Things We Do in the Dark
Jennifer Hiller

Paris Peralta has a happy life with her loving husband Jimmy, but that life comes crashing down around her when she is accused of murdering her husband. It's hard to think she didn't do it, seeing as she was found covered in his blood, with a straight razor in her hand. Since Jimmy was a well known comedian, the case draws a lot of attention, including the attention of the Ice Queen, a woman named Ruby Reyes who is serving life in prison for murder. The Ice Queen knows that Paris isn’t who she says she is, and she is willing to use that information to get what she wants. After all, murder is a useful barganing chip. 

Things We Do in the Dark is a twisted web of a story. I liked how Hiller weaved the past with the present, as well as different characters’ perspectives and experiences with each other. I was pulled into the story and wanted to see what had happened or how things would turn out for so many of the characters, especially Paris. Paris is such a strong, sympathetic character; I found myself wanting to see her persevere and succeed. This book does touch on some serious themes and situations, such as abuse, but it doesn’t overwhelm the story. Overall I found Things We Do in the Dark to be a thrilling page-turner, and I highly recommend it.

This was an amazing book! The horrors that Joey faced at the hands of the person who is supposed to love her the most made me want to cry. I don’t want to spoil anything but pick up this book! You won’t be disappointed.

I haven't read anything from author Jennifer Hillier that I didn't like and this is no exception. She does an amazingly job making you empathize with characters and describing the various settings. (Something I love, so I can build it in my head).

It may seem like a lot going on at once in this book. First, we are introduced to Paris who is accused of murdering her husband, a comedian 30 years older than her. Of course, many just assume she's a gold digger who wanted him to die so she could have his money.

Next, we meet Drew. Drew runs a successful podcast and plans to use it to keep Ruby Reyes in prison, airing her dirty laundry for the world to hear. Its a bit personal for him.

Then we go back in time to meet Joey. Her story is truly heart breaking. A victim of child abuse, both from her mother and the men she brings around, its easy to empathize with her.

In the end, it all comes together. Personally, I felt the plot twists were very predictable. Not a terrible story, just not any jaw dropping plot twists. Definitely worth reading if you want a bit of a mystery that pulls on your heart strings more than it keeps you guessing.

"Things We Do in the Dark" hooks readers from the first, titillating (pun intended) sentence. What starts as an abrupt investigation into the suspicious death of a celebrity and his young wife set up to receive millions quickly unravels. Every character has their secrets, Paris most of all, but what she hides isn't what others may think. While at points the narrative seemed to derail, Hillier expertly wove the threads back together. Though a bit confusing at times, I ended up really liking and appreciating how much of the story about Paris' life was recounted from outside perspectives until closer towards the end. I was also impressed several hinted-at twists occurred much earlier than I was anticipating, and then more reveals and twists with slower buildups were revealed throughout the last portion of the book. The story never dragged too long or felt like The One Big Reveal had happened since there was almost always more to the story. I think going in blind is the best way to fully enjoy this book, but do check trigger warnings because it is adult fiction and there are heavy topics/themes, but nothing too graphic.

I think Jennifer Hillier is amazing. I really enjoyed this book! Hillier has a way of really crafting a story to where you are absolutely going in one direction until a slight shift happens and you realize you had it all wrong. From what I've heard about her, it's because she honestly doesn't know where the story is going until she gets there. That method has the propensity to go terribly wrong, but somehow she gets it so right every time. I liked how the story was told and how the characters were connected. I could tell there was something deeper going on from the start and had predicted a lot of it, but I was still pleasantly surprised by how everything came together. I absolutely cannot wait for her to write more books.

ennifer Hillier is brilliant at showing the complexity of a human being. Not all good, not all bad is usually how a person’s character untangles. Of course, there are those people who are so good and nice and thoughtful, you cringe at your own comparison. And, there are people who are truly evil, some who are psychopaths or sociopaths and some who seem to defy diagnosis. Hillier’s focus on her main character is more on circumstance and related behavior, showing readers that given the right (or wrong) circumstances, everyone has a capacity to do, well, things they don’t want to see the light of day, maybe even those salt of the earth people. My favorite book by this author is still Jar of Hearts, because it was the first book that truly made me see someone who did something very bad in a new light. Things We Do in the Dark continues Jennifer Hillier’s keen insight into the psyche of people and their motivations. Sometimes in desperation a good girl must do something bad to get to a better place, and sometimes her secrets surface.

In a recent article in CrimeReads, author Jincy Willett explores that in her early mystery reading she read the Agatha Christies and older books that concentrated on the who-dun-it, and then after reading a Ruth Rendell, Jincy was never again satisfied with the focus on who. It was the “why” that was fascinating. Jennifer Hillier takes the why one step further and explores the universality of the why in any given person. You don’t have to be a villain to murder, and the reader looks inward to ask the question of applying that personally. Even an unreliable narrator can show us the mistake of judging a murderer too quickly.

Paris Peralta comes home to Seattle early from a yoga conference, and the next thing she knows she’s waking up in her bathroom beside a blood-filled tub with her dead husband in it. In her hand is a straight razor with blood on it. Her husband, Jimmy Peralta, was thirty years her senior and had just made a huge come-back as a comedian via a streaming special. His assistant Zoe is screaming that Paris has killed Jimmy and the police are taking Paris into custody. Paris is scared that people will believe she killed Jimmy, whom she really loved, but she’s more scared that a past she’s worked hard to conceal will be revealed. She had signed a pre-nup with Jimmy, so will people really think she killed him for his money? Well, when the new will is found and Paris stands to inherit 47 million, her motive just went up by about 45 million. As if a murder charge and worrying about her past isn’t enough, Paris has a blackmailer intent on getting rich or telling the world what Paris did in her previous life.

In Canada, Ruby Reyes, aka the “Ice Queen,” is about to be released from prison after serving twenty-five years for murdering her married lover. Drew Malcolm, an investigative journalist turned pod-caster was, for a short time, a roommate and close friend to Ruby’s daughter, Joey Reyes, who was abused and tormented as a child by her mother until Ruby was sent away for murder. Drew finds it appalling that Ruby will live free again, as he doesn’t believe that she will ever be anything but a self-centered monster who preys off people. So, Drew is committing his whole new podcast season to exposing the evils of Ruby Reyes. This means he will have to go back to a painful personal past where Ruby’s daughter died a horrific death.

These two storylines will come together in a twisty mesh of past and present. It is a fascinating reveal, but one that the reader will probably see coming. That’s okay, though, because the intensity and thrill of seeing how it all connects is full of little surprises. Things We Do in the Dark is indeed a dark tale and contains triggers of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Hillier was respectful of these triggers while writing the book and there are no graphic scenes, no gratuitous horrors. However, these abuses are central to the characters whose lives are formed around them.

The dual story is told through the eyes of Paris and Drew and Joey, with flashbacks guiding the narrative. I enjoyed Paris’ descriptions of her and Jimmy’s relationship. It was a bright, sweet spot among so many sad, painful ones for Paris and other characters. Joey’s narrative was heartbreaking, but I loved the strength and pragmatism she brought to her story. She didn’t give up, but she didn’t sugar coat it. I came to appreciate Drew in the end, but there were times his judgmental thoughts and actions irritated me, especially his condescension toward Joey for her short-term career choice. It takes Drew a while to realize choices aren’t always black or white, right or wrong. Ruby is irredeemable, and readers know that from the get-go, but she is a perfect villain to despise.

There are quite a few characters in this book, and Jennifer Hillier does an exceptional job of fleshing out both the major and minor players. No one felt flat or unnecessary. I think that’s quite an accomplishment with two story lines and two sets of characters. Even Jimmy, who died right off the bat, was given life through the flashbacks, and I have to admit, I really liked him with Paris. All the characters, both past and present, were well defined, so no confusing characters to undermine the story’s flow.

Things We Do in the Dark is another thrilling Jennifer Hillier brand read, giving readers the expected story of a character with a shadow hanging over him/her. But, Hillier’s stories are never a repeat; each one is original. I thought this book was especially dark, but most crime/mystery readers are no stranger to those tales. The triggers I mentioned earlier might need to be considered by some before reading, but, as I noted, Hillier doesn’t get graphic with the abuse. I felt the ending was a bit rushed but not in a terribly frustrating way. I think those readers who are already fans of Jennifer Hillier’s exceptional writing will be well pleased, and those readers who are new to this author will want to read more of her books after this one.

Thanks too NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, I was bored for a lot of it. I felt like I already kind of knew what was going on from the beginning, and for the most part, I was right. I was not engaged by the characters or particularly thrilled.

Oh how I enjoyed this book! What well developed characters, and crazy good writing! Told from present and past, it held my attention throughout and had me purchasing the audible version, so when I could sit and read I could listen to it while driving or doing other things. It’s had a lot a twists throughout the book, and that ending! I did not see that coming. I don’t give a 5 star reviews unless I really love a book and this was definitely one I loved.
I have loved Every Jennifer Hillier book I’ve read and the author didn’t disappoint me.
A special thank you to Minotaur Books via NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved it! I loved so much about this book. This is definitely one of my new favourite thrillers!

It was told in multiple povs & was easy to follow along with. The story was broken down into 6 parts & every time one part ended I was like HOLY CRAP! I had to kept reading.

This book had it all - multiple murders, fame, drugs, family drama, disappearances, sketchy business & so many great twists!

A very interesting mystery that explores criminality, gender, and also touches on the Canadian dream in ways I appreciated as a dual citizen.

I have enjoyed every book I've read by Jennifer Hillier and "Things We Do In the Dark' is no exception! There's nothing I can say to do this story the justice it deserves but here goes...
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Paris Peralta is arrested in her home where she was found standing over her husband's dead body in a daze and holding the murder weapon. Jimmy was a celebrity comedian and his murder is sure to be highly publicized in the media. Paris has gone to great lengths to keep her past hidden and with the media attention she's getting, she worries that the life she's worked so hard to build will be exposed and possibly put her in danger. There are twists throughout the book that are truly surprising and the ending was perfect!

This book has it all and I particularly love how much thought Jennifer Hillier put into this book with all the references from the past and of present times. I loved it and I would love to have Jimmy's playlist!
I can definitely see this being made into a movie!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jennifer Hillier for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

ALL THE STARS!

I have loved other books from Jennifer Hillier so this one was high on my list! So glad I finally read it because I really liked it. It was a great mystery/thriller that was really well done. It dealt with some heavy topics such as abuse, assault, suicide and murder. It had lies, deceit and characters with such tragic backgrounds that you didn't really know what to believe at times. I did enjoy the take no crap, strong female lead.

I really don't want to give anything away for this one. I will say that I did have a theory about the twist, which turned out to be mostly right. While the twist didn't blow me away, I though it was clever and still gave me what I wanted. Jennifer Hillier never disappoints and you should definitely add this one to your list!

If you get through the first 150 or so pages, the second 100 pages punches you in the gut for guessing wrong the whole time. Love that about Hillier’s writing, always surprising! I do read a lot of thrillers, yet I enjoyed this one.

Thank you Minotaur via Netgalley for the e-arc.

After loving Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts last year I was super excited for this one! Unfortunately this one let me down a little. It was good, just not great. I thought reveals were very predictable but really enjoyed the split timeline format. I think maybe thrillers just aren’t my favorites anymore but that’s okay! Overall it was solid, the writing was still great I just wish I was more surprised and it was less dark than I was expecting!

A Canadian Thriller that packs a punch in the second half. Hilliers work is always unputdownable for me. If you like dual timelines & heavy backstories check this out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Things We Do In The Dark - Jennifer Hillier

i absolutely love jennifer hillier so i went into this with pretty high hopes & let me tell you - this book did not disappoint! Jennifer does NOT miss when it comes to dark, creepy and suspenseful! ALSO, i’m obsessed with this glow in the dark cover 😍

👍🏼: i loved that this was a slow burn suspense. there were so many layers to the plot & that kept you on your toes. i also love that (even though) some of the twists are quite predictable you keep reading bc you have to know what happens and why. lastly, I loved the then and now aspects with the now including a podcast storyline. the two intertwined so nicely, and really helped you understand the characters more. the podcast portion made it feel fresh and new

👎🏼: the majority of the twists were pretty predictable, so if you’re wanting a major 🤯 this book won’t do it. the second major thing i didn’t like would technically be a spoiler and i don’t want to ruin it for anyone.. DM me if you’re interested in hearing!!

RECOMMEND?: yes!! being totally transparent, this isn’t my favorite by her but i’d still definitely recommend. i really enjoyed it

SYNOPSIS: per usual, go in blind!

Paris Peralta, wife of beloved comedian Jimmy Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom, covered in blood, holding a straight razor. Her husband? Dead in the bathtub. Things are truly not looking good for Paris. Could they get any worse? Well.. Yes. She soon begins being blackmailed by Ruby Reyes, a woman who brutally killed her husband 25 years ago. What connects Paris and Ruby? Well, Ruby seems to think Paris killed her daughter. Paris does seem to be hiding something, but what could it be?

Things We Do in the Dark is a gripping thriller that piqued my interest right from the beginning. This book is broken up into several parts. Beginning with Paris' chapters, we learn a lot about her while also being left wondering what she's hiding. I enjoyed reading from the different perspectives in this book, and found that they kept my interest. I enjoyed that parts of this book take place in Canada, and even in my hometown. This book is full of twists and turns, some of which I guessed well before they happened, but many of which were quite surprising! It was also well-written and creative.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend. I rate it 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of the ARC!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Old rich guy marries a young woman. Old man dies under suspicious circumstances. The young wife is suspect #1…especially when her background is filled with secrets.

This story was engaging and had great character development and back stories. The author found a great balance in number of characters and distractions that kept me guessing without giving away the ending. Paris’s story was allowed the reader to see why she took the path in life that she did, and how she was able to escape it. I didn’t see the end coming!

4 stars

Great book! Loved the alternating POVs and timeline! Characters were fantastic and I loved how everything came together in the end!

This was only my second book by Jennifer Hillier but wow it's already my favorite of hers! The characters were dynamic, the twists were shocking, and I ate it up in two sittings. Hillier does the multiple POVs so well, she really builds the suspense which I think is why it was so hard to put down. I also thought the deceased being a famous comedian and the accused being his wife was such a great premise and executed so well. I wouldn't say this thriller is overly scary so I definitely recommend it to all thriller fans!