Library Journal - Audio
09/01/2022
Hillier's (Little Secrets) latest opens as Paris Peralta is found in her Seattle bathroom, covered in blood and holding the straight razor that killed her much older celebrity husband. The ensuing media frenzy has a particularly unpleasant side effect: blackmail letters from convicted murderer Ruby "The Ice Queen" Reyes threatening to reveal Paris's previous crimes to the world. Investigative journalist Drew Malcolm is preparing to do a podcast about the Ice Queen. He's still mourning his lost love, Ruby's daughter Joey, who died in a house fire years ago, and when a comment from Ruby inspires him to take a closer look at Paris's case, he finds more than he bargained for. The point of view shifts among present-day Paris and Drew, and Joey before the fire. Listeners with a particular sensitivity to plots involving the sexual abuse of children should avoid; much of Joey's backstory includes abuse by her mother's boyfriends and family members. Carla Vega narrates, helping build suspense and enhance characterization. VERDICT Listeners may guess some of the twists in this fast-moving thriller, but likely won't guess them all. Recommended for fans of the author and writers such as Mary Kubica and Simone St. James.—Stephanie Klose
Publishers Weekly
05/16/2022
At the start of this taut if flawed psychological thriller from Hillier (Little Secrets), the police find Paris Peralta in her Seattle home holding a bloody razor over her husband, comedian Jimmy Peralta, who’s lying dead in the bathtub, and arrest her. Because Jimmy was on the cusp of launching a much anticipated comeback, the media attention surrounding the case threatens to expose Paris’s long-hidden secrets to a ruthless blackmailer. Meanwhile, Drew Malcolm, a journalist turned crime podcaster, receives word that notorious killer Ruby Reyes (aka the Ice Queen), now perceived as a victim of sexual abuse, is about to be freed on parole after serving 25 years of a life sentence for the murder of her rich married lover. Drew knew Ruby’s teenage daughter, who became a drifter after her mother went to prison and later died in a mysterious fire, and decides to focus his latest podcast on the Reyes case. Some readers may find the use of flashbacks to reveal the obvious connection between the two stories cumbersome, and the solution to Jimmy’s murder may strike others as perfunctory. Still, this heartfelt account of one woman’s attempt to break free of an abusive childhood will resonate with many. Agent: Victoria Skurnick, Levine Greenberg. (July)
From the Publisher
"Things We Do in the Dark is a superb novel—expertly plotted and written, utterly authentic. Unputdownable.” —Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Not a Happy Family
"Jennifer Hillier writes the kind of propulsive, no-holds-barred crime fiction that keeps you up at night, with a style and verve that is unmatched. Things We Do in the Dark is a timely, engrossing thriller that will keep you turning the pages until dawn’s light starts to creep through your bedroom window. Hillier is a master.” —Alex Segura, author of Secret Identity
“It’s no secret Jennifer Hillier has inspired me for years and with good reason—her writing is knockout fantastic. In Things We Do In the Dark, she expertly weaves a tale that’s suspenseful, twisted and shocking, but equally tender with a vulnerability that will crawl right into your ribcage and sit in your heart. A true masterclass in thriller writing, this is a novel you do not want to miss.” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home
"A twisted dark love story wrapped in a haunting emotional journey—this sinister and gripping psychological thriller is an absolute winner. A riveting tale of innocence and experience, of necessity and revenge, and the understanding of power, Things We Do in the Dark takes us places we never thought we'd go, and reveals the perils of fame, family, and ambition. Jennifer Hillier writes with passion, compassion and bravery. This book is a triumph." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life
"One of the best writers in the genre, Jennifer Hillier is synonymous with the deeply thought-provoking, raw, twisty thriller. With exceptionally structured shifting timelines, Hillier takes suspense to the next level, immediately drawing the reader into the dark world of an incredibly layered, mesmerizing heroine. Stunningly propulsive, brilliantly written, and irresistibly addictive, this is hands-down one of the most powerful books I've ever read." —Samantha M. Bailey, international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her
Library Journal
04/01/2022
Jimmy Peralta is dead, and his wife was found next to his body holding the straight razor that killed him. Paris Peralta has a troubled past, but she swears she didn't kill her husband. Through flashbacks and changing perspectives, readers learn not only about Paris and Jimmy's relationship but also about Paris's life before Jimmy—a life that included abuse, murder, and a different identity. Hillier (Jar of Hearts) has created another twisty thriller, albeit a more predictable one than in her previous novels. The writing is superb, but the timing of the reveals is drawn out to the point that the ending feels too abrupt. Still, with mentions of streaming comedy shows and true crime podcasts and told by unreliable narrators, this novel has wide appeal. VERDICT Readers of Megan Goldin and Lisa Jewell will enjoy this thrilling take on a character reinventing herself but unable to run away from the past. Hillier is a must-read for the mystery genre.—Natalie Browning
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-27
The violent death of a Seattle comedian looking for a comeback opens the door to a full-bore investigation of his wife, who has every reason to dread the spotlight.
In his time, Jimmy Peralta was the star of the successful TV show The Prince of Poughkeepsie. His time was quite a while ago, but after years of retirement, a chance remark at an awards dinner has paved the way for Jimmy’s return on the streaming platform Quan…until he’s found in his bathtub with his femoral artery slashed. Also found in the bathroom is his fifth wife, yoga instructor Paris Peralta, who tells Jimmy’s oldest friend, attorney Elsie Dixon, that she returned from a work conference in Vancouver to find him dead and grabbed his straight-edged razor in confusion. Since the surveillance monitors that could confirm what time Paris crossed the border have gone dead, Elsie prepares her client to dig in for a difficult trial. The lawyer doesn’t know that this isn’t Paris’ first rodeo. She fled Toronto many years ago under an assumed name in the wake of a basement fire that claimed the life of stripper Joelle Reyes, whose mother, Ruby Reyes, was already doing time for killing her married lover, bank president Charles Baxter, under circumstances that left her with the nickname the Ice Queen. As Ruby, who’s about to be paroled after 25 years, sends Paris a series of escalating blackmail demands, journalist Drew Malcolm, who has his own uncomfortable ties to Joey Reyes, seizes on Paris’ arrest as fodder for his true-crime podcast, Things We Do in the Dark, that might help exorcise his personal demons. But that exorcism stands at the end of a long and twisty road.
Gripping enough to make you accept every contrivance and beg for more.
