Julie Chan Is Dead… and I Saw It Coming

Julie might be dead, but so is the element of surprise in this twist-light thriller. While the premise hooks you early, the plot unfolds like a paint-by-numbers mystery—each clue landing exactly where you expect it. The writing is solid, and the characters have some spark, but seasoned readers of the genre will likely be two steps ahead of every "reveal." Still, it's a breezy read with just enough bite to keep you turning pages… even if you can see the ending from chapter five.

Recommended if you're in the mood for crime-lite and don't mind a plot that plays it safe.

Thank you @atriabooks for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I wavered between giving this book 4 or 5 stars! While it definitely kept me fully engaged, some parts were not my cup of tea! Read on!

After the sudden and suspicious death of her estranged influencer twin, Chloe, Julie slips seamlessly into her sister’s carefully curated life. But beneath the filters and brand deals lies something far darker than Julie (or I) could ever imagine!

I was intrigued by this premise from the very beginning: twins separated at a young age, raised in starkly different worlds, until fate intervenes in a strange way. Julie’s impulsive decision to take over Chloe’s identity may seem far-fetched at first, but her desperation and vulnerability are deeply human—and that’s what makes her such a compelling character. She's insecure, flawed, and utterly real, making her the perfect conduit for navigating this unsettling world.

The novel excels in its behind-the-scenes portrayal of influencer culture—glamorous on the surface, but vicious and hollow underneath. The Belladonnas, Chloe’s inner circle of elite influencers, are as fascinating as they are terrifying, and the secluded island retreat setting adds a delicious sense of claustrophobia to the story’s second half.

That said, a few elements didn’t sit well with me. Certain references to God and Christianity felt off-putting and even lcrude, and a disturbing scene involving mice was especially hard to stomach. The cult-like rituals of the Belladonnas added a chilling twist, though they may be too unsettling for some readers.

While this book delivers a unique and unsettling commentary on the lengths people will go for fame, it won’t be for everyone. Still, if you’re drawn to stories that blend identity, deception, and the dark side of internet fame, this one is worth picking up. Just be prepared to squirm.

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang is such a wonderful debut!! A mix of mystery and dark humor.
This whitty fun read will not disappoint.
The mystery and twists had me absolutely gasping for more.

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang is a razor-sharp debut thriller that dives headfirst into the intoxicating and treacherous world of influencer culture, delivering a darkly funny and unsettling satire. The story follows Julie Chan, a struggling supermarket cashier who seizes the chance to escape her dreary life by assuming the glamorous identity of her deceased twin sister, Chloe, a mega-popular influencer. Zhang’s witty prose and keen insight, drawn from her own experience as a former content creator, expose the absurdities and dangers of chasing digital fame, with the first half of the book gripping readers through Julie’s navigation of privilege and deception. While the second half takes a wild, grotesque turn that may feel jarring or overly bizarre for some, the novel remains a compulsive page-turner, blending social commentary on identity, envy, and online facades with a thrilling, if unhinged, mystery that lingers long after the final page.

This novel felt like a fever dream. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and then things got really weird and culty. An excellent and entertaining novel for sure, but it got graphic and unhinged, and then it was all downhill from there. Overall this was a wild ride!


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

📱 Book Review 📱

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication: April 29, 2025

Rating: I liked it!

For a debut, I found myself staying up late to finish just one more chapter! I loved that the chapters were short because I felt like I was flying through the book.

The first half was your predictable identity theft/ revenge from Julie. I definitely ate this up! The second half was a little more unhinged and I couldn’t settle in.

Overall, I liked it but wished we picked one avenue for the thrilling aspect. Was it a thriller or mystery?

For fans of:
📱 First person POV
💄 Linear timeline
📱 Debut
💄 Popcorn chapters
📱 Separated twins
💄 Hot mess FMC (Julie)
📱 Social media mogul FMC (Chloe)
💄 Dark side of influencers
📱 Remote island
💄 “Stepford Wives” vibes

🛑 Trigger Warnings 🛑
⚠️ Drug overdose
⚠️ Death of family member

✨ What to read next? ✨
🌟 The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead
🌟 The Breakdown by BA Paris

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy of Julie Chan is Dead in exchange for my honest review.

This story of a twin assuming her dead sister's identity had so much promise but was only trending 3 stars for me for much of the book.

But then chapter 50 hit with animal cruelty which is a BIG FAT NO for me. This added absolutely nothing to the story and could have been substituted with something equally crazy that did not involve animals.

Hence the 2 star rating.

One of the best thrillers I've read in a LONG time, and I real a LOT of thrillers.

This kept me totally engrossed, so much so that I devoured it in only two sittings (mom duty in-between).

Julie is a well developed characters, and the twists and turns that her life takes are truly unpredictable!

**SPOILERS BELOW***
I did NOT expect the cult turn, I honestly thought it was a red herring or some kind of influencer mafia situation, but no, full cult.

I will definitely keep my eye for more work from this author and have been raving to all my friends.

Julie Chan is dead Is very dark, gripping and thought provoking book. It reminded me a bit of Yellowface. It follows Julie Chan. Julie has no friends and she hates her job as a cashier in the supermarket. While her identical twin sister, Chloe, is a social media influencer and sensation. The sisters were separated in childhood and had no contact.
The story is very dark and absurd and I loved everything about this book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t think I’d like this book as much as I did. This book showed what some people might do to reach for fame.

This book was fast paced the entire time and I was engaged through out the entire book. I loved that the book teetered horror.

Some parts of this book made me really glad that I was not eating at the time. I did not like that we never got a complete conclusion but it did fit the story.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

An unhinged influencer story with wild twists. I was NOT expecting that- the pages practically turn themselves. Would make a great beach or pool read.

3.75⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Chan thought her boring lowlife would never improve, until she took a chance and became her twin. Because how convenient does it get when your influencer of a twin sister passes away and no one suspects a thing when you brazenly take over? Julie becomes Chloe Van Huusen in a blink of an eye and nothing is what it seems. She seamlessly gets absorbed into the digital creator world, loving this new life she thinks she deserves. But the cost to social media fame is heavy, and there's so much that Julie has yet to discover from what Chloe left behind.

This one was a wild, wild ride. A riveting, dark comedy that was equal parts cuckoo and compelling at the same time. I don't know if I liked any of the characters but I did enjoy this glimpse into the digital creator world gone rogue. Everything about this story had me hooked, from the allure of the plot itself and the writing. I did find the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly but also spun well to give readers a satisfying ending. Overall, this debut will be sure to grab readers attention and become an easily favourite. A perfect vacation read for those that need some fun shenanigans in this reading palette.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital reading copy, in exchange for my honest opinions.

Amazing captivating and keeps you entire way through! When Julie Chan’s rich influencer identical sister ( whom she is not in contact with) gives her a call that gets dropped Julie takes off work to see what’s going on. She manages to get into her sisters’ apartment and finds her dead. She decides to take over her life and is in way over her head.

This book was so twisted and entertaining! I also found it veer thought provoking as well.

Honestly such an interesting concept and story... I'm glad I came across it! I'm excited to see what's next for this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC!

This is for all the influencer snark Redditors!!

A dark, twisted thriller I couldn't put down.

This was defiantly a book for this generation. While I loved the social media aspect of this book, the twists and turns almost gave me whiplash. Such a fun read.

Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted ARC!

📱 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 📱
This book was WILD! The premise pulled me in and the story was a rollercoaster! And this is the authors debut! And a Dateline cameo?! Cherry on top!

This book was unhinged and I was here for it! Julie Chan is leading a blah life. After their parents died, Julie and her twin sister Chloe were separated when they were young. Chloe was adopted into a wealthy family and is currently a famous influencer. Julie was adopted by her aunt and is barely getting by. When Julie finds Chloe dead in her home, she assumes her identity and tries to blend into her crazy influencer lifestyle!

Julie quickly sees things aren’t as they seem. Something dark is lurking under Chloe’s seemingly perfect life. I was surprised at how quickly Julie took to Chloe’s lifestyle that she once seemed to hate, and how she quickly fell into superficial ideals.

The influencer cult vibes took me by surprise and at one point had me cringing and thinking WTH ! It was crazy. Very entertaining though, but so off the wall and unhinged!

If you are looking for a story that is completely out of left field, fun, slightly dark, but humorous, pick this up! It will surprise you!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
📱 Hidden Identity/Twins
📱 Social Media Influencers
📱 Cult Vibes
📱 Dark Humor
📱 Thriller/Horror
📱 Secluded Island

This was WILD and I loved it! My jaw was literally dropped for the majority of this book.
I feel like this is a book that is hard to explain without spoiling it. Julie Chan steps into her deceased sister's influencer life and everything is not as it seems. This book was part horror, part thriller, part savage takedown of influencer culture. Liann Zhang's writing was sharp, thought provoking and very bingeable. The writing was very easy to fly through but the content was deep. It felt like there were layers to this book and someone should be writing a paper on it. She is an author to watch!
Thank you Atria Books for the copy through NetGalley!

Thank you to Atria Books for the eARC via Netgalley!

This book was so weird, and while people may love that, it wasn’t for me.

The first half was intriguing enough, Julie discovers her twin died and accidentally (on purpose) steals her identity and the influencer life it comes with. Liann Zhang perfectly captures the social media and influencer-obsessed zeitgeist of today’s world, and how much someone from the outside would do for a chance in.

The second half took a turn for the weird that I found hard to follow. It got pretty dark and should’ve come with some trigger warners.

I don’t think I’m the right audience for this one. I think people who enjoy dark mysteries would gravitate to it more.

A solid story that got really weird at the end. I could have done without the weird ritual on the island. Before that it was very believable, then that happened and I dropped a star.