It's hard to say that I enjoyed this book, but, for the most part I did. Dark and twisted is not my favorite genre and although this book is twisty, it was a bit too twisted for my taste. Never-the-less, I thought it a well crafted mystery that held my interest throughout.

Joey had a terrible childhood, raised by a cruel and despicable mother, and later fostered by a revolting Aunt, Grandmother, and Uncle. As it turns out another character in the book, too, had a terrible childhood raised by a cruel and despicable mother. Once you take the mystery out of the murder, this book is a bit about second chances. I found much of the book predictable, which is odd since the twists are completely off the wall. Hillier's hints were just a tad too obvious.. And since I neither liked nor admired a single character, even reveals and compensating actions could not warm me to any of them.

I read this many months ago and let it "rest" before writing. Although I am a huge fan of Jennifer Hillier, this book was not a perfect fit for me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book. As always, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review, especially a book by such a fine author.

rating: 4
genre: thriller
read this if you liked: Jar of Hearts

review: Jennifer Hillier has quickly become an auto-buy author for me after reading Jar of Hearts and Pretty Things. She always delivers a dark, gripping story that will leave you guessing until the very end. Things We Do in the Dark was no different, I was on the edge of my seat, flying through pages so that all the pieces would come together! The differing perspectives kept my attention and made the progression of the story flow so well. The character development and the building of the story in Things We Do in the Dark is top notch - you truly feel like you know the characters at the end of the book and you're rooting for them. If you read a lot of thrillers then you may figure out the twist, but otherwise, it's a solid summer thriller that should definitely be on your TBR list if it isn't already!

The first line of The Things We Do in the Dark says, “There’s a time and a place for erect nipples, but the back of a Seattle police car definitely isn’t it.” That line will grab your interest and keep you reading long into the night. This book has all the ingredients that make for a great thriller starting with murder and suicide, add molestation, drugs, child abuse, deception and a difunctional family and mix together with twists and turns that will satisfy the reader at it’s finale.

How far would you go to keep the past hidden? How many crimes would you be willing to commit to start over?

This novel starts out fast and strong. There is no slow lead up, there is no slow burn. You know exactly what happens right away. The twists are easy to figure out, but kept me hooked until the very end.

I am a big Jennifer Hillier fan and remain a fan after this book. I want to thank Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book.

Hillier has become one of my automatic must read thriller authors. I find her stories inventive, interesting, and more well written than most of the summer thrillers that come out. This one follows Paris Peralta arrested for her husband's murder when she is found in her bathroom covered in blood and holding straight razor. Due to her husband being a celebrity the case brings much attention and threatens to drag up her hidden past and destroy the new life she's worked so hard to build. Another hit for me.

We Do in the Dark lived up to my expectations! This is a great book for thriller readers and those who want to get into reading thrillers. It is not too graphic/dark compared to her others. She writes the best storylines and creates such unique plots.

If you want a page turner, that is easy to follow, has great character depth and some twists, this one is for you!

4.5 ⭐️

Liked:
•alternating chapters from past/present and between characters
•true crime podcast aspect
•unique storyline
•descriptive writing

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I haven’t read a Jennifer Hillier book that I didn’t like, but was a little disappointed to have figured out the twists so early on. I still highly recommend this one and would absolutely love to see it made into a movie!

Joey Reyes is a survivor. Not the cliquish kind that every living soul today describes themselves as. But a true, so sadly true, survivor. Her mother Ruby was a narcissist who used Joey as a token to make herself look compassionate, but behind doors, she beat Joey within an inch of her life and allowed her many “boyfriends” to abuse her. Joey’s life changes the day her mom is arrested for murder. But not for the better. Shuffled from home to home, Joey’s circumstances don’t get much better. Finally, as a young teenager, she moves in with Drew and his girlfriend. For one quick and happy year, Joey learns what normal life is like. Then Drew and his girlfriend moved away, leaving Joey to fend for herself.
Drew visits Joey years later and is shocked to learn she’s a stripper. They have harsh words. Things he said in anger can’t be taken back when he learns, just hours later, that Joey is dead.
This story flips back and forth with the story of Jimmy Peralta. He’s enjoyed a life-long career as a comedian, and just when he’s decided to stage a comeback, his wife, who is 20 years younger, is found over his dead body with a bloody straight razor in her hand. Jimmy’s assistant and his best friend, who happens to be his ex-girlfriend, are in a whirlwind of emotions when faced with helping Paris prove her innocence.
As the story of Joey unfolds and the story of Paris falls apart, you’ll find yourself eager to get to the next section of each of their lives. And eventually, the common denominator between the two is Drew, who has grown up to become a crime writer and podcaster, with his own successful podcast, “Things We Do in the Dark”.
This is a truly enjoyable quagmire of lies, part truths, and sad truths woven together into a plot that won’t let you set the book down. It’s another great book that I have to add to my list of “Books that Don’t Allow Me to Go to Sleep”, so start reading early in the morning and clear your calendar.
Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press- Minotaur for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

This was my third Hillier book and gasp, the only one I’ve actually liked.

I usually have one book I read at work during lunch breaks and a different book I read at home, but I couldn’t put this one down so it was traveling with me everywhere so I could sneak in pages whenever I got a chance.

Paris Peralta is arrested in her bathroom, covered in her husband’s blood, with the murder weapon in her hand. Only she didn’t do it.

I loved that there were true crime elements in the book too and though I did figure out part of the story, I never even realized there would be another big twist at the end. If you want to pick up a real page-turner, this is your book.

"Things We Do in the Dark" is one of my favorite books I read this year. The backstory behind the main characters was very-detailed but not in an overwhelming way. How the two stories overlapped was very interesting!

I finally managed to read a Jennifer Hillier book & I completely understand why she's so loved within the thriller community, "Things We Do in the Dark" was truly a masterclass in suspense!

I'm finding that with most thrillers these days, you can't get into specifics without giving anything away, so I'll keep everything baseline - but trust me, you'll want to go into this blind. Hillier's writing was instantly captivating & the pacing was perfect - the twists & turns were so meticulously plotted throughout, & I thought the way this was structured was genius (I absolutely loved the courtroom & podcast elements). There are trigger warnings galore for this, particularly with child abuse, both physical & sexual, so please be mindful & do some research before picking this up - I won't lie, some things were pretty difficult to read, my heart just broke time & time again for one specific character. Underneath all of the deception, dramatics, & murder, there's a very human story, & I was both fascinated & satisfied with how that particular storyline ultimately played out. & I have to say, it was so refreshing to read something in the genre with such a diverse cast!

All in all, I'm really happy this was my introduction to Hillier's work, this was an engrossing, suspenseful read from start to finish - I can't wait to dive more into her backlist, ya'll have been recommending "Jar of Hearts" for the longest time! & thank you so much Jennifer Hillier, NetGalley, & Minotaur Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced reading copy of Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier.

I went into this book not knowing anything (how I personally like to go into thrillers), which I’m glad I did.

Without giving away too much. Paris has found herself in a life of luxury with her husband, an older man that worked in the entertainment industry. Paris is out of town for a work conference and when she returns home she finds her husband dead. From there she finds herself convicted of his murder and trying to hide the past she left behind.

Hillier’s writing keeps you engaged. She has a way of drawing the reader to some conclusions shortly before the reveal making you feel so smart for figuring it out and at the same time keeps you in anticipation with what’s to come.

This is my first Jennifer Hillier book and I can’t wait to pick up her backlist titles. I will definitely read whatever she publishes in the future.

I highly recommend this book to all domestic thriller readers.

This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. However, this book was listed as a thriller. After starting the book (I have both ebook and Audio) I realized the book is not a Thriller. So, If you have every intention reading this book based on it being a Thriller, I would find another book to read. However, If you go into this read knowing it's not. You may enjoy this book. I did not though.

If you are interested in this author and have not read anything by her, I would start with her previous works first!

Things We Do in the Dark is one dark story. Be forewarned there are a lot of triggers here including rape, child abuse, molestation, suicide, drugs, murder, death, and more. With that said, Jennifer Hillier delivered yet another great thriller.

There's a lot to unpack in this story and I don't want to give any spoilers away. I really liked the first 40% - the story was interesting and had a good pace. I felt the middle of the book was a bit slower and I had a harder time paying attention, BUT the last 30% was solid and it ended strong. I definitely wasn't expecting the outcome it had.

Definitely a good one to add to your TBR pile!

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Things We Do In The Dark
Jennifer Hillier, author

A splendid novel.... One with twists I didn't see coming, until the end. I couldn't put it down... in fact, I had to reread the last half of it ... it's that superior.

Paris Peralta is under arrest for the murder of her husband. Can this really be happening? As she works with her deceased husband's lawyer to prove her innocence, Paris is presented with the reappearance of her painful and disturbing past. A double whammy. She's tried for years to put it behind her, but now, it seems that she must deal with it; one last time, before putting everything to rest.

I was gifted an advanced reader copy of the novel from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I can easily recommend this novel to everyone who enjoys a wonderful thrilling read.

To start, I am clearly in the minority when it comes to those who have read this book - most love it. I found it very....meh.

This thriller - and a very chill thriller at that - follows a murder investigation in present day that is eerily similar and connected to a murder in the past. We learn the connections between all the players and each new truth revealed gets us closer to the (rather neon indicated) final twist. The story is well-written technically and the pacing is perfect for a thriller with aptly timed flashbacks that aid in the truth reveal. Content warnings abound, so make sure you go in prepared for some rough content. None of it was gratuitous, but I had to skim some scenes. I did like the characters and every reveal felt fair, but as with most thrillers, they were statistically absurd. Makes for great entertainment though!

This was a middle-of-the-road tale for me, but it is clearly well-loved, so feel free to disregard my opinion!

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC**

Jennifer Hillier does it again! This book was suspenseful and shocking. I could not flip the pages fast enough while reading this. This may be my new favorite from her! I'm glad I got a copy from Book of the Month!

BOOK REVIEW: THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Lemme start off by saying - WOW! I have never read a book by @jenniferhillierbooks that I didn’t LOVE!🤩 Her writing style will have you absolutely hooked!! Even when I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about when I could pick it up again!

THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK has it all- a mix of a slower burn as we find out more of the main character, Paris’, past as well as lots of action that unfolds throughout the 6 parts and some seriously good twists! I have to warn ya though- his one was veryyyyy dark and twisted!

If you’re looking for a solid thriller or are hoping to find a book to get you out of a reading slump, this one is a solid pick! 10/10 recommend!

This book follows two story lines. One is the story of Ruby, who is convicted for the murder of the married banker she had an affair with. Her daughter, Joey, is faced with two choices. Go into the foster care system or live with her momma's momma. Joey finds out that rotten fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. As Joey gets older, she learns that "...if your Spidey senses are tingling, villains abound".

The other follows the story of Paris Peralta, who seems like the obvious suspect for the murder of her husband when she is found next to the body, the murder weapon in her hand. Paris seems almost resigned to her arrest, until a new lawyer takes over her case.

But in the meantime, Ruby is out on parole. and knows secrets about Paris. But podcaster Drew knows some secrets too, and he is determined to get to the bottom of them (although we never really get to hear any of his podcasts).

I found this story had many predictable bits, but it had a great plot with a nice twisty ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy.