Good book, all J.T. Ellison's books are enjoyable, but some more than others. I loved It's One of Us, so wasn't sure this would live up to that, but it certainly was a close 2nd! It's about an author who isn't an "open book". She's got a past that nobody suspects, but maybe somebody does? Not her daughter, anyway. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this and all her other books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for a sneak peek of this book. I typically love this author but I struggled to get through this book. I feel like it could have been shorter and been a better story. I never made any strong connections to the characters and I could never get invested into the story because of it.

With apology, this was a DNF at 20%. I just didn't care for the characters and the plot was moving along at a glacial pace. I didn't really care why or how our victim died. May try the author again in the future.

Loved this book. As always, such a great plot, well written story and so captivating I didn't want to stop. The only bad thing about. JT book for me is that they end. I loves the twists and the way those who once felt hate toward each other were eventually drawn to friendship/sisterhood. I am hoping that ending means there could be a sequel??

I loved everything about this book. It was so well written, and really carved out an intricate story, both mysterious and thrilling. I loved the way the story was told and unfolded. The different voices narrating the chapters really laid out the story. I don’t think it was very twisty, at least not the whole way through, but I love a big reveal. (Even when I’ve guessed it) the characters were mostly likable, but I’ve never had to like one to like the book. Another great book by J.T. Ellison.

An author on a book tour is murdered. As usual, the questions to be answered are who killed Columbia Jones and why. Is it the reporter who is interviewing her for a possible memoir? Is it her daughter Darien, who is also her publicist and the last person known to have seen her — when they argued in the hotel hall! Or…? Because as the reader will soon see, this famous, prolific, very loved author has not exactly led the life her publicity tells. There are secrets to be told, secrets that Columbia intended to tell her daughter in her own way, but now they will be brutally exposed as the case is investigated.

Ellison is a master of twisting, turning plots and this book is one of her very best. I love books that I could not guess the ending but was not tempted to check out the back pages before I get a third of the way through. This one held my attention all the way through, no checking the back.

I think I need to be more selective when it comes to reading JT Ellison’s books. I really liked her book Good Girls Lie, it got me back into reading but every book I’ve read from her since has been too long. The premise is always completely original but the execution doesn’t follow the main plot line enough for me so I find myself skimming a lot of the non essential parts.

Columbia Jones who is a bestselling author is murdered. Why??? This is a great thriller with many twists. I had to find out who killed Columbia Jones. I also just wanted to know more about her. This is my first book by J.T. Ellison and I can not wait to read more.

"A Very Bad Thing" by J.T. Ellison is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! With its skillful blend of suspense, twists, and character dynamics, it is a book you will not be able to put down. The chapters quickly melt together and become page turners. The story begins with a mic drop prologue!

Famous author Columbia Jones is thriving with an impressive amount of best selling books and a movie deal in the works. Columbia can write a mean plot yet she is surprised when the plot of her own life takes a deadly turn. Enter Riley, the journalist she hand picks to write her memoir. Riley can't quite understand why she was chosen for this prestigious task, but totally embraces it as it will help her make her mark in the world of journalism. When Darian, Columbia's daughter walks into her moms hotel room and finds Riley standing over her, the accusations fly, thus setting off a tangled web of lies, deceit and mystery.

I flew through this book and found Ellison's writing to be razor-sharp!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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Boasting quite the intriguing premise, I was very excited to dive right into J.T. Ellison’s newest suspense thriller, “A Very Bad Thing.” During the first quarter of this book, however, I struggled to remain engaged, but as I continued to move forward—delving deeper—the story ultimately drew me in until I was fully invested all the way through to the final outcome of this mystery/thriller. I think my struggle was due, in part, to the unlikability factor toward all of the major players. Yet, over time, I came to understand these players better by virtue of their individual POV’s, making them a bit more relatable and much more sympathetic. Hence, I was then able to immerse myself into this story to enjoy the entirety of it as a whole. And the final twist? I actually did see that one coming and delighted in being proven right!

This one starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the end. A well-known author is murdered and with her, die her secrets- and there are a lot of them. How do you know who to trust? I thought I had it figured out, then didn't, but in the epilogue, realized that I did. Definitely recommend.

this book was full of twists and turns down to the very end. I loved the character developments and the whole story - it really kept me hooked!

I love the way everything was tied up…. and the last ending twist was 😱!

thank you net galley for a free ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Columbia Jones is the hottest author around. She is always topping the best seller charts, her newest project is in production as a Spielberg film, and she is about to wrap up a successful tour. During her final speech a man stands up in the crowd, stopping Columbia in her tracks. She is so stunned she faints and is rushed to the nearest hospital. After the tests return fine she returns to her hotel room where she is murdered.

The first suspect is Riley a young novice journalist Columbia hired to write an expose on the tour and a potential biography. Darian, Columbia's daughter and business manager, finds Riley standing over her mother's body. Riley insists there was a man in the room but she cant describe him. The police are flummoxed and have very little to go on, that is until the announcement of the will. Columbia has named a few surprising people and secrets from the long buried past leave everyone reeling and on edge. Worse yet, the killer is still coming for them.

I am a huge fan of J.T. Ellison's work and this one does not disappoint. It is a multi POV and timeline psychological thriller with so many twists and turns that everyone is a suspect. When I say everyone I mean it... hold out to the epilogue. I like the story within a story style that kept the plot moving. The characters are well developed even though their histories take a while to fully develop. It is a long book but doesn't drag as there are enough sub plotlines to unfold. I recommend grabbing this and Ellison's other work. Pub Date Sep 03, 2024.

I love me a good who did it murder mystery and this book in fact checked all the boxes! It starts off with a banger and just kept going up for there! This book is *chefs kiss*. If you’re into the murder mysteries that have multiple povs then i would recommend picking this up (coming september 2024) and YOU'LL be in for a wild ride!)

I liked this one! I have had mixed (at best) luck with Ellison in the past, but something about this one drew me in - and I'm so glad it did! I REALLY enjoyed this one. It had a compelling premise, strong characters, and more twists and turns than a Wild Mouse ride. The writing is straightforward without being brusque. The characters were fully three-dimensional, full of secrets and lies. And the plot and pacing were consistently engaging and edge-of-your-seat tense without ever devolving into eye rolling - and there are enough red herrings to satisfy even the most jaded mystery reader! I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and now feel like I have to go back and reconsider her earlier works!

Columbia Jones is a bestselling (many times over) author. She’s released a new book and at the request of her publisher is not only doing a book tour but has also allowed a writer (Riley) to accompany her on the tour and to have unfettered access to behind the scenes.

On the 29th day of the tour, Riley goes to Columbia’s hotel room early in the morning to wrap up background information and finds Columbia dead in her bed. Darian, Columbia’s daughter and business manager, comes in shortly behind Riley, sees her dead mother and accuses Riley of murdering her mother.

The night before Columbia’s death, an odd circumstance happened at the reading. In the middle of the reading a man in the audience stood up, got Columbia’s attention and she was so struck by what she saw, that she fainted (this ended the event). Upon waking, Columbia gave no details about the man she saw, just that she was dehydrated and tired.

Darian is heartbroken at the loss of her mother. She receives a certified letter indicating that Columbia’s Will will be read on the 15th of that month, if certain conditions are met (one of them being the publishing of Riley’s article). This confuses Darian because she has a copy of her mother’s last will in the safe at home and it is NOT he’d by the law firm that sent the letter. Turns out this new will is in fact “the will” and it adds more questions than answers to the ever growing list.

Who killed Columbia Jones? Why are there “strangers” on the beneficiary list of the new will? Will the story get laid out before people are emotionally or physically hurt?

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Columbia Jones, beloved author, is on tour for her latest book, at the last stop, when a strange man in the audience causes her to faint on sight. The next morning, she is found dead in her hotel bed, and unlikely people are receiving news of being a beneficiary in her will. The question is, who killed Columbia Jones, and why are these seemingly random people being made benefactors?

This book doesn't publish until September, but I needed a pick-me-up, and I was certain that reading this would help. Of course, J.T. Ellison did not disappoint! Every time you think you've got it figured out, she throws you another twist, and this book had me going until the very end. If you love a thriller with secrets and deception and don't mind multiple viewpoints, I definitely recommend this! I also want to add that I'm not always a fan of multiple viewpoints, but I found these were done really well and truly added to the overall storytelling. Definitely worth it!

CW: murder, death, blood, poison, stalking, gun violence, pregnancy, domestic violence/abuse

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was my second JT Ellison read, and I really enjoyed this one. I didn't see many of the twists coming. I finished this book in under 24 hours. It was a really great thriller and possibly one of my favorite thrillers of 2024. I highly recommend this book!


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Columbia Jones has reached the pinnacle of her career as an author, with twenty titles and now an anticipated movie tie-in. But on the final night of her booktour, she collapses on stage and the next morning she is found dead.
Her daughter is devastated, fans are distraught and the police are stumped - initially. But then the plot thickens and as it happens, Columbia Jones had many hidden secrets, that the author cleverly reveals one by one.

Oh the ACTION and suspense!! It starts pretty much as the book opens and really does not stop until the last page. My only regret was reading this during the week. I had to stay up quite late and then squeeze the end in before work the next day.
This may even be my favourite book by the author yet.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this gifted advance review copy.

This was a fast, wild ride that skyrocketed towards the middle. I couldn’t put it down but did have a little trouble keeping up with the many twists and turns. I did guess a huge twist at the end though so I’m proud of that! I’m taking one star off for the confusion aspect - I felt like it jumped around at times and I felt like I was missing a few things - but overall I loved it.