Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - Things We Do in the Dark

Not usually a fan of thrillers but this one was pretty well written for the most part. It has very likable, modern characters without feeling like a parody. Whenever it touches tricky subjects it does it with a lot of tact and nuance, but not in-your-face, which I enjoyed a lot. The ending felt a bit rushed and in retrospect some of the plot lines were unnecessary, but aside from that I can totally recommend it.

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shannaw's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Took me awhile to finish, but it was a good book. The FMC has quite a history of childhood trauma that is explored: abuse, molestation, rape, murder. It is definitely a psychological thriller that focuses on the MC's history and traumas which impact her current situation...being accused of murdering her husband.

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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Though I wouldn't personally call this much of a thriller, Things We Do in the Dark did not disappoint.

When her well-known husband is found dead, Paris Peralta is the obvious suspect. Though she knows she's innocent, she's less worried about the murder charge itself than she is about having her face in the media. This isn't the first time she's been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With an alternating timeline and POV, we also meet Drew, a true crime podcaster who inevitably comes across Paris' story. We don’t hear as much from his side, but it brings the story together as it alternates from past to present. However, I don't think the book necessarily needed his storyline, either. We don't learn too much about him.

What I enjoyed most were the backstories even though the topics were heavy. Paris and Ruby in particular were well-fleshed out. Where the active thrill is lacking, the characters make up for it. That's not to say there's no element of suspense, only that where a lot of what's being told is in the past tense, we know on some level how things end. The characters made it for me. I enjoyed it a lot.

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