I have read Things We Do In The Dark by Jennifer Hillier. I have decided on giving this book 3.5 - rounded up to 4 stars. The writing was great and the story was interesting. But I had figured out the first twist toward the very beginning of the story and had a pretty good idea about everything else. I never wanted to not finish it though. All in all it was a decent read.

This thriller started out strong and really had me salivating for more storyline. I wanted background info and I really wanted flashbacks that would build to a juicy master twist. After the first ten percent or so, it just seemed to fall flat. The twists were fairly predictable, although emotionally wrought and well written. The whole thing just lacked a big punch at the end....I wanted more of a conclusion all around. I'm a big fan of Jennifer Hillier, and I'll still pick up any books she publishes, but this one wasn't my favorite.

4.5 stars Jennifer Hillier does it again!! A razor sharp page turner that begins with a seasoned Hollywood Comedian dead and his wife, 30 years his senior, being charged for murder.

Filled with secrets, lies, trauma, abuse, murder and money don’t miss this one!!

Read about 20% and just wasn't sucked in - it felt like this had been done before & I just didn't feel compelled to pick this back up.

Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the eARC of Things We Do In the Dark. This book published July 19, so this is another example of me catching up on my Netgalley reads.

I’ll start by saying that this was my first @jenniferhillierbooks and it will not be my last! The writing was phenomenal and the plot kept me on my toes! Paris seemed pretty sketchy at first, but I ended up admiring her grit and strength. Definitely recommend this one if you’re into thrillers! I binged half of this book in half a day and spread the last half over a couple evenings. So good!

Next on my thriller agenda is to read her Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts!

I have previously loved many a Jennifer Hillier thriller, but Things We Do in the Dark was just too slow for me. When I pick up a Hillier novel I expect to have shocking twists at a faster pace. Unfortunately this just wasn’t it. I will still read anything she writes though.

Amazing! I love this thriller. Paris is charged with the murder of her husband. While this is where the story starts it is by no means where it continues. Things We Do in the Dark is full of twists and turns that kept me turning pages, reading the words, and trying to put it all together. I did not find this book hard to figure out. As the story continued, I was able to figure out what Paris’ secrets are and why she would like them to stay in the past. But… I did not see the big twist at the end. LOVED IT!

Paris is a great character, her story is unique. The fact that she was able to come from a twisted background but has not let that take her down. She has worked hard to keep her past in the past and has become an accomplished yoga instructor with her own studio. I love stories like this, stories where a person with a tough childhood/young adult comes through and makes herself successful. There is so much to her story and she had some great friends to stand next to her while she fought the murder arrest.

Jennifer Hillier is a great thriller, mystery author. I am excited to see what other books she has out there. I recommend this book to anyone who loves twists and turns and surprise endings.

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.