This book was a delight through and through - an adult version of John Tucker Must Die, but the stakes are higher. When Kat discovers her boyfriend proposing to another woman, she is shocked, to say the least. Even more shocking? They meet up and end up on a vacation together. As they begin to plot revenge against their ex, what starts off as petty pranks turns into discovering a body and frantically needing to solve a murder in order to stay out of jail. Kat is a quirky, socially awkward character who is pretty easy to love. The themes of finding people who love you as you are and learning to take up space help round out the story nicely. It was pretty obvious early on who the murderer was, but there were enough surprises and the writing was great so that even with that I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

I enjoyed this witty little murder mystery. This was so clever and fun and the characters were just so lovable! Didn’t see the twist at the end coming either! Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for this advanced e-copy in exchange for this honest review.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is an absolutely hilarious take on a murder mystery. Kathryn "Kat" Hu is a chemist dating Tucker Jones. She is happy and in love. She's had a bad day at work when she decides to break her regular schedule and drop by Tucker's place on the way home to see if he can cheer her up. She walks in on rose petals everywhere and thinks that he is going to do just that- cheer her up. What she didn't expect is for him to propose- to another woman. Kat and Olivia decide that they're going to go on a weekend trip together that Kat has already paid for her and Tucker to go on. When they get there, who is there? None other than Tucker himself... and a third girlfriend, Elle. The three girls quickly decide that they must take revenge on Tucker. They make this elaborate plan involving glitter and shit, break into Tucker's apartment, and the mayhem begins. Kat goes into Tucker's closet to destroy his precious ball-hugging underwear and what does she find? Tucker... dead. And Kat is suspect numero uno.

This novel was absolutely hilarious! I laughed out loud so many times. I knew that I would enjoy it when it was compared to Finlay Donovan but I didn't expect it to be this good! I highly recommend grabbing this one for a good, quick read, laugh, and some girl power!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

Three women discover they're dating the same man, and set out for revenge. When he (quickly) ends up dead, they become the main suspects, and it seems like they're going to be screwed over by him one last time, unless they can figure out what really happened...
I really enjoyed this funny mystery! The main character was really likeable, and the other characters made up a great cast. There are some threads here that could easily be picked up in a sequel that I would happily read!
The comedic moments were really funny and ridiculous, very much in the style of Dial A for Aunties, or Finlay Donovan. It also reminded me of the Stephanie Plum series. If you enjoy any of these, pick up this book and you won't be sorry!

So derivative, it was hard to muscle through the first quarter of the book to get to the more interesting part of the story (the actual mystery). “John Tucker Must Die” and “The Other Woman,” even “First Wives Club” with a trio out for revenge!
It was an okay story but hardly original. If you aren’t familiar with the movies mentioned here, you’ll likely enjoy this book more; it IS well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC. My opinions here are wholly my own.

Very good book. First time reading a book by this author. Will definitely read more. Characters were easy to follow.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao is a fun, twisty romp from start to finish! While you may have to suspend disbelief in a few spots, the ride is absolutely worth it. Gloria Chao delivers sharp humor, unexpected turns, and a cast you’ll want more of—I can’t wait for the next installment! (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This was a great beach read murder mystery. I loved the girls group and their dynamic, and while I didn't get the right person I was in the right wheelhouse when I was guessing and overall, it was a really good plot. My only complaint is the number of times it felt like if Kat had just told the truth everything would've been fine, but what do I know?

I loved this book and will be recommending to all my friends. I especially enjoyed all the word play, idiom origin explanations, and malaphors. They made the book unique and stand out. I will read anything in the series in the future, and can’t wait to see what comes next. I was so engaged in the story and loved the characters so much that I didn’t see the twist at the end until it was in my face. So good and funny and unique.

I knew that this was going to be a banger. I’m a huge fan of Gloria Chao and I knew her first adult books was going to be just as good as her YA. And let me tell you, it was mighty close! I legit LOLed, I shouted my theories as I had them, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see whodunit!

First of all, if you like actual funny cozy mysteries, you will LOVE this! I laughed so hard in so many places. I will also say that Chao is amazing at comedic timing. Because just as soon as I was laughing out loud, something happened soon after that made me remember that this was actually a mystery. I loved that because I ended up just having a good time.

The mystery itself is also really good. I thought I would have some trouble with it because of the infidelity, but seeing that it was John Tucker Must Die like, I thought I’d give it a try. And sure enough, it was everything. You don’t want to miss this! Now my theory WAS right, but I also realized it at the same time they did, so I don’t know how you want to take that. I don’t think it should be a factor because there’s still a tiny bit of book left after it.

Speaking of that, I thought it was so weird that she handled the end like that. I guess it’s to open it up for the series that’s coming up, but still. It was weird because she told us who it was, they got a chapter, and it was over. I wanted to know so much more than what was given, but I can’t say anything here because I don’t want to spoil anything. So ugh I guess I have to just wait until the next one comes out. Which sucks because that’s going to be about a whole different case I’m sure. Hopefully something changes in that one.

This was so much fun! Definitely a book good enough to pull you out of a slump or put you in one until you just read it again. I’m really considering it as I think I’ll find some clues or something I missed the first time.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Gloria Chao for providing me with a copy of The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was (mostly) light, humorous, with unexpected twists. The pacing was spot on, and I would have even enjoyed it more if it was a little longer. Great read, definitely will recommend. 4.5 Stars.

Three ex-girlfriends and one very dead boyfriend. Now one of them is a potential suspect and the other two have her back.

Sadly, I’m in the minority when it comes to my feelings about this book. I found it to be rather chaotic and disorganized, with humor that is somewhat crude (i.e. a little goes a long way). I never really liked any of the characters and they seemed childish, with behavior that was confusing and unrealistic. At one point, Olivia, who is a lawyer, was unable to come up with a legal strategy, while another ex-girlfriend supplied the information. That was a bit head-shaking and silly, and it just didn’t stop.

I have no doubt that Ms Chao is a talented writer. However, this book just wasn’t very appealing to me. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

There are moments that are legitimately laugh out loud. The lead characters feel like women you’ve met before . It’s not a perfectly crafted whodunnit but it’s one of those books that is the perfect book for when you need it. Perfect for fans of Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series and Jesse Sutanto’s mysteries.

I alternated between audio and the e-galley. The audiobook narration is well done with each character having a very distinct voice, which I always appreciate in audio. Seamless and well-paced.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and MIRA for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

If you have work stress this week, I highly recommend The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. It is the story of 3 women who discover that they were all dating the same guy - a guy who suddenly turns up dead and they are suspects. They team up together to try and find the killer and hilarity ensues. Think Finlay Donovan or the Aunties. Slapstick humor and witty one-liners with many precarious situations. But also a strong theme of female empowerment and friendship. Of resilience, trust and loyalty. I laughed out loud and I found myself smiling.

This was the Other Woman with a crime fiction twist. My initial thought was, 'Oh, this is a simple who-dunnit,' but every few chapters, another layer of the onion was peeled back. The reveal was a full gasp, and the ending left room for a to be continued. Loved themes of friendship, as in platonic relationships, are so important to be seen and understood. But the biggest takeaway is that girls, you can be a perfect girlfriend, and the wrong person will cheat on you. Booo tomato, tomato.

Thank you netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book at first, it was pretty funny. I wouldn’t really categorize it as a romcom but for like a mystery-com (if that exists?). The power of friendship was really nice to see as well, I love it when girls can band together for something instead of hating each other for it.

Now for the writing…. The books is about three girls but only showcases it through the POV of Kat. At first I really enjoyed it but as the series droned on, I kind of didn’t really like Kat’s character. She was overthinking and very critical and sometimes very rash. Maybe because it reminded me of myself LOL. but I’m glad that it mostly went in a way that didn’t bite her in the ass and kind of also helped them succeed in their plans.

I didn’t enjoy the detective element at all, I think it could have been left out. Or it could have been introduced in this book and explored more in the next book (because apparently this is a series?)

Overall 3 stars because it actually kind of had a pretty interesting twist. I kind of suspected it but was completely off.

Gloria Chao’s The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is everything I want in a murder mystery: clever, quick-witted, and brimming with chaotic female camaraderie. It takes a juicy premise—three women discover they’re dating the same man and plot a petty revenge weekend—then swerves into murder, framed suspects, and accidental sleuthing.

What unfolds is a twisty, fast-paced investigation led by three women who, despite their differences, become something of an antihero dream team.

Chao masterfully blends laugh-out-loud humor with moments of sharp emotional clarity—particularly when exploring trust, trauma, and the way women are often gaslit into silence or suspicion. There's also a light romantic subplot, but the core relationship here is female friendship born from betrayal.

What I Loved:
The pacing: short chapters, tight plotting, and no wasted scenes.
The banter: whip-smart, meme-worthy dialogue that never feels forced.
The emotional core: Kat’s journey of self-worth and learning to own her narrative is beautifully rendered.
The mystery: solid red herrings, satisfying reveals, and no lazy “gotcha” twists.

Minor Quibble:
The ending wraps up a little neatly, and I wanted just a bit more exploration of Elle and Olivia’s backstories. Still, the ride is so fun that I hardly minded.

It used to be a solid trope in fiction that two women who were interested in the same man would fight to the death for his love. Luckily, that trope seems passe, and fictional women are more likely to dump that guy than to fight over him. In Gloria Chao’s latest, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, three women team up to exact revenge on the cad who was cheating on them with each other. But when they find his body instead, they must work together to find the true killer and keep each other out of prison.

Fans of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Aunties series will root for Chao’s protagonist, Kathryn Hu, as they rooted for Sutanto’s Meddy Chan. Both second-generation Asian only children, they both find themselves awkwardly navigating situations that others pull them into.

Kathryn, a biologist who loves researching the origins of cliches, has trouble making friends at work and in real life. But everyone loves her boyfriend Tucker, who brings donuts to make up for Kathryn’s work mishap. Grateful for his support, Kathryn decides to surprise him at home—and she’s the one who gets surprised, when she interrupts his proposal to another woman! When Olivia and Kathryn get together to compare notes, Kathryn impulsively invites Olivia to the weekend away she had planned with Tucker. There they find another surprise: Tucker’s Tinder hook-up, Elle.

Although all three women play important roles in the book, it’s told from Kathryn’s first-person POV. Her awkwardness and naivete are charming, and she’s a hilariously bad detective. When she starts to fall for the policeman in charge of investigating Tucker’s murder, she seems destined for a happy ending.

Although the book starts strong, the pacing begins to lag in the middle. A podcaster dedicated to revenge stories has it out for the women when they go on her show, and the book is frequently interrupted by transcripts from the podcasts. The tone sometimes goes from funny to silly, and the police detective character is unrealistic even for comic mystery standards.

Still, Club is a quick read, and it ends on a clever twist that many readers will not see coming. And there’s a sweet subplot with Kathryn’s parents that tugs the heartstrings.

Amazon calls this “A Hu Done It Mystery Book 1,” so more books with Kathryn should be forthcoming. If you prefer your murder with side dishes of sisterhood and slapstick, add Hu to your TBR pile.

This was so fun! The writing style, the plot, the comedy, the suspense, the characters…perfection! Finlay Donovan meets John Tucker Must Die!

After taking revenge on their ex, three women become the prime suspects in his murder—and must band together to solve it before it’s too late.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to get lost in this book. This is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It had humor, Taylor swift references, girlhood, found family, self discovery and revenge. I laughed so much and couldn’t put it down until I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.