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Breaking the Dark
4.0 (1 rating)

Breaking the Dark

A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel

"Absolutely perfect." --Booklist
"Fresh, lively, insightful--astonishing." -- AJ Finn

In her most imaginative novel yet, #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell (None of This Is True) launches the Marvel Crime series of thriller books for adults with an original story starring the private detective Jessica Jones.


Meet Jessica Jones: Retired super hero, private investigator, loner. She tried her best to be a shiny spandex crimefighter, but that life only led to unspeakable trauma. Now she avoids that world altogether and works on surviving day-to-day in Hell's Kitchen, New York.

The morning a distraught mother comes into her office, Jessica would prefer to nurse her hangover and try to forget last night's poor choices. But something about Amber Randall's story strikes a chord with her. Amber is adamant that something happened to her teenage twins while they were visiting their father in the UK. The twins don't act like themselves, and they now have flawless skin, have lost their distinctive tics and habits, and keep talking about a girl named Belle. Amber insists her children have been replaced by something horrible, something "perfect."

Traveling to a small village in the British countryside, Jessica meets the mysterious Belle, who lives a curiously isolated life in an old farmhouse with a strange woman who claims to be her guardian. Can this unworldly teenager really be responsible for the Randall twins' new personas? Why does the strange little village of Barton Wallop seem to harbor dark energies and mysteries in its tight-knit community?

A mother's intuition is never wrong. And Jessica knows that nothing in life is perfect--not these kids, not her on-again, off-again relationship with Luke Cage, and certainly not Jessica herself. But even as she tries to buy into the idea that better days are ahead, Jessica Jones has seen all too clearly that behind every promise of perfection trails a dark, dangerous shadow.

Breaking the Dark, the first book in the brand-new Marvel Crime series, introduces fans to a grittier, street-level side of the Marvel Universe, and will continue with original novels featuring fan-favorite characters like Luke Cage, written by S.A. Cosby, and Daredevil, written by Alex Segura. Marvel Crime novels build on one another but do not require in-depth familiarity with Marvel or the other books in the series.

Pages: 384

ISBN: 9781368090124

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Available in: Hardcover

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Reader Reviews

4.0

1 rating

Carla B.

Feb 8, 2026
Diving into "Breaking the Dark" by Lisa Jewell was an unexpected delight. Not realizing it was set in the Marvel universe, I was initially surprised but quickly captivated. Jewell masterfully intertwines her signature thrilling storytelling with the enigmatic world of Jessica Jones, creating a narrative that's both fresh and compelling. The plot's twists and turns left me genuinely shocked on multiple occasions, showcasing Jewell's prowess in suspenseful storytelling. Even if you're not a Marvel aficionado, this novel stands strong on its own, offering a rich, immersive experience. Highly recommended for both thriller enthusiasts and Marvel fans alike.​

In "Breaking the Dark," private investigator Jessica Jones is approached by Amber Randall, a concerned mother whose teenage twins, Lark and Fox, have returned from a visit to their father in England markedly different. Their personalities have shifted, and Amber believes they've been replaced. Tasked with uncovering the truth, Jessica travels to the quaint village of Barton Wallop in Essex. There, she encounters Belle, a mysterious girl living in seclusion with a peculiar guardian. As Jessica delves deeper, she unravels a web of dark energies and village secrets, challenging her investigative skills and confronting her own past traumas.​