I have not read Jennifer Hillier's previous books so I went in blind with this read. I must say I was surprised how well the storyline is woven together as well as how nicely it wrapped up. Here I go to read her other books!

Jennifer Hillier is 100% an auto-buy author for me. After obsessing over Jar Of Hearts several years ago, I’ve prioritized everything she’s released since then and I can confidently say: all hits no skips 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 ⁣
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This was such a fun, bingeable character-driven thriller featuring solid twists and turns and unreliable characters and huge secrets and multiple POVs and a podcast and a murdered celebrity comedian. All around so fun and so much of what I love to see in this genre! The pacing is excellent and reveals are done at the perfect times, and even though I predicted a fair bit of it, it was still so satisfying and entertaining and just an overall solid thriller. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!!!

Things we do in the Dark; the story of Paris Peralta- arrested for the murder of her husband and celebrated comedian Jimmy Peralta, but of course not everything is quite as it seems. As the story goes on we get backs story about Paris (lots and lots of back story) before we are introduced to Drew; a true crime podcaster that's working on the story of the Ice Queen, Ruby Reyes; on the eve of her parole after being in prison for twenty-five years for the murder of a wealthy business man that sends Drew down a rabbit hole and revisiting his past (and connection) to Paris Peralta. Ruby has a secret that Paris is trying to hide, and after blackmailing her a high pay out, Paris must confront her past before it catches up with her.

PROS: really enjoyed the Filipino representation, the tagalog phrases and the way it sounded phonetically in my head and the mention of food and characters that were non-white.

CONS: everything was revealed way too quickly and easy to figure out. There was tons of backstory where we would get introduced to a character then get info dumped with all their story, The plot and twists were also not very shocking nor unexpected and the pacing lacked for being a thriller.

This was my first JH book, (I hear she's got some great ones) and would still read her other work 100%. this was a fast quick read that I would recommend anyone to put on their TBR but maybe not at as a priority (3.5 stars)

Things We Do in the Dark was filled with various characters' perspectives. The way the book was written tied everything together perfectly. The mystery of where Paris came from was easy to figure out early in the story, but there were so many underlying questions, I was compelled to keep reading to get them all answered. I needed to know who would be charged with murder and if Paris would ever truly be free. Excellent fast-paced read!

📖 Hillier is a master of crafting a suspenseful read and this one is no different. Told from alternating storylines between past and present, she executes phenomenal character development as the story is told from three different POV. While that might sound complicated, and has the potential to be a bit messy, she did so with such finesse that it was engaging throughout and I could not wait to unravel more dark secrets at every twist and turn. 

🌟 If you haven’t had a chance to read her books yet, this would be a great place to start! 

📚 Jennifer Hillier is an auto-buy author for me, so I was thrilled when I saw she had a new book coming out this year, and even more honored to have the opportunity to read and review it.

3.5 rounded up.
This is a mystery / twisty thriller that has a very dark component. Big time warning regarding child abuse consisting of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Well written but I had hoped to enjoy it a bit more. Paris’s husband is famous, has commuted suicide it appears but she’s charged with his murder. Thing is, she has so many secrets she’s trying to keep hidden. Thank you to Netgalley and Minatour Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Things We Do in the Dark is now available.

You know I love an author when I’m willing to overlook their usage of face covers and snatch up their new release post haste. That’s exactly what I did with Hillier’s latest after loving everything about Creep and Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets.

The story here is about yoga studio owner Paris Peralta. Some say she’s a gold digger, other might say she’s in a marriage of convenience, but now that her significantly older, beloved-by-all comedian husband is dead, she’s also being called a suspect. That’s the least of Paris’ problems, though. She also has convicted murderer Ruby Reyes blackmailing her and threatening to expose who she really is and who she murdered before.

I really hate that I didn’t love this one as much as Hillier’s previous stuff. I went in expecting a minimum of 4 and a solid chance at a 5 Star rating. Unfortunately, as soon as the past was all laid out I was able to figure out who Paris was and also was pretty certain there was only a 50% chance I had it wrong when it came to the case of Jimmy (my guess was right). As I’ve sad ad infinitum, the back and forth storytelling isn’t always my jam. This one was especially off-putting as there were pretty much two completely separate stories being written. The disconnect was real and I kind of gave a big rip about poor ol’ dead Jimmy, despite me getting a chuckle that my own brain cast Jerry Stiller to play him.

I also became exhausted by the backstory. We get it, “Paris” had a shitty upbringing. Sometimes gory details of abuse help drive the story or are needed to find out what makes a character tick. Sometimes they aren’t truly necessary and are simply used for shock and awe which is what I felt was done here.

When Paris Peralta is found covered in blood, a straight razor in her hand, her husband dead in the bathtub just feet away, police immediately take her into custody—how can she not be guilty? Of course, Paris fears a murder charge and possible conviction, but just as worrying is the media attention that will be directed towards her. Her deceased husband, after all, is Jimmy Peralta, a comedian much older than her enjoying a second act after a streaming service inked a lucrative deal with him. Paris’s troubles really started when Jimmy’s meddlesome assistant sent a copy of Paris and Jimmy’s wedding photo to PEOPLE.

“Ice Queen” Ruby Reyes, imprisoned in Canada twenty-five years ago for killing her husband, knows the past Paris has tried so hard to bury, and as soon as she saw the photo, she started writing Paris. With a life sentence, Paris wasn’t too concerned, but she just learned Reyes was granted an early release.

To protect her hard-won gains, Paris must prove her innocence and get Reyes out of her life for good.

THINGS WE DO is told in two timelines, the present, and the past which reveals Paris’s backstory. Her identity was presented telegraphed as though it would be a big reveal, but I thought it was apparent immediately. Her childhood was full of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The past timeline was relentlessly dark and read much more like a domestic drama than thriller to me. I enjoyed the present timeline more and was surprised by some of the developments, but ultimately, in the end I wanted more of the pacing and plotting of a thriller.

Highly recommend! Read in one sitting. Jennifer Hillier's writing is amazing. Recommended to book club!

4 1/2 Stars

Jennifer Hillier is one of my must read authors. She earned that spot with Jar of Hearts and I'm always ready to read her new offerings when a new book comes out. So, when I received an early copy of Things We Do in the Dark, I was over the moon. Then I received an early copy of the audio as well and it was the cherry on top.

As I delved into this book, I was immediately engrossed in the storyline. The author knows exactly how to draw a reader in and make you want to continue reading just to see what will happen next. This book definitely covers some dark topics and sensitive readers should take note that there are potential triggers.

I thought that Ms. Hillier wove this story together in a very clever way. Even though I could see some of the twists coming, I was never completely sure of exactly how they'd play out. There was always a little doubt. She knows how to lead you up to the edge of a theory but pull you back enough so that you doubt yourself and aren't sure if you want to fully commit or not.

This book follows Paris Peralta. She's the wife of a famous, wealthy older man who has recently been found dead. She is instantly suspected of murdering him and a great deal of circumstantial evidence points in that direction. A great deal of the book focuses on this storyline and working on her defense. In addition, there are several other backstories in the book as well.. They provide information from the past that also connects to Paris.
I really enjoyed how the author developed this story and went back and forth between present and past. As always, her writing style is immersive.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I was also fortunate enough to receive the audiobook for an early review. The narration was perfect and it was easy to get pulled into the story. There are times when I enjoy listening to mysteries and thrillers even more than reading them. This one was one where I could equally enjoy the narration as much as the written book. In the case of the audio, I did rotate between the written ebook and the audio. 5 stars for the audio.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and early copy of the audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review these and the opinions contained within are my own.

Start of with a young woman found with her dead, famous, rich, older husband. She’s covered in his blood and holding a straight razor. What do you assume happened? Probably, what everyone else would assume. After all, it’s pretty safe betting on the spouse in any murder. But did he really kill himself? The answers to all of the questions raised in Things We Do in the Dark are not what you expected.

Another woman dies in a fire. Her life had been harsh. Mother accused of killing a boyfriend when she had just been a child. Abused by most of the adults in her life, and stripping to make a living, Joey doesn’t seem to have much of a future. Then her apartment catches fire and her remains azure found.

The real story here is not how this all fits together nor what happened in that bathroom with the straight razor. That’s what we start and end with, but in the middle there is the story of a a strong little girl who becomes a strong woman. It is a story about how abuse doesn’t have to define you and how hard it is not to let it.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC. Now, I need to go and order the book. I suggest everyone do the same.

***4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account***

"While you can reinvent yourself, you can't outrun yourself."

The only one who knows all our secrets is ourselves and in Things We Do In The Dark, by one of my favorite thriller authors Jennifer Hillier, the fear of anyone else finding out who we really are is a death warrant.

As in any of this writer's books it's best to go in blind and enjoy the winding twisty tale. Just as a tease the protagonist of this crazy WTF story is Paris who is married to a decades older famous comedian and she has just been found covered in blood next to his dead body in their bathroom holding what appears to be the murder weapon. Now for the crazy part, she is not worried about proving her innocence, but about the publicity leading to who she really is and what she really did many years ago.

I went between reading the book and listening to the audiobook. Narrator Carla Vega made me much more emphatic towards Paris, especially when her earlier life comes to light. Her performances of these characters, many who are pure evil, is a masterpiece of narration having to go from human to monster in many different dialogues.

If you are a fan of this genre this new summer psychology thriller is a MUST READ for you. I figured out a lot before it happened but there still were some very fun surprises at the end and some things I wished had stayed in the dark!

I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

***Beware Numerous Triggers***

Hillier continues to write some excellent novels. I love the dual timelines. Paris was an extremely sympathetic character and Hillier does a great job at bringing her to life. I love the song quotes that opened each part because they told their own story & mirrored the plot. I figured out the one twist pretty early but it didn’t take away from the rest of the story for me. If you can handle dark topics this one is for you!

Paris gets arrested for the death of her husband Jimmy who is a well known celebrity. She is front page news, a place she never wanted to be in, she is a VERY private woman, but why????? That alone had me on the edge of my seat, the mystery of it all, what really happened to her husband, and why is she so private? Who is Paris???? The book flowed in such a way that even though there were a lot of characters involved because we are going back and forth between the past and the present, I couldn’t get over Paris’s story and her connection to the Ice Queen. Just to let you all know there are a ton of trigger warnings, and some parts left me with my mouth open in disbelief that something like this happened. This book did not disappoint, totally worth the read. Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

What I liked:
1. Trigger warnings mentioned in the beginning
2. Slow burn mystery
3. Strong female characters
4. Dual timelines
5. Multiple POVs
6. Toronto setting
7. Jennifer Hillier's writing

What I didn't like:
N O T H I N G.

"Things We Do In The Dark" is my fifth book by Jennifer Hillier, and gosh, she surprises me every time with her storyline, writing and twists. One of the best thrillers of 2022 that has flawed characters but is still unputdownable until the last page.

Her books are dark, twisty, emotional yet impeccable reads. I highly recommend this book to all thriller lovers.

TW: child abuse, sexual violence, suicide, addiction

Jennifer Hillier can do no wrong! She is an auto-buy author for me so I think I actually screamed when I got approved for this ARC.

Paris' Peralta has a lot of secrets, and being charged with the murder of her famous husband and thrust into the spotlight is not ideal. Her past starts catching up with her, both the good and bad parts. As the saying goes, whats done in the dark, will always come to the light.

I was not sucked into this book like I thought I would be, but I think it had more to do with me than it did the book. I did figure out the twist pretty early on so there was no surprises for me but it was still very well written and interesting. I loved all the backstory we got on Paris.. even though it wasn't a happy one. I really liked all the different perspectives as well.

This isn't my favourite JH book by any means, but it was good!

Jennifer Hillier can truly do no wrong in my opinion. She is an auto-buy author that I can rely on for heart-pounding, bingeable thrillers!

I loved that the story was character driven with multiple POVs. Paris Peralta is accused of murdering her celebrity husband. But what she’s most worried about, is someone from her past recognizing her and destroying her new life. The story is told in different parts and there are multiple characters who originally seem like they are not connected. Hillier did a great job of revealing new information at just the right time and tying everything together.

This one kept me on my toes — I was reading it every chance I had. I predicted the plot twist, but I still very much enjoyed the ending. Now that I’ve loved this one, Jar of Hearts, and Little Secrets, I’m going to have to read her other backlist books!

Paris Peralta is found standing over her husband with a straight razor in her hand. He is lying in a tub filled with water and his blood. Paris is in shock, she can’t remember what happened. The police are yelling at her to put the razor down while in the background a woman’s screams fill her head and confuse her. Then the police cuff her, drag her to the police station, book her and put her in a cell with two other women Paris is sure are hookers. She knows she needs to call a lawyer but she doesn’t know any except for her husband’s longtime friend, Elsie. Jimmy and Elsie have been friends for more than 50 years. Why would Elsie represent her when everybody seems sure she killed Jimmy?
A short time later, a guard arrives and tells he is taking her to an interview room to see her lawyer. What a nice surprise to find Elsie sitting in that interview room. Elsie believes her that she did not kill Jimmy. Right now, it looks like the deck is stacked against her. Elsie tells her she will represent Paris for the initial courtroom plea but she can’t be her lawyer as Paris really needs an experienced criminal attorney. Elsie has just the lawyer in mind.
Soon Paris meets Sonny, her criminal defense lawyer. He is very abrasive and forceful. First thing out of his mouth is she must always tell him the truth. But how can she, when the secrets from her past would surely put her in prison?

Once again Jennifer Hillier did a superb job. I enjoyed every second of this fast-paced novel. This is the 2nd book I’ve read by Jennifer Hillier. Her characters are rich and her writing tight. She kept ratcheting up the suspense and I missed some of the clues so the ending caught me by surprise. Readers who like Karen Rose or Allison Brennan will like this thrilling read.

Robyn Heil

Wow... what a wild ride! This book takes you through the main characters' life and throws in some twists I never saw coming and some I really enjoyed.

Please check your triggers. Our main character suffers different traumas as a child.

Paris Peralta is arrested in her bathroom, covered in blood, holding a straight razor, and her husband dead in the bathtub. She knows everyone will think she is guilty because she's younger than her famous beloved husband. The media will brand her many things and she looks like the epidemy of privilege as she's taken from the house. What Paris worries about most is being recognized by anyone from her past and destroying the new life she's worked so hard to build.

Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, also known as the Ice Queen was convicted of a similar murder that riveted Canada in the nineties. Ruby knows who Paris really is and if Paris doesn't fulfill her demands, she will expose her true identity. Forcing Paris to finally confront her past.

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

“Things We Do in the Dark” by Jennifer Hillier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release Date: 7/21/22
Genre: Thriller

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I really enjoyed this one! I would definitely recommend! Thrillers are hit or miss for me, but I read this in a couple days and found it intriguing.

Paris Peralta is found by her husbands assistant laying in her husbands blood while he lays dead in the bathtub. The officers have no mercy and arrest her immediately. Paris claims innocents, but she’s worried about the publicity that comes with being the accused wife. She has secrets to keep hidden. If Paris didn’t kill her husband who did and why? What will be uncovered about her past?