Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewel was an intriguing read that certainly captivated my attention in ways I wasn’t quite expecting. While it wasn't my favorite title by this author, I did enjoy the journey it took me on. The story was imaginative, blending suspense and mystery in a unique way that kept me engaged. Jessica Jones, with her sharp wit and complicated past, really brought the world to life, especially as she navigated the strange happenings in the small British village of Barton Wallop.

The pacing was solid, and the atmosphere was thick with tension and secrets, which is something Jewel does very well. However, there were moments where I found myself wishing for a bit more depth or clarity in certain areas. Still, the exploration of dark, hidden forces beneath the surface made for a gripping, albeit sometimes unpredictable, experience. If you're a fan of Marvel, this book will definitely give you a fresh take.

3.5 rounded to a 4. This is my first Lisa Jewell so I am not sure if it written in her usual style and I am looking forward to reading one of her books. Let me know where I should start below. I have watched a lot of Marvel movies and watched most of the Jessica Jones books so I knew what I was getting too. I felt this had a little bit of a slow start and that 300 pages would have been a better fit for the author, characters and plot. The short chapters kept me going and once I got to 60% I had a hard time putting this book down but this took me way longer to finish then it should have because it was so easy to set down and walk away from. I loved quite a few of the side characters and felt they integrated well and thought the mystery was very interesting. The two timelines were handled well but did contribute to the slow pace of the beginning of the book. I will read the next one in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for this copy.

BREAKING THE DARK

3 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: mystery

I am so BUMMED RIGHT NOW! I love Lisa jewel. This book was not for me as it was so unexpected for me. I couldn’t get into it. I know nothing about Marvel and I felt like I couldn’t connect to the characters.

I will be curious to see if others will feel the same about this one because truly I love her books. 🧐

READ IF YOU ENJOY: Marvel Movies / Books

📚2025 Book 12

I had a hard time getting into this book. Normally I am a Jessica Jones fan. This time I just wasn’t invested in the book. I usually give a book longer before I give up on it. I just couldn’t this time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I wasn't sure if I would love this novel at the start, but I am so glad that I kept pushing through and gave it a chance! By the end of the book I could not put it down and absolutely blasted through the last 100 pages or so.

Lisa Jewell has been a favorite author of mine for years, this book was a unique one being that it is a spin-off of Jessica Jones as a Marvel character. I definitely wish I would have been a little more familiar with the television series before I attempted to read this book because I didn't have a great feel for who Jessica is as a character.

Regardless, once the mystery and the hunt got moving in this book, it was a fascinating plot. I loved seeing how Jessica put the puzzle pieces together and the ending was really great. I would consider reading more in the series if there are to be additional novels.

Big fan of all her work! She brings the perfect amount of suspense and twist to every story. This one is just as amazing! Nothing I won’t read that she writes.

I love marvel... but I just couldn't get myself to get hooked to this book. I got a little over halfway through and just couldn't push through properly..I was skimming.. I love Lisa Jewell as a writer, but i just couldn't get myself through this one. Maybe it was the pacing. Some things seemed drawn on... may have just been me. Keeping my attention...3 stars. Great writing 4 starts. I'm rating it 4 stars.

I had a hard time connecting to this book, unfortunately. I love Lisa Jewell but, as someone who has never been a fan of Marvel, I just didn’t enjoy this book. I DNF’d at 30%. Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley! I look forward to more books from this author in the future!

Really enjoyed this book! It was a slow start but ended up not being able to put the book down from the middle of the book to the end. I loved following the story of Jessica Jones and her private investigator job. It was full of suspense and mystery.

Absolutely excelle t. Couldn’t put it down. Great plot and pacing. Very well done. Strongly recommend this one.

Thank you for the eARC! I am an avid Lisa Jewell fan, so was interested in this Marvel crossover. I actually wound up really enjoying it, although it was of course a bit different than Jewell's usual novels. I was hooked pretty early on and the writing was very easy to follow. It wasn't too superhero-y... there was a bit here and there, but it wasn't overwhelming. I liked the back and forth between the villain storyline and the Jessica Jones' investigation. Malcom Powder's character was a nice touch! The ultimate mystery/reveal was a bit underwhelming, but overall it was a quick and easy read. Jewell's writing shines, as per usual.

I'd say try it if you're a Lisa Jewell fan!

Didn’t find this to be much of a thriller and very long for no reason.
Thank you Hyperion and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book- I’m not a marvel fan and couldn’t tell you who Jessica Jones is in the Marvel world - but what a story. Lisa Jewell will always be a must read for me! This story of a private investigator helping a Mom figure out what happened to her children- evil at its finest- what a whirlwind of intrigue! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher fir the opportunity to read this amazing book!

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.