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.

This was a cool premise but the writing style fell a bit flat for me. It centers on 6 young and famous/quasi-famous people who join a reality show on a remote island to win a prize. All 6 characters are truly unlikable but it's kind of neat to have a look behind the curtain of a reality show like that. We know from the beginning that one of them dies, so the story cuts between the action on the show to social media posts to the police investigation into the murder. The story flows between these 3 areas without any break, which I found jarring and somewhat distracting at times.

I received this book before the publication date. This author was new to me but the description had me intrigued. This story follows the lives of celebrities as they compete to determine who is truly iconic on a private island. Isolation, egos, scandal and love have the events of the story progressing quickly. Throw in a murder of one of the contestants and readers are taken from the POV to the episodes and through the investigation. This story truly had me unsure of who actually killed the villain of the story. Think glass onion/knives out meets big brother. One of my top reads for the summer!

I tried 3 times to get interested in this book. The transcript format was difficult to follow, as it had several people talking was well as descriptions. Sad to say, as the premise of the story was interesting. I have to rate this a zero as I did not finish it.
It's frustrating because I have to give a 1 below but it deserves a zero from me.

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. Throw in a murder mystery too…this sounded like the perfect book. 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). I will say it was cool to see how it was written like a reality tv show, almost made me feel like I was watching one while I was reading it. The premise of this book truly was like nothing I’ve ever read before which was a nice change of pace. Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book.

I received an ARC of this book from Sourcebooks via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this one. Every single character is unlikable - I have to assume this was on purpose - but I am not exactly sure for what purpose? It is not a long book, but it dragged, and I did not feel eager to pick it up again. There were small pockets that seemed more interesting than others, but I was glad when it was over. I did somewhat like the reveal as far as the cause of Rhys' death. I don't think the back & forth between the days on the island and then the present in the police station really worked. Also, I am not sure the relationship between the two police officers had a point.

This was an interesting premise and I felt like it was pretty true to modern reality show formats. There were not too many characters to be confusing. However, I did find myself having to go back sometimes and re-read something because the formatting didn’t make me realize that perspectives or timeline had shifted. The way that it ended was somewhat unexpected, but I didn’t necessarily find it satisfying.

Outstanding cover, wild and twisty story. Very enjoyable. The reality tv genre seems popular lately, but this book got it just right! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

In the day and age of Reality TV shows that revel in contestants behaving badly, Then Things Went Dark fits perfectly. Six contestants are on an island to compete for half a million dollars. All are trying to get a refresh on their public persona but in addition to having secrets are mostly unlikeable. The story starts after one of the contestants dies and is told through flashbacks and police interviews. I wanted to have more of a foundation for the competition in which our characters are competing. It may have helped me become more invested in the outcome of the story. Unraveling the characters' secrets is entertaining but the pacing was slower than I usually enjoy.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Then Things Went Dark" by Tara Sim is a compelling dive into the dark underbelly of fame culture, set against the backdrop of a reality TV competition on a remote island. The novel follows six celebrity contestants—Araminta Yaxley-Carter (influencer), Isko Andrada (chef), Rhys Sutton (actor), Kalpana Mahajan (activist), Jerome Frances (entrepreneur), and Theo Newman (rockstar)—as they vie for the title of the most "iconic" person and a hefty cash prize. Each contestant brings their own baggage and secrets, adding layers of intrigue and tension. This is definitely a unique book, and I really enjoyed this kind of “who-done-it” mystery where everything has been televised.

The story begins with the contestants' arrival and quickly dives right into the drama, alliances, and betrayals typical of reality TV. As a person who quite enjoys reality TV, this was right up my alley. I absolutely loved all the reality TV troupes shown throughout the book. The narrative structure alternates between the competition's real-time events, social media reactions, and the subsequent police investigation following a contestant's untimely death. This multi-faceted approach offers a comprehensive look at the unfolding drama, which I particularly enjoyed, especially with the social media aspect as that is a fundamental part of the book and today’s society.

One of the book's strengths lies in its exploration of the characters' dark pasts and the facade of their public personas. While none of the characters are particularly likable, their flaws and vulnerabilities make them compelling. There were times where I found the characters to be quite annoying, which took me out of the book and made me stop reading a couple of times. However, there was a lot of jealousy and rivalry among the contestants, which made them and the plot more engaging.

The plot is well-conceived, reminiscent of a "Big Brother" style reality show, with 24/7 live streaming, confessional booths, and competitive challenges. However, the challenges themselves often feel underdeveloped, serving more as a backdrop for character interactions than as pivotal plot points. Those parts of the reality TV aspect weren’t as engaging, which I found a bit disappointing. What I enjoyed the most, however, was Sim's critique of fame culture and the vapid nature of celebrity life is sharp and unflinching. The contestants' desperation to revive their careers or win public approval is palpable, making their actions and motivations all the more believable. Despite the characters' lack of redeeming qualities, the story maintains a certain level of engagement, largely due to the suspense and the mystery surrounding the death. The ending ties up the various plot threads satisfactorily, albeit somewhat abruptly. It provides closure while leaving enough intrigue for you to wonder the characters' fates and the consequences of their actions.

Overall, "Then Things Went Dark" is an entertaining and thought-provoking read, especially for fans of reality TV and those interested in the darker side of fame. While the disjointed format and unlikable characters might be off-putting for some, the novel's unique premise and engaging plot make it worth a read. Tara Sim has crafted a story that, much like reality TV, is both addictive and reflective of our society's obsession with celebrity culture.

NetGalley ARC review: I really enjoyed the structure of the chapters. How first it was what happened with the contestants and then it went to social media comments followed by what was going on in the police investigation. I thought it made the pacing flow nicely and was interesting to read that way.3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With multiple POVs and "confession booth" narratives combined, Bea Fitzgerald takes us into the high-stakes world of a celebrity reality TV show. Six contestants arrive on a desert island, hungry to prove themselves in front of millions of viewers. But when one of them dies on camera, secrets emerge, and the remaining five find themselves entangled in a web of suspicion. As the world watches, they grapple with how to keep their darkest truths hidden.

The concept of a reality show set on a remote island with D-list celebrities is intriguing to me. However, the lack of relatable or likable characters left me wanting more. Each character seemed either horrible or fake, making it challenging to root for anyone. I didn't care about the character who died, the detectives added nothing to the plot and I didn't care about them either, and the relationship of 2 of the contestants was not believable. it was like reading a train-wreck happen (which is what trash TV is all about, so some readers may love this). While the premise held promise for me, the execution fell short. I'm still going to give it 3 stars for being entertaining.

Liked the idea behind this book, a reality tv show on an island airing in almost real time. I thought the book had a strong start enjoyed it was broken up into episodes as chapters but there was just too much going on. There were too many characters that were not needed especially the whole plotline with the detective investigating the potential crime that just felt unresolved. This book also to me felt a little to long and a lot of things could've been edited out. I'll give this 3 stars and would try another book from this author in the future. I want to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the arc in exchange for an honest review.