output.txt

BlackWater:node-tests chip$ node test-json.js 
/Users/chip/work/temp/node-tests/test-json.js:8
     p  = JSON.parse(data);
               ^
node.js:176:9

test-json.js

var fs = require('fs');

// this works
x = JSON.parse('{"secret": "super"}')

fs.readFile('test.json', function(err, data) {
     // this doesn't
     p  = JSON.parse(data);
});

test.json

{
        "secret": "super"
}