Julie Chan Is Dead is a darkly entertaining thriller that blends influencer culture with a mean-girls-style power struggle, creating a story that’s both addictive and twisted. From the start, the book pulls you into a world of social media fame, toxic friendships, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.

The characters—cutthroat, manipulative, and obsessed with their own images—give the novel a cult-like energy that adds to the tension. The mystery/drama unfolds with just enough twists to keep things engaging without feeling overdone. While some reveals are expected, others catch you off guard, making it a fun ride from start to finish.

If you enjoy thrillers with a sharp, modern edge and a bit of influencer drama, Julie Chan Is Dead is worth picking up. It’s entertaining, fast-paced, and just the right amount of twisted. Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy!

There I was, minding my own business reading Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang, thinking in the first half that it was pretty original and had some things to say about life in the digital age and the dangers of being too online, when all of the sudden everything went crazy.
This is a debut thriller by Zhang about identical twins Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen, who were separated early in life and raised separately. Chloe, by a wealthy family that showered her with love and confidence, and Julie by a terrible aunt who abused her. Julie is struggling in life while Chloe becomes an influencer and spends her days online opening free stuff and making lots of money with disingenuous ads.
One night Julie finally hears from Chloe, but her phone call is ominous and Julie travels to New York to make sure she is okay. Once there, she discovers that her twin is dead and then does the only logical thing you could think of, which is quite obviously to take over her life and pretend to be her. Sure, no problem! And not even to think once, hey someone killed my sister, it might be dangerous to be her so I should be a little bit careful? No way! That would be nuts.
Delving into the world of people making a living as influencers is fun for a bit, but ultimately Julie learns nothing and entirely forgets about who she is and what she wants. Then, the story just goes absolutely berserk for the last third. I couldn’t even describe it for you, so I won’t try and no one should spoil this madness, but wow.
I know it sounds like I hated this book but I actually didn’t. I love a wild ride when I read one, and this one is absurd and unhinged… but in a good way? If you liked Yellowface and won’t mind when it turns into an LSD trip, this book is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advanced reader copy in exchange for a review.

Liann Zhang's Julie Chan Is Dead gives an interesting insight into the life of an influencer through her twin sister. Julie's sister Chloe is famous on the internet, but that doesn't stop her from visit her lowly cashier sister and buy her a house (which puts into perspective the things that influencers would do for content). After Julie gets a cryptic message from her sister, she finds her sister's decomposing body in her Manhattan apartment. Julie claims that the dead Chloe is actually Julie and starts to live Chloe's influencer lifestyle. It doesn't take much for Julie to see the dark side of Chloe's life or for her to embrace that darkness herself.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book. It was batshit crazy in the best possible way. I went in blind, and it was so good.

Equal parts R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, Noelle Crooks’ Under The Influence, and Ari Aster’s Midsommar, Julie Chan Is Dead is a hilariously thrilling debut novel from Liann Zhang.

Separated from her identical twin since the age of four, Julie Chan has been living in obscurity while forced to watch her sister Chloe live a “perfect” life as a clean-girl influencer with a slew of famous friends. Until Julie receives a mysterious phone call from Chloe and seeks her out at her New York apartment, only to find her dead on the floor. Julie decides to assume her sister’s identity rather than return to her own life, only to discover that Chloe’s life was far from perfect.

I absolutely never wanted to put this book down. The seemingly over-the-top characterization of the influencers laced with real-world examples of heinous behavior (such as “trading in” an adopted child for one that was more compliant with the demands of family content) kept the narrative to a level of absurdity that was just plausible enough to have me completely hooked from beginning to end.

Overall, "Julie Chan is Dead" is a thought-provoking novel that sheds light on important social issues while delivering an engaging and suspenseful story. It's a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the impact of bullying and the complexities of teenage life.

4.25⭐️
(Rounding up to 5 because it deserved to be rounded up)
Wow. Just wow.
I’ve heard this book is similar to Yellowface and I haven’t read yellow face (yet) but if it’s anything like Julie Chan is Dead I NEED to read it.

This book tried to be so many genres at once and was so unbelievably successful. I was captivated from page 1, when I picked up this book hours suddenly passed as seconds. I was so intrigued, I couldn’t put it down. The character growth and development was beautiful, I was so attached and invested in every minor and major plot line at all times. There wasn’t a second when I was reading this that the words just felt like words on a page. I was unironically (iykyk ;)) wildly hallucinating in my bed while holding my kindle the entire time. This book was so engaging, took so many unexpected turns, and took the celebrity trope to an entirely new level. I ate up every second of this and I will be needing the physical version as soon as it’s out 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻.

After reading this, I need to read everything this author comes out with please I absolutely loved this book.

Wow!! This was a wild ride.

After a tragic accident that ended killing both of their parents, twins Julie and Chloe are separated and made to live two very different lives: Julie stay with her aunt and works a minimum wage job whie Chloe gets adopted by white parents and ends up becoming an influencer. One fateful day, when Julie goes to visit her twin after receiving a disturbing phone call, she discovers Chloe’s dead body. Julie then decides to take over Chloe’s influencer lifestyle but finds out she might have just bitten more than she can chew.

The premise was very intriguing and gave off Yellowface vibes. I mostly expected thi to be a thriller wherein Julie tries to get away with what she’s done and trying to find who was responsible for Chloe’s death. I did see thay but also the book provided a social commentary on how influencers curate their own personal brand by the way they showcase themselves online. It also explores influencing can be likened to a cult like mentality..

With that said, it felt like the thriller aspect was wholly separate from the social commentary part. As in the first half of the book felt like a completely different storyline as the second half. I like both of them, I’m just not sure if they were well integrated together in the end.

The author’s writing was really good and reeled me from the very start so definitelt picking up future works.

Man oh man. This book.

If you want a thriller that discusses the lengths one goes to in order to be accepted by society (specifically through social media), this is the book for you. At the beginning, i thought this would be a silly little mystery or something.

As the story goes and the plot thickens, it goes into twisted thriller that left my jaw open for the last 20%. If you enjoy narratives on social media and popularity amidst a thriller, you would probably like this book.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read and review!

Julie Chan grew up with an aunt who stole her high school earnings and disparaged her; her twin sister, Chloe, was adopted after the deaths of their parents when the girls were young, and her New York upbringing was privileged. Now Chloe is an influencer who is racking up endorsements while Julie works as a grocery store clerk and shoos away customers who think she must be Chloe.

The only time Chloe has re-appeared, it was as part of a publicity stunt to gift her twin a poorly renovated house.

Then she disappeared again, until one day Julie receives a phone call from a New York number. Curious, she unblocks her sister on social media and notices that Chloe has been AWOL for a couple of weeks--which is completely unlike her.

So then she decides to investigate her sister's disappearance.

Well, not exactly.

She decides to live her sister's life of luxury and ease. And there's not much she won't do to hang onto it.

This is an engaging debut novel that starts out feeling like suspense and winds up with more of a nod to horror. It's been compared to Mona Awad's Bunny, but I was also reminded of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who has similar genre/atmosphere shifts in several of her novels.

The first-person narration is believable to this reader (who is admittedly decades older than the protagonist and perhaps too credulous about "young people speak"). And the plot moves quickly, in part because of the many very very brief chapters and the short, springy sentences.

By the end of the novel, however, my very positive initial feelings were more mixed: this book gets dark, but there are some developments that feel gratuitous. And, too, I was expecting more of a mystery novel, which this isn't, quite.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

This is the story of twin sisters separated as young children after their parents died suddenly. Julie went to live a hardscrabble life with her mean aunt. Her sister Chloe was adopted by a wealthy couple and raised seemingly without a care in the world. Chloe became an internet influencer with tons of followers and raking in the dough. After a mysterious phone call from Chloe, Julie goes to NYC to find Chloe. Julie discovers Chloe dead in her apartment of an overdose. When the emergency responders arrive, they mistake Julie for Chloe and a plan forms in Julie‘s mind. Julie steps into Chloe’s influencer life of money and fame, quickly realizing that life isn’t what it seems. Being an influencer could be deadly.

I really enjoyed this fabulous debut novel from Liam Zhang. I couldn’t wait to see where this twin switching story went and boy, I wasn’t expecting the direction it took. The pace and tension steadily built throughout the book. This is also an interesting look at social media vs reality and how social media manipulates public perception. It also turns a glaring eye on how far some influencers would for coveted engagement numbers. Lots of good stuff in the book.

Read this if you like:
✅stories of twins switching places
✅ thrillers with a big twist
✅ a cult-like gaggle of influencers
✅ a main character willing to do just about anything to survive
✅ read this if you’re a fan of Yellowface

This was a fun and thought provoking read. I found it to be a really unique, timely, and polished story. It’ll be exciting to see what’s next from this debut author. Julie Chan Is Dead publishes April 29. Don’t miss this one!

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for my advanced reader copy of this awesome book. This one was incredible, I literally was cramming in every possible minute I could to figure out what was happening next. This story reminds me of Crazy Rich Asians and Parent Trap, especially during the girls trip. There were elements of social media hysteria (memorizing follower counts and recognizing each influencer's niche) as well as cult-like content. When the group of influencers go on their annual trip, the rest that comes is just..... wild. Dazed looks, flowing dresses, sleeping pills... It is a lot, but it is oh so good. What an incredible thriller, truly a 5/5!!

*Julie Chan Is Dead* is Liann Zhang’s gripping debut novel, delivering a thrilling and fast-paced story that keeps readers hooked.

It follows twin sisters Julie and Chloe, who were separated at a young age after their parents' deaths. While Julie leads an ordinary life, Chloe rises to fame as a wealthy social media influencer. When Chloe unexpectedly calls, Julie decides to investigate—only to find her sister dead in her apartment. Tempted by Chloe’s glamorous lifestyle, Julie assumes her identity, unknowingly stepping into a dangerous world filled with deception, sacrifice, and buried secrets.

This twisty, suspenseful read is full of surprises—I highly recommend it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC for review. This book was sooo good!! Social media influencers are so ridiculous and what they do for followers and free swag and all the likes and views. This book gets it all and more!! Chloe is a social media darling but all the sudden she is dead under mysterious circumstances but only her twin sister knows. So she decides to take her place to see what it’s like to live the glamorous life she has always envied with all the followers and the money, until she finds out it isn’t all it seems. This book really had some laugh out loud moments and some “I really want to delete social media moments”

ARC review • pub date 04.29.25

Well, this was a WILD ride.

Julie & Chloe are twins, but separated at the age of four after their parents passed away. Years later, Chloe is a very popular social media influencer, and Julie is a cashier at a supermarket. They have no relationship whatsoever, only seeing each other once since they were kids, and it ended up being a publicity stunt that Chloe made money from.

So what’s Julie to do when she accidentally stumbles upon her dead sister. Nothing other than steal her identity, of course 😅

Buckle up for this one. Mild horror towards the middle/end — some of it was gross that I was not expecting! Totally addicting read, though.

4⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for my ARC

This book was so good! I really enjoyed it. I felt like it kept me on my toes not really sure what was going to happen next. Would definitely read more by this author in the future.

I enjoyed this book. The influencer trope is so realistic for today. The trip part had me a little thrown off guard but I get it now that I’m done. It didn’t work out the way I expected, which is good.

I was so excited to be choose to read this arc in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity! I love love any book that reminds me of Finlay Donovan or Stephanie Plum they are my go to comfort reads!!! This one stacks up beside them!!! I enjoyed the first half of the book more so than the second half. As others have said the second half felt cult vibes. Overall still a great thriller. I have not expected that ending at all. This was a first for me from this author but if she happens to write anymore I definitely want to check them out!

Wow, this was my first book by this author and I would for sure read one. What a ride! I enjoy the suspense and the pacing throughout.

Pub date: April 29, 2025

Oh boy, this was a wild one. The first half had me locked in - Julie gets a chance to step into her glamorous twin sister’s influencers life after she stumbles upon her dead body. I could definitely see the comparison to Yellowface (which I loved). But the second half? Without giving things away, it gets WEIRD. Like, very weird. I predicted some aspects of the ending, but I’m not sure how I feel about the conclusion. All to say, it was a page turner to be sure but I do have some questions!

This book had dark humor, and commentary on influencer culture.

Thanks to Atria Books & NetGalley for early access in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.