Every time I finish reading a Kia Abdullah book I wait, rather impatiently for the next one. That is even more true this time around because What Happened in the Dark is the first book in a series! (Of how many books, I don't know.)

What Happens in the Dark felt like very classic Abdullah and I am always drawn to her portrayals of the under-represented in our community. I find her characters authentic and believable and I am always left wanting more.

I love a courtroom drama and What Happens In The Dark by Kia Abdullah definitely did not disappoint on the strength of drama in court.. Difficult subjects were handled in a sensitive way and the characters were all fascinating; I liked Safa very much, especially her back story and relationships with her father and Imran.

This book was a five star read right up to the last paragraph but I was so frustrated by how it ended it nearly became a one star! I’m not good with loose ends and I was so fully invested in both storylines, the abrupt ending left me furious! There was no hint of ‘To be continued…’ but I can’t believe with that ending and such a fascinating character, that this isn’t the start of a series for Safa with the next book continuing what this one started. I’ve taken a while to write this review and having calmed down, I have given it four stars as at its heart it is a solid, incredibly well written courtroom thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book.

I like this author's books. They are a mix between thrillers and courtroom dramas. In this book we see two old friends Lily and Safa. They've known each other since their East End childhood, but their lives have taken different directions. Lily is now a TV presenter and Safa is a struggling journalist. They find themselves reconnecting when Lily is accused of murdering her husband.

This is a great read. The author has created a storyline that slowly reveals Lily and Safa's relationship from both their childhood and in the present day. Safa is a great character, probably my favourite of the two, and her storyline not only follows her trying to keep her friend out of prison but also follows her investigation into a serial rapist targeting London.

The storyline is full of twists and turns and I loved the courtroom scenes. The author has created lots of tension throughout and cleverly kept the reveal towards the end hidden - I honestly couldn't work out where this story was heading! A very gripping thriller which I would recommend.

Kia Abdullah is one of my favourite authors and I have absolutely loved all of her books. I was so excited to read this one and it really didn’t disappoint. I loved the two main characters, showing their similarities and their massive differences perfectly. Safa is a brilliant character and I was fully behind her the whole way through this book, hoping and praying nothing bad would happen to her. Lily was much harder to like at the beginning but when things start unravelling, she grew on me and then that shocking ending just made everything go full circle!!

I love that Kia is unafraid to tackle hard hitting topics and I commend her for that. She delivers things brilliantly in her books and always shows a raw and honest view of the world. Thought provoking and shocking, you will always be left wanting to read more by her and this book absolutely proves that!!

I really enjoyed reading this novel by Kia Abdullah. It is a legal thriller based in London, UK. Safa Saleem is a journalist who has lost her job at a prestigious newspaper and now works at a smaller paper and is desperate for her big break to bring her back to that higher level. She is sent to interview an old friend who is suspected to be in an abusive relationship.
Safa is able to get a quote over the phone and is kept on the case by her editor, who wants to see her do well. Eventually the case blows up into what is a huge story for Safa, and her relationship with her old friend (Lily) is tested, when Lily is arrested for murder. Safa stays on the case and writes her best story which is award worthy.
At the same time as writing this feature, Safa is trying to repair her relationship with Imran. He wants more and Safa is not sure if that is what she wants. She is also working to uncover the identity of a prowler who is going round breaking into the houses of older Asian ladies who live alone and raping them. The Glassman as he is known, relies on the silence of these women due to their shame of the act.
I enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC.

I have been fortunate enough to read all of this author's books so far, and loved them all. This one however is probably my least favourite I'm afraid. I felt the characters didn't have quite the same depth as previous books. I still very much enjoyed it but nowhere near some of her previous work. I will still recommend, and it was still a strong 4 star book, but if you asked me to pick my favourite, this would fall far down the order.

4.5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌟 A Powerful, Unforgettable Read That Stays With You 🌟

ARC Review of Kia Abdullah’s latest thriller, “What Happens in the Dark” published by HQ, 19th June 2025.

Seriously I could not put this book down!! A domestic courtroom crime thriller set in East London.

A gripping, addictive read with many twists and turns. Lilly Astor is accused of murdering her husband and the story unravels with secrets exposed and Safa her childhood best friend, a local East London journalist is covering her story. It’s worth mentioning, there are two storylines happening in parallel in this book, one of Lilly Astor’s court case and the other is the Glassman’s serial rapist crimes happening in East London.

Kia Abdullah is one of those authors who never flinches from the tough topics and in her latest novel, she tackles it all: domestic abuse, violence against women, social class, complex friendships, cultural tension, and the grey areas of justice. It’s a gritty, bold and unputdownable story.

At the heart of the story are the main female characters, Lily Astor and Safa Saleem, childhood friends from an East London council estate whose lives have taken very different paths. Lily is now married into a middle class family and living in an affluent area of London. She is a successful TV presenter, polished and composed. Safa, once a respected journalist, has found herself disgraced and struggling and working as a local journalist and lives in a flat in East London. Their reunion is anything but simple, layered with shared pasts and present pain.

Safa in particular is a standout character , raw, determined hard working journalist , and deeply empathetic. She fights for justice with every fibre of her being, even while battling the ghosts of her own traumatic childhood. Her relationship with her father is beautifully written and portrayed with tender scenes, complex, and a rich window into their Bangladeshi heritage/culture. It’s in these moments that the book feels especially real.

Lily, on the other hand, is harder to pin down. Warm on the outside but emotionally guarded, she carries the weight of her success with quiet resolve and perhaps more guilt than she lets on. As the plot unravels, so too does the truth behind the façades they both wear.

The author crafts a story that’s part legal drama, part character study, and all heart. The courtroom scenes are tense and brilliantly written. I felt everything from frustration to heartbreak as witnesses were questioned by the lawyers and motives unravelled. There’s tension and emotions are running high during and I could not stop turning the pages.

This isn’t an easy read, with some heavy topics of abuse and it’s very brave of the author to tackle these kind of topics. The author also writes about friendship, loyalty and identity with such compassion and nuance. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page.

I highly recommend this book especially for courtroom crime thriller readers. Oh and just to add I knocked off half a star because I was left wondering in the ending about the Glassman storyline. Is there going to be another book or was the reader suppose to be just left hanging? Kia!!!! Aaaaaarghhhhh

I throughly enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the first couple of pages till the very end and has left me desperately wanting more.

I enjoyed the parrelles between the two cases of lily and the glassman and the reoccurring plot point of shame and how it effects victims.

My only complaint is how the plot line of the glassman was left unresolved.

But overall I fell in love with Safa and Natalie, and was absolutely amazed by the complexity of Lily.

A compelling legal thriller with real emotional weight. Kia Abdullah tackles difficult themes like abuse, shame, and justice with care and clarity. Safa is a flawed but engaging lead, and the courtroom drama is tense and well-written. The pacing dips slightly in the middle, and Lily’s coldness made her hard to connect with, but overall this was a powerful, thoughtful read that stayed with me. Would definitely recommend to fans of morally complex, character-driven thrillers.

Kia Abdullah never misses. What Happens in the Dark is another smart, socially relevant courtroom drama that blends emotional depth with real-world stakes—and introduces one of my favorite protagonists since Zara Kaleel in the Take it Back series.

Lily and Safa were inseparable as kids, but that friendship has long since faded. Now Lily is a national treasure—Britain’s breakfast TV darling—while Safa, once a rising star in journalism, is working at a local paper after a very public fall from grace. But when photos of bruises on Lily’s face begin circulating online, Safa can’t ignore them. She reaches out… and is soon pulled into a far more complicated and devastating situation. One night, the police arrive at Lily’s home to find a man dead—and Lily standing over the body.

Safa is the moral heart of this story. She’s sharp, principled, and relentless in her pursuit of the truth, even when it puts her at personal and professional risk. I loved how her storyline dealt with rebuilding a career, navigating systemic barriers and nepotism in journalism, and her powerful drive to give voice to the unheard—especially in a secondary storyline involving sexual assaults in the Bangladeshi community that’s being ignored by authorities. Her relationship with her father adds so much warmth and grounding to the book, and her dynamic with the detective she’s (maybe?) involved with adds emotional nuance without ever overshadowing her purpose.

Yes, there are twists, yes, the courtroom scenes are brilliant—but as always, Abdullah is doing more than writing a page-turner. She’s writing stories that matter.

I have read all of Kia Abdullah’s books and this latest one is as brilliant as the others. This book explores the theme of domestic abuse in the main. Her characters are vividly drawn and very well rounded. There was so much tension within the book and I fairly raced through the second half. Loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers, HQ, for this ARC.

As I’ve come to expect from Kia Abdullah’s books, What Happens In The Dark was a gripping and fast-paced read, tackling some tough, relevant issues in today’s society. That said, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me in a few areas. The plot lacked originality (I worked out the twist quite early on) and the characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out—I struggled to connect with them. Even the courtroom scenes, which are usually a highlight in her books, felt a bit flat this time. The ending was also a letdown, leaving one of the key storylines unresolved, obviously as a setup for a sequel. I’m not sure I’ll be picking up the next one—I just didn’t feel invested enough in these characters.

What Happens in the Dark is a blend of legal thriller and domestic drama. I enjoyed the main storyline but the subplot felt unnecessary and clichéd.

I found the narration pretty captivating throughout, with its range of realistic and engaging characters and a twisty plot.

The characters, particularly Lily and Safa, are intriguing and well-developed. Best friends since childhood, Safa was raised by a loving father, Lily by a neglectful mother. While Safa has struggled to gain professional recognition, Lily has transformed herself into a national figure, a lauded TV presenter. Lily is portrayed as a difficult, cold and complex character, Safa as a warm-hearted friend and a determined journalist. The dynamic between the two is interesting and believable, as their old friendship and knowledge of each other clashes with their current social disparity and divergent values.

What Happens in the Dark is primarily a domestic drama, delving into serious themes such as domestic violence, media exploitation, and racial and gender prejudice. It also works well as a legal thriller, delivering tense and emotionally compelling courtroom scenes.

The plot twists and turns, with shocking secrets revealed during the court case, add to the suspense. The final twist is particularly well-executed: it left me questioning everything I thought I knew about the characters and their motivations.

The main aspect of the novel that I didn't like was the whole Glassman sub-plot, involving a serial rapist who is attacking women in their homes — notably older women in minority groups who are so ashamed that they are not reporting the crimes against them. Safa is pursuing this story in parallel to the main story around Lily. It feels like a tagged on, unnecessary plot, and Safa's role in it doesn't ring true.

I think Kia Abdullah books can be very hit and miss - they are always incredibly hyped up online and often miss that wow factor

This book had the wow factor, then lost it and then gained it again with the final twist.

Storyline development and character development were actioned very well, but I think the book was just long enough - anymore may have effected the star rating.

No Spoilers - but Lily is a very challenging character! Anyone with a Lily in their lives will get it. You want to roll your eyes at them 300 times a day, but you cant help but understand why they act the way they do. She is the complete opposite to Safa, but Safa is in no means a boring character!

Another great book of Kia Abdullah. I'm a huge fan. Her books always keep me hooked from the opening pages.

I really enjoyed this book, although that was once I'd got through the reams of back story clogging up the beginning. I completely understand the desire to do that, but there was too much of it! Nonetheless I persevered, and I'm really glad I did.

The story focuses on Safa and Lily, women who were best friends as children but who have since grown apart. Safa is frustrated working on a local newspaper having being fired from a national while trying to uncover a disturbing spree of rapes of elderly Bengali women. Lily is a famous TV presenter. But it seems Lily may be suffering domestic abuse, after co-workers discover bruises.

Safa, although having not spoken to Lily for some time, tries to contact her - as a friend but also as a reporter. This means they are sort of back in touch. But when Safa tries to probe further she faces hostility from Lily's husband, and starts to get really worried about Lily's safety.

Alongside this 'investigation' Safa is continuing her attempts to get information on the horrific attacks on elderly women. Imran, a cop who she has had a relationship with in the past, is helping. But Safa is scared about letting herself have a proper relationship with him.

We discover that this is based on guilt - a traumatic thing in her past that led to her mother's death has led to Safa feeling terrible her whole life. It takes others to convince her that she shouldn't be feeling that way.

The descriptions of her relationship with her dad, who is always feeding her, is really heart-warming.

When Lily's husband ends up dead, stabbed by Lily, we are left wondering if this was a deliberate act or self-defence. Through the ensuing court case, shocking secrets come to light - and there is a big twist.

Once the story got going, this was a really good read and I'd recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley for the access.

Really enjoy reading this authors books. She writes very sensitivly on certain matters. Lots of twists and turns also in her books. Highly recommend this book for a fab read

Kia Abdullah is one of my go to authors since I read ‘Take it Back’ and was instantly hooked. What Happens in the Dark, is a story that relates the complexities of friendship, trauma, and the blurred lines between guilt and innocence.

Lily and Safa have a shared past but now have lives that are very different. Lily is a much loved TV presenter on a morning television show, while Safa who was once a respected journalist, is now battling the fallout of professional disgrace. Speculation of abuse begin to circulate when photos of bruises on Lily’s body hit the news and Safa attempts to rekindle their past friendship.

This is followed by the dead body of a man found at Lily’s home with her standing over him. Lily pleads her innocence but the publics perception of Lily begins to show cracks. Safa is haunted by their shared past and feels the need to seek the truth. A pursuit of justice that leads her to painful revelations, moral uncertainty, and social judgment.

I love legal thrillers and Kia Abdullah creates great novels that capture my imagination and keeping me hooked from start to finish. The novel deals with domestic violence, media exploitation, racial and gender prejudice. Thought provoking and extremely well written with excellent characters. Safa is a vulnerable and flawed but very determined to seek the truth.

Another 5 star rating for me.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is another great book by Kia Abdullah who never fails to keep the reader engaged due to her insight into the legal system coupled with immaculate writing. We are challenged by whether it is right to hide violence in the home or to risk being potentially not believed and becoming a victim of public abuse. Safa, an ideological journalist and life long friend of Lily finds herself in a difficult situation where her desire to unearth the truth is coloured by her past and potentially her future. While she tries to help and defend her childhood friend she is also trying to track down a serial rapist who targets single older Bangladeshi women from Safa’s community who won’t speak out due to perceived shame. This book is multi layered but set in our time in London where the crimes are happening now. It is a relevant and revealing story. I hope there’s more to learn about Safa and her father and her policeman boyfriend Imran.

I’ve really enjoyed this author’s previous books, and once again, they’ve delivered a brilliant, thought-provoking thriller that delves into the darker corners of family life — the kinds of issues people often shy away from. It’s tense and twisty, but what truly stands out is the emotional honesty and the way Abdullah handles complex, uncomfortable themes with such care and depth. It’s not always an easy read, but if you're in the mood for a domestic thriller with a side of legal drama, it’s absolutely worth it.