Breaking the Dark
by Lisa Jewell
Pub Date: July 2, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In her most imaginative novel yet, #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell (None of This Is True) launches the Marvel Crime series of thriller books for adults with an original story starring the private detective Jessica Jones.
Through this book, readers can immerse themselves in a world of superheroes while exploring the issues of societal perfection, the evolution of technology, and motherhood with fantasy elements including an immoral cat named Mr. Smith. This book is highly recommended for fans of thriller, crime, and Marvel.

Jessica Jones is something of a mess. She doesn’t use her superpowers, drinks too much, and just might be pregnant. When hired as a PI to discover why two twins came home from vacation in England totally different she flies over to investigate the village. There’s a puzzle here and she’s determined to find it. With help from high schooler Matthew and sometime boyfriend Luke she solves the case but puts everyone in danger. A fun and edge of your seat read with Jessica Jones as an interesting and intriguing character, some supernatural and serial killer elements. This is the first in a new Marvel crime series with different authors writing each new book. But this disappoints me for I’d love more stories written by Jewel about Jessica Jones. I was hoping this was a series unto itself. I hope she considers it.

I’m not usually a fan of Marvel but I did really enjoy Jessica Jones when it came out. I was surprised to see that Lisa Jewell was tackling this character and I’m really happy she did! This book was fantastic. Action packed but had lots of development. I would definitely read more like this from her!!

I love it when I step out of my book reading comfort zone and am pleasantly surprised how much I like it. Of course the author (one of my favorites) helped with the decision to get it a go. Jessica is such an interesting female character- kind of a retired super hero who now does investigative work. She gets hired to find out what the heck is wrong with a rich woman’s teens after they return from a summer with their father in the UK. A crazy adventure follows with interesting plots involving social media, a woman who once was immortal now involved with weird kidnapping of teen girls and beauty products that are far from FDA approved. Really a cool story!

Breaking The Dark is the first novel in the Marvel Crime series, which features three different Marvel characters. The story revolves around Jessica Jones, who investigates a case involving a set of twins that started behaving differently after visiting their father in the UK. At first, I hesitated to read this book because science fiction is not my usual genre, but Jewel's excellent writing skills did not disappoint me. I really enjoyed how this book combines Jewel's typical thriller style with a comic book aesthetic. I also enjoyed how Jessica and Luke's relationship was subtly portrayed but giving Jessica more of the spotlight in this book. Through this book, readers can immerse themselves in a world of superheroes while exploring the issues of societal perfection, the evolution of technology, and motherhood with fantasy elements including an immoral cat named Mr. Smith. This book is highly recommended for fans of thriller, crime, and Marvel.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Hyperion Avenue for giving me a copy of the book.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors- I have read all of her books- so when I saw her book available thanks to NetGalley I jumped at it. I got it and immediately started reading and had to do a few double takes - this was different - a Marvel book. Let me tell you - Marvel are movies that my husband drags me to when it’s his turn to pick. I don’t understand them or fantasy, vampires, sci fi. But then I read and read - and I was hooked. Jessica Jones is a private eye when she is hired by a mom whose kids went off to another country to visit her ex husband and came back different. Perfect - in complexion and behavior. The story goes back in time to a family who is creepy with a capital C. There are special powers, blood lust, fortune telling and a lot more. The son Arthur and his girlfriend are up to no good. The girlfriend Polly has desires to basically rule the world -one beautiful face at a time. And then there are three missing girls - how do they play into all the strange things going on? Jessica along with her teen sidekick Malcolm and semi boyfriend try to get to the bottom of what is going on and end up in a cash course to see who will win good or evil. I mean if I can get all that from this book and read it in three days and give it the elusive 5 stars you know it’s good! Now nobody show this review to my husband!

An adventure of a read. A superhero living in the regular world navigating a variety of problems. There are some great life lessons intertwined in the store. Fantastic book for those that love fantasy superhero thrillers. Well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Breaking the Dark was a fantastic novel about a superhero living in the real world and dealing with real and unreal problems. Lisa Jewell is always a great author to read but in this story we imagine a world where superheroes live amongst us and deal with the same struggles - and more - as us. When Jessica, at rock bottom, is hired to solve a mystery of seemingly perfect teens, who were not so perfect months before, she also gets sucked into a world that explores her traumas and a bit of fantasy.

This was a different thriller, due to said fantasy, but felt gritty and mysterious. I enjoyed the superb writing as Lisa took her readers along with her and made the world of superheroes and fantastical happenings feel real. This also has some very real lessons, about healing and the world of social media and technology today, and how we can really survive it. I recommend this for thriller readers, fantasy readers, and those looking to take away some life lessons (especially young adults).

Lisa Jewell and Jessica Jones, what more could you want from a book?!?! This story takes you on a suspenseful journey through the private investigator's paranormal world while also facing her personal life struggles. Highly recommend this title and will be continuing the series!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!

I can honestly say that I never pictured Lisa Jewell and Marvel together, but goodness gracious I couldn’t put this new novel down! Cannot wait for the next!

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell is a captivating start to the Marvel Crime series, featuring the iconic private detective Jessica Jones. Retired from her days as a super hero, Jessica now navigates the streets of Hell's Kitchen as a private investigator. When a distraught mother seeks her help, claiming her twins have been replaced by something sinister, Jessica's curiosity is piqued. As she delves into the mystery, she uncovers a web of dark secrets and sinister forces at play in a small village in the British countryside. Jewell expertly crafts a suspenseful narrative, blending elements of thriller and fantasy to create a gripping story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.