I've read a number of Hiller's books and, like the others, this novel is compulsively readable. The character development is full and rounded, the narrative is dark and twisty, and the POV shifts are done subtly yet effectively. Overall a strong read.

I wasn't sure how many of the narrative plot points in this one were meant to be surprises and how many we were meant to see coming. For the most part, there weren't many surprise twists here for me; however, that didn't impact my reading or overall urgency to find out the whole story. So I'd say the twists are less for effect and more to keep us glued to the tale (which is, again, dark in many ways). I would have loved to see the character of Drew and his podcast used to better effect, though I can see how there was only so much room for the different plot lines to work in this book. A sequel following Drew would be very welcome!

I'd recommend this book for mystery, thriller, and psychological thriller lovers. If you're a Hiller fan, I think you'll like this one too. Hiller is one of my "must reads" now, and this one is not to be missed!

Mystery and thrillers are not my typical genre but I just love Jennifer Hillier's writing. She hooked me with Little Secrets and Things We Do in the Dark did not disappoint. One again, Hillier writes amazing character backstories and there are lots of twists and turns, I could not put this down.

Thank you so much for my digital copy of this book. It was well written, suspenseful and had me turning the pages until I finished it in a day! I always look forward to reading books by Jennifer Hillier as she never disappoints. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the best thriller I’ve read in a long time! I gasped through all the pages, chapters, and parts. I can’t wait to re-read this already!

I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will look for more. It kept me in suspense and I wanted to know what happened. I would definitely recommend this book!

Paris has lived a hard life. As a child, she was the victim of vicious child abuse. Her mother, it turned out, was a cold-blooded killer known as The Ice Queen after killing her lover. Paris had testified at the trial and her testimony sent her mother to prison for life with parole possibility after twenty-five years. Paris was sent to live with relatives who resented her presence. As soon as she turned eighteen, she ran off and made her way the best she could, a way that included stripping in a men's club.
After a tragedy, Paris ran away again and started another new life. She put her old life and identity behind her and that's when she became Paris rather than the name she grew up as. She ran to California and started teaching yoga classes. Eventually she owned her own studio and that's where she met Jimmy. Jimmy was much older than she but somehow they clicked. He was a well-known retired comedian who had had a hit series that everyone knew. It took a while but he eventually convinced her to marry him.

Returning from a weekend away, Paris finds Jimmy in the bathtub, covered in blood. She is arrested for his murder although it could have been suicide just as well. Paris isn't that worried about the murder charge because she knows she wasn't even in the area when his death occurs. What she is worried about is her mother who has gotten parole and is threatening to reveal Paris' past unless Paris pays her off. Are some people just meant for tragedy?

Jennifer Hillier is a Canadian author whose crime novels have won many awards. In this, her eighth novel, she creates a character in Paris that the reader can't help but love and cheer for even as it seems life is determined to drag her down no matter what she does. Paris is an example of how some people can overcome terrible life events while others drown in them. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

I went in blind because I've really enjoyed two of Hillier's novels and was excited to get my hands on this one!

Started off pretty good, but got bogged down in short order. The flashbacks and backstory were a bit long winded and I wasn't invested in the characters. The only character I liked was Drew and he wasn't a major player. I also didn't connect with the celebrity scene. The two timelines felt somewhat disconnected. I wanted to be engaged, but it wasn't happening!

Ultimately, this one turned out to be a predictable read for me, though there are some twists. All these things combined, made for a bit of a slog with some gaping plot holes.

Many others have had a better reading experience, so check out higher reviews.

She is a talented author that I look forward to reading again even though this wasn't one for me to rave about. Fingers crossed for next time!!

Wow! Jennifer Hillier strikes again! What a riveting book about Paris Peralta and her lover's mysterious murder. This book is told from multiple timelines and perspectives, which I enjoy a lot. In order to discover who Paris is, you need to dive into her past...did she really kill her husband?

Trigger warnings include: rape of a child and child abuse.

Geez, I don’t even know what to think. This book was wild. I think I have whiplash from me going back and forth on point my finger at the whodunnit. The some parts of the flashbacks were a little slow but necessary. Other than that, amazing! If you’ve read any Hillier’s other work, you know it’s going to be one dark wild ride, and she did not disappoint! July cannot come soon enough!

⚠️Rape, murder, sexual abuse, child abuse, suicide

Thank you netgalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review

3.75/5. Tore through it - Hillier’s writing is fantastic. But I was left wanting a bit more from the Jimmy reveal; it didn’t feel very unique or exciting. I also found myself craving more suspense/tension at times. But, all in all, a very good thriller that I couldn’t get myself to put down!

I became a Jennifer Hillier fan when I read Little Secrets. Then I read Jar of Hearts. I was excited t0 get an an advanced copy of Things We Do in the Dark from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best book I've read in a while. It has great pacing overall, builds tension, and has fresh twists. The story centers on a young girl who was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused throughout her teen years, and the adult she has become two decades later.

Hillier is masterful in telling the story in multiple flashbacks. I was never confused. If Hillier had told this story in chronological order, it would not have been as compelling.

I have given this book **** instead of five for two reasons:
First: Hillier referenced current celebrities a few times, and this always bumps me out of the story.
Second: the ending felt rushed. There are two despicable villains. I would like to have savored each getting their punishments more.

I highly recommend this book.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jennifer Hillier always amazes me with how complex her characters are. She can write one incredible thriller. Paris is married to a beloved actor. When he winds up dead, her world comes completely apart. And in more ways than one. Fast page turner and one twist after another. Unputdownable!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars I enjoyed Things We Do in the Dark the story line was interesting and kept me turning the page. Paris Peralta is arrested when she is found in her bathroom covered in her celebrity husbands blood and holding a straight razor. However her biggest fear is having her face exposed in the news and her past discovered. Twenty-five years earlier in the early nineties, Ruby Reyes, known as the Ice Queen, was convicted of a similar murder in Canada. I love a story that has duel timelines and learning how the stories intertwine. This was labeled as a thriller but really it didn't have the level of tension and suspense I was expecting. I was super excited when the idea of a podcast was introduced to the story however that story line did not happen. Overall I enjoyed the story I just felt like it could have been so much more! Still worth the read and I will definitely read whatever Jennifer Hillier comes out with next.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book - in fact, I have loved all Jennifer Hillier’s books! Her reputation as the Queen of the Twist Is still intact! This one is loaded with unsavory and flawed but interesting characters. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with plots that twist and turn and lead you down a path that heads to a dead-end!

*TW: sexual abuse*

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advance copy of this title.

Having previously read and loved Hillier’s “Jar of Hearts”, my expectations for this book were exceptionally high and I was NOT disappointed. Characters were so real and raw that I couldn’t help but become invested in their stories. The plot moved along at a quick pace and kept me wanting more. The twists were unexpected but believable. It’s rare that I rate a title five stars, but this one deserves it!

The Things We Do In The Dark by Jennifer Hillier is a very good story that has so intriguing, I couldn’t put it down. The story opens when Paris Peralta is found on the bathroom floor, unconscious with her husband’s straight razor clutched in her hand. Her husband celebrity/comedian is found dead in the bathtub. This is how the police viewed the scene when they entered the bathroom. After being arrested Paris has to find a way to prove her innocence. Although there were parts of this novel that were a little hard to read, they were part of the story and not just written for shock value. This has a multilayered storyline involving past and present lives, keeping my interest throughout, I felt there was never a dull moment. I was impressed with the writing and the character building. Being that this was my first reading experience with Jennifer Hillier, I’m going to order her earlier books which I’m excited to read. Well Done!
Thank You to NetGalley, the Author Jennifer Hillier and the Publisher St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this novel for an honest review.

I waited a few days to write this review,
I felt like I needed to sit with my thoughts a bit - but I don’t know that it really helped. I still feel so torn on how I feel about this book.

I LOVED the first part. A celebrity murder takes place and the way younger wife gets arrested for the crime. Yes - sign me up. I couldn’t get enough. I was scared to keep going because I was worried it wouldn’t continue to be as good.

I’m confused by a lot of the reveals in the plot. I don’t want to give things away, so I won’t say more than that - but I just have a lot of questions about the author’s intent.

I loved the usual Jennifer Hillier darkness, she doesn’t hold back when it comes to gore and the dark side. This one has it all.

I will say I have thought about this book a lot since I finished it - so that has helped my rating.

Little Secrets is in my top 3 thrillers ever so I may feel underwhelmed because I set such high expectations. Yeah I really don’t know what else to say - real helpful review hey?

Jennifer Hillier has done it again with another fantastic book! This book follows Paris Peralta, right after her husband, a retired comedian/sitcom actor who is experiencing a resurgence, was found dead in a bathtub with her passed out next to it, and she is being hauled to the police station. It also follows true crime podcaster Drew interviewing Ruby Reyes, who is imprisoned after being found guilty of killing her boyfriend twenty years prior.

While there are two timelines/multiple narrators, I really enjoyed this format where larger sections go back and forth versus individual chapters. I think the format works really well, allowing you to really settle into each perspective.

The whole story weaves together very well - no huge from left field curveballs. Again, I like this.

A caution is that there are a whole lot of triggers in this novel. If you're a highly sensitive person, you might want to stay away.

Thanks to Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon reading the premise for Jennifer Hillier’s latest thriller, “Things We Do in the Dark,” I was immediately intrigued and couldn’t wait to delve between the pages of this unique, suspenseful story. From start to finish, I was captivated, drawn in from the very first page and hard pressed to put it down.

“Things We Do in the Dark” is a page-turner of a story centered on a young woman named Paris who is accused of murdering her celebrity husband. While there is definitely a whodunit component to the story, it’s the secrets that Paris holds from the past that is the true crux of this riveting mystery.

As this story unfolds, it shifts between the present and past and is told through different POVs, laying out a horrific backstory that eventually leads back to Paris in the here and now. There are many threads used to weave this enthralling tale, but they all eventually come together to form an intensely gripping web of intrigue and suspense.

This is not the first Jennifer Hillier novel that I have read, and it certainly won’t be my last!

I love Jennifer Hillier, I always recommend Little Secrets, it’s one of my favorite books so I was so excited to get this ARC of this book.
I will start by saying that this one isn’t as thrilling or suspenseful as her previous books, but it was a captivating story.
This book is full of dark moments that really tugged my heart.
I thought the middle was the slowest part for me but it was necessary to get to the end and get the back story.
I did find the one twist at the end surprising.. I figured out most of the book but one of the last twists I did not get and I enjoyed being surprised by it.
Overall a good mystery of “who did it” and tells a great story of a woman who lived a life of hell and did what it took to get out of it.


Trigger Warnings for this:
Child Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Domestic Abuse
Drug Abuse

Look for this one when it releases on July 19th.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.