Goodness. This book was not my favorite despite me having high hopes for it.

In this book 6 semi-famous people show up for a reality show on a remote island with a quarter of a million dollar prize. The show is live streamed and one of the 6 dies, with the rest wanting to be voted ICONIC. The book is centered around who killed Rhys and why?

Positives:
A great premise
A loved the set up of each chapter: Each chapter was segmented as an episode of the reality show. 18 episodes in all. The contestants were spot lighted, followed by the police investigation of the death, and then social media comments of the audience of the show

Negatives:
The book was pretty repetitive to the point of being tedious. I wanted to stop reading a few times but stuck with it.

I read a lot and this one was just not for me. Maybe other will feel differently.

This was a DNF for me. I did not like the format of the book. It works well on TV, but doesn't translate to book.

I was excited to read this one after loving the synopsis. The reality show premise sounded super exciting! Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.

The characters are SUPER boring and basic. On top of that, the characters were unlikeable. And there were way too many POVs! It was super messy. Not a good combo.

I did not like the style of switching between the island, the investigation, and the social media posts. It was really choppy and difficult to read. The subplot with the police officers was useless and I did not enjoy it at all.

This was definitely a book that had promise but the execution was just poor.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm always drawn to a reality TV premise as well as a good mystery so this book seemed right up my alley. Ultimately, I found that it was a little too long and drawn out to really capture my interest and hold on throughout. I also found the characters wildly unlikeable, which sometimes I can get past but in this case it was a little tricky. I enjoyed it overall, just not a new favorite.

I thought the premise of this book was so exciting! Overall it was a good read, but I used for more of a pallet cleanser as it peaked early and didn’t wow me at the end.

I always seem to find myself being drawn to a thriller with a reality show setting. Then Things Went Dark is a suspenseful and twisty take on a reality show because it dumps 6 "celebrities" on an island and gives us an insight to their inner thoughts throughout the book instead of focusing on one characters POV. Of course, with all the characters being bratty celebs they're all very unlikable and sometimes hard to swallow and I believe that it's exactly what Fitzgerald was going for.

From the very start the reader knows that the show didn't go as planned and one of them ends up dead. Fitzgerald uses social media posts, police reports, and action from the show itself to transport you right onto the set.

My only complaint were that the challenges on the "show" seemed super disjointed and pretty boring. It took me a bit to get into but overall enjoyed the flow of the book and the ending wrapped everything up nicely.

I think I am probably the wrong audience for this book. I disliked all the characters, which usually is not a problem for me, but these characters were just so awful. I have been reading quite a few books recently set on reality TV shows and after reading this one I have had enough.

I do enjoy a good murder story but really struggled to care about this one. The format of the one chapter one episode was done well, butI want more of the investigation, and less about the police as people. It just wasn’t for me.

Thanks for the chance to read this book.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. Being a fan of reality tv shows already, following these 6 characters throughout the book was very appealing. While I did like the book, I felt that it fell a bit short of what it could have been. This was a long book and I felt like each chapter was entirely too long. It could have been broken up better with the reality show aspects and the murder investigation. I also found it hard to connect with any of the characters (or root for anyone along the way).

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the copy of Then Things Went Dark. I love reality tv books, but this one wasn’t for me. The premise of the game wasn’t interesting, and the challenges were laughable. The dialogue in italics, which I presume was supposed to be contestant voice-overs, didn’t feel genuine and neither did the view comments. I read this until the end to find out how everything worked out, but the writing never engaged me. If you love a murder on reality tv, you might love this one.

Then Things Went Dark by Bea Fitzgerald is an electrifying thriller that dives into the sinister side of reality TV. The novel begins with six contestants arriving on a secluded island, all ready to outlast one another and claim the grand prize. However, the game takes a dark turn when Rhys Sutton, a contestant, is murdered on live television, making it the most shocking broadcast in history.

The story's brilliance lies in its multi-perspective narrative, with each chapter offering insights from the remaining contestants: Rhys's best friend, his rival, his girlfriend, his lover, and his sworn enemy. As the investigation unfolds, each character's secrets and motives are exposed, creating a web of suspicion and intrigue. Fitzgerald masterfully maintains the tension, leaving readers questioning who among them could be the killer.

The setting of the deserted island adds to the claustrophobic and tense atmosphere, where every corner could hold a potential threat. The isolation amplifies the characters' paranoia and desperation, making their interactions even more volatile and unpredictable.

What stands out in Then Things Went Dark is its incisive commentary on the voyeuristic nature of reality TV and the ethical boundaries it often crosses. Fitzgerald explores how far people are willing to go for fame and the consequences of living life under constant surveillance. The book raises questions about authenticity, manipulation, and the public's relentless appetite for sensationalism.

The climax is both thrilling and satisfying, with revelations that are both shocking and inevitable. Fitzgerald ties up the loose ends with skill, ensuring that each character arc reaches a compelling conclusion.

Overall, Then Things Went Dark is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and reality TV dramas. Its engaging plot, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes make it a standout novel that lingers long after the final page.

Pretty good read. There were some things I wasn’t the biggest fan of but it was a quick and entertaining read! I would definitely recommend this book. There was a little mystery, a little drama and high stakes. What’s not to love? Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Reality show gone wrong! Six typical reality show contestants (washed up celebrities looking to revamp their careers and get famous again) are left on a deserted island while America watches. Rhys quickly becomes the villain on the show, and then dies. The remaining five contestants all find themselves as suspects. I liked that the book was written in different formats ( present day, social media posts, confessionals, investigative information). I felt the different formats made the book fly by!

This had the potential to be a really great book but it fell flat for me. It was hard to read and understand what was happening. I get the premise of the writing and it was a reality show, but it just didn't vibe with me. I did not quite understand the "point system" of the show and I also felt the characters weren't likable. I can read a book that characters are unlikeable but I like them to have some substance. These did not. This was an okay book but not one I would recommend to anyone.

Ready to read? Question everything.

Rhys is dead. A moment that was live-streamed by millions. Now, the network that was filming the reality show he and 5 other contestants were competing in are getting ready to air the final episode. If a crime took place, detectives must prove it in order to prevent AHX from airing it. If the public sees the episode, there won’t be a single person that could be involved in a jury that would be unbiased.

Each contestant is held in solitary as they are questioned and no one is confessing. Each icon has a motive. Who wanted Rhys dead the most?

I loved the way this was written. We are taken through the present during the investigation and then we view each episode as the detectives research. What better way to solve a murder than to watch as much cctv as possible? And the crew had cameras hidden everywhere. The group of contestants were chosen to tick off all the boxes. And to annoy the absolute crap out of each other. So many secrets are uncovered. Can any of what happens on the island be real? Is it all a publicity stunt?

I did want a little more on the detectives. I was so involved with the story line of the island and the episodes that the detectives bit was so much less important.

I can absolutely see this as a tv show. Netflix? Hulu?

Thank you to Bea Fitzgerald, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed reading this one!

🤐 T R I C K Y T U E S D A Y 🤐 featuring “Then Things Went Dark” by Bea Fitzgerald!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤/5

SIX contestants of a new reality tv show “Iconic” gather on a remote island near Portugal to start filming. The contestants consist of an actor, an activist, a rockstar, an entrepreneur, a celebrity chef and an influencer. All of them are trying to revamp their fizzling careers/platforms and claim that they are on the show for honourable reasons … when in reality, they ALL have secrets. Deep dark secrets. And how does one keep their secrets hidden when they are being filmed 24/7??

I enjoyed this locked room / reality tv show thriller that is jam packed with secrets, scandal, sabotage and a selfish fight for the most air time 📺!

Thank you kindly to @chaosonolympus @bookmarked @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on August 27, 2024!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read of this book.
The story follows 6 people stranded on an island for a reality TV show. It tells how they each have something against the other, and one ends up dead.
This book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I didn't love the writing style. It did get twisty towards the end! Even though it wasn't a hit for me, it doesn't mean it won't be a 5 star read for someone else!

10/10 Amazing! I enjoyed this book a lot honestly! Bea Fitzgerald has slowly become an autobuy author, and I was so lucky to get an ARC Copy of this book! I loved the book's writing style and the plot was super interesting! The premise of 24/7 filming plus the incorporation of police interviews is fantastic!

Thank you NetGalley! I could not get into this book. I’m not sure what it was, but I did think it dragged on in places. The premise was good though

Wow, this book was a lot. Isko, the celebrity chef; Araminta, the rich and spoiled socialite artist; Theo, the successful musician, Kalpana, the feminism activist, Jerome, the Silicone Valley tech bro, and Rhys, the tortured actor are stuck on a deserted Island all in hopes of winning a half a million dollars as constants on the new hit reality show, Iconic. What could go wrong? Apparently a lot, by the finale one contestant is dead and the others are all suspects. And survivors, or so the viewers say.
I liked this book a lot and I actually think it would make a great movie, but the pace was slow and tedious in some spots and I really just wanted to figure out who was the culprit in the end. It's a slow burn, but worth the read and I think it will probably make a great audiobook; however, there's a lot of toxic masculinity depicted and can be triggering. Reader Beware.
Overall, 🌟🌟🌟✨, rounding up to four need on overall potential.

THEN THINGS WENT DARK was an interesting story but sadly not one that I will remember. Maybe it would be better for a younger audience.

Many thanks, for my gifted copy.