WOW this book was intense in all the right ways! Paris was such an unlikely hero, and initially unlikable but I was quickly hooked! I read this months ago, and there are scenes still lingering with me. Definitely a dark mystery, not the cozies I'm used to, but not gratuitously gory or overly-dramatic. I will be looking up more books by this author!

•BOOK•REVIEW•

Title: Things We Do in the Dark
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352

•Quick Deets•
Celeb Murder
Trophy Wife
Past catches up with you

•Rating•
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 star review
A Must Read

•Review•
This book had so much going on and I loved every second of it. The pages turned quickly. It was an easy read and a lovely distraction. Writing that kept you guessing until the very last chapter. This is definitely a book to get lost in!

I loved this book!
Everyone seemed to have two sides to their story. I loved the "did the wife do it" aspect to this book.

I have no idea why I sat on this one for so long before I actually started reading it.

This is a mild thriller - mostly a mystery with some trigger themes - child abuse and murder. There is no real suspense either. Even with that as a description, the book kept me entertained. There were multiple point of views: Paris in the present, Joey in the past, and Drew. Once Drew was introduced, the story picked up more interest as we started to learn the backstories of all the characters.

I don't know if I believe that there can be true love with a marriage between two people that have a 29 year age difference, especially when one is rich and famous. Maybe they can, but I guess you'll have to read this story to see if it's a relationship built on love or a gold digger.

"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.

Because the only thing worse than a murder charge are two murder charges."

Jennifer Hillier takes readers down a dark and twisty journey. And when I say dark, I mean DARK. The flashbacks to abuse are balanced with interspersed lightness. You are pulled into Paris' orbit and are more than willing the root for her to the very end. Original and intriguing plot.

3.5⭐️ Many thanks to my partner @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies.

The “Prince of Poughkeepsie” is found in a pool of blood with his (much younger) wife covered in blood and holding a razor. She did it, right?

I devoured Little Secrets. It was fast paced and disturbing. But for some reason, this one didn’t hit the same way for me.

Maybe it’s because this is more of a character driven suspense, and I was expecting a propulsive thriller. Maybe it’s because the story is heavy on flashbacks that slowed the overall pace. Or maybe I couldn’t get past how unlikable and cringeworthy the characters were.

While not what I expected, it’s worth noting that I was intrigued enough to finish it quickly. And though I didn’t love it, I did like it and will be looking forward to what Hillier does next.

🎧I went back and forth between my physical copy and audiobook. Carla Vega’s narration for the audiobook was exactly what I expected for Paris.

Such a great read. I felt that it kept my attention and kept me guessing throughout. This book pretty much had all the elements that make up a great thriller. The characters were great and the storyline flowed easily. I did listen to this on audio and the narrator was easy to follow and understand.
Overall an enjoyable read I highly suggest.

This is my first book by this author but it absolutely won't be my last. A few readers in a mystery/suspense group I'm in mentioned it with breathless anticipation when it first came out, so naturally I was curious. Jennifer Hillier has a pretty serious following. Still, I tried not to get too excited since this genre can be hit or miss for me, especially if the villain/hero line is too sharply drawn, making it painfully obvious who the "bad guy" is supposed to be.

In 'Things We Do in the Dark', there were lots of bad deeds, but the characters were so well-drawn that almost everyone had some redeeming quality. Again, I'll admit I went into this one due to the hype. But it definitely lived up to it. Excellent character development and a serious mastery of how to handle different timelines (past and present) while independently maintaining a propulsive pace in each. Another element that sometimes lets me down in some suspense novels is the almost cartoonishly unlikely plot lines, developed to cause shock and awe but short on realism either because the motivation and actions of the characters aren't convincing, or the crime itself too convoluted to believe. Not the case here. I was pretty easily convinced that the protagonist's actions were warranted by her circumstances, and the antagonist's behavior was consistent with all we knew about them. The end was satisfying and unexpected, and if I had any criticism of it at all, it would be that it could read as almost too satisfying. But that's too petty a quarrel to have with a book that, on the whole, left me feeling fully engaged throughout.

A great read. Recommended. This is upmarket mystery/suspense at its best.

Also, I have to say, I really appreciated that the heroine is Filipina, a key secondary character is Black, and the author had this diversity as diversity should (IMO) be introduced: matter-of-factly and without any particular fanfare. It's a world I'd like to live in.

Audiobook note: Thank you, NetGalley for the audiobook. The narrator was excellent.
#NetGalley #ThingsWeDoinTheDark

My rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

What a wild ride! Just when I thought I had things figured out, new information was revealed that changed everything! This book wasn’t just an intriguing mystery, it was also a heartfelt story of love and friendship and what happens when time and circumstances separate people who are meant to be together. It feels strange to say a psychological thriller was touching, but this book truly was. The mystery was fantastic and kept me engaged, but Hillier also handled the sensitive issues with a grace that is truly unique. This book truly stands out among the books I have read and will likely remain one of my favorites for a long time to come. The narration on the audiobook was wonderful and it really helped to bring the characters alive especially since several of the characters were specifically mentioned as having accents and even spoke in their native tongue for brief sentences. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Paris Peralta has worked hard to craft the perfect persona, but when she is found in a pool of blood next to her dead husband and clutching the murder weapon, she knows she is in trouble.

Ruby Reyes convicted of muder 25 years earlier is now being released early for good behavior. After the media coverage of Paris Ruby knows she has something worth bargaining. During her last days in prison she starts sending letters to Paris in the vain of blackmail.

Drew Malcom is a journalist turned podcaster who has his own history with Ruby Reyes. Due to her early release he decides to do a podcast episode on Reyes and her tragically deceased daughter. His podcast leads him on a path where the only conclusion is impossible.

Hillier knows what she is doing when it comes to Thrillers. This book has brought her entire backlist to the table of my TBR. You never really know what is going on (in the best way possible) until its right about to be revealed. This works amazing with the plot and justifies all the little details she gives you. Due to the dual POV you are introduced to a lot of characters but they are never frivolous and all have their own small connections. This works well with bringing the reader into the mystery and helping tie up any plot holes.


This may be an issue I had with the audio versus reading this book physically but the timeline switch seemed like it would last so long that you would forget what book you were reading. There were a couple of times we would jump back into the future and I would remember what the synopsis was and what I was expecting out of the book. This was not bad per say but it did not help me feel connected to the story and made it harder to immerse myself into the story.

I would recommend this title to anybody who enjoys thrillers, or is interested in getting into the genre. The audio worked great and the narrator was a great fit for the story. I had a hard time determining the timeline so that may be something that could be easily resolved with a physical copy.

A decent, fast paced read but ultimately forgettable in Hillier's repertoire. I will continue to read her books, and honestly devour them quite quickly.

This book is my first Jennifer Hillier book but it will definitely not be my last! Her style of writing and the plot being a great psychological thriller is right up my alley!

I absolutely loved the well-developed characters and the different time lines to do so. The first page starts with a real HOOK that piqued my interest immediately. I was asking myself who this woman is and did she or didn't she commit the murder. So much is revealed in the "past timeline" too that I simply wasn't expecting. I was definitely surprised as things continued to develop and I learned more and more about the characters. Just when you think you know who someone is...think again. The narrator was excellent and helped me to feel the characters' emotions and character traits. I would listen to her again.

The plot was well-developed and was very engaging. There are possibly some triggers for some people as there is abuse in the story. I don't want to give away much about the characters but I will say that I loved each one for the role they played, not necessarily for the personality type they were.

Overall I loved this mystery thriller and I will be looking for more of Hillier's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audiobook copy in exchange for my opinion which did not influence my rating or review.

This thriller was dark and the story drew me in immediately. There are so many twists and turns that I gave up trying to figure it out and just enjoyed the ride. The characters are complicated and not necessarily likeable, but written in a way that makes you need to know what happened to them and why they are the way they are. I loved that there was more than one mystery to solve and that it was an emotional journey not just an intellectual puzzle. The audiobook is amazing and I enjoyed this book tremendously.

An interesting well written dark thriller and mystery, the narration was perfect. I like a good mystery that can keep me guessing with an very interesting ending.

I am not normally drawn to the mystery/thriller genre but everyone was posting about this book and I had to jump in! This was my first Jennifer Hillier book and while I thought perhaps it could be a bit more condensed, the character development was quite thorough and the storytelling had a strong thread! Even though this wasn't a favorite, I will continue to read her books! I want to go back and read the backlist! Grateful to Minotaur books for the audiobook!

While this was entertaining, I found it ultimately to be quite predictable, though I wouldn't say that took away from my entertainment. I would read a book by this author in the future.

Good twist. I definitely did not see that ending coming. It kept me interested the whole way through.

This was a fascinating book. A thriller that felt different from others I’ve read! I love the back and forth, trying to figure out what happened to who.

Things We Do in the Dark was an overall great read! Twisty, mysterious, and complex. The characters were terrific and layered. The plot wasn’t a typical thriller in my opinion- more about the abuse and cruelty that the main character suffered at the hands of her mother. Overall great book and compelling read by Jennifer Hillier!

The audio on the audiobook for phenomenal. It was clear, entertaining, and the narrator was enjoyable and talented!

Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great book, love the Canadian connection. Ruby immediately sets the tone by having the reader question who “took her daughter from her”. Main character is a bit predictable, but solid storyline. After reading this book, I went back and read this author’s previous works.

I just reviewed Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier. #NetGalley
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