Breaking the Dark is a marriage between one of today's most successful suspense writers and the Marvel Universe. Lisa Jewell and superhero Jessica Jones may seem like strange bedfellows, but Breaking the Dark is a credit to both women. The "mystery" part of the plot is classic Lisa Jewell-she lays out the latest threat to mankind (a psychotic social media influencer with an app that makes users "perfect," but with deadly consequences) clearly and neatly, and the perfectly imperfect Jessica Jones may be a superhero, but she embodies the best of humanity-empathy, courage, and resilience. Breaking the Dark is entertaining and engrossing, with enough suspense that you really begin to question who is going to win this battle between good and evil. But there's light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully it will lead to more collaborations between Miss Jewel and the Marvel's.

I am not a Marvel fan, but I am a Lisa Jewell fan. I am glad she tried something new and moved out of her box. I did enjoy the book, but it is not my favorite.

Jessica Jones as a character is flawed and relatable, minus the superhero powers. I liked the escape to the world where you do not question what is going on.

I don't know if I will continue this series, but I look forward to her next psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa Jewell ventures into uncharted territory kicking off the Marvel crime series of thriller books for adults, through the eyes of gritty, dark private eye Jessica Jones. It's a must- read for fans of MCU and crime thrillers- offering a fresh story on familiar characters and a compelling story.

I didn't know anything about the Marvel character, Jessica Jones, but this book inspired me to learn more. The story features the superhero on a mission to understand why twins returned from a summer in the UK as entirely different people in looks and personality. I enjoyed the mystery with a little supernatural on the side

gorgeous, dark, and just what I was craving -- love this textual take on a beloved comic and screen character.

I am an all time lover of Jessica Jones, and I have enjoyed a few of Lisa Jewell's book in my thriller books club, hence the reason I was super excited for this book. I think, however, that this book was a bit of a let down. There is a distinct clunkiness to the superhero elements that are here and the thriller aspect of it. One of Jessica's charm in both comics, TV, and any other iteration is tat although she will never reach a B-tier hero list, she isn't afraid of using anything at her disposal to gain an upper hand. She's a scrapper, and I fear that Jewell's version of Jessica is a bit more passive. The jumping timelines were also just a bit unimpressive, but I do understand that this is a staple of the genre.

I will love to see Jewell continue with Jessica, because I do think that there are moments where she fully grasps the character and I would love to see her spin on it.

As a Jessica Jones and Lisa Jewell fan, I absolutely loved this book. Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell was exciting and intriguing. Great characterizations and plot points. Well done!

WOW! I requested this book because I am a fan of Lisa Jewell, but I somehow missed that it was a Marvel/Jessica Jones story. I love both the Author and the Marvel Universe and was so happy I received this book. Ms. Jewell did an amazing job with this book, I was pulled into the story immediately and didn't want to put it down. Jessica was so real, with all her vulnerability and flaws, and I loved Malcolm! I found it very entertaining and it even has an important message about social media and the world we live in today. I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell is the first of a new series of Marvel superhero novels.

"Jessica is asked by a mother to look into the changes in her twins after returning from England where they were spending time with their father."

Jessica Jones is a mess - physically, emotionally, relationally. She has no idea how to move on from what happened to her. Jewell lets us know eventually how devastating it was. Under no circumstance does Jessica want to use her powers. (I had to look them up) I mean, if I could fly I would do that all the time. Jewell has a great description of what's going on with Jessica when she is considering using her powers and when she actually does. This is a Marvel story so there's some magic/woo-woo in the plot. It's not a YA story like some previous superhero novelizations. Jewell does a great job getting us inside of Jessica's head, especially with what's going on with her.

Great beginning to the Marvel series from LJ.

When I started reading this book, I was so confused. I had only seen the author and was so excited to read it. I have always loved everything Lisa Jewell has written. I had to go read the description of the novel so I would understand. I had watched the Jessica Jones series before reading this so that was another reason I was confused. Lisa did a terrific job of writing this Marvel Novel and providing a unique mystery that kept me guessing. It definitely is quite different than her usual novels but I enjoyed it very much and hope there will be more.

Thank you for the review copy! This was fun, I know a little about the Jessica Jones world via the miniseries and enjoy a female focused superhero kind of them. I appreciated the darker themes and tone, it suited the character that I know, and the themes were engaging and good for talking about with friends. I enjoy when a popular author shifts a bit to expand and given attention to other related genres/formats and expands their audience to books/characters that could have been overlooked. Nice themes on how we know ourselves and others, how we live in a world with social media and phones and how secrets and darker things can creep into our lives.

This is a start for a new series and I am excited for how other popular authors will add to the start that Jewell offers to darker Marvel book series!

What also stood out was the way Jewell gave depth to characters, even as I am admittedly not overly familiar with the characters and their backstories, I was able to feel I knew the characters and liked how they were developed (yeah for how Luke Cage was written and for a solidly smart, if flawed, female lead with Jessica Jones)

Thanks for a fun and quick summer read, this was a good by the pool read on vacation.

I know nothing about the Marvel universe, so I have no clue how this will work for people immersed in that world. However, as a big fan of Lisa Jewell, this was an easy yes. I thought it was fascinating, with a complicated crime and mystery. I didn't think the "superhero" element was overwhelming, though there were characters and elements from the universe that were incorporated.

You had me at Lisa Jewell! I am a forever fan of the author, not Marvel so much. Struggling with how many stars to give this one. It is super cool that LJ gets to write the first book in this series. Jessica Jones is not a character I know much about, but I definitely was rooting for her. There is a worthwhile message about social media and smartphones in the narrative. It is just to dark and morbid for me.

Thank you to Hyperion and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Breaking The Dark by Lisa Jewell
I liked the concept for this novel and I love Lisa Jewell and previous books that I have read, this one was missing something.
I don't think I connected with the characters, I felt there needed to be more discussion around the super powers that some of the characters were supposed to have. I found it a bit confusing
The story is told both past and present, which made sense, but I got a little lost with who some of the characters were. I also didn't realize this had something to do with Marvel comics when I started reading, although I don't think it would have changed my review or perception of the book.
Not a hard read, good plot, I just felt it needed a little more depth and reality and background on the special powers.
Will continue to read books by Lisa Jewel

I’m a huge Marvel fan, be it the comics, movies, or the tv shows. But more than all those mediums, over the recent years I’ve really enjoyed the Marvel novels. The books offer up an opportunity for deeper exploration of story and characters. I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that Lisa Jewell would be penning the first book in Marvel’s new Marvel Crime series. A series where the books are being centered around street level heroes, with the first being Breaking the Dark, starring Jessica Jones.

Everyone’s favorite damaged PI has just caught a rather unusual case. A concerned mother reports that her children, who spent the summer with their father in England, have returned ‘different’. They claim to feel fine, are ‘prefect’ actually, and yet they seem totally different. Her investigating takes her to a small village in England, the twisting clues leading her down a path of trauma she is all too familiar with.

This is definitely a story unlike any of Lisa Jewell’s previous thrillers, but she’s used her considerable talents in crafting an excellent story that explores Jessica’s complex character as well as the dangers of social media and the pursuit of perfection. Oddly while the book features Jessica Jones as the heroine, well as cameos/supporting roles from the likes of Madame Webb (don’t worry not the movie version), Danny Rand, as well as Luke Cage, the use of superpowers is actually minimal. That is to say the story more about the plot and the characters, not superpowers. I really appreciate that Lisa is an actual fan of Jessica Jones and took the time and care to craft her a wonderful tale. This was a great start to Marvel’s newest series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what S.A. Cosby does with his Luke Cage novel. I’d like to thank Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Breaking the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1LCSH5YN4M77D/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Holy crap. Where do I even start with this?! I was so intrigued by a Lisa Jewell/Marvel collab and boy did LJ deliver! I was hooked immediately and couldn’t put it down. The circumstances surrounding Jessica Jones’ case in this story were just absolutely wild. The case takes her on a crazy journey to the UK and back. Plus it’s multiple timeline/POV and covers some important topics in today’s age of toxic social media. Trust me, you need this one in your life, I can’t recommend it enough.

Did I request this book so fast when I saw Lisa Jewell’s name?
You bit it did.
Did I know this was a Marvel Crime book?
You bet I didn’t.
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Yes, this is a Marvel Crime thriller based off of Jessica Jones. Now, I’m not a huge Marvel fan, but my husband is. He was my go to on questions about Jessica and her on and off again relationship with Luke Cage.
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In Breaking the Dark, Jessica is hired by a mom who is concerned about the behavior of her children after returning home from a trip abroad. They seem too perfect.
This book has action, suspense, and supernatural powers. The plot revolves around AI and beauty influencers which I think was interesting.
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This mystery has missing pieces all throughout the book and it’s hard to see the connections in the beginning, but it all comes together nicely at the end. And best of all, it has a good message, you’re perfect just the way you are. 😍
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I will read on in the series because, S.A. Cosby writing Luke Cage’s story!?! Heck yeah!
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Thank you netgalley and Hyperion for the opportunity to read this book!
3.5 stars

Step into the darker side of the Marvel universe with 'Breaking the Dark'.......

Book Information

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell is a 384-page mystery/thriller set in the Marvel Universe with a publication date of July 2, 2024. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for providing me an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

Jessica Jones, a retired superhero turned private investigator, navigates her troubled life in Hell's Kitchen, New York, avoiding her traumatic past as a spandex-clad crimefighter. Her routine is disrupted when a distressed mother, Amber Randall, seeks her help, claiming eerie, flawless versions have replaced her teenage twins after visiting their father in the UK. Intrigued by the bizarre changes and mention of a girl named Belle, Jessica travels to a remote British village, where she encounters Belle and her enigmatic guardian. The village, Barton Wallop, hides dark secrets and energies, challenging Jessica to uncover the truth. Amidst her personal struggles and imperfect life, Jessica knows that behind every illusion of perfection lies a dangerous reality.

My Thoughts

"Breaking the Dark" by Lisa Jewell is an engaging crime novel with a supernatural twist, marking the kickoff of a three-book series, each featuring a different hero and penned by a different author. This installment dives deep into the life of Jessica Jones, a character I knew by name but wasn’t familiar with her backstory. Despite this, I quickly became a fan of Jessica, who offers a more humanistic take on a superhero—one that grapples with real-world struggles and often handles them in less-than-healthy ways. This isn't just a superhero story—it's a human saga that will pull you in and with which many will identify.

Fast-paced and unpredictable, "Breaking the Dark" is set in the Marvel universe, where anything is possible. If you’re looking for realism and a plot that adheres strictly to science, this might be a stretch for you. The story is far-fetched at times, but it’s a superhero novel, after all, and leans into the darker side of the genre, more so than most Marvel releases. With every chapter, 'Breaking the Dark' pulls you deeper into a web of mystery and suspense.

The story jumps between different time periods, an approach that, while effective, can be a bit confusing if you’re not paying close attention. Some transitions are abrupt, while others are more subtle, adding layers to an already detailed plot.

Lisa Jewell’s superb writing brings well-fleshed characters to life. I especially liked Jessica’s "intern" Malcolm. The book is exciting, emotional, and highly entertaining. It kept me engaged and guessing the whole way through. With multiple POVs and dual timelines, it’s easily readable and perfect for those who enjoy creepy superhero stories, slowly unraveling mysteries or the character of Jessica Jones. It’s a masterfully crafted story that keeps you guessing and questioning until the very last page.

Recommendation

"Breaking the Dark" is a well-written, darkly intriguing addition to the Marvel universe that captures the essence of Jessica Jones with compelling depth and nuance. The story's blend of crime and supernatural elements, along with its unpredictable plot twists, keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a more humanistic and darker take on superhero stories.

Rating

4 Glamor Stars

Being both a Marvel fan and a Lisa Jewell fan, I couldn't wait to read Breaking the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel by Lisa Jewell, and I'm thrilled that I did!

Jessica Jones has always been one of those murky Marvel heroes for me. I didn't care for the show because it focused too much on the dark and gritty rather than the full range of the character. Jewell's interpretation of the morally gray Jessica Jones brought the character into focus for me in a way the show never could have. Now, I'm deeply invested in this superhero. 🩷

The mystery in Breaking the Dark was anything but predictable. It was a rollercoaster of supernatural elements and unexpected twists. The detective's superpowers added an intriguing layer to the story, and I found myself unable to guess the outcome. The element of surprise kept me hooked throughout the book.

If you love thrillers with a morally gray female detective but don't know anything about Jessica Jones, a quick web search will give you the background, and you need to enjoy this supernatural tale of good-ish versus evil fully.

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell

I will admit right off that super hero is not my genre. All the same, I found very little super hero action in this story. It’s actually two stories interrupting each other. One goes back in time to forward, while the other is present day. You know the two will mesh, but it took forever.

Jessica Jones you may have heard of. Her boyfriend Luke has a minor role and her helper Malcolm is more important to get answers for Jessica. At the other end, Arthur, Polly, Debra and Sebastian are head scratchers. Sebastian is the divorced father of twins who mysteriously adopt strange zombi-like demeanors.

Jessica is hired by the twins’ mother Amber to find out what has happened to her children. This goes down a long rabbit hole to get the mystery solved. I can’t recommend this book to any of my readers, but those who like Jessica Jones super hero stories may find this one of interest. Three stars.