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!

"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.