A review by onemorepagecrew
Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier

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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