Things We Do in the Dark

May 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.

September 1, 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

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