Been a long time gone: THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK.

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paris Peralta wakes up in her bathroom, covered in blood, holding her husband's straight razor--with said famous husband dead in the bathtub next to her. She knows it doesn't look good, and it isn't long before she's arrested for his murder. But what worries Paris most is the media attention this brings; it was Jimmy who was famous, after all, not her. Now Paris' face is splashed across the news everywhere, and she knows it won't be long before someone recognizes her, and the life she's worked so hard to build crashes around her... Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes was convicted of murdering her lover in Canada. Ruby knows exactly who Paris really is, and now that she's being released from prison, she's going to let everyone know.

"Paris should have known it would end like this, because there's no such thing as a happily ever after when you run away from one life to start a whole new one."

Oh, DARK was quite good! It was easy to get lost in this thriller, which is exactly what I look for in a good mystery. The book was twisty and, ironically, often dark and full of surprises. Even better, it's still enjoyable if you guess a few plot points; I tore through it in less than two days.

The story covers two time periods--going back in time to Ruby Reyes and her life and then present-day, as Paris deals with the murder charge facing her and what it means for her current life (and her past). Hillier weaves together these two eras quite well and introduces an excellent, diverse supporting cast. She touches on some deep and interesting topics, including motherhood, abuse (trigger warning for domestic and sexual assault), and the meaning of friendship. Paris is a nuanced and well-drawn character, and while there is plenty here to keep any mystery fan intrigued, there's also multi-faceted characters and emotional development. The ending wrapped up a little easily for me, but this was still a good read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It kept me guessing, but I was also invested in the characters. 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. (I also chose an early release copy on BOTM, because sometimes, there's just something about a hardcover!)

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