Book Review - Then Things Went Dark by Bea Fitzgerald

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Title: Then Things Went Dark

Author: Bea Fitzgerald

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 9th October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

NO MURDER HAS EVER HAD MORE WITNESSES . . .

The contestants are hungry to prove themselves.

The stakes are high and losing is not an option.

But three weeks and eighteen episodes later, five of the six contestants sit in a Portuguese police station, and none of them are winners.

Because twelve million people were watching when Rhys Sutton died on camera, and someone must pay for the crime.

The best friend, the rival, the girlfriend, the lover, and the sworn enemy are left standing.

And of course, no-one is talking. But how do you keep secrets when the world has been watching?

Especially when, just a day before his murder, Rhys was the most hated man on television.

Oh this was totally my sort of book.  I love a thriller set in a gorgeous setting, and featuring a brand new reality TV programme too! 

Told in a mix of police trying to solve the death (or murder) that had been broadcast live to the world as part of the live stream for this new reality programme, Iconic, the thoughts of all the contestants, in addition to seeing how each episode unfolded. Plus of course social media reaction to everything. 

I can't say any of the characters were totally likeable, but they were brilliant for this Iconic show, a total mix of personalities and all showcasing a different field and set of skills. 

I did though have very little sympathy by the end for the dead person, and wasn't really sure who or how they ended up dead, until we got to that point. 

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and with perhaps the exception of the final episode feel like Iconic would have been the sort of show that would have made for addictive car crash style TV - which I'm totally here for. 

What a great story. 

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.