Paris Peralta gets arrested for the murder of her famous husband - a murder that looks eerily similar to a murder committed by Ruby Reyes twenty years earlier. Paris knows her arrest could jeopardize her long-buried past. Now, it’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes her. Well, Ruby Reyes knows exactly who Paris REALLY is, and when Ruby is unexpectedly released from prison, Paris must confront the past she thought she escaped.

I’m really impressed TWDITD! Unlike a couple of Hillier’s other books I’ve read, this one didn’t have a major twist, at least not for me. I figured out “the who,” but “the why” is the winner here. Hillier develops a character-driven psychological thriller that slowly unveils the lasting effects of abuse, neglect, and childhood trauma. The toxic relationship between mother and daughter is written brilliantly, riddled with emotional abuse, physical abuse, and generational trauma. Bravo to Hillier for putting the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book because this one tackles lots of dark themes.

4.5 stars

Wow, this book was jam-packed with mystery and suspense!

Paris Peralta is the prime suspect in her celebrity husband’s death. This comes as no surprise when she is found covered in blood and holding a straight razor next to her husband’s dead body in the bathtub. But being charged with murder isn’t her only worry, as she is being black mailed by someone from her past. Ruby Reyes, a convicted killer, knows who Paris really is and threatens to expose all of her secrets. Now Paris must confront her dark past while fighting to prove her innocence.

This was a fantastic book I loved how essentially two stories came together as one for an epic reveal. The suspense factor was well paced and grabbed my attention from the very beginning, never once wavering from the big picture. If you love a good murder mystery like I do, then you will love Things We Do in the Dark!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

I could not put this book down. "Things We Do in the Dark" grabs your attention from page 1 -- "There's a time and a place for erect nipples, but the back of a Seattle police care definitely isn't it." As a new fan of Hillier's I went in knowing the twists and turns were going to take readers on a wild ride. "Things We Do in the Dark" is a psychological thriller so binge-worthy, you won't want to put it down.

The first of 2 big twists, I suspected. But after chasing more than 1 red herring, the novel unfolded, giving me a shock I didn't see coming. While I should have, can't say why or I'd be spoiling it, I was impressed that Hillier was able to pull one over on me, when it was such an obvious answer. Well played, Jennifer, well played.

While all books have to have an ending, I was bummed when this one was over. While "Things We Do in the Dark" is chalked full of content that may be triggering for some, I found that I really loved the story, the characters, and the "darkness" that each character experienced and fought against.

In typical Jennifer Hillier fashion, this story has dual timelines. One is present day with our protagonist, Paris Peralta being accused of murdering her much older, famous, and very wealthy husband. The media has immediately tried and convicted her through their coverage of the story of her husband Jimmy being dead in his bathtub with a wound to his thigh and blood surrounding his body. Paris was supposedly out of town in Canada and returned unexpectedly early to Seattle. Many pieces of the story are questionable and the police have difficulty finding evidence to support her story that she was not in Seattle at the time of her husband’s death.
The other timeline is in the past and focused on Ruby Reyes, an abusive and neglectful mother of her daughter, Joelle. Joelle ends up in child protective services and lives with her grandmother and aunt and uncle in a rural area of Canada. We know early on that all the moving parts don’t add up but how they fit together is unclear. As the story builds, each timeline merges more and more.
I enjoyed the story as always with this author. I think I liked her Creep and Freak series best of her books (I have read all but one), but this one was an entertaining story.

#ThingsWeDoInTheDark #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This was my first read by Jennifer Hillier and absolutely loved it!! Twists and turns, couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Paris Peralta is in trouble. After being discovered in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor, with a straight razor in her hand, her celebrity-husband, Jimmy, dead in the bathtub behind her, she's promptly arrested for his murder. Not a great way to start a day, following a night she can hardly remember. It appears Paris suffered a head injury at some point during the night. This must be why she can't remember what happened.

A flurry of media activity immediately flocks to the action. Jimmy Peralta was a well-loved comedic actor, who had recently made a giant comeback. His death is big news. Paris is devastated and swears that she is innocent. In spite of everything happening around her, Paris actually has bigger worries.

When Paris and Jimmy met, she was a yoga instructor and he attended her classes. He was smitten fairly quickly and she was as well, but she was never truly honest with Jimmy. She never told him about her past. A past she has been hiding from for years.

Twenty-five years ago, Ruby Reyes, dubbed the 'Ice Queen' by the media, was convicted for the murder of a man in Canada. It was a very high profile case, with people still discussing it to this day. Ruby feels like she knows who Paris really is and she spends the final days of her prison stay writing Paris threatening letters. Apparently, blackmail is a hobby you can participate in from anywhere.

Drew Malcolm is an investigative journalist turned podcaster. His specialty happens to be my favorite: true crime. When he hears that Ruby Reyes is going to be released from prison, he can hardly believe it. Drew grew up in the same area where Ruby lived and committed her infamous crime. He feels personally connected to the case and decides to make it the next hot topic for his podcast.

Using alternating perspectives, as well as both past and present timelines, the Reader gets taken on a real journey in Things We Do in the Dark. I didn't pay much attention to the synopsis before I started this, Jennifer Hillier's name on the cover was enough to get me to read it, and I'm happy I went into this pretty much blind. I was so surprised each time the direction and perspective of this story shifted.

Unsurprisingly, Hillier's writing drew me in from the very start. I loved Paris as a character and her relationship with Jimmy. I found it completely fascinating.

For me, Jimmy was that quintessential stand-up comedian turned actor, who suffers from depression and substance abuse issues. He found this beautiful young lady who truly seemed to make him happy and he started to turn his life around. I loved that aspect. I felt like I knew him, even though he really didn't play a role in this story.

As far as Paris was concerned, I just got her. I liked her. Learning about her past, I truly felt for all she had been through in her life, all she had overcome and achieved in spite of it. Additionally, Drew was a fantastic character. I liked how much his investigative journalist background contributed to the story. This man was on a mission.

I had so much fun with the reveals in this, as the three threads begin to weave together. I felt this was expertly-plotted and a great way to escape the world for a while. I did listen to the audiobook and felt that is was super well done. I was enchanted by the narration. Once I started, it was really hard to put it down for anything.

Dinner, that can wait. Sleep, who needs it? Work, it will be there tomorrow.

In short, I loved this. Fast-paced, compelling and with so many elements that I tend to enjoy, Hillier won big for me with this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. It's clear I am a huge fan of Hillier's work and this one is no exception. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!

“There’s a time and a place for erect nipples, but the back of a Seattle police car definitely isn’t it.” (Crucial detail: this is the first line. Buckle up.)

To be honest, I’m STILL reeling from the ending of Jar of Hearts (which I read after Little Secrets… both phenomenal) and now I’m a third of the way through this one and have to physically extricate myself from my reading nook so that I don’t consume it too quickly. Seriously. I am panting heavier than I did in my middle school phys ed fitness test because WHAT. IS. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. NEXT?!?!

I think thrillers read better when you go in 80% clueless, so all you need to know is that Paris Peralta is accused of killing her celebrity husband after his assistant finds him having bled out in the bathtub. Naturally, Peralta is holding a straight razor and is drenched in blood. Now I could toss a slew of adjectives in this portion of the review to entice you even more, but they would be so woefully inadequate. Just buy this one. Then buy her whole backlist. Hillier is one of the most talented (and special) writers out there and she just doesn’t miss.

I have loved every book I’ve ever read by Jennifer Hillier, and this one is no exception. While I might argue that this is more of a domestic suspense novel than a downright thriller, it was still thoroughly enjoyable and I never wanted to put it down.

This book combines death, murder, mystery, alternative identities, secret pasts, and extra twists so that even if you think you’ve figured it all out, there’s likely still something left unsolved by the end that will leave your jaw hanging wide open.

The book begins with Paris being arrested for the murder of her husband, who was dead when she arrived home. As she worries about what will come of her if no one believes her, readers are brought on a journey that gives glimpses into Paris’ past.

But what I always love about Hillier’s writing is how she sections her books out into different sections that all tell individual parts of the story and don’t fully piece together until the end. And this one did just that.

If you haven’t read a book by this incredible author, you need to. So far, Little Secrets is still my favorite, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Comedian Jimmy Peralta was in the midst of a comeback when the police found his wife Paris in their Seattle home next to his dead body, lying in the bathtub. She is holding a straight razor covered with blood. Did the successful yoga instructor kill her much older and wealthy celebrity husband? Paris is arrested and we learn that her problems go even deeper than a murder charge as she is being blackmailed by convicted killer Ruby Reyes (known as the Ice Queen). After being in jail for 25 years on a life sentence, Ruby has been granted parole and is threatening to reveal secrets about Paris. Drew Malcolm, a true crime podcaster, is planning his next season around Ruby's high-profile case, which is personal for him. Drew was friends with Ruby's daughter Joey, who perished in a fire after her mother was sent to prison and then turned to a life as a stripper.

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier is a creative story with a lot going on. It starts off very strong with the focus on Paris and the death of her husband Jimmy. The storyline that features Ruby and her abusive treatment of daughter Joey was sad and disturbing. It might be too disturbing for some. Told in present day and flashbacks, the stories of all these characters eventually come together. There were some very effective "aha!" moments that kept me highly engaged. Overall, I felt it was an entertaining read from a talented storyteller.

This was another great thriller from Ms. Hillier. It was pretty twisted, but the multiple points of view, and multiple timelines continue to be a great hook for me. The twist at the end was largely gratuitous and didn't add much to the story, but the quality of the story itself forgives that. Overall, a very solid thriller that I would recommend. It made for a quick read!

When Paris Peralta is arrested for the murder for her celebrity husband, murder charge is not the only thing she needs to worry about. The intense media spotlight she finds herself in threatens to expose secrets she worked really hard to bury. Meanwhile in Toronto a podcast journalist is working on a new podcast about convicted murderer Ruby Reyes, also known as The Ice Queen. Ruby is being released on parole after serving a 25 year prison sentence and her release.

This was the first Jennifer Hillier book I've read, even though I own both of her previous works (time t tackle that TBR stack). After reading Things We Do in the Dark I am definitely a fan. This was a well written, suspenseful story with great character development. Though some twists were less surprising than others, overall the engaging storytelling trumped my need for surprises. I enjoyed both story-lines but there was definitely an added element of nerdy enjoyment to Toronto one as that's the city I call home. This read is perfect for fans of medium paced, character driven, dark and twisty thrillers! Even if you're not necessarily an avid thriller fan, I'd recommend this book as it this holds appeal beyond genre expectations.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an early review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Brace yourself!
This is an astonishing story that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
Bold, suspenseful and haunting, this psychological thriller/murder mystery was on a league of its own.

Told in several parts past and present, this story developed and flowed flawlessly. Rich, dark and complex, this haunting story was a brimming with nail biting twists and turns.
Flawlessly written, for me, the best part about the writing was how easy to follow it was. I was completely captivated by this read trying to figure out the mysterious details surrounding a murder our heroine Paris Peralta is accused of.

A murder is shrouded with mystery as we try to figure out who did it.

Oh… the suspense… the build up, the subtle clues thrown inadvertently here me there.
Trying to figure out the clues and who these characters were and how they were connected was a giant puzzle that embarked me on this suspenseful and even chilling journey.

The ending was a real gotcha moment and I love it!
This is my first read by this author and I’m a fan.
I highly recommend this read!

#ThingsWeDoInTheDark:⁣
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“If you deny something over and over again, and for long enough, people might eventually believe you. It works for politicians. Bonus: You might even convince yourself it’s the truth”. ⁣
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Fun fact, Billy Joel is one of my favorites. It’s a reason my husband and I connected because at 18, no one understood his greatest hits like we did. She’s Always a Woman is my favorite song ever. So, if you’re going to start a book off with that, you better deliver. Jennifer Hillier did. ⁣
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This book had so many funny moments from the audio that I couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t go looking for her” next page “of course he’s going to look for her” ⁣
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The audio was okay. I wasn’t blown away by the performance, but I definitely wasn’t bored by it either. There’s some audio readers that can make or break a book, and I am glad that did not happen with this. ⁣
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I didn’t know where this book was going. The twist was not what I was envisioning, but I liked it. This did keep my interest and instead of reading other books, I just kept gravitating towards Things We Do In The Dark in the different media because I wanted to know what was going to happen! ⁣
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Overall, another solid Jennifer Hillier book! She’ll always be an auto buy author for me. I was worried TWDITD was getting *too* much hype and it wouldn’t deliver, but she hasn’t let me down yet! Thank you so much @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy! Things We Do in the Dark is out 7/19!

Content warning: rape, child abuse, suicide

I recently read Jennifer Hillier’s latest thriller, Things We Do in the Dark, and wow what a ride that was. Jennifer is a master at weaving a dark and twisty thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. If I had the time, I definitely would have read this in a single sitting.

Paris Peralta, accused of her famous husband’s murder, has a secret past. As the reader goes through the story and starts to connect the dots, it starts to become clear exactly what she’s hiding. I really enjoyed her character - she was complex and relatable. I was instantly emotionally invested in her story as it played out.

Jennifer Hillier certainly tackles some difficult and dark subject matter in her books, but, if it's material you are okay with, I definitely recommend picking up Things We Do in the Dark. It is dark, heart wrenching and perfectly paced to keep the reader hooked. I definitely want to read more of her backlist, I read Jar of Hearts last year and loved it!

Things We Do in the Dark came out on July 19th so it is currently available! Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for sharing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐4.5/5 stars⭐

I'll be honest, this is one of those books I'm not sure what to do with. On one hand, it felt a little predictable and I did have some issues with it...but on the other hand, it's one I'm going to be thinking about for a long time.

THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK opens with one of our main characters, Paris, being arrested for the murder of her famous husband. As we follow her trial we find out that Paris tends to lay low, and her trial could dig up some unsavory things from her past. Learning her backstory in multiple timelines (flashbacks etc) was interesting, and I enjoyed being able to really dig into the characters' backgrounds and timelines. However, I felt like the book simply tried to do too much. The middle seemed a little dragged out before everything was wrapped up at the end, and the twists weren't as twisty as I'd like. On top of that, there was (in my opinion) an excess of descriptions of child sexual abuse, something that I find extremely uncomfortable as a plot point. Can you address abuse in a novel like this? Absolutely, but it must be done with more tact.

While this didn't totally miss the mark (I genuinely did enjoy reading it!), it is what it is: a shocking, (mostly) fast-paced thriller. It isn't life changing, but it's definitely good enough.

3.5 stars - Things We Do in the Dark started strong, drew me in, and was engaging through the first section. When it hits a part two, I felt like I was reading a completely different book for a while, and the pacing slowed. Eventually the separate story lines came together and then proceeded forward. Lots of clues via foreshadowing, and I easily predicted the first big twist.

Definitely plot holes throughout, some threads started and dropped, some things lined up too conveniently. Reveals came with more telling than showing. I wasn't very satisfied with how the opening mystery was resolved (although I correctly I predicted it). Regardless of my criticisms, I did like the book and would recommend. This was my second read from this author, and I'd read more from her.

Big trigger warning for child abuse - detailed in flashbacks. Explicit physical abuse, non-explicit sexual abuse.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

First off I will say Jennifer Hillier writes very well with an effortless style that drew me in with the first sentence. Thrillers are one of my favorite genres so that also got my attention. Ditto for the setting. The two things that didn't work for me - hence three stars - were the multiple points of view with too much jumping around for me to keep them straight and it was too dark for me. The various characters were not easy for me to care about, I couldn't become engaged in their stories to the extent that I was eager to know more. Having said that, I would not hesitate to recommend Things We Do in the Dark to friends who are fans of Noir. This book just wasn't my cup of tea.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly, 3.15 stars. It seems I am in the minority here because there are so many positive reviews for this one, so don't listen to me because you might love it. I was looking forward to it because I have enjoyed this authors work in the past, but I just wasn't feeling this one.

When a younger woman marries a much older man she's automatically deemed a golddigger and that term only intensifies when the husband is rich and famous. Then he turns up dead...with the wife possibly holding the murder weapon, thus making her the likely suspect. But who is Paris really?

Told in 6 parts with A LOT of backstory throughout the whole book.

I liked Drew and his investigative skills as he worked on his podcast.
I didn't really care for any of the other characters ~ Paris was blah, Zoe was too much, Elsie seemed like an old hag, Ruby was just the worst or all worstness. Actually, I did like the 4 year old cousin, Carson, and Deborah seemed nice.

I was lucky enough to receive a kindle copy and an audiobook. Quite a long listen at 11 hours and 50 minutes and Carla Vega was a good narrator, but I did prefer reading and not listening.

TW ~ child abuse, sexual abuse, pedophilia

Overall, most of the story was predictable, twists not very twisty and the story dragged at times with repetition. This was not my favorite by Jennifer, but I would read her work again.

A dark and emotional read with some head spinning twists. There are three major twists in this book. The first big twist I figured out pretty much right away but the other two at the end I didn't see coming at all. This was gritty, gory, and if this had been a movie I probably would turned my eyes away for a couple of scenes. I liked the way this was written with the multiple POV's and the pacing. I've only read one other book by Jennifer Hillier and I can say her books are not for the faint of heart. They definitely make you uncomfy and uneasy reading due to the material and the way its written. So if that is something you are looking for in your thrillers than I'd give them a try but be very diligent in checking out the content warnings.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the EARC in exchange for my honest review.

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier is a very highly recommended psychological thriller.

Paris Peralta is arrested for killing her celebrity husband. She is found holding a straight razor while her husband Jimmy Peralta is lying dead in the bathtub. Paris swears she didn't kill Jimmy, but she does have secrets in her past that she does want to hide. All the publicity from the murder accusation may bring to light Paris's past and secrets that she does want to hide, including another murder and her mother, convicted killer Ruby Reyes.

Investigative Journalist Drew Malcolm is planning a pod cast featuring notorious killer Ruby Reyes, aka the Ice Queen, is about to be freed on parole after serving 25 years of a life sentence. Drew was good friends with her daughter, Joey, who later died mysteriously in a fire. Drew wants to highlight the abuse Joey received at the hands of Ruby, redirecting media attention away from Ruby.

The well written, complex and intricate plot of Things We Do in the Dark is compelling and full of surprises and heartbreak. It is also an un-put-downable psychological thriller. This complicated web of relationships, deceit, and lies is told through flashbacks and the perspectives of different characters. The timeline also moves back and forth between the past and the present and includes a couple big surprising twists in the plot. What is uncovered is Paris's relationship in the present with Jimmy, but also all her relationships in the past as she was growing up in Canada.

As a character driven drama Things We Do in the Dark excels. All the characters are portrayed as real people, protagonists and antagonists. There are characters you will support and commiserate with and there are characters you will actively despise. Paris is an intriguing and sympathetic character. You know she couldn't be responsible for Jimmy's murder. Journalist Drew Malcolm is also a character you will trust.

This is really an enjoyable thriller. At times the plot does stretch credibility, but you will be too engrossed and emotionally invested in the plot to care. Since Things We Do in the Dark is my first Hillier novel, it is impressive enough that I'm now planning to look at some of her previous novels. 4.5 rounded up
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.