YAAAAAS QUEEN, Jennifer Friggen Hillier can literally do no wrong. Her books literally suck you right in and you just don't want them to end. Did I read this in one sitting? I sure friggen did.

Paris is found covered in her husband's blood, with a straight razor in her hand. It's rather obvious she has done the unthinkable, right? She knows she is going to be charged with Murder, but she does have an alibi and she's sticking to her guns that she is innocent. However, this isn't the Murder she's worried about...

Twenty five years early, Paris was a different person with a different life and she has done everything in her power to hide who she once was. She is determined to keep her secrets close because it just might cost her, her life. As the media and the police keep digging, people from Paris's past start to slowly find their way back into her life, some for the better, some for the worst. Can she keep her past a secret? Or will she be charged with two murders instead of one?

Literally, such an amazing read that kept me on my toes the entire time!

I feel like I definitely overhyped this one. I had such high expectations and it ended up disappointing me.

The story was interesting and even though I didn’t fully connect with the characters, I felt bad for Joey because of what she had to go through.

This was kind of a slow burn mystery (maybe it felt slow because it took me forever to finish, so take it with a grain of salt) which didn’t really surprise me by the twists except for this one time.

This book was hard to read at times due to the themes of abuse being discussed. I would definitely suggest to check for content warnings before going into this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow - what a wild ride! This is by FAR better than her Little Secrets, which was the previous book that I read by Hillier. In this one, this is a far more layered thriller. Centered around Paris who is being put on trial for her late husband's murder (unexplained death) and Drew, a podcaster who cannot seem preparing for his next podcast...this time on the Ice Queen. And Drew has a special tie to this crime...he was good friends with Joey, the daughter of the notorious Ice Queen. Going between Joey's story and Paris's trial, this is a whirlwind story filled with lies, deceit, loss, murder, drugs, and disaster. Hold on to your seats folks because this one is sure to give you whiplash.

I was exceptionally pleased with the plot and how everything was laid out. Additionally, there were a decent amount of diverse characters - although Hillier does not make this a focus of the story. I also greatly appreciated the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book because it was DEFINITELY needed...some of the content was heavy and so I appreciated the forethought to put that in there.

Hold on to your seat because this book will take you on a suspenseful ride. I suggest going into this blind and just enjoy. Overall I highly recommend this book.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is yet another great book by Hillier. This book is a bit different from her other books, and not nearly as creepy. That doesn't mean it is bad - it's just different than expected.

The book starts with Paris on the floor of her husband's bathroom, clutching a straight razor and covered in blood. When cuffed by the police and asked if she killed her husband, Paris states "I can't remember". Not helpful. Paris enlists the help of her husband, comedian Jimmy Peralta's, best friend and attorney Eloise. Paris is charged with the murder of her famous husband who is wealthy and decades older than her, and that's not the end of the bad news. Paris has secrets from her past that if revealed could spell even more trouble for her. Adding to all of this is Ruby Reyes. Dubbed the Ice Queen and recently released from prison after serving 25 years for murder, she knows Paris' real identify and is blackmailing her to keep the secret. Will Paris decide to finally face the past she ran from, or will it all explode in her face?

The book is told in flashbacks to Paris' previous life. It's a grim life, filled with betrayal, pain and abuse. All of Paris' past experiences form her personality, including her hard work ethic and compassion. She's fairly detached from everything around her, numbly moving through her current circumstances. The book is told from her perspective, as well as the perspective of her friend Drew, who lived with Paris for a couple years. Drew has a true crime podcast with 3 million listeners. He is working on a series about Ruby Reyes that brings him back into his old life in Toronto. While there he also investigates what happened to his old friend, believing her to have died in a house fire. Drew's character is pretty steadfast and straight forward. He's filled with guilt, but overall is fairly one dimensional.

While both mysteries are interesting, and Paris' story is engaging, I missed the creepy element that is typically found in this author's books. Don't get me wrong, this is a good book. It's just a bit more of a straight-forward mystery without the creep factor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

Another fantastic thriller from Jennifer Hillier. When Paris Peralta is arrested for the murder of her husband's he media goes crazy. We slowly learn secrets from Paris' past, going back and forth in past and present. This is a truly twisty book that will keep you guessing. Highly recommend.

OMG! So this one was amazing!
This book starts off with a BANG! Paris is arrested after she is found with blood on her for her husband's murder. Now, while this would be a scandal for anyone. While she did not do it or did she? She does have a past, a past that she wanted to leave in the past. The more that we know from the past, the more your heart bleeds for her. Paris literally is a survivalist!
What happened in the dark, was intended to stay in the dark. This book switches between different points of view, and it is soo amazing. Now, this is too easy to give anything away in this book, and man oh man did Hillier do it this time.
So, I've read a few of her works, and each time the story gets even more twisted! Hillier's writing goes twisted and crosses boundaries and even with this one goes way deeper. There should definitely be some warnings rape, child abuse, sexual abuse, and definitely some psychological twist!
If you love good twisted thrillers that will leave you flabbergasted along with having your heart on your sleeve then this should be the book for you! Definitely check this one out because let me just say that nothing is as it seems and the twist that Hillier throws in will have your jaw dropping and a few have that mic drop epic moments! I loved it! Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the extraordinary treat to read and review this one!

Hillier's thrillers always have a bit of extra spice to them than the run of the mill thriller, and Things We Do in the Dark is no exception. I loved the celebrity aspect to this thriller and it is way more layered than I originally thought. Read this!!

I was blown away by Jennifer Hillier’s debut, Little Secrets, and all of its twists and turns and Things We Do in the Dark was no exception. As a Canadian-American myself, I loved the inclusions of Canadian bands, Ontario cities, and much more.

Jennifer Hillier is one of my favourite mystery/thriller authors and she definitely didn't disappoint with "Things We Do In The Dark".
Paris is married to a famous and much loved actor/comedian. When he is found dead her entire world shatters. In more ways than one!
Told in the past and present this fascinating story is addictive from the very start.
I am always drawn to this author's flawed and memorable characters, especially the strength of her female characters considering the adversity they are subjected to.
I won't be forgetting their story anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-ARC. This was my first Jennifer Hillier book and I was incredibly surprised. She spins a story with a well developed plot. This novel was very character and plot driven. Hillier 's writing included lots of background information and various points in time which she used to explain and introduce us to multiple characters. The transitions between characters and time periods were seamless. I never had to flip back and forth to reread sections.

The friendship between Drew and Paris felt genuine. I loved how Hillier created a fictional character that I loathed. I couldn't stand Ruby and my heart ached for Joey. The story was filled with suspense but it also tugged at my heart strings.

I was really excited for this after loving some of the author’s past books, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Maybe I just read too many thrillers, but I felt like the twists were fairly obvious, in fact I was able to predict the majority of the plot from early on. This read more like a domestic/family drama than a thriller, it just was missing the suspense, mystery and jaw dropping moments I’ve come to expect with her books. It’s a very slow burn, jumping between POV and timelines and dealing with some heavy topics. I didn’t care much for Drew and wish we had less of his POV. I found the entire past timeline to be a bit too much backstory for me, especially when it was so easy to see where the plot was headed. I was hoping for more of a wow factor and it just missed the mark. I’ve seen rave reviews so I’d still recommend you give this a try when you’re in the mood for a dark slow burn character driven drama.

Thanks to @Minotaur and @Netgalley for the DRC. Things We Do in the Dark is available now.

OH my lanta- this was my first Hillier and I TORE IT UP (not literally, of course).

I haven't finished a book in less than 5 days in a long time and I flew through Jennifer's newest in a flash. I thought the pacing was great, the storyline was intriguing and I enjoy multiple POVs.

I will say I kind of had an idea of some of the ending, but not the exact events which I think turned out PERFECCCT!

I was invested, I was hooked, I wanted and needed to know more. I think the writing style made this a very easy and fast read and wasn't overly flowing with exaggerated details that take you out of the plot.

There were parts that took my breath away and the raw emotion I felt is the exact reason why I read- I want to FEEL and experience ALL THE THINGS! (except anything involving an ice skate - IYKYK)

TW: sexual abuse, domestic violence

SOLID mystery/thriller and I was NOT disappointed!

I love starting a story and thinking it’s going to be about something and it’s really about something else. I enjoyed peeling back the layers on this one. Hillier has become a new favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

I received a free advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.com and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book is a mystery inside a mystery. Paris Peralta is arrested for the murder of her husband - the media has a field day with their May December romance and the courts believe she did it for the money but Paris actually cared for her husband but that doesn't mean she doesn't have things to hide.

Hidden in her past she holds onto a dark secret, an identity she has left behind but her husbands celebrity status may be shoving her into a spotlight that is bringing ghosts from the past back to life, and one has her sights set on a payday.

This is a really intriguing story, well crafted and edge of your seat. I had worked out some of it in my head but some of the revelations were truly astonishing. The characters were well developed and while some of the stories were hard to read it was ultimately redeeming to know how everything turns out.

Using present and past, and different perspective we piece together a story of toxic parenting, the struggle to survive, and ultimately remaking yourself.

Trigger warnings for child abuse, sexual abuse, ancestral patterns of abuse.

Another great book from Jennifer Hillier. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it didn’t disappoint. This book starts off strong and keeps the suspense throughout. I was definitely engaged to see how this one would end. A lot has been said about this book already and since it is a thriller I don’t want to say much about the plot. If you want an addictive and immersive book pick this one up!

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

10/10 this is @jenniferhillierbooks at her absolute best when it comes to deliciously deviant thriller material.

I loved everything about this book (including the special edition glow in the dark cover - thanks for that @minotaur_books - it’s so fun!) from start to end. This is one of those stories where you are given breadcrumbs as you go, but nothing really prepares you for where the plot takes you.

Not to overlook the fact that virtually every aspect of this plot is DARK (we are talking some of the very deepest parts of human depravity here) - but with such badass survivor female lead characters that keep you rooting for a win right to the very last pages.

I want to say literally nothing about this story (so I don’t ruin a THING) but you so 100% need this one on your summer reading must have list. It’s the type of book that you can waste an entire summer afternoon addicted to, and with patio season upon us, this is a must have accessory.

Get this locked at loaded for your July TBR - preorder, put it on hold, add it to your basket today. You won’t regret it!

I love books that incorporate a podcast into the plot and Things We Do in the Dark does not disappoint. The title of the book is also the title of a true crime podcast featured throughout the book. The book is told through two different timelines set 25 years apart. Through the unraveling of long-held secrets, we get to know the main character, Paris, and all of the nitty-gritty of her past. A fast-paced plot keeps the reader turning pages to reach the satisfying conclusion. Read and enjoy!

A solid showing by Hillier. It’s not my favorite of hers… I thought Little Secrets had better twists and Jar of Hearts was darker. However, I still very much enjoyed it! Jennifer Hillier is a master at writing stories that are messed up but still come to a neat conclusion at the end. Definitely recommend this one!

This book started off with a bang and had me hooked from chapter one. I was so intrigued by Paris’ story and needed to know who killed her husband. I liked that the book was told in dual timelines and trying to figure out how they were connected. Although, I was able to predict one of the twists, I was already invested enough in the story and had to keep reading to know who killed Jimmy Peralta.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Carla Vega, who did a great job with bringing these characters to life. I normally prefer multiple narrators when there are dual timelines, but Vega was able to voice each differently enough that I wasn’t confused. I highly recommend the audiobook.

This was my first Jennifer Hillier book, but certainly won’t be my last. Thank you Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for me honest review.