Jennifer is a master in her field. I have not read one of her books I didn’t love and Things We Do in the Dark is her next big read.
The fact we now have to wait another year to read her next masterpiece is heartbreaking!

You keep them coming and I will keep reading. As will all your millions of fans.

Things We Do in The Dark
By Jennifer Hillier

A Chilling and Immersive Psychological Thriller

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
The police found a shocked and disheveled Paris Peralta in the bathroom of her posh Seattle home covered in blood and holding a straight-edge razor. Her celebrity husband is dead, lying in a bathtub full of water and blood behind her. Paris is immediately arrested and charged with murder. What worries Paris the most is that the unwanted media attention will unveil her hidden past.

Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, the Ice Queen, was convicted of her wealthy lover’s murder in a trial that riveted Canada in the early 90s. Reyes claims she knows who Paris really is, and when she is unexpectedly released from prison, she threatens to expose all of Paris’s secrets.

Left with no other choice, Paris must finally confront the difficult childhood and the dark past she escaped long ago.

REVIEW
Things We Do in the Night is a multilayered psychological thriller full of unrelenting tension. The story is immediately compelling and impossible to put down. The writing is solid and spellbinding. It may even be a little graphic for some who recoil at blood and murder.

The characters are creative, robust, and delightfully unique. I loved Paris’s character, resiliency, and strength in taking care of matters. Ruby’s character is a piece of work, and you’ll feel very justified in your dislike of this horrendous person. Drew Malcolm, a true-crime podcaster, is on a mission. He is furious that Ruby is getting out of prison and having a second chance at life, while her daughter Joey is dead. He is going to make sure his three million listeners of his podcast, The Things We Do in the Dark know just how despicable Ruby is.

Author Jennifer Hillier was born and raised in Toronto but she spent eight years in the Seattle area, where most of her books are set. She’s the author of a several psychological thrillers, including her recent bestsellers Little Secrets (2020) and Jar of Hearts (2018)

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books for an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions are my own.


Publisher Minotaur Books
Published July 19, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Thank you to Netgalley for gifting me this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

This book was not at all what I imagined this to be. There’s 6 different parts and flashbacks. We get Paris Peralta’s POV and her story told through flash books. All I can say is…wow. That girl has been through soo much. I wanted to hug her and shake her. I didn’t understand a lot of her decisions during her childhood; it’s easy to say “well, you should’ve done this,” but not everyone faces trauma the same way. I could understand why she didn’t do certain things. Her mother, Ruby, is probably the worst person ever. I HATED her. I wish for her death many times throughout the book.

The mystery of who killed Jimmy Peralta was weaved throughout the story. I had an inkling, but I didn’t guess at all right away. There is also another little mini mystery going on throughout which I did predict.. but it didn’t take anything out of the story.

We also get Drew’s POV, a podcaster who decides to take on Ruby’s case. Ruby was convinced of murdering a man. This drives Drew deep into the rabbit hole where things don’t quite make sense but he starts asking questions and seeking answers.

I really enjoyed this and kept trying to figure out what was gonna happen next. There is another mini plot twist that I did not see coming towards the very end, and it made sense.

Highly recommend especially if you liked Jennifer’s other books especially Little Secrets.

This thriller had secrets upon turns upon surprises upon twists. I read this in just a few sittings and was entertained each and every chapter. Some of the content was hard to read at certain times due to child abuse. But this was a refreshing thriller with a seamless plot and interesting characters.

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2022 and I was so excited when I received the ARC from Netgalley. I am pleased to announce that this did not disappoint one bit. This book kept me on my toes right from the first page and with every new reveal I think my eyeballs were about to fall out of my head. 5 stars. Will be picking up a physical copy for my personal library and forcing all my friends to read it.

Domestic thriller from a new favourite author! This is a story about Paris, who is accused of murdering her famous husband. Paris also is known as Joelle, who ran away from her life, and ran away from a murder. This was an excellent book with an ending like no other. Ruby is a character you sure hope is fictional, but I’m sure many people could relate to a monster of a mother like her. I love reading, I read a lot, but I love endings like this one. The ending made this book for me. Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc copy of this book.

Well crafted. A dark gritty read with a compelling and complex lead character. Unflinching look at abuse and family dysfunction.

In Jennifer Hiliers newest book it starts with the murder of a comedian on the edge of a comeback, with his wife becoming the primary suspect. Intertwined is the story of Joey, whom as a young girl experiences more abuse then anyone could possible survive. As the story continues we see how their stories connect and all lead to a wonderful ending. The authors gift for telling engrossing stories has gotten even better then her previous and I look forward to anything else by this author.

I enjoy the suspense, fast pace, and unexpected twists of Jennifer Hillier's books. Unfortunately, Things We Do in the Dark had few of these.

The story had potential with multiple murders/missing people and the secrets that surround these events. While some of the twists were mildly surprising, for the most part they were predictable. The characters felt cheesy and superficial, though young Joey was the most likeable and sympathetic.

The plot was slow and repetitive and I was eager for it to end, hopeful it would get better. That was not the case.

I can’t believe I took so long to read this one! I cannot wait to read more by Jennifer Hillier! I read this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. It is best if you go into this one blind. It was overall an excellent read, one that I can’t stop thinking about. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, for a chance to read this e-ARC prior to publication for my honest review

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

For Paris Peralta, found standing in the bathroom, covered in blood and clutching a straight razor while her husband, Jimmy, lies dead in the bathtub, it seems like an open and shut case. But Paris doesn’t remember what happened; she remembers her husband lying in the blood-filled bathtub and then nothing until she awoke to someone screaming.

Even in Seattle, news spreads fast when a celebrity is involved and, after the initial shock, no one was particularly surprised . . . her celebrity husband was some thirty years older than his young wife; surely she had married him . . . and murdered him . . . for his money.

But Paris and Jimmy loved each other; she’s certain she didn’t murder him. But a murder charge is not what disturbs Paris. She’s certain that the media exposure . . . with photographers and newspaper reporters camped outside her door . . . will destroy the life she’s struggled to build for herself. Her biggest fear: that media exposure will bring her hidden past out into the open.

Who killed Jimmy Peralta? And what is Paris so desperate to keep hidden?

=========

Strong, believable characters populate this chilling thriller; some are despicable while others evoke empathy. Several of the events depicted are traumatic with several trigger warnings for the reader. However, the unfolding story, sometimes in the present, sometimes as a backstory to provide details, weaves these events into a cohesive, yet difficult to read storyline.

The plot, twisty and surprising, keeps the suspense high; tension permeates the telling of the tale. Astute readers may be able to predict some of the unexpected revelations, but this dark story is good at keeping its secrets hidden.

Gritty and, at times, cringe-worthy, the evolving story is intense, compelling, and heart-wrenching, impossible to put down. Readers are likely to find themselves turning the pages as fast as possible, only to find themselves gobsmacked by the unexpected denouement.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#ThingsWeDoInTheDark #NetGalley

This book grabbed me in from the first page. Although the initial mystery of the main character was easily guessed the twists kept coming. It had a good plot and I enjoyed it throughout!

Whew! Okay that just happened! Wow. 😳

There are two major twists in the book, and while I slowly began to suspect one, the other completely knocked me for a loop.

If you read one thriller this year, this is the one. It’s a knockout and hands down everything a psychological thriller should be.

Page turner ✅
Still reading late at night; couldn’t put it down✅
Unpredictable twists and turns✅
Complex characters✅
Unique storyline✅

This one has it all. It’s suspenseful and disquieting but also tender in all the right places. It’s a knockout—one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while. Don’t miss it!

Blood doesn't lie........

You'll find that it has a definite presence here in more ways than one.

Paris Peralta has been smacked into reality when the police arrive and demand that she drop the straight razor from her hand. She's staring into the dead eyes of her famous husband, comedian Jimmy Peralta, who lays lifeless in the bathtub. In a nano second, she's hauled off to the police station in cuffs with "I'm innocent" trailing from her lips.

Paris is a complicated soul. She and Jimmy are the least likely couple. Jimmy is thirty years older than Paris. Jimmy has always been the darling of comedy until his career started to fizzle with the changing times. But Netflix bought into a new platform for Jimmy and a new generation was lit on fire. Paris was never enticed by the promise of new money. Their relationship seemed to work. But then why was Paris caught "red-handed" with the straight razor? Stay tuned.

Drew Malcolm took his previous investigative journalist background and turned it into a successful podcast followed by over 3 million viewers. He's gotten word that Ruby Reyes, the infamous Ice Queen murderer, is being released from prison. Ol' Ruby has been there since 1992 after a heinous crime. Drew is driven by a desire that Ruby shouldn't be going anywhere. And he's going to make it his latest pod topic.

Here's where I'm at. I have loved all things Jennifer Hillier including her Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets. (Be sure to check these out.) But Things We Do in the Dark suffers from intense overkill. (Yup, pun intended.) We'll take a trip riding a metronome back and forth through time with fill-ins on these main characters. The reader becomes knee deep in backstories at the expense of the actual storyline. In fact, Things We Do in the Dark is filleted into six actual parts in its telling. It also takes on heavy-duty topics that would flip a social worker's stomach. I like "complicated" plots, but this one just suffered from extraneous plot devices. There was no build-up of excitement happening. We pretty much figured out everything from the get-go.

I would encourage you to take this one out for a spin yourselves. There have been many 4 and 5 Star reviews out there. But dedicated Jennifer Hillier fans know what she is capable of through her previous books. And please know: I'm already anxious for her next one to get here. Always will be.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to the talented Jennifer Hillier for the opportunity.

I have only read one other Jennifer Hillier novel & that was The Butcher which I read as my last book of 2021. I had heard great things about her books but had just never got around to reading one. The Butcher absolutely BLEW MY MIND! So when I heard of Things We Do in the Dark I knew I had to put it really high up on my list. When I saw that it was available on Netgalley I took a shot in the dark & requested to read an early copy of the book & I literally squealed when I was approved. Now I will be the first to admit that I am always the person who never guesses what is going to happen in books, which is why the thriller genre is a favorite of mine. This book was no exception to that fact only that it happened over and over again with all of the fabulously crafted twists. The story for this novel I thought was a great take on a very common trope of "husband is dead...obviously the wife did it". Hillier takes that and runs far and wide with how she crafted Paris. I also want to commend Hillier for her portrayal of the Filipina culture because throughout reading this book, I was constantly thinking of how little I have seen Asian culture depicted in novels and to see that carried out so wonderfully & in an explanatory way to the reader was just perfect. Hillier also hit the nail on the head with how she wrote the aspects of children services & social workers. I worked for children services in the past & to have first hand knowledge into what she was showcasing was a powerful moment. Also showing the effects of children services involvement on Joey was incredibly accurate & so was the abuse she received at the hand of her mother. I feel people think sometimes that child abuse cases are linear & truly that cannot be farther from the truth. This book was outstanding for so many different aspects & I thoroughly enjoyed my time immersed in the world Hillier created so spectacular. Big thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of Things We Do in the Dark, as well as Minotaur Books & of course the lovely Jennifer Hillier herself.

Things You Do in the Dark is the latest novel coming from Jennifer Hillier!
Paris Peralta is trying to live a quiet life with her retired actor but making a comeback husband Jimmy who is about 20 years older. Jimmy is found murdered in his bathtub with Paris unconscious at the scene and is immediately accused of his murder. The high-profile coverage brings things and events from Paris’s past back to her front and center.
This brings Paris’s perfect life to a halt, and she must answer to her past transgressions. There are also other narratives and main characters that are eventually woven into the story together to tie everything up. This story touches on not truly being able to run from your past and complicated parent/child relationships.
This was 3.8 * read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it!

This is by far one of the best books I've read yet. I love how the story plays out, and how the back story is explained in different time frames, which makes the story unfold so much better. I love the twist at the end, of whom actually killed Jimmy. Once I started this book I couldn't stop or put it down. Im glad that Paris had her happy ending with Jimmy, even with how their relationship ended.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of this book.

Hillier's previous book, the Anthony award finalist, Little Secrets, was really good. As a matter of fact, I suspect it would've taken that award if not for S.A. Cosby's magnificent novel, Blacktop Wasteland.

She might actually get her Anthony Award for this one.

It's the kind of twisty murder mystery that only a pro like Jennifer Hillier can pull off. Her outline must look something like this:

Act 1: Intrigue. Introduce the characters, and let the readers make up their minds about them. I will make them feel stupid for this later.

Act 2: Twist the plot as many times as possible, aka: Give the readers what they want.

Act 3: Sneak in a few more reveals, while also refining the characters' motivations. This will be difficult, but I can probably do it.

Basically, there are angry characters, there are sad characters, and there are dead characters. And Jennifer Hillier will trick you a bunch of times. So fun!

Things We Do in the Dark is a very compelling mystery. I was so invested in this story and I really cared about these characters, more so than I usually do in thrillers. I also loved the Filipino representation. I did predict the main twist, but I still enjoyed seeing how it played out! And I liked how the story wrapped up but but I do wish there was more of a shocking ending. Now I’m curious to read from Hillier’s backlist!

She has done it again! This may be my new favorite of 2022!

This story is great and you think you know where it’s going…then BAM…totally turned in another direction. The characters are written in a way that makes you empathize with them and makes you want everything to turn out okay in the end.

It was definitely a heartbreaking story and, even though it’s fictional, you know deep down that stories like this exist out there somewhere.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a family drama/murder/suspense book. Be aware of trigger warnings such as child abuse, rape, and sexual assault.