"A Very Bad Thing" by J.T. Ellison is a thoroughly enthralled psychological thriller. The story follows the murder of bestselling author Columbia Jones, whose death shocks the world and leaves her daughter and publicist, Darian, reeling. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that Columbia had many secrets and enemies, making it difficult to determine who could have committed the crime.
The author does an excellent job of creating complex characters with relatable motives, making it difficult to guess whodunnit. I found myself drawn into their world and felt a genuine sense of connection to their emotions and actions. The story is expertly paced, with a perfect balance of suspense and revelation.
What sets this book apart is its ability to keep you guessing until the very end. The twists and turns are expertly crafted, and I found myself staying up late into the night to finish the book. While the ending may be a bit far-fetched, it's an entertaining ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
My only criticism is that the book is a bit lengthy, clocking in at nearly 500 pages. However, I didn't feel like it was too long or overwhelming, as the story is engaging and well-written.
Overall "A Very Bad Thing" is for fans of psychological thrillers. J.T. Ellison has a knack for crafting addictive stories that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

This is a page turner you won’t put down! The characters are complex, and you can understand every choice they make, even if you don’t agree with it.

This was an entertaining, twisty whodunnit story that has a satisfying ending!

There are very bad people who do very bad things.......very well.

J.T. Ellison has boxed this one up in a crate of monumental proportions. It's packed with characters who carry pointy sticks behind their backs wrapped in a storyline that zigs and zags in a multitude of directions. It'll make your teeth rattle.

Columbia Jones has made her mark in the literary world over and over again. Her book tours are sold out and there are long lines for the meet-and-greet. Darian, her daughter, almost guzzles Pepto Bismol on the sidelines keeping everything in flow.

Riley Carrington, a journalist for East Fifth Magazine, was particularly chosen by Columbia herself to write her biography. It hasn't been an easy task. Columbia only avails herself at her own selected time frustrating Riley who longs to be back in her apartment with her boyfriend Oliver.

"Author Dead" would have been a snappy title for Columbia's next novel. The only thing is that Columbia is the author and she is definitely dead. Darian accuses Riley as Riley was the last one in Columbia's bedroom before she was found in an unbelievable amount of blood. A very sticky wicket.

And here's where Ellison scrambles the eggs on high flame. We pivot backwards into the cracks and crevices of Columbia's previous life. It ain't pretty, folks. Columbia has managed to keep the trail well hidden and flowing in a different direction. We'll meet new characters with muddy footprints and shifty grins. All is not what it seems.

A Very Bad Thing is injected with high intensity throughout. As readers, we're caught in a whirlwind of confusion and eye fluttering. But it does hold us down to the page. My only concern was the run-up to the ending where the wheels came flying off and leaving deep rivets in the sand. Prepare for a bit of WooWoo Land in the conclusion. But hey, it's been crazy from the get-go and crazy grows legs and runs a marathon. Bravo, J.T. Ellison, just bravo.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented J.T. Ellison for the opportunity.

A who done it with so many twists and turns it will make your head spin. That ending was a total shocker that I can’t stop thinking about. Good grief I never saw that coming. This author certainly knows how to keep you on your toes. Go grab this one right now. You won’t be disappointed.

I've already started recommending as a book to look out for in the fall - loved the darkness, fast-paced suspense. J.T. Ellison has become an auto-read author for me!

Initially, A very bad thing may seem like the typical abused woman seeks solace from another man,falls in love and other man helps abused wife get rid of abusive husband.
However, Ellison throws in her own twists by adding unknown siblings, name changes and cover-ups. Ellison also add an element I didn't quite expect...a locked-room/stranded on an island situation.
The big reveal at teh end was my favorite part of the book!
Ellison created a suspenseful novel,which was a fairly slow burn initially. Things did start to really pick-up during the last 1/4 of the book.
Fans of Ellison won't be disappointed.

I give it a solid 3 1/2 stars. Can't really justify rounding up.

Thanks to Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

This is my second book by JT Ellison. Overall this was a good book. It kept my interest and I loved the plot. It definitely explores mother-daughter relationships so just a heads up in case this triggers anyone.

Wow! This was one heck of a ride! JT Ellison is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. This story was thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat until the final page. The characters were so well executed they jumped off the page. If you are looking for something different that will keep you guessing pick this one up! Highly recommend

This was a wild read, I love her books and this was no exception. Scandal- check , Suspense- check , kept me guessing? CHECK CHECK! Brilliant read full of twists until the end.

One of my most favorite authors, i never need to know what her book is about because once i start reading i get swept away so effortlessly. This story has so many different angles and characters that all came into contact with Columbia one way or another, she was a force to be reckoned with-whether that is good or bad is totally up for discussion.

I loved this story and how everything was revealed in bits and pieces, but then you would get another piece of the puzzle and it would make you question everything. so many lives were affected by all the secrets but the way that JT made them all come together and the reasons why is just one of the reasons that she is an amazing author, there also is one amazing little surprise thrown in that just made it even better. Everything was explained in great detail and all questions answered to the fullest but leaves me wondering is this possibly the start of a new series-cause what a cliffhanger!

JT Ellison you have outdid yourself once again, this book was amazing. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for this arc. #AVeryBadThing

There is one thing that can be said for J.T. Ellison...genius. If you have yet to read any of their books, you're missing out! J.T. Ellison is a great story teller who is able to grab your attention from the first page until the very last, even leaving with a twist until the very last page and this book was no different. If you want something different, because who doesn't, this one is for you! 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison in exchange for my honest review.

JT Ellison is one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint. Fast paced and whip smart, populated with characters I will not soon forget, this one was well worth the wait. And can we talk about that ending? I loved every second.

I didn't love this one. I'm a firm believer that the perfect length for a book is around 300-350 pages. This was nearly 500 pages and, in my opinion, unnecessarily so. There were so many characters and, honestly, during about 75% of the book I felt like I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. I kept having to remind myself who was who and which significant other belonged to which character. I also genuinely found myself more intrigued by the "draft novel" chapters written by Columbia than I did with current time. I would have liked more of that story instead. Overall, this was a 3 star read for me.

This twisted thriller had me guessing from beginning to end, and the gripping story kept me reading long past my bedtime. Columbia Jones is a bestselling author, on tour with her latest book. She is accustomed to adding twists to her plots but no one expected her to end up dead in her bed at the end of the tour. What an unexpected twist! With little to go on in order to investigate her death, Detective Sutcliffe is a dogged and determined investigator who follows the few clues he has to uncover secrets from her past that probably led to her demise. Her daughter Darian is mystified and to who would want to kill her mother and even more stymied by the mysteries of a new will and people named in it that she doesn’t even know. The plot is so twisted that it’s like riding a roller coaster at breakneck speed and then coming to a death-defying curve that has you biting your nails in anticipation and dread of what will be exposed next. This is a propulsive thriller with the author’s signature style of crisp writing and painstaking details that added to the believability of the story. I was totally immersed in the family drama and the mystery as the book switched points of view between various characters and locations. The characters were realistically flawed with complicated personalities adding to their realism. This is a clever page-turner with some intense intrigue and plenty of sub-plots masterfully woven together into one gritty and sharply written novel.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A great thriller, but at almost 500! Pages it was just too long, too many characters, and too confusing. But if you are a thriller fan you may love! Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Gripping story. I couldn’t put it down! I was immediately sucked into the plot. Fantastic character development and full of suspense. Highly recommend

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? lots of unexpected twists here and you will not see the end coming. Definitely unputdownable!

A murdered author with a secret past!
Columbia Jones Is a well established author with a huge following, And a very secret past!
Her past comes during the murder investigation?

Such a twisty roller coaster of a ride and a book you will not want to miss!

Wow! This book starts off with a bang and was so captivating. Columbia Jones is a famous author and is on a book tour when she is murdered. There were so many people who could have done it and I kept guessing until the end.

You must dig into her past to discover what lead her to lie and hide the truth from her family. Now, at her will all will be revealed. I love it when you aren’t quite sure who is telling the truth. This had so many moving parts that I found fascinating and such a diverse group of characters.

Interesting concept if everything you knew about your life was a lie how would you feel finding out the truth when you someone is dead.

A Very Bad Thing... Where do I even begin? It was surprising until the VERY LAST page. The characters felt so real! Each time I read a chapter focused on one person, I completely forgot about all the other characters. It was as if the story was all theirs... until the next chapter, that is;)

I also very much appreciated the little mention of my favourite character thrown in🥰

All in all, it was a brilliant read! I'm not going to be able to enjoy another book any time soon🙄 I will most likely be comparing each one to this.