Things We Do in the Dark – Jennifer Hillier

Title: Things We Do In the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
Publishing Info: July 19, 2022 by Macmillan
Source: Audiobook borrowed from library
Genres: Adult, Mystery/Thriller
Date Completed: August 3, 2022
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // Goodreads

When Paris Peralta is arrested in her own bathroom—covered in blood, holding a straight razor, her celebrity husband dead in the bathtub behind her—she knows she'll be charged with murder. But as bad as this looks, it's not what worries her the most. With the unwanted media attention now surrounding her, it's only a matter of time before someone from her long hidden past recognizes her and destroys the new life she's worked so hard to build, along with any chance of a future.

Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, known as the Ice Queen, was convicted of a similar murder in a trial that riveted Canada in the early nineties. Reyes knows who Paris really is, and when she's unexpectedly released from prison, she threatens to expose all of Paris's secrets. Left with no other choice, Paris must finally confront the dark past she escaped, once and for all.

Because the only thing worse than a murder charge are two murder charges.

BOOK REVIEW

This may have been a smash hit for many others but it didn’t really do it for me. This is my third Jennifer Hillier book and I liked the other two much more (LITTLE SECRETS, JAR OF HEARTS… well, I DNFed CREEP so there’s also that). I just don’t seem to connect with her writing and there just wasn’t enough pulling me in to keep this story exciting and interesting. I felt like too much time was spent in the past and I usually don’t like when a past storyline overtakes a present storyline, depending on how the book is done. This was one of those times.

The twists really didn’t seem to do it for me either. There was one thing at the end that I actually didn’t piece together because I wasn’t look to, but it didn’t bowl me over either. It was a nice little punch to toss in at the end, but it wasn’t enough for me to add on any stars or anything.

I guess I also just didn’t really connect to the content of the story. I didn’t love the backstory full of abuse and the stripper job. That does make for a logical step to lead to any character protecting themselves or loved ones against an abuser so that leads to a murder victim story line, but it was a strong focus and a constant one and it made me disconnect instead of feeling more for the characters. I also just really didn’t connect to the main emotionally characters at all. Could be because of their trauma but it prevented me from make that leap.

I can see how this is a thrill for others but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Not bad, but just not usually the things that line up to make an amazing thriller for my personal tastes.