22 September 2026

What Happens in the Dark turned out to be my favourite Kia Abdullah story so far. This was a tense, gripping read that was very hard to put down. Once I got into the story, I just wanted to keep reading to find out what was really going on.

Safa Saleem was a brilliant character. She is struggling with her career and carrying a huge amount of guilt after losing her mother, whose death she blames herself for. At the same time, she is driven by a strong commitment to her community and a genuine desire to protect vulnerable people.

But Safa is far from perfect, and that is what made her so interesting. She is taken advantage of, struggles to trust people and is afraid to commit romantically. She is determined and capable, but she also makes mistakes and carries plenty of emotional baggage. All of this made her feel like a wonderfully flawed and realistic character, rather than someone who simply has all the answers.

Abdullah sets the scene with Lily making excuses for her bruises, immediately raising questions about what is really happening behind closed doors. I found myself wondering why an otherwise strong and independent woman would remain in an abusive marriage. Lily didn’t fit the image I had in my head of someone who would find themselves in that situation, which made me question my own assumptions as much as it made me question her story.

The final twist was really good. I did have my suspicions along the way, but that didn’t take away from the impact of the reveal. I actually enjoyed trying to work out what was happening while the story continued to throw new information at me.

One of my favourite aspects was the way the story unfolded through the courtroom testimony. We discover information alongside Safa, and I really enjoyed experiencing her shock as each new revelation came to light. Even Safa herself had moments when she questioned Lily’s innocence, which added another layer of uncertainty to the story.

The inclusion of the incel group was also very cleverly handled. It was a subtle part of the story and didn’t overpower the main plot, but it added another disturbing and interesting layer to what was already a complicated case.

Safa’s investigation into  the Glassman added yet another storyline, and this was probably my one real frustration with the book. I was invested in finding out what would happen with him, but his storyline wasn’t completely concluded. It left me feeling as though there was another story waiting to be told. I haven’t been able to find anything to suggest there is a sequel, but I would definitely be interested in one. I want to know what happened to the Glassman. Is he ever caught? And does Safa eventually get her story?

Overall, this was an entertaining and cleverly constructed read, with several smaller storylines running alongside the main plot. I loved how the different pieces gradually came together, and there were enough twists, questions and revelations to keep me hooked right to the very last page.

Kia Abdullah has definitely won me over with this one. What Happens in the Dark was clever, creative, tense and gripping, with characters I actually cared about.

A definite five-star read for me. I loved it!