writing style. I was so confused and on top of that the editing is messed up on the ebook version. DNF

Now if there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love Jessica Jones, specifically the Netflix tv series version of her character. I was so exited to pick this up and give Jessica Jones a try in novel form. I think it was a lot of fun! I loved the plot and it really seemed like the kind of mystery she would be trying to solve. I enjoyed how the dual timelines unfolded and the way they were ultimately connected. The only thing I really struggled with was characterizing Jessica jones in novel format when she is so fleshed out in other places is hard, I feel like it kind of struggled to really capture her essence, especially in the beginning. Overall, I had a really good time with it and am enjoying that these stories are being expanded to a new market!

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

I have read quite a few Lisa Jewell novels in my lifetime, and was really excited to receive an ARC for "Breaking the Dark". I clearly didn't register the rest of the title, "... A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel", so I was unprepared for the superhero abilities of the main character, Jessica Jones. I do not read comics, nor have I watched any of the Marvel movies, so I had no idea what her powers were, or who the other characters were that were mentioned from the Marvel franchise. The storyline was very YA in content, but I think teens and fans of the world of Marvel will probably enjoy it. Will I read more novels from Lisa Jewell? YES! Will I read another novel in the Marvel Crime Series? Nope.

This was a surprising read. I do not know much about Marvel or super heroes in general but this was interesting and kept me invested. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Lisa Jewell's take.

Ok now about the book is about Jessica Jones, a former superhero who now works as a PI in present-day Hell’s Kitchen, New York. After a life-changing event (revealed at the end), she leaves her hero days behind. When Amber Randall hires her for a case, Jessica heads to England to get the job done.

Over 30 years earlier, a couple meets in New York and later vanishes, retreating to England under mysterious circumstances. As the past and present collide in unexpected and unsettling ways, the story unfolds with twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. Definitely keep an open mind and pick this book up, especially if you love Marvel, even if you don't love Marvel, Lisa does a great job putting together an intriguing story.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on March 7th, 2025. Links provided.

Jessica Jones, a former superhero turned private investigator, now lives a quiet, solitary life in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, attempting to avoid the painful memories of her past. When a distressed mother named Amber seeks her help, Jessica’s initial instinct is to ignore the case, but something about Amber’s story piques her curiosity. Amber believes her teenage twins, who recently returned from a trip to their father’s home in the UK, have been replaced by strangers who appear flawless and behave unnaturally. Intrigued, Jessica travels to the remote English village of Barton Wallop, where she meets a mysterious girl named Belle and uncovers strange occurrences that seem linked to the twins’ odd transformation. As she digs deeper into the village’s secrets, Jessica is reminded that perfection can often hide a darker truth.

Full disclosure: I was mostly interested in this book as a Lisa Jewell fan. While I’ve enjoyed the Marvel movies I’ve seen, I really don’t know much about the Marvel universe outside basic mainstream media and therefore had no idea who Jessica Jones was before reading this book. Overall, it was only ok for me. While I liked the suspense and mystery, I didn’t really care much for Jessica as a main character and I wasn’t really pulled in by the supernatural aspect of the story. Maybe if I was more knowledgeable about Jessica Jones’ story and character history I might have enjoyed this book more but unfortunately I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. If it weren’t for the fact that Lisa Jewell wrote it, I probably would not have read it. Also, if you really want to know everything that happens in this book without reading the whole thing, just read the last chapter because it basically summarizes the whole story.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Breaking the Dark in return for my honest review.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I ended up DNFing it. The writing was fine it just wasn't for me.

I went into this book not knowing it was part of the Marvel Universe. I like Marvel, but I don't feel like I know enough about it to really understand. The first 30% of the book I spent Googling information about the characters/events and I almost put the book down for good. HOWEVER, the rest of the book hooked me. Once we start getting more into the mystery/plot and away from the Marvel side of things, I really, really enjoyed it.

Definitely recommend if you like Marvel and mysteries. Lisa Jewell is fantastic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a huge Marvel fan and didn't realize that I was reading about a former superhero. *Face Palm* For real. There was no twist to this story, and I didn't feel the thriller aspect at all. The first few chapters were quick and easy, and I really liked that but afterwards I was shaking my head in disbelief at some of the things being said. I love Lisa Jewell, but I am not sure that this is the right avenue for her. I still don't know anything about Jessica Jones - wasn't that who the story was supposed to be about. The ending was a one star for me. Overall, a solid read just felt it was missing something.

This was such a fun read! Lisa Jewell does a great job capturing Jessica Jones’ tough, no-nonsense attitude while throwing her into a twisty, suspenseful case. The mystery kept me hooked, and the mix of Marvel vibes with Jewell’s crime-thriller style worked really well.

It did slow down a bit in the middle, and I wished some of the side characters got more time to shine, but overall, it was a really entertaining read. If you love Jessica Jones or just enjoy a good detective story with a gritty edge, definitely worth checking out!

Sinister, twisty, dark and entertaining!

Jessica (MC) lives in Hell‘s Kitchen in New York City (present time) - and is a super hero, well, used to be. Because of something that happened to her (which is revealed at the end of the book), she is now working as a PI and has retired from being a hero. Jessica is hired to do a job for Amber Randall and has to travel to England to complete the job.

30+ years earlier - a couple meet in New York and eventually head back to England after the need for them to disappear. As the story unravels and converges in a twisting, disturbing way, you will be taken on a ride that keeps you guessing to the end.

Multiple POVs
Multiple timelines
4-⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Lisa Jewell books. I’m not a Marvel fan, but decided this one sounded interesting. It was a great read that kept me interested. I would recommend it! Thanks for the ARC!

I love Jessica Jones and was thrilled to read a novel with her as the main character. I was engrossed in the story and like the time line switching back and forth between characters. I hope there will be more to read!

Lisa Jewell’s Breaking the Dark is a gripping, atmospheric mystery that pulls you in from page one. Following Jessica Jones as she investigates a mother’s chilling claims about her transformed teenage twins, the story blends supernatural elements with a slow-burning psychological thriller. Jewell does a fantastic job capturing Jessica’s sharp wit and inner struggles, making her journey feel raw and real. If you love eerie small-town secrets and a heroine who refuses to back down, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

This book just did not do it for me. This was not a typical Lisa Jewell novel and just not my vibe at all

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to review this book. All opinions are my own. I admit that I am not a big Marvel fan. I enjoyed the movies but never read any of the books. My family is a big Marvel family. So, I was curious about who Jessica Jones was. This was a perfect book that easily played out as a movie in my head chapter by chapter. It will be an ideal weekend read over spring break. Or add it if you’re looking for a different beach read. I was left longing for what happened to Jessica and her child. Thank you for taking the opportunity for this project, Lisa.

Caveat: I requested an Advance copy (ARC) because I’d enjoyed previous books by this author. I hadn’t noticed the subtitle and didn’t realize it was a Marvel universe novel! I know nothing about superheroes and their universes, so I went into this book lacking what might have been important backstory and context. Even so, I did enjoy it.

The premise and the plot both interested me. I always love a capable woman main character, even one who, like Jessica, has emotionally wounds. Generally I prefer deeper character development than this story provided—that seemed to take a backseat to plot in Breaking the Dark, such that I ended the story without feeling like I knew Jessica much better than I did at the outset—but the book still held my attention.
The story is pretty dark. I was glad that Jewell mostly hints at most of the violence and disturbing aspects, rather than describing them on-page. I also appreciated the nods to the related problems of beauty culture and social media obsession.
My rating: 3.9 stars, rounded to 4.

You might like this book if you:
• Are a fan of the Marvel universe and/or women superheroes in general
• Like mysteries that are dark but not too gory
• Like an intergenerational cast
• Like to see a character take their job seriously and try to do what’s right, even if it’s not easy
• Like to see a main character wrestling with her demons and making progress against them

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book. All opinions here are my own.

I am not into Marvel crime, but I love Lisa Jewell. I enjoyed the story though. A definite recommend.

thanks publisher and netgalley. all thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion for this E-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

So, Breaking the Dark has me feeling a bit mixed. There were definitely parts I enjoyed, but there were also moments where I felt completely lost—and a few where I was just confused.

I’ll be honest, fantasy isn’t usually my go-to genre, so that might explain some of my struggle here. The plot had so many twists that it got hard to keep track of what was happening. Scene changes were abrupt, and I often found myself wondering who or what I was supposed to be focusing on.

The book starts with Jessica Jones, a woman carrying the weight of her past as a superhero. She’s in a bit of a slump, relying on partying and drinking to cope. But when Amber Randall comes to her with a bizarre story about her twins, who’ve come back from a trip to England acting strangely, Jessica can’t help but get involved. She heads to England to figure out what’s going on.

Once she arrives in the small, mysterious town of Barton Wallop, the atmosphere is seriously unsettling. Jessica meets the twins' stepfather and a woman named Belle, who seems to be hiding something. Belle’s answers are vague and guarded, which just adds to the tension.

Something sinister is definitely at play—there are missing girls, the twins are acting even weirder than before, and there’s a strange perfection about them. The book has a really dark, atmospheric vibe, but the pacing and constant shifts in plot made it a bit tricky to follow at times. It kept me intrigued, but also left me with a lot of questions.
So if you are a fan of the Marvel Universe, I'm sure you will enjoy this book.
3.5 Stars!
#NetGalley, #Hyperion, #BreakingtheDark, #LisaJewell