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.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in to this novel but was pleasantly surprised. This book held my attention very well and was fairly fast paced.

The Things Went Dark was a quick read once I got about 15% in. It took a bit to get going through and I honestly thought at first I wasn't going to care for the story. The mystery was easy to figure out, but the story was still pretty enjoyable.

Wow! I loved this! I couldn’t put it down and read during every free second I could spare. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3 stars- this fell flat for me which was a bummer. I was really looking forward to it. thanks netgalley + the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest reviews.

Thank you so much to Negalley and Sourcebook Landmarks!

This book was quite disappointing, tbh. I follow the author on Instagram and really wish I liked her book more than I did. It follows 6 characters living on an island alone for a month for a reality tv show, and when one of the contestants die on the show the rest are all suspects in his murder. It flipped between the days of the show and the murder investigation. I really liked the different timelines, and it also had social media posts in it that I thought were interesting. However, a romance developed pretty quickly in it and I thought the way the romance developed in three weeks was slightly unrealistic and underdeveloped.
I think fans of reality TV would like this book, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a hardcore thriller/mystery reader.

Not my favorite. The characters were essentially all alike and since they were all hooking up they all merged together in my mind. I like the idea of a reality show but this was not anywhere close to what it could have been.

Six already very famous, very glamorous people arrive on a deserted beachside paradise to compete in ICONIC, a new reality show. Millions will be watching them over the next few weeks --- and millions are watching as one of them dies, on camera. It sure looks like an accident, but the police aren't so sure. An investigation begins, and what happens among the law enforcement people is almost as interesting as the reality show itself. Great mystery, particularly for the many readers who can't get enough reality TV.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing an ARC.

3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4. This book let me down a little bit in the mystery aspect: I didn't feel super invested, and the truth revealed at the end felt kind of unsatisfying. However, this book absolutely excels in creating an oppressive atmosphere of suspense and pressure. I had to put it down a few times because it was getting to me. (Spoiler) <spoiler> The real-time evolution of the abusive relationship was masterfully written, especially when we cut to the outside viewers' comments: it was genuinely upsetting to me, excellently done. </spoiler> Heed the trigger warnings in the beginning!

Overall, a solid read, with interesting characters and relationships, if a little lacking in the engagingness of the mystery itself.