"To assume a whole new identity and build a whole new life takes time, commitment, and an exceptional talent for telling lies." 

I'm a little on the fence about how to rate this book.

At first, I wasn't sure I would be able to get through it because the first few chapters weren't piquing my interest. It finally started to get interesting right around 18%, when the point of view changes. However, at that point, one of the "twists" was extremely obvious. I guessed the other "twists" before I was finished with the first half of the book. From there on out, the book was good, but I was just reading to find out if I was right or not...

I was right. About every, single, thing. Making this book one of the most predictable books I have ever read.

That being said, despite knowing what was going to happen, the book was a good read and has several intriguing characters that keep things interesting nonstop. So, if you enjoy not-so-thrilling "thrillers" with a good story, read on!

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I think I am in the few that found this book to be just okay.
As with most thrillers I found it to be relatively implausible (but of course that usually doesn't bother me).
But, the characters at times felt a bit one-dimensional and the scenarios unearned.
I found the book had a few too many plot holes that made it very difficult to suspend my disbelief. Some pacing issues -- I found myself stalled partway through reading it and had a hard time picking it back up. Important to check trigger warnings before partaking.
I really enjoy Jennifer Hillier's other works and her writing (of which I thought it was great in this book) however, this book just wasn't my favourite.

Jennifer Hillier’s Things We Do in the Dark is the story about yoga teacher Paris Peralta who has been charged with her famous husband’s murder. I voluntarily read this complimentary thriller full of secrets, mystery, murder, lies, and finally the truth. This story will keep you guessing until the end. This is my first book by Jennifer Hillier; I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

This book wasn't for me. There was to much backstory. I was more interested in the present circumstances surrounding her husbands death. I felt very uncomfortable reading about the child sexual abuse. I found myself skimming through most of the book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: thriller / suspense
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Format: Audio 🎧

If you have followed my reviews for awhile you know I love a good psychological thriller on audio. This one was great while I was wandering the streets of Barcelona! This was my second Jennifer Hillier book, and after how much I loved Little Secrets, I was so excited to dive into this one!

Read this if:
✦ you like a murder mystery
✦ you like multiple POV & timeline hops
✦ you are looking for your next bingeable psychological thriller
✦ you like thrillers with some family drama

This book is broken up into 6 parts and every one of them was great! I loved the multiple POVs so we got a very well rounded story. I kept trying to guess the twist as I was listening and was able to guess a little bit, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Thank you so much to @jenniferhillierbooks and @minotaur_books for my glow in the dark ARC of #ThingsWeDoInTheDark ! I think the pictures of this look so cool!

I am a Jennifer Hillier fan. Her psychological thrillers always have me furiously turning the pages and looking at everyone around me just a little bit jaded. 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 and 𝘑𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 both top my list of psychological thrillers so I was pumped to read 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝗪𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤. It starts out strong - as in the first line will have you hooked but this one just didn’t wow me as much as 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 or 𝘑𝘢𝘳. I love the unreliable narrator, Paris, who finds herself covered in blood, gripping a straight razor, and her husband dead in the tub with zero memory of how she got there. I mean come on - freaky right! I was all in! ⁣
⁣
But then things shift. The story begins to focus on podcaster Drew and an infamous murderer, Ruby Reyes, being released from prison. Things just got a bit too slow moving and convoluted for me at this point with backstories. We have the podcast. Joey, who suffered a horrific childhood of abuse at Ruby’s hands (that part was hard to read). Then, mixed in with all that is the fact that Ruby and Paris share a secret and Ruby is threatening to expose it. ⁣
⁣
Sadly I figured out the twist early on and there was just nothing that surprised me. I’m ok with predictable books (𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘺, 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘤𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴!) but I l can’t help but want some sort of unexpected twist in my thrillers. Overall, while this one won’t top my list of Hillier’s books, it is still another solid book from one of my fave authors. She always ties things together so well at the end and knows how to delve deep into her character’s psyche so you either love them or hate them. If you enjoy dark and disturbing reads - you have to check out her backlist!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I can't explain it, but while I was (more than) excited to read this one, at the same time I didn't want to. Don't get me wrong, Jennifer Hillier is one of my all time favorite authors (I mean I would read her grocery list if I could), so I really can't understand why I was ambiguous about this one.

Paris didn't excite me at all. In fact, I found her boring. Of course she didn't kill her husband. And that is not a spoiler, it is so obvious, come @ me, I really don't care.

Now when we got to the second part with Jo, Drew and Ruby I was instantly hooked.

The two crimes felt super separated and divergent. The only common thread was the characters, I did enjoy the dual timelines though!

For me, the ending felt rushed and almost somewhat predictable. So while it isn't my favorite Hillier book (Jar of Hearts 5EVA!) it was entertaining and worth a read!

Mashups: Comedians, dual timelines, and Darling Rose Gold.

I was grateful for getting this as an arc from NetGalley.
This is a nice story I had started in ebook but had trouble starting the book so I ended up listening to it . This story jumps from different timelines so you have to be sure to pay attention.
The story starts with Paris found holding a knife and finding her husband dead in the bathtub not remembering what happened . This seem to blame her due to circumstances but he had a known drug history and they were found in his system.
Then we jump to the life of Joelle and all the abuse she endured and how she made a new life for herself at the unfortunate loss of a good friend she had made that she was not to blame.
As the story went on I really wanted to know the whole story and it does unfold and the person gets what they deserve in the end

4.5
Thank you to MacMillan and NetGalley for the eARC of Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hiller. Ms. Hiller is quickly becoming a "must-read" for me. Her stories are always suspenseful, engaging and page-turning, with great character development and back stories. I think thrillers are one of the most difficult genres to write. Make the story too obvious and of course, we know who the killer is 20% in to the story. Add too many characters and distractions, and we get confused and lose interest. The author has found the perfect balance to keep the reader guessing without giving the ending away. Paris's backstory was heart-breaking, but you could clearly see why the path she took was the only realistic way to escape. The issue of trust was really a main character in the book. And the twist had the end had me reeling. I love books where I don't see THAT coming. Great story. Definitely recommend!
#NetGalley

Jennifer Hillier's newest novel was a 3.5 star read for me. I found the book to be a bit predictable and not what I would call a thriller. It was my first book by this author and I did enjoy her style of writing. I would read another of her books.

From my blog: Always With a Book

Jennifer Hillier is another author that has become a favorite and I look forward to reading whatever it is she writes. Her thrillers are just so addictive and binge-worthy and this latest one is no exception!

I loved the way this one was told, outlined in chunks and really allowing us to get to know the characters involved. I felt that the pacing was spot on here and while I did guess one of the twists early on, I did not know the motivations or how it would all come together and so nothing was taken away from me guessing at all. In fact, it made me read closer because I was trying to see if I could in fact see how it would come together – if I was indeed correct. And that was just one of the twists – there were still many that left me shocked!

I loved how in some parts this book was a slow-burn, but in other parts it was nonstop action…the plot was really so expertly woven together and I found that once I started reading it, I just didn’t want to put the book down. I became very invested in the characters’ lives and the unfortunate situations they found themselves in. I love that while I didn’t always like the characters, I still wanted the best for them – and that is definitely a tribute to Hillier’s writing. She really crafts such dynamic characters.

This is one layered story that really packs a punch. It’s dark and definitely not for everyone, but I loved it and cannot wait to see what comes next from this talented author. Until then, I have a few backlist titles that I still need to read of hers – The Butcher, Creep, Freak, and Wonderland. Then I will have read all her books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for giving me the chance to read and review this ARC! Jennifer Hillier is a new to me author, I find her books entertaining, and she is becoming an auto read author.

I especially like the references to the Philippines, as it is not often I run across something that reminds me of my youth. The book was slow going at first, but it really picked up in a few places. I was able to guess some outcomes, but there were more plot changes than I expected.

4.5 stars

Jennifer Hillier is fast becoming one of my go to authors! Her writing is brilliant and her stories suck you in from the start.

Things We Do in the Dark brings the past and present together for our main characters and keeps you guessing u til the end. I went back and forth many times with what was actually going to happen in this book, but to no avail, the author surprises us at the end!

I look forward to each and every book Jennifer writes and she definitely did not disappoint with this one!

Jennifer Hiller does it again. I am not really sure she can write a bad book.
Now The Butcher is still my favorite but this was great. I highly recommend this one. I love the time lines and the different POV's.
It was just great

I loved Jar of Hearts, so this request was a no-brainer. I liked this book enough that I am also going to get a hardcover copy in my next Book of the Month box. Things We Do in the Dark is a slow-burn, but overall gripping thriller. This is the story story of a young wife charged with the murder of her famous older comedian husband and it definitely grabbed me from the beginning. And as I continued to read, I found myself drawn further and further in. I found this book to be a wildly entertaining while also dealing with some very serious subjects in a sensitive and realistic way. I really enjoyed how everything unfolded. I guessed some of the reveals, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of this book. The characters were slowly developed, and I really enjoyed getting to know them and I also enjoyed the ending of this book.

Dear Things We Do in the Dark,
You were a delightful thriller. I absolutely loved all of your twists and turns. There is something so easy about the way Jennifer Hillier writes, it makes reading her books that much more enjoyable. I loved the way that all of the clues were laid out, with subtlety and finesse. Even though Paris was a hard person to relate to, I found myself wanting the best for her, and for there to be peace and closure in her life. You touched on so many heavy themes, but treated them with respect and delicacy, and my heart broke for Joey at every new trauma and abandonment. You were a brilliant escape for my mind.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Hillier and St Martin’s Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Just like usual, I flew through and really enjoyed this novel. It’s a really easy read because you want to know what is going on. I kind of guessed the twist, but that in no way ruined this one for me. There are so many despicable people in this novel, but it’s rounded out by some amazingly good people. Definitely would recommend if you enjoyed her previous works!

Synopsis: When Pairs wakes up with blood on her clothes holding the potential murder weapon to her husbands murder things dont look very good. 25 years ago The Ice Queen was convicted of a murder just like this one. When the truth starts to come out are these things all tied together or just a random miss fortune of a girl with a rough family history?

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. It kept me wondering where it was going to head next and I was intrigued. Each new part led down a different path. I enjoyed how the stories were connected and how the reader is reading about different murders that may or may not have happened to be related together. While there were times I figured out what was going to happen next before it happened I was still kept on my toes and wondering if that was what was really going to happen.

Trigger Warnings: Rape, sexual assault of a minor, assault and sexual exploitation.

Love love love!!! This book was so fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can't wait to read more by this author and she has for sure become one of my go tos now!

THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK was the kind of thriller/mystery novel that I can get behind. Immediately, the reader cannot help but be fascinated in the story of Paris Peralta who finds herself accused of killing her husband. It quickly becomes clear that Paris, and most of the characters in this book, are not what they seem with ghosts of her past coming to the forefront. We are also thrust into the story of Joey Reyes, daughter of the notorious "Ice Queen" Ruby Reyes who was convicted of child abuse and 1st degree murder. Both these stories are intertwined in the most interesting of ways. Hillier does a great job creating this story, especially with the multiple POVs and dual timelines. Many authors cannot pull it off as well as she does. I also appreciated that the main female characters in this book are not maligned or cast as stereotypical mystery main female characters, not called crazy or stigmatized for mental health or addiction issues. Instead, we have characters who have done things they are not proud of to survive and who are portrayed with humanity. They are multifaceted but understandable. I've read so many thrillers or mystery novels that do the opposite so I wanted to commend Hillier on that. Hillier's writing is sharp and does a great job of creating suspense and keeping the reader guessing as to the truth. It is engaging and moving prose that just sucked me in. THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK is about the ghosts of the past coming to the present and the things we do in order to survive.