So this was one of the ARCs that I requested that I was the most excited for because the premise immediately got my attention but unfortunately it fell flat for me :/ I think I was expecting this book to be more thrilling than it actually was. It started out well but half way through it I started to become bored with the story, but as unlikable as the characters were (though I’m sure that was the point), I wanted to continue to find out what would happen to them so that’s what pushed me to finish this book. (2.5 ⭐️)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Starting this book and didn’t realize the format is not very conducive to the enjoyment of reading. A lot of jumping back and forth. Probably might be better as an audiobook. I’d much prefer to listen to it rather than read. Right now rating 2/5 stars cause I’m sure there’s still potential, even though I’m not a reality tv person.

This is one for fans of reality tv. Six incredibly vapid and unlikable people are competing for points and likeability (really?) on live tv except that there's a death on the very first episode and now two detectives are trying to figure out what happened. As is the reader. This is told episodically with bits from social media posted by watchers among other things, It's an interesting concept but there's really no one to root for. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. Over to others.

Bea Fitzgerald did it again!! She just always knows how to write the most beautiful stories. This book was hands down one of my favorites from 2024. Well done!! I loved it!

This was an enjoyable read that kept me flipping pages quickly! Six reality contestants are on an island together for a reality show watched by millions, and chaos surely ensues! These characters were all pretty darn unlikable, but I also couldn't look away from such a disaster of a scenario. While not super memorable, this was still a fun read!

This one had potential but ultimately fell a bit short. I think the narrative style was the killer here but the premise had so
Much potential

I unfortunaetly had to DNF @40%. I tried very hard to stick with it but decided that I would probably provide more insightful information DNF'ing versus finishing it out. The writing was very jumpy, convoluted, and seemingly repetitive. I thought the structure of the book was not helpful to the reader and thought that it should've been more clear as to how each section was broken down rather than just all of a sudden starting to write from a different perspective. I think making the chapters shorter and giving them more of a central focus would've helped this book, but I hope that others enjoy it more than I did.

The theme lately of reality TV shows for thrillers is always fun, and I enjoyed getting to know these characters - likable and unlikable. With a fast paced plot and entertaining characters, “Then Things Went Dark” is a great summer poolside read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Bea Fitzgerald for the ARC! “Then things Went Dark” releases August 27, 2024.

"Then Things Went Dark" follows six contestants who land on a desert island to participate in a reality TV show. The characters include a mix of influencers, chefs, actors, activists, and more, each eager to prove themselves and win the competition. The stakes are high, and tensions rise when one of the contestants dies under mysterious circumstances. The story then delves into a complex game of scandals, alliances, betrayals, and the dark side of fame, leaving every contestant a suspect in a potential murder.

Filled with clever plotting and the way it captures the essence of reality TV drama; this book is a thrilling and thought-provoking read that successfully blends suspense with social commentary, making it a standout debut in the adult thriller genre.

’m not sure why I’m even read this book. I don’t care for reality TV at all. I didn’t care for any of the characters and was rather bored with the entire book
It just wasn’t for me but others may love it.

Can we please stop putting books like these in the “thriller” category? This was a “mystery” at best— but mostly a contemporary/lit fiction.
I’ll start off by saying this book was LONG.. but, it did keep my attention.
Six *extremely* unlikeable people, put on a secluded island for a reality show, with cameras watching their every move— along with millions of viewers at home watching the 24/7 live feed. And of course, someone ends up dead. The premise of this book was initially intriguing, but it definitely fell flat in several ways. And….. I predicted the ending veryyyyy early on, unfortunately. (Always a bummer).
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 because I enjoyed the detective/interrogation room POV’s.

Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had such high hopes for this one. It sounds like something I'd love, the setting, the reality show premise, and the commentary on the price of fame and fortune. But, it just didn't fully live up to my expectations. I was hoping for a perfect summer vibes thriller, and it does give that atmosphere well. I really didn't think the detective parts were done well at all, it was a little too unbelievable. The characters were difficult to connect with or care about. And even though there was plenty of drama, I never truly felt invested in the stakes. It just didn't live up to my own hype.

It's me, not you dear book. I think I should not be reading books that use a reality tv show as a setting. First, I don't watch those shows. Second, I don't watch those shows for a reason. The way too quick to relationship of two characters, all emotions and actions are over the top. It was just too much for my rather introvert non-dramatic self. As expected, I didn't like any of the characters. Maybe one, but even that was questionable and precarious. And it started to drag for me, which is weird considering how many ridiculous things were constantly happening. Perhaps this is the way these shows go? I was more interested in the subplot with the detectives and wish it had gotten more page space. But I can see how this story would entertain many others. The writing was good I just got annoyed with the story and characters quickly.

A very different kind of read for me and my very first from this author.. some parts fell flat for me, but still very interesting..

Thank you so much NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this advance reader copy..

The story was not that interesting to me, most of the characters were not likable. This one was just ok.

A really cool concept! It truly felt like I was watching a reality tv show. I don’t feel like it had any big twists though, it had interesting turns but nothing jaw dropping. And I found the storyline with the detectives a little odd. Also, all the characters suck, which is the point but I still feel the need to say it. Overall, this book is entertaining and I feel like a lot of people will really enjoy it!

4.5⭐️

Six celebrity contestants have been picked to appear on Iconic, a new reality show that would allow compete for a half a million dollars and to revamp their public appearance as needed. Contestants include a rockstar, an actor, an entrepreneur, a chef, an heiress, and a women's activist. As the six compete, secrets start to be revealed that could ruin lives. As the show meets it's climax, one of the contestants falls to their death on camera. With each contestant having a motive to want him dead and an island full of cameras, it falls to the local police to figure out if the death was foul play.

I really enjoyed this. I liked that the story telling wasn't linear and that it was told using multiple mediums. I liked that we see completely edited scenes shown to the world, what actually happened in the filming of that scene, confessionals from each of the contestants as well as the scenes playing out from the contestants POV. It really seemed to focus on the way that reality TV isn't always reality and allows for a lot of unreliable narration. It's easy to edit a scene to make someone look like a villain both in books and in film.

Rhys was such a great victim because he was also such a great villain. Each contestant had their own motive for wanting him dead and it was easy to believe any of them could have done it. Rhys being this conventionally attractive charming man made him a shoe-in for fan favorite and the show was edited to make him better. That's why when his true actions became apparent leading up to his death, it come across as so shocking. All around this book captured the way people tend to put celebrities or TV personalities on a pedestal with the assumption that they can do no wrong and how far the fall is when it's proven that they're human, too.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for Providing this ARC to me!

My first read of this author, and while I enjoyed it, things just felt a bit anti-climactic. The premise of a suspected murderer on a reality show sounds interesting, but the characters and unraveling just feel a bit flat. Still a quick read within an interesting setting. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Then Things Went Dark follows six fairly terrible people to an island where they'll compete for the fame they each feel they deserve, while secrets come up, tensions and anger mounts, and one person dies. Characters were a bit too unlikable for me, making it hard to care about who killed who and why, but that feels true to life for reality tv!

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

This was OK. I think the possible motivations should have been stronger to make it feel more like a mystery and make their actions more believable. The structure is set up so you know who dies at the beginning, and so the story switches between the past during filming and the present while the police investigation is happening. I think it would have been better if the characters felt more like people, instead of being kind of flat. I guess they're annoying because they're famous/influencers, but it would have been nice for them to be more well-rounded so you could actually care about them. The game show angle also felt a bit weak, and more elements of that could have been more integral to the plot. But still, my biggest gripe is lack of strong motive to kill this guy to make us feel like there are multiple likely suspects, although I did like that there were more subtle actions that could have contributed to the death. While reading, it felt a little like the first season of Big Little Lies, just with less characterization, and with a less satisfying ending.