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

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Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier

85 reviews

lacyloveslit's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

"While you can reinvent yourself, you can't outrun yourself."

The story focuses on answering three main questions: 1. Who killed Jimmy Peralta, 2. Who is Paris Peralta and what/who is she hiding from, and 3. What happened with Ruby Reyes and why is Drew so invested in her case? Told from three different perspectives (Paris, Drew, & Joey),these questions are answered and the three storylines all intertwine in the seamless way that Jennifer Hillier is known for.

I loved the pacing of the story and the anticipation this book built throughout each person's POV. I loved Paris's character and couldn't wait to find out what the heck was going on with her. I couldn't put this book down! There was one character I was very suspicious of in the first half of the book and the plot line and conclusion left me surprised regarding that character.

I will say that I think most readers who read mysteries/thriller will be able to predict a many of the "surprises" in this book, however this did not change how much I enjoyed reading it. There were a lot of dark issues and situations in this story so check trigger warnings before reading. Some of the situations broke my heart and I felt so bad for the character who endured them.

This was my second book by Hillier and I can't wait to read more of her books. They pull you in and keep you reading far into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date (July 19, 2022)! This is no way affected my review and all opinions are my own.

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lizwarnerr's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-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

3.5

Jennifer Hillier is an author I will always read and recommend, and I was excited to get into her latest book, Things We Do in the Dark. For those that have read her previous two books, the writing style of a slow-burn mystery with disturbing twists that throw doubt on the protagonist will feel familiar. In this story we meet Paris, the widow of a famous comedian who has died in their home, as she awaits trial for his murder. I’d classify this as the main thread throughout the book, but it is not the sole focus.

While Paris is working on her defense and trying to regain her memories from the night her husband died, there are flashback scenes to her childhood and it’s clear she has been near at least two other murders. While the reader tries to decipher whether Paris is responsible for any of the deaths, a few more characters enter the story to add tension and assist in solving the puzzle.

I’ll admit this was my least favorite of the author’s books, however it is still a catchy mystery. On the plus side, the premise is solid, the ending is satisfying, and the characters are well-developed. What holds it back from great for me is the amount of time spent on each character and the way we jumped between them – it messed with the pace a bit and made it hard to focus. That said, it was a 10+ hour audio book that I crushed in 2 days and her first two books set a high bar. If you are a fan of the author, I still recommend reading this and I am glad that I did.

Content warnings: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Suicide

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my review – I was so antsy to read this!

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jaynekernodle's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

I don't think I've read a thriller that has so many pieces that fit together as perfectly as Jennifer Hillier has managed in this story. I felt like I was both outsmarting the twists while still being surprised. And each surprise was perfectly planned - unexpected while still remaining reasonable.

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