Another excellent psychological thriller from Jennifer Hiller. I could not put this one down. An intricate story of secrets and trauma., Things We Do in the Dark keeps the reader guessing until the end scene.

Jennifer Hillier does it again! Such an amazing story and great character development! The only thing it was missing was a chapter on what happens to Paris after. I would have loved to know where she ended up on the aftermath of everything!

I finished up thriller queen @jenniferhillierbooks newest thriller 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑊𝑒 𝐷𝑜 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑘 and of course it was 100% fantastic. I mean has @jenniferhillierbooks ever produced anything less than a five star read?! The answer is no.

@jenniferhillierbooks gives us another unputdownable, addiciting, thrilling, suspensful and heart-wrenching read. Broken up into six parts and multiple POVs we are brought into the life of several flawed characters, their stories, and gut wrenching backgrounds. Although severely flawed, main character Paris is everything we could want in a thriller and I rooted for her the whole way.

SYNOPSIS: “When Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom—covered in blood, holding a straight razor, her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub behind her—she knows she'll be charged with murder. But as bad as this looks, it's not what worries her the most. With the unwanted media attention now surrounding her, it's only a matter of time before someone from her long hidden past recognizes her and destroys the new life she's worked so hard to build, along with any chance of a future.

Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, known as the Ice Queen, was convicted of a similar murder in a trial that riveted Canada in the early nineties. Reyes knows who Paris really is, and when she's unexpectedly released from prison, she threatens to expose all of Paris's secrets. Left with no other choice, Paris must finally confront the dark past she escaped, once and for all.“

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Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the early copy! ✨Release date is JULY 19, 2022✨

For whatever reason, I love books about folks that aren't famous, but famous adjacent (like the hairdresser to the stars in Jennifer Hillier's <i>Little Secrets</i>). I'm fascinated by people who are able to live in the liminal space between being known and being another average Joe. In this novel, we follow Paris. A woman on the run from her past, the last thing that she needs is to draw attention from the press. That's why it's a major risk when she decides to marry an aging has-been comedian who's finally making his comeback. It's why it's even worse when he's found in a pool of blood in his bathtub by the police and she's beside him with a razor. The last thing she needs when the tabloids begin their coverage is for someone from her old life to recognize her.

Of course, they do, and the past comes rushing back from there.

The novel takes you back and forth between her present nightmare and the people and circumstances she was so desperate to escape. While Hillier writes thrillers like no one else (hence me being so eager to get my hands on this), this book comes with pretty heavy content warnings for sexual assault, child abuse, and parental neglect. I found myself putting this down and stepping away every few chapters once I got deeper into the book. While I like my lit dark and twisted, I'm wary of books that veer into violence against children territory.

This is my first Jennifer Hillier novel, and certainly not my last. This is a great book with a solid plot and well developed characters. Great twists and quite hard to put down. Thank you NetGalley and Jennifer Hillier for the opportunity to read and review this book!

4.5 stars. This was my first Jennifer Hillier book, and it certainly won’t be my last. This was very cleverly written, and while I was able to put most of the pieces together before they were revealed, I still really enjoyed how things unfolded. All of the sub-plots came together in a really smart, compelling way.

When Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom—covered in blood, holding a straight razor, her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub behind her—she knows she'll be charged with murder. But as bad as this looks, it's not what worries her the most. With the unwanted media attention now surrounding her, it's only a matter of time before someone from her long hidden past recognizes her and destroys the new life she's worked so hard to build, along with any chance of a future.

I've been debating my thoughts on this for awhile, and I've settled on: I liked it but didn't love it. The story was unique, but I couldn't quite connect with any of the characters and it was a challenge to stay engaged. I absolutely loved her earlier thriller Little Secrets, which was faster paced and a better fit for my thriller tastes 😉 I still recommend this one for sure - just know going it it's a bit more slow burn than her earlier ones. And look at this cover! It is just stunning 😍

Thanks so much to @stmartinspress @netgalley and the author for the ARC!

Jennifer Hillier, you did it again!! I just finished reading Jar of Hearts a few weeks ago and I thought there was no way you could top it. But "Things We Do in the Dark" is an absolutely amazing read full of fun twists and turns. I was cheering for the main character the entire time. This book will have you turning pages past your bedtime. I'm excited to read more of Hilliard's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC!

Another winner by Jennifer Hillier! I love that her characters are Asian as I am half-Chinese myself and can absolutely understand the family dynamics. Ruby is such a self-indulgent, reckless character as a mother and as a human being that it's amazing her daughter was able to get out on her own and take her own life into her hands. Fabulous writing as always from Jennifer!

Once again, Hillier pens a twisted read that leaves readers gasping at every turn! There's no doubt she's a fantastic writer and after reading this one she'll be staying on the top of my "one-click" authors for the future! I highly recommend this one!

Paris\Joey is charged with the murder of her famous husband. What follows is how Joey becomes Paris. We, the reader, get a full biography of Joey and the abusive relationship with her mother Ruby. Well detailed and all avenues are answered.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

JENNIFER HILLIER DOES IT AGAIN MY FRIENDS. Man I love her writing and her stories. It's amazing how she can write such an atmospheric novel with suspense and make you feel actual emotions while reading. Will 100% read everything she writes.

Things We Do in the Dark, Jennifer Hillier
Jennifer Hillier, author of Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets, is just the BEST when it comes to writing thriller, and her newest book DOES NOT disappoint!! I was hooked on this book from the first page!!!
After hitting her head, Paris wakes up on her bathroom surrounded by the blood of her dead husband. With no memory of what happened and a straight edge razor blade in her hand, she is taken into custody and is charged with the homicide of her husband, famous actor Jimmy Peralta.
The book alternates between present day, and the past, mid ‘90s, telling a completely different story. We learn about Paris’ dark and disturbing past and her awful relationship with her mother, “The Ice Queen”, who about to be released from prison on murder charge (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!!)
Both stories will have you guessing with each chapter, leaving you question who done it and who is who??
Of course they all tie together in the end, with just about a near perfect ending!!!
This book doesn’t come out until July, but I hope you put it on your To Be Read list and you love it as much as I did!
I was honored by be selected as an advanced reader for this book!

Jennifer Hillier is a writing genius!! A suspenseful indulgence that takes you on a ride of maddening excitement!! I love how the book is broken up to really give each part of the story a breakdown that comes together at the end. I figured out the plot somewhat early on, but the way it was artistically written kept the on edge suspense waiting for the truth to reveal itself!! Paris Peralta is a very complex character but written so well and in a way really "bloomed" in my eyes as a character by the end. She is accused of murdering her husband immediately at the start of the book but the real story is in the unknown and her long hidden past! Ruby Reyes a great villain who while despising is also a great element to this book so the love/hate on this character is a show stopper!! The grittiness to what this book is about keeps the suspense high and the intrigue higher and if you want a book to devour this is at the top of the list! Sinisterly satisfying this book has an exceptional storyline that is its own masterpiece! How many murders can one have under their belt?!?! Read and find out!! Thank you NetGalley and Jennifer Hillier for this brilliant masterpiece!! These are the books thrill lovers crave!!

Dear Jennifer Hillier did it again! She literally blew my heart and mind away at the same time! What an impeccable, gripping, nail biting, emotional, unputdownable and also wildest- darkest ride!

I have to admit when I started reading Paris’ Peralta’s conviction story for killing her thirty years older, famous comedian/ also billionaire husband, I had some second thoughts but when I reached the second part about Drew Malcolm, a journalist, who actually becomes famous with his podcast called “Things we do in the dark”, dedicated himself to make a special episode about Ice Queen Ruby Reyes who was about to get out of the prison, my entire opinions have changed.

Bad things happen in the dark.

At least that's how Paris feels. Growing up with an abusive, narcissistic mother was bad enough, but now she finds herself in covered in blood, holding a razor, and next to her dead husband. The problem is that she can't remember what happened, but the one thing she knows is that she did not kill him.

The book runs three timelines seamlessly: Joey growing up, Joey as an early adult, and Paris now. Wait a minute - who is Joey and what does she have to do with Paris? These worlds seem night and day different, but when their worlds collide, things really speed up.

Jennifer Hillier is one of my favorite authors and this book only cements that. Her writing is descriptive, sick, and entertaining. She knows just what to say to keep me interested and reading well into the dark... I love that I was completely entranced by all three timelines and unable to predict the outcome. Anyone loving thrillers must read this (and everything else she writes... Jar of Hearts anyone???)

Thank you Minotaur for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.

Trigger warning: Discussion of sexual abuse and murder

Jennifer Hillier is on my auto buy forever list!! I absolutely love her books and their twisted, dark storylines! This story was filled with so much mystery surrounding Paris Peralta, wife of a celebrity comedian, who she finds dead. Did Paris kill her husband? Did he kill himself? Who exactly is Paris and what is she hiding? There are so many questions that need answers and of course none of them are straight forward! And then, Paris receives a letter from Ruby Reyes. Ruby is in prison and set to be released and threatens to expose Paris. This is all just the beginning of the book! Absolutely loved how this book revealed all of its secrets and laid out this story!

I flew through this one! Such a good storyline. Could be a big plot twist for some but I figured it out early on. It’s hard to read about abuse, especially to a child and especially from a parent. What a tough journey “Paris” goes through. I was so happy with the whole ending! It’s always nice to have it all wrapped up in a good way.

I enjoyed this book. The prose was well-written, and the characters were dynamic and jumped off the page. I thought the story was interesting and the plot kept me guessing.

First off, I love Jennifer Hillier. I’ve read most of her books and find her plots captivating. When given the opportunity to read and review her latest release, I was thrilled. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t like the characters and found the slow burn plot challenging to get into. Overall, I had to DNF about halfway through because I’m of the mindset that there’s way too many books to force yourself to finish one that feels like a chore. I’m still a huge advocate for Hillier’s other books, but this one missed the mark for me.