This book was so good I find myself adding yet another author to my TBR.

Lily and Safa went to school together. They bonded over Lily having nothing and Safa having lost her mom. Years later they part ways for uni, Lily gets in to Cambridge and becomes a TV host and Safa is working at a local paper, struggling to keep above water. Then Lily is seen with bruising, Safa gets in touch and from there we find ourselves in a wild chase to find the truth at a murder trial.

Sara’s character was perfection, she radiates goodness throughout the book and her Dad is wonderful. I hoped so much for her that this trial would be the beginning of her life being on the up.

Lily was much harder to like but this gave the book an edge, which I enjoyed. I did find the ending a little expected by the telling of this story meant there was no disappointment.

Ending on a cliff hanger however… please please write more about Safa.

This is a versatile book and definitely one for mystery/thriller readers but with added courtroom.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in return for an honest review which this is.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firstly thank you so much to HQstories and Kia for allowing me to be an ARC reader!

What a gripping book!

It’s one that keeps you guessing throughout … and that ending… CHILLING! 😱

I absolutely adored this book and have read it non stop since picking it up! The suspense, the twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat!

Release day the 19th June!
To all my fellow thriller lovers - add this to your pre order lists and tbrs!

Once again Kia Abdullah challenges the moral compass in all of us with a relevant storyline done with emotional resonance and asking all the difficult questions.

This has all the elements of a page turner and indeed it IS a page turner but it equally demands that you examine your own reactions to the narrative, to think about the issues raised.

It is a clever thing to so and so far every book has managed to be very different but always socially challenging.

Brilliant stuff.

Kia Abdullah does it again with this fascinating and entertaining read centred around domestic abuse.

Part thriller, part court room drama, part drama, it delves into the world of misogyny, sexism, classism and celebrity culture.

Hugely well rounded characters and a well plotted and paced story line, What Happens In The Dark was a hugely satisfying read for me. Nearly a five star read for me but I’ve taken a point off for some minor niggles:

The courtroom cross examinations while hugely entertaining seemed a little unrealistic. Neither counsel seemed to object to anything their counterpart threw at witnesses despite them badgering them at times. It did take me a little out of the moment.

The domestic abuse topic came very close to being preachy. Perhaps just about staying on the right side of the line, I thought it was unnecessary and a little clumsy as there was more than enough in the story to get the points across without bluntly labouring the point. I think readers have enough intelligence to get the point.

The whole Glassman side story while it fit in with the overall theme of the book and what it was trying to say felt a little tacked on and neglected. Still it leaves the door open for what I presume will be a sequel so it served that purpose.

Don’t let these mild criticisms put you off though. This is an extremely entertaining and thought provoking read. Abdullah continues to output high quality social commentary stories wrapped up in mystery/courtroom packages and What Happens In The Dark is a great addition to her output. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Safa, a journalist, was once best friends with famous TV presenter Lily. When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Lily reports nothing bad happened and then one night the police are called to Lily’s home where a body lies at her feet. Safa is driven to give a voice to victims and begins her own quest to find out the truth.

I was actually thinking days before I saw this book, I wonder when Kia Abdullah will release a new novel. I fell in love with this author’s writing when I read Next of Kin some years ago and knew I needed to read this book straight away. This was another exquisite courtroom thriller by this author and really excelled in exploring important big issues in a powerful and authentic way. I was fully invested in the story the whole way through, enjoying the twists and turns it took. I also enjoyed that there was a secondary story interwoven with the main one. I am hoping we get more from this and from Safa in a sequel.

The author is great at creating complex, relatable character’s where you engage in their flaws and personalities. I found a real connection to the main protagonists, especially Safa, something which I sometimes struggle with. I will definitely be recommending this book for anyone looking for a dark, clever and thought provoking story. This will be one that I continue to think about. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Kia Abdullah has been one of my favourite authors for a while now, and What Happens in the Dark just proves once again why I love her writing. From the very first page I was hooked. This isn’t just a thriller, it’s a deep, thought-provoking dive into friendship, ambition, and the secrets we hide, even from ourselves.

The story follows Lily, a beloved breakfast TV presenter with the perfect family or so it seems. Her former best friend, Safa, once a respected journalist, is struggling as her life falls apart. When the police find Lily standing over a dead body in her own home, everything unravels, leading to a tense courtroom drama that had me completely gripped.

One of the things I adore about Abdullah’s writing is how she crafts such complex, flawed characters. Lily and Safa aren't always likeable, but that’s exactly what makes them feel so real. I found myself constantly shifting my opinions, questioning who was telling the truth, and getting wrapped up in their messy, complicated history. Abdullah doesn’t just throw in twists for ‘shock value’ each one feels natural and purposeful, deepening the story with every reveal.

The courtroom scenes were some of my favourite moments. They’re razor-sharp, packed with tension, and filled with those tiny, devastating revelations that make you question everything. I love a good legal thriller, and this one delivers while also exploring deeper themes such as loyalty, power, and the price of success. But what I loved most? The way this book made me think. It’s not just about what happens, it’s about about why people do the things they do. How far would you go to protect your secrets? And at what cost?

If you love thrillers that keep you guessing and characters that feel unsettlingly real, What Happens in the Dark is a must-read. Just be warned, you won’t be able to put What Happens In The Dark down.

Review will be posted to my Instagram page closer to publication date

An enjoyable read, that highlights quite a lot of problems in the world.
It has domestic violence at the forefront of the story, but other serious topics too.
I felt the Glassmaker storyline sometimes got a little sidelined in favour of Lily, but Lily was important for us to see where Safa had come from, and how she works.
To be honest, I didnt get any big surprises from this book, but it's well written with great central character (and I'd happily read about her dad lots more) that could span many books.
Excellent stuff.

Do I even need to read Kia Abdullah's novels to give them five stars? I should probably rate five stars, rave about how good it was and then read it. That's how confident I am in Abdullah's writing.

This was another brilliant read and what I love about her writing is that she isn't afraid to tackle the big issues with race often at the centre of it. For those unfamiliar with her work, she has written about racism, sexual assault, the death of a young child with such finesse, it makes her one of the best authors out there at the moment and any new book of hers immediately jumps to the top of my TBR pile.

In WHITD, she takes on the topic of domestic abuse, as well as sexual assault in the Bangladeshi community. The book tells the story of two women, Lily and Safa, friends growing up but who have now drifted apart. Lily is the golden girl of breakfast TV whereas Safa is slumming it as a journalist in a small, local paper after a fall from grace.

However, when Lily begins to show up for work with some bruising, Safa is keen to speak to her to hear her side of the story and support her old friend through suspected domestic abuse. However, the truth is far more complicated than anyone could have imagined.

Alongside this, Safa is also working on a story about the Glassman, who is suspected of sexual assaults within the Bangladeshi community. Given that victims within this community are more hesitant to come forward, Safa is having trouble getting the police to take this seriously and even admit that the Glassman exists.

I honestly loved this so much and can't recommend it enough. The story is gripping, emotional and has more twists and turns than an F1 circuit.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Why oh why I have never read man thing for this author before?!? This is a masterpieces of highlighting the unspeakable among a strong plot lead novel with characters full nuance that at times you will love and times you will hate set in my favourite city this book keeps you guessing way to the end. Will be ordering the authors back catalogue as the powerful well written novel has left me wanting more

I have read everything Kia Abdullah has written, and after my first book of hers, I binged the rest in a week—she’s that good!!. What Happens in the Dark is no exception. From the very first page, I was hooked by the tension, the intricate character dynamics, and the masterful courtroom drama that Kia writes so well.

Abdullah has a way of keeping you guessing until the very end, and the twists in this one were genuinely shocking. Just when I thought I had it figured out, she pulled the rug out from under me. But what I love most about her writing is that it’s never just about the twists—she tackles real, important social issues with nuance and care. This time, she dives deep into domestic abuse and the complexities of women navigating these relationships, and it’s handled with such skill and compassion.

Safa was an incredible protagonist—her determination, her resilience, her search for the truth made this book impossible to put down. I was fully invested in her journey, rooting for her the whole way through.

Social media is ablaze as TV presenter Lily Astor has shown up for work with a black eye. Journalist Safa Saleem is asked by her boss to investigate, as Lily and Safa are friends from childhood, although their friendship has cooled over recent years. Safa reaches out but Lily reassures her that it’s nothing more than clumsiness. This is just the start as things spiral downwards and conclude with a showdown after Lily and her husband Richard host a party. Can Safa use all her investigative powers and her friendship with Lily to get to the truth?

Kia Abdullah has done it again for me. She pulls me into the compelling and absorbing plot and I find the book is hard to set aside. It’s hard hitting, raw, painful as well as being very moving at times. The author seems to be able to get right to the heart of a story and she can really make you think.

At the heart of this story are the two central protagonists. I like Safa and she has a very good backstory, part of which is with Lily and this helps to explain aspects of her personality and some of her actions. She’s fierce, honest, moral, brave and can be guarded. At times my heart breaks for her, because she’s been carrying a huge load for a very long time. Her friendship and more with police officer Imran gives me hope for her! Lily is one enigmatic tough cookie. She’s intelligent, capable and very resilient but she’s had to be in a number of ways. She too has a good but challenging backstory and as the present day narrative dramatically unfolds, I swing from sympathy to puzzlement and wondering wherein lies the truth. This conundrum dominates the second half of the book as it seems that things are not as straightforward as they first appear.

It’s a gritty storyline and so tense in places that I find myself holding my breath as eggshells are trodden on. It’s emotional, suspenseful, chilling but at the same time it’s authentic and real. It’s written with compassion as well as understanding. It has a fast paced swiftly moving plot which is also clever as it asks big questions about things such as victim blaming and miscarriages of justice. The courtroom scenes are excellent, they’re stressful in many respects as inconsistencies are uncovered and revealed and the suspense and pain is palpable There are plenty of twists and turns with surprising and unexpected plot directions and cliffhanger chapter endings. It’s nicely set up for number two which continues a plot thread and I look forward to seeing how that plays out. The ‘game’ is on.

Highly recommended. This is another belter of a read from a very talented author.

With thanks to netGalley and especially to HQ for the EPUB in return for an honest review.

Kia Abdullah is one of a handful of authors that I read without even checking the blurb. Having read all her previous books, I know that I am guaranteed an intelligent, topical, thought-provoking legal thriller which tackles uncomfortable subjects with sensitivity.

What Happens in the Dark is the latest standalone thriller featuring a strong female cast. Safa and Lily were best friends growing up on a council estate in London. Both are from single parent families, Safa's family were originally from Bangladesh and she lives with her widowed father. Lily's mother was an alcoholic, unable to care or feed her children adequately.

Now in their adulthood, Safa is a journalist who has suffered a huge career setback and is now working on a local newspaper, barely surviving financially and lives in a tiny flat. Lily is now a famous and beloved daytime TV presenter, living in luxury with her teenage son and husband.

When Lily appears on tv with a black eye and then bruises on her arm Safa tries to reach out as both a friend and journalist. However within days Lily is involved in a crime and now Safa is determined to uncover the truth and save her friend from life behind bars.

Having looked at Kia's back catalogue of books - Take It Back, Truth Be Told, Next of Kin and Perfectly Nice Neighbours, it's clear that this author is not afraid to tackle subjects which some may consider triggering or taboo. However, you can be 100% guaranteed that whether it's racial tension, domestic abuse, rape, religion or the death of a child this author ALWAYS delivers a unique, clever, and thought provoking story that will leave the reader either breathless, heartbroken, shocked or shaken and more importantly desperate to read her next book!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have loved all of Kia’s books and this one was no exception. I loved the characters and hope for a sequel

TV presenter Lily and journalist Safa were childhood friends. When Lily is arrested for the murder of her husband, Safa is determined to uncover the truth. I loved the believable characters and the London setting. The issues raised were thought-provoking and the twist at the end was chilling. This is a compelling read by a very talented writer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve really enjoyed Kia Abdullah’s novels and I think this is her best yet.
Safa and Lily were best friends growing up but their relationship now is distant. After working for a national newspaper, Safa is back in East London working for a local paper, spending time with her dad and having an on/ off relationship with a detective. Lily is a presenter on a national morning TV show and from the outside has a ‘perfect’ life with her husband and son. A horrific incident brings the women back into each others lives.
I absolutely loved this and raced through it over the course of 24 hours. Safa is a brilliant and likeable character, driven by her morals and determined to do the right thing. I love how the author portrays Lily as a much less likeable character and this constantly led me to doubt her story. I knew there would be a twist but it was shocking and unexpected. Throughout reading What Happens in the Dark I was hoping that Safa would return as a character and there are definite hints that there will be a sequel.
An excellent read that I’d highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars

This is a really thought provoking read about the secrets people keep and how well you really know your friends. Safa is a journalist, her longtime friend Lily is a much loved tv presenter. When reports emerge of bruising on Lily Safa is concerned about her but Lily insists she’s fine yet shortly after Lily is arrested for the murder of her husband. This does a fabulous job of revealing enough about Lily to leave you wondering if she’s manipulated the whole situation and it does portray her as a damaged individual who could well have acted with ulterior motives. Safa herself is a another great character, also damaged from her childhood but she wants to highlight injustice and give a voice to those who wouldn’t always have one. This has a startling twist and Safa is faced with the dilemma of betraying her friend and in doing so promoting her own career. This ends on a very interesting note which definitely hints at a sequel with a very strong and emotive storyline and a definite hint of danger for Safa.

I couldn’t get into this one like her previous books. Lily and Safa were friends growing up that lost touch. Fast forward and they are reconnected over a quote in a newspaper article. Lily then finds herself being charged with her husbands murder. Safa isn’t sure what to believe. The truth is shocking, but overall it was hard for me to get into.

Back in 2020 a chance charity shop find got me reading Kia Abdullah’s debut Take It Back, I loved it, and the sequel Truth Be Told. I loved these character-driven legal thrillers and have been hoping Kia would return to this genre again some day.

What Happens In The Dark is the book I’ve been waiting for.

Safa is a British-Bangladeshi journalist in East London, her career’s had more snakes than ladders. Her once close friend Lily escaped a childhood in poverty to become a popular TV presenter, but with bruises showing through the makeup, Lily’s about to become headline news for all the wrong reasons.

A court case, Safa is convinced of her friend’s innocence while being closest to the story to break the news.

Kia Abdullah creates involved stories covering complex underexposed issues with nuanced, flawed and believable characters. Safa and Lily are real gems. This book keeps on twisting right to the end and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Definitely recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ