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A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison
The death of a highly acclaimed author sends her close circle into a spiral as secrets spill out during the investigation.
Diego Dunne
February 06, 2025
Hey, it’s Diego.
Last week I finished reading A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison.
And it’s not what I expected.
Let me give you my spoiler-free unbiased review.
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A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison – Review
A Very Bad Thing follows the aftermath of best-selling author Columbia Jones' death under strange circumstances. Her daughter Darian and journalist Riley, who was shadowing her, get caught in the chaos as secrets from Columbia’s past start coming to light. Turns out, she wasn’t exactly who everyone thought she was.
Trigger Warnings: murder, death of a parent, blackmail, stalking, domestic violence, being held hostage, gun violence, breaking and entering, and rape.
This book is a psychological thriller with some mystery elements. (I picked it up because Amazon recommended it to me in the domestic thriller list but it is not a domestic thriller)
Psychological thrillers: a genre focused on the unstable minds of characters, exploring perception, reality, and psychological tension, often leaving readers questioning what’s real. The emphasis is on internal conflict and mental unraveling rather than external action.
I was ready to call it quits two chapters in because the book starts slow, and the characters we follow initially are too similar, and I kept getting them confused. Then, in chapter three things start picking up pace and by chapter five I couldn’t put it down as in later chapters turns into a fast-paced thriller.
The writing is straightforward and functional, though at nearly 500 pages, it felt longer than it needed to be. Because of the multiple points of view, there was a lot of repetition to get characters up to speed on information that the reader already had from reading a different character. We follow Columbia (before her death), her daughter Darian, journalist Riley, and Detective Sutcliffe. The alternating perspectives add depth but also contribute to the feeling that there are too many characters to keep track of.
It’s the kind of book where twists and turns come throughout, rather than one big twist at the end. Some reveals were a little over-the-top, but they kept me engaged. Especially because the book is full of thrills.
There is some romance here, and it’s not spicy—there are no explicit scenes. There is, however, some swearing and graphic violence in places.
So, what about the ending? (No spoilers obviously)
I love my stories to wrap up nicely, with a neat little bow at the end. I like to read a cathartic scene where everything our characters have been through finally pays off physically and emotionally. Then a denouement in another chapter (or chapters) following the characters decompress where things are resolved and I’m left delighted at how well things played out at the end, every plot thread resolved.
The ending is entertaining, albeit a little messy. The denouement is solid and provides answers, although it leaves some room for discussion.
If you’re into fast-paced thrillers with high stakes and can suspend your disbelief in some areas you’ll enjoy this.
Similar Books to Want to Know a Secret?
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
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That’s all for this week.
See you next time.
— Diego Dunne
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