Wow! What a rollercoaster. I truly did not know what to expect at any point while reading this book but in the end it all made sense. Ellison weaves a complicated story of an authors hidden life that comes out slowly after she is murdered and doesn’t miss a beat. There are no plot holes or loose ends. Would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a twisty thriller to dive into.

Brimming with intrigue, dark secrets and drama, A Very Bad Thing is an intense page-turning thriller that implores you to race through it with a burning desire to consume every last sordid detail. J.T. Ellison has delivered an expertly crafted, twisty tale that provides hours of indulgent entertainment.

Celebrity novelist Columbia Jones is riding high, finishing up a lengthy tour for her latest book. But on the last night of the tour, she collapses onstage after a mysterious individual stands up during her talk. And the next morning, she’s found dead in her hotel room. With the literary world reeling, investigations commence by both the police and a tenacious reporter who was accompanying Columbia on tour. Soon details of Columbia’s past start to emerge and they paint a much different picture about the beloved author’s past that provide insight into her murder. And the details uncovered guarantee that everyone involved will see their lives changed forever.

A Very Bad Thing is well-conceived and executed featuring a twisty plot with a slow drip of information that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. There’s intrigue, violence, emotion and massive world-rocking revelations. The character development is superb, delivering complex individuals who are more than they seem and whose past actions don’t necessarily define them. And the drama…oh boy is it thick and juicy. It’s a lifetime movie on steroids. But it’s also way more than a guilty pleasure. It’s a banger of a book. A fascinating and voyeuristic tale for all to thoroughly enjoy.

The book might be over, but I'm not over with it.

You cannot - and I repeat, CANNOT - made me lose my mind over who did what and who impregnated who and whose baby was whom, just for lazily ending the book that way.
The ending doesn't end, the one who needed closure didn't get it, people who I liked died for no reason at all… and all of this without a proper explanation.
Most importantly, it really pissed me off.

This story is based on one very specific thing: the characters are elder citizens at the bare age of not even thirty.
Since the very first chapter, when we don’t even know who are these people, we know Darian is in her late twenties but hasn't really done anything with her life besides managing her billionaire of a mother, Riley calls “kid” a guy who's four years her junior and Kira needs to lose the baby weight because when you hit thirty then it's gonna be a problem.
Like, I get it, we kinda of need to know their age for the sake of the story, but they’re not old. Kira should be at the club, not having more children!

There is also the matter of the ending, about what I can't say anything if I want this to be a spoiler-free review, but: I get making a more open ending - even if I want to yank my hair out of my head at the moment -, why though leave such a big misconception out in the wild?

Anyway, I must admit I loved J.T. Ellison’s pen more than the story itself, so I'll definitely be back.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I've always enjoyed this author's books. Thanks to the publisher, author, and netgalley for my review copy.

I really enjoyed this one! It wasn't exactly a quick read as it was quite long, but thankfully, it kept me entertained. It was told through multiple viewpoints, had lots of secrets and lies, plenty of shady characters, and was pretty jam-packed with action. There were some twists, right up until the last few pages. It was a very entertaining read.

It was a bit of a slow burn at the beginning, especially because there were many characters, and I will admit, it took me a while to get them straight. But once it started to flow, the story was quite exciting, and I would recommend giving it a read!

J.T. Ellison’s newest thriller A Very Bad Thing is a richly complicated, fast-paced story about Columbia Jones, a beloved author who is murdered during her highly anticipated book tour. The suspect list grows longer by the day…. was it her daughter Darian, looking for an easy payday after a heated argument with her mom? Was it Riley, the dedicated journalist writing an article/ possible biography about Columbia until she’s found standing near her dead body covered in blood? Was it the mysterious man who stood up during Columbia’s last public appearance and made the usually unflappable writer so alarmed by his presence that she fainted on stage? Or was it someone else who has a vendetta against the celebrity author?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this unputdownable thriller that will keep you enthralled until the very last page.

I normally love anything JT Ellison writes, especially the Taylor Jackson series, but this one didn’t do it for me.

Columbia Jones is a world famous author embarking on her latest book tour. During the last scheduled appearance on her tour, she sees someone in the audience who spooks her and she passes out. The next day she’s found dead by Riley, a reporter who was supposed to write her memoir.

I had several issues with this book. One: it was just too long. At almost 500 pages, I found it to drag on longer than it needed to. Two: there were too many characters. Maybe I just had a hard time following who everyone was, besides the three main characters, but I thought it got confusing at times. There were a lot of connections and back stories that made me feel like it didn’t flow as well as it should have. Also, the epilogue… what WAS that?!

I will read anything by JT Ellison, but hopefully the next one is better focused.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Columbia Jone, a best selling author, is on tour promoting her her latest book which has been adapted into a
high budget movie. When she is found in a pool of blood in her hotel room, the search is on to uncover her
killer. Columbia's hidden past is slowly revealed with surprising revelations. Fast paced read willl have one
turning the pages and twists that keeps one guessing.
#AVeryBadThing #Thomas&Mercer #NetGalley

#AVeryBadThing #NetGalley
A great writer knows when to deliver a juicy plot twist. But for one author, the biggest twist of all is her own murder. With a number of hit titles and a highly anticipated movie tie-in, celebrated novelist Columbia Jones is at the top of her game. Fans around the world adore her. But on the final night of her latest book tour, one face in the crowd makes the author collapse. And by the next morning, she’s lying dead in a pool of blood. Columbia’s death shocks the world and leaves Darian, her daughter and publicist, reeling. The police have nothing to go on—at first. But then details emerge, pointing to the author’s illicit past. Turns out many people had motive to kill Columbia. And with a hungry reporter and frustrated cop on the trail, her secrets won’t stay buried long. But how many lives will they shatter as the truth comes out?
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and J. T. Ellison for an ARC of A Very Bad Thing! I have a couple of J. T.’s books and haven’t had a chance to read them and they are being moved right on up to the top now. This book was fantastic. From the very first page I was hooked and held that breath until the last page. The ending is absolutely shocking - did not see that coming from a mile away and honestly every corner turned I was going no way! I loved the characters and their development and also a sucker for “heiress” books. There were a few times I was confused/couldn’t remember who knew what as the characters change and information is found out at different times for characters I had to go back and double check. Gripping - thrilling - a must suspenseful 2024 read!

Author Columbia Jones, a well known and loved author, takes a new drastic turn and dies on her last night of her new book tour that is going to be made into a movie. Columbia has a scare on stage during the tour when an assumed stranger stands up during her talk, catches her eye, and makes her faint. Who is that stranger and why did she faint? And then die?! Darian, her daughter and publicist, is also on the tour and is completely torn apart. They had been on a month tour and the last night her mother is just gone. The police are trying to piece together what happened without success at first. New details emerge - there are a couple people that could have motive and there are more secrets than anyone could expect. The reporter, cop, daughter - they will do what it takes to find out what happened to this author. Who will get in the path to find out what’s the truth?

We've all read the trope before - a mother with secrets, a suspicious daughter, a probing journalist. Ellison takes the familiar and makes it fascinating and suspenseful. This is a very smart psychological thriller with twists and turns, lots of questions, all coming to a satisfying ending.

I normally really like this authors books, this one fell a little short for me. Partly I think it was too long, It told the story of a famous author who died under suspicious circumstances, her daughter, the detective, the reporter and a fan. There would have been more tension, more impact for me, if there was less about their individual lives and that the story came together sooner.

Interesting, somewhat complicated story of an author who is not who she seems and how her death affects all these people, that don't appear to be connected but are. It is a little long so that might be a problem holding my students attention, but for the ones that push through, I think they will be glad they read it

Ellison’s latest is a complex, original psychological thriller about the sudden death of a famous author and the many secrets uncovered upon her death. The author expertly peels back layers of after layer, making the outcome of this impossible to anticipate and highly entertaining. For fans of Alafair Burke and Kimberly McCreight.

A VERY BAD THING had a great setup and backstory, jumping right into the story from the first page. There were multiple POVs and a slew of characters but they were mostly kept distinct and not too difficult to follow. The only downside to this book was the pacing - the last half really dragged on and had numerous scenes that could have been shortened or cut. Would have loved this one with about 100 fewer pages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review A VERY BAD THING.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Columbia is a writer that has achieved success. When she is murdered, the police have little to go on. This book grabbed my attention from the start.

This started off solid, with Columbia Jones, world renowned author fainting at an event, worrying not just her fans but her daughter as well. The next morning, she is found dead in her hotel room, in a pool of her own blood. This mystery takes off at a quick pace and keeps the reader guessing at every turn.

I always love stories involving the eccentric lives of fictionalized authors and the tumultuous relationships of their loved ones. This was no exception and was full of whodunnit as well as all the drama in their past and present. We explore not only the author's life but also that of her daughter and the journalist who was in the process of writing a piece about her life as well. As this story progresses, Columbia Jones' past, or lack thereof, comes into question. This was written with a meticulous hand giving the reader the answers right at the exact time needed to leave us satisfied. However, the ending threw me, but not in a good way. It wasn't that it didn't make sense or was out of left field. It just didn't seem enough if that makes sense. Enough for a reason, enough to top off this otherwise great read, enough to leave me satisfied. I won't go as far as to say it broke it, but it left me at a loss. Three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer, for this ARC.

WOW. I am going to start at the end because my brain is stilling reeling from the ending. It completely knocked me sideways. Now, let's go back to the beginning. From the beginning, I knew there was something more going on that a famous author being stalked. There was more than a simple reporter being brought in to write her story. I was not prepared for the depth of twists and turns at every junction as the story raced along. The author used an interesting format for the story. We would read about one of the characters, Darian, Riley, Kira, or someone else and there story would heat up and just when we turned the page to see what happened next we were off to someone else pivotal to the tale. With 4 woman pivotal to the story, the author did a nice job of giving them all ample time and making them all their own women. All were strong and all were reliant and all were thrown into their part of the story differently. Darian, her mother's daughter, had her life completely upended and with her mother being gone, she was left without a safety net. Riley was a bit tougher, life had made it so and circumstance pushed her to find the truth and dig hard first. Kira was the most settled of the three, maybe the most nurturing and her life too was knocked upside down when she was pregnant adding to the tension. I haven't mentioned the men yet but all were supportive and stayed by the women's sides being what they needed. Luke had a calm presence that balanced well with Nate's take charge approach.
Past and present collided in this tale and readers were helpless to do more than turn the page as quickly as possible. So many threads and so many pieces that the author had to tie together in a stunning and heartfelt reveal. It was truly an amazing tale but very much what I have come to expect for J.T. Eliison. She normally crafts a great story and I appreciated the name drop to Taylor Jackson. If you are familiar with Ellison's work then you know Taylor Jackson stared in one of her series.
One final character deserves a call out and that is the number one suspect. I don't want to spoil any more about that because his story is best read and enjoyed.
I will leave you with my recommendation to read this book. It was awesome and will leave you too reeling with the final reveal. I wonder if we will get a second story of if we are left to paint our own picture of what that reveal means.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A Very Bad Thing feels like if Evelyn Hugo was a Montressor who finally found a conscience. The pacing is on point for this thriller. I found the characters mostly endearing. Everyone I was suspicious of deserved it because everyone has secrets. I do wish the Epilogue had an Epilogue, but that's the worst thing about this book. I very much enjoyed reading this twisty murder mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison is a mystery/thriller about a famous author who ends up dead. There are plenty of suspects: and as it turns out, many have a motive. This author had quite a hidden history. This was a quick read, but I found it to be pretty unbelievable. There were too many extraneous characters; all with their own extra storylines. It just got to be too much. But I have liked this author's previous books, so I'll probably continue seeking out Ellison's books. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

JT Ellison continues her streak as a superb thriller author with a story about a young journalist who has been chosen to “imbed” herself into the monthlong nationwide book tour of a superstar women’s fiction author, Columbia Jones, as Jones promotes her latest bestseller (about to be a movie directed by Spielberg). Riley Carrington, a writer for a magazine akin to Vanity Fair, isn’t sure why she’s been hand chosen, but the author has hinted this article might be an audition to ghostwrite her memoir. But as the tour is nearly over, Riley still doesn’t know much of her subject’s early life. And her chance to get Jones to finally reveal herself gets squashed when Riley discovers Columbia dead in her hotel room.

Shortly after, Riley is being terrorized by an unknown person as she gets notified that Columbia has left her something in her will. Darian, Columbia’s daughter, has presumed she was the sole beneficiary, but along with Riley, two others are summoned to the reading of the will.

Riley is our main protagonist, but we also get to meet Denver Detective Sutcliffe, who finds a connection to case he worked two decades ago in Nashville, and Kira Hutchinson, a young mom and baker from Colorado, whose husband buys her a VIP ticket to Jones’ book tour. How everyone is entwined, what Columbia’s secrets are, and who murdered Columbia and why, are the questions that are cleverly answered in this twisty tension filled thriller. I love Ellison’s writing style (I had discovered her when she co-wrote with a real female superstar author, Catherine Coulter) and I know that whenever I pick up one of her books, I’ll be totally engrossed until the very end. “A Very Bad Thing” lived up to my high expectations! 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Both Riley Carrington and Knox Shepherd have green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The author does mark the season with early rhododendrons and Azaleas in Maine.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer/Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!