I absolutely love watching reality TV so I was really excited to read this book. I was unfortunately disappointed. I expected more twists and turns, and I wish more of the interviews after the show wrapped were featured in the book. It was a quick easy read and I would still want to read more from this author.

I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. I hope to read more books from the author in the future because I love the concept for her books.

This was an interesting read, I did enjoy my time with it. And I would say, that I will read from the author again. I read this a few weeks back and I am going to be honest, I do not remember a whole lot about it. I do remember that it was a good time though!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the early e-arc!

As someone who enjoys reality TV, I enjoyed this. The writing drew me in and I wasn't sure how it was going to end. The pacing is good and I was entertained by just how unlikable the characters are. If you enjoy reality TV and like thrillers or mysteries, I would recommend this. Special Thank You to Bea Fitzgerald, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary in exchange for an honest review.

I’m over this reality show drama on a deserted island. Maybe this is more me than the books problem, but I just feel they all end the same, they’re predictable, and they’re being over done. This one was just okay for me.

I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

This was an interesting read. Although it did peak my attention, I wasn’t so invested that I was wanting to read it all the time- it took me a month read. The concept of putting famous people on an island was okay, but the side plot of the cops was a random add in that I don’t think added to the story at all.

I love the cover of this book!!!!

I love reality tv and this book reminded me alot of this type of show on TV.

I liked the plot but with all the characters that were in the books sometimes it was hard to follow and know who you were reading about and who was speaking.

Overall i liked the book and it was well written. will read more from this author.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Let me start by saying that I love reality tv and I love a lot of the shows that this reminded me of (Love Island, Big Brother, The Challenge). I also did like the premise of the book and thought it could potentially work. There were a lot of characters which was a bit hard to follow at times. This book was also probably a bit too contemporary for me-with the tweets, the current language (some comparison to Love Island), audience participation in the game, etc. I think the idea of it was there but I just couldn't really get into it for some reason.

I really enjoyed the setting and dual timelines for this book. Portugal is underused!

I didn’t expect that every character would pretty much be awful so that made it a little slow going. I would have liked one person to fully root for! Most reality shows do give you that so I think it would have worked,

I typically enjoy reality show thrillers, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and couldn’t fully engage with the tension as the story unfolded. The characters were frustrating, and overall, it was hard to get into the plot.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC of Then Things Went Dark! All opinions in this review are my own.

I am a huge fan of the reality TV show trope so I was really excited to pick this one up. Unfortunately, I found the writing style difficult to follow at times. The writing is very dialogue heavy with voiceover cut-ins (like you were watching a reality TV show). There were also tweets at the end of the chapters and then a quick snippet of the investigators trying to solve the murder. I understand what the author was trying to do but it didn't work for me. Maybe the text will be formatted more in the physical version so this won't be as much as a problem.

There were some pretty big twists in this book that made it exciting. I wish they had not revealed the murder victim in the beginning of the book because I think it would have helped make the book more thrilling.

Overall, if you are looking for unexpected twists, this is a good read, but I recommend trying it on the physical version.

I love reality show thrillers but this one didn’t do it for me, unfortunately.

Six celebrities end up at a deserted island. In the beginning we learn that one of them dies.

In my opinion the characters were all unlikable and I didn’t love the shifting timelines.

I will say that it was like a train wreck that I couldn’t look away from.

All that to be said, I’m glad I was granted this arc even though it wasn’t my favorite.

All hail, the thriller queen has entered the building.

Bea Fitzgerald, you are my spirit animal.

I have been reading thrillers on binge for the past month and I have to say I was about to take a break and switch it up until this book ended up in my greedy little paws.

Then Things Went Dark

This book is PERFECT for spooky season and has an edgy murder mystery surrounding a reality show. You might think you know who did it, but I promise you, you do not.

Check out this teaser :

Then Things Went Dark follows a cast of hot-headed contestants competing to prove themselves to an audience of millions...but with eyes following you everywhere, how can you hide your motive to kill?

The first episode is waiting...are you ready to watch?

No murder has ever had more witnesses…

Six people land on a desert island ready to make their reality show debut. The contestants are suitably glamorous and dramatic – and they're also hungry to prove themselves. The stakes are high and with millions of viewers watching, losing is not an option. But three weeks and eighteen episodes later, five of the six contestants sit in a Portuguese police station, and none of them are winners.

Because twelve million people were watching when Rhys Sutton died on camera, and someone must pay for the crime.

The best friend, the rival, the girlfriend, the lover, and the sworn enemy are left standing. And of course, no-one is talking. But how do you keep secrets when the world has been watching? Especially when, just a day before his murder, Rhys was the most hated man on television.

I am who I am I love reality tv.
There’s really something I love about a reality show turned thriller. This definitely nailed the concept!
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Thank you #sourcebooks and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

In "Then Things Went Darkt," six contestants embark on a month-long challenge to become the most “Iconic” on a remote Portuguese island, but the game takes a dark turn when one is found dead—an incident millions witnessed via live stream. With detectives probing the scene, everyone becomes a suspect in this blend of reality TV and mystery.

The book, structured as episodic chapters interspersed with social media commentary and present-day interrogations, struggles to connect readers with its bland, caricature-like contestants. The shallow point system and superficial challenges undermine the stakes, leaving readers confused about the contest's purpose. While intended to evoke drama, the romantic subplot feels forced and unrealistic, veering into melodrama reminiscent of teenage angst.

Despite the intriguing premise, the execution falls flat, making it difficult to invest in any character or the unfolding tension. For those seeking light reading filled with superficial drama, this might suffice, but for others hoping for depth and nuance, it may lead to more frustration than satisfaction. .

I really enjoyed the reality tv storyline and plot to this novel, as I am a fan of reality tv shows myself. This novel is full of twists and turns, secrets, and thrills. I recommend this one.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book. I felt so bored and the characters were annoying. I feel like the writing wasn't the best either. I ended up not finishing this one since I couldn't get into it.

I hope others love this one.

Then Things Went Dark is a reality tv show locked mystery thriller set on a remote island off the coast of Portugal. When one of the contestants dies during an episode, the remaining cast members all become suspects who have something to hide because at the time of his death no one liked him and all wanted him dead.

I liked the uniqueness of how the story was presented in terms of episodes but I think there were too many side plots going on that it didn’t feel cohesive. The romance story line was rushed and a little over the top dramatic but I get that it’s reality tv so I let that slide.

I’m not a fan of reality tv shows so I gave this book a chance cause I really like locked room mysteries but I think this would definitely be an enjoyable read for someone who is

Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

A solid tale! I loved the reality tv take and I LOVE a survival/abandoned vibe in my thrillers!! This was good and kept me entertained, but overall it did feel like it was missing something.

The concept of the book felt like it would have been better to watch on reality TV than to read. I just felt really bored as there wasn't a lot of substance in the words. It definitely went on too long and could have been cut shorter, but at the same time, I didn't feel a real connection to any of the characters in all that time.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bea Fitzgerald and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.