This book was fairly good. I figured out the twist before it happened and it felt a little long, but a pleasant read.

3.5 stars
I always enjoy JT Ellison’s books. Add in Saskia Maarleveld’s narration and you’ve got a winning combo! I didn’t connect as much to the characters/murder suspects as I’d hoped but it was still compelling from start to finish!

Columbia Jones is a successful writer living what seems to be a perfect life. Her books are international bestsellers, her fans adore her, and her daughter loves her and is happy to be part of the team who protects Columbia and ensures her continued success.

It’s the final night of Columbia’s latest book tour promoting her most recent release and its movie tie-in, and everything is going well until she suddenly collapses after seeing a face from her past in the crowd. The next morning she’s dead in her bed and with her death the secrets of her past start to come to light, hinting that her life wasn’t as perfect as everyone thought it was.

This one has short chapters and is told from multiple POVs. It also uses the book within a book device. Columbia leaves behind the first story she ever wrote and we get to read that story via snippets spread throughout the book. I thought that this early story was one of the best parts of the book.

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be predictable. I guessed the twists fairly early on. The author telegraphed all of the clues pretty obviously throughout the book, especially within the snippets of the short story from the past. The clues were so obvious that it was hard to miss where the story was going.

The book was also a little too long at almost 500 pages. There was a lot of unnecessary filler and while the beginning and the end flew by the middle did drag. The multiple POVs made it seem like things were happening in the middle, but very little of what was happening actually advanced the story in any way.

I had some issues with this book but I did continue to read it until the end, even if it was only to see if my guesses were right and also to see who made it out alive in the end. There was a promising premise here but the story got a little too bogged down and convoluted to make good on that promise.

This was more of a miss than a hit for me but I would definitely give other books by this author a chance.

Thanks NetGally and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy.

A Very Bad Thing is a very good read if you are into thrillers, especially ones that have you trying to solve it in your head and everyone is a suspect!

It was a bit out there for me, and there were times where I definitely thought the story dragged a bit, being almost 500 pages felt a bit much for me.

It is fast paced, with love-able and hate-able characters - and was a very good read!

A Very Bad Thing is a mystery/thriller novel following the murder of a famous author. and the way her death entwines three women in her life. Columbia Jones is a famous author, with many best selling books and millions of fans across the world. Columbia is currently on tour for her latest book, along with her daughter Darian, who works as her assistant, and a young reporter named Riley, who Columbia handpicked to accompany her on the tour, to write a profile piece about her. On the last night of the tour, a strange interaction with a man in the crowd leads Columbia to collapse, although she is quick to brush off the incident. However, the next morning, Riley finds Columbia dead in her bed. Accused of murder by Darian, Riley, along with the detective working the case, are trying to figure out who wanted Columbia dead. As we follow Riley and Darian throughout the case, we also follow Kira, a young woman who is seemingly unconnected to the murder, but may have more of a connection to Columbia and her death than she realizes.

I absolutely devoured this book. The plot was so fast paced and full of twists, that I didn't want to stop reading because I had to find out what happened. I really enjoyed the multiple POVS in this book; J.T. Ellison does a great job at creating characters you love, and love to hate. The plot twist was a bit unbelievable. but I found this book so fun and twisty that I really didn't mind. Highly recommend this one!

A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison is a dark and suspenseful thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats with twists and turns that will leave them breathless. The novel centers around the shocking murder of Columbia Jones, a successful author at the peak of her career. When Columbia is found dead after collapsing during a book tour, her daughter and publicist, Darian, is thrust into a whirlwind of grief and intrigue.

As the investigation unfolds, secrets about Columbia's past begin to surface, revealing that many people had reasons to wish her harm. With a determined reporter and an increasingly frustrated detective on the case, the truth behind Columbia’s death is slowly uncovered, but not without damaging the lives of everyone involved.

Ellison expertly blends the glamour of the literary world with the darkness of human nature, making this an enthralling read. A Very Bad Thing is a rollercoaster of suspense, with well-developed characters and an unpredictable plot. If you’re a fan of thrillers with intricate mysteries and shocking reveals, this book is a must-read.

This book is filled with twists leaving you thinking everyone could be a possible suspect, then the bodies start piling up dwindling the suspect list, and I never figured out the suspect so that makes an amazing read in mybooks

The creepy vibes of this book were everything I love and more in a mystery thriller!!! @thrillerchick really knows how to craft characters and plots points that I absolutely cannot put down💕 One of my favorite thrillers on 2024!

⭐️A VERY BAD THING, out NOW⭐️

Thank you to @amazonpublishing for the ARC!

Columbia Jones is killed while on a book tour, she leaves begin her daughter and vague clues about her past. Along for the ride is a journalist dictating her life and a mother who idolizes Columbia. How did Columbia die, who will be an integral part in finding out who did it and what will they learn along the way?

I have been reading a lot of Ellison novels lately, I am not mad one bit about it! This was dark and twisty, I had to know more. I really liked Columbias character and how she was portrayed throughout the novel. Her daughter could be a bit of a monster but it worked to balance out the character dynamics. I will say, there was some fluff that wasn’t necessary so it could have been shorter. I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot, it’s too long 🤣. I believe it is necessary for some books, not this one.

This was a fun thriller with a decent payoff at the end. Portions of the story and plot twists were a little farfetched, and the middle portion dragged a bit, but overall it was interesting and fun.

I'm a fan of J.T. Ellison, and I expect to love anything she writes. This book definitely lived up to my expectations with intriguing characters, especially author Columbia Jones, and twisty plotting loaded with red herrings, making it challenging for readers to anticipate how things will play out. Even this was a longer book, it held my attention all the way through. Fans of twists and complex plotting will enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an early copy of A Very Bad Thing in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first JT Ellison book that I didn’t love. The characters just didn’t come together for me and I didn’t get the same thrill I usually do reading her books.

Well that was…… UNEXPECTED! Told between past, present & multi POV’s this story weaved a suspenseful web of secrets and lies. The secrets kept getting darker and the lies kept multiplying. The pacing, the characters, the plot, the settings, the twists….. chefs kiss!

I literally inhaled this book. I’m usually not one for “longer” books, but I couldn’t put this down. This was my first J.T. Ellison book and I have already borrowed some of her other books.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this eArc of A Very Bad Thing. If you can’t tell already, yes, I highly recommend this read

A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that delves into the dark side of fame and secrets. When celebrated author Columbia Jones is found murdered after a book tour event, her death leaves fans and family in shock. As her daughter Darian grapples with the loss, a web of hidden motives begins to unravel, revealing that Columbia’s past was far from spotless. With a relentless reporter and a determined cop uncovering her secrets, the story propels readers through a fast-paced mystery, full of suspense and unexpected turns. Ellison expertly blends emotional depth with a tight, twisty plot, making A Very Bad Thing a compelling and engaging read for fans of dark thrillers.

Columbia Jones is a New York bestselling author. She has over twenty best selling novels . She’s has fans who adore her and line up to meet her! Columbia is wrapping up her most anticipated book tour in the US. On the last night of her book signing, she faints at the sight of a man who stand ups in the crowd and stares at her. She’s soon rushed to the hospital. The tests they run come back clear and say she appears to be jet lagged. Later that night she is found murdered in her hotel room.
Riley is a journalist who was hired to write about Columbia and go on tour with her, and then write up a story of Columbia’s fame and how she has reached her fortune. Riley is insisting on having a final one-on-one interview with Columbia to uncover her hidden past , when she finds Columbia dead in her bed, covered in blood, and seemingly murdered.
Darian is Columbia’s daughter who handles everything that connected to her and the Columbia Jones brand. These two women are the only ones that have spent the most time with the author in her final month.
Soon it becomes apparent that Columbia isn’t the only one be targeted, Riley is being followed by a strange man What secrets had Columbia been hiding for years that led to her tragic death? Who killed her? Why is Riley Carrington being targeted? The story is told back and forth between past and present and be prepared to be shocked!!

What happened to Columbia? After a mysterious collapse on stage Columbia I’d found deceased. That’s when everything begins to unravel for her daughter Darian. Who would want to kill her mother and why? So good, kept me on the edge of my seat.

I am not sure I have ever inhaled a 450+ page book so fast. A Very Bad Thing made my pulse skyrocket. It was a rollercoaster ride that I could not get enough of. There was so much ping ponging back and forth (while managing to not be confusing) that I felt dizzy. This book was so well plotted, well written, well thought out. I was enamored with it. I can’t say the twist wasn’t easy to see coming, but I feel like that’s because my brain was in overdrive, metaphorically holding all of these strings in rapidly spawning additional hands. I was like that calculating meme. I needed to read the next chapter. Needed to pinch another string. Connect it with a push pin. I truly cannot recommend this book enough.

I always enjoy J.T. Ellison’s books, and “A Very Bad Thing” was no exception. This is the best suspenseful thriller I’ve read in a while, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though I did have a lot of the storyline predicted, there were still some twists that were so well executed - even in the very end. I look forward to the author’s next book!
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
4.5/5 rounded up!

This is another suspenseful and twisty novel by Ellison. When bestselling author Columbia Jones is found dead, there is no shortage of suspects. A lot of suspects translate to many characters to keep straight, which is the biggest downfall of this book. Often, I had to go back to remember how a certain character connected to the story. Once I was able to keep them all straight, I really enjoyed the twists in the story. The ending was a little confusing and didn't wrap everything up in a neat bow, but I don't mind that. I will continue to read Ellison novels because I love the suspenseful way she writes!

I spent the first part of the book partially confused about who Riley was and the role she played. I even reread pages trying to discover the answer.
There were too many characters who cluttered the plot and it made it easy become sidetracked.
I did like the ending because it was quite the clever twist on the story.