A clever twist on the classic whodunit, Gloria Chao's The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club delivers a fun and engaging mystery that will keep readers guessing. The premise itself is instantly intriguing: three ex-girlfriends, united by a shared grievance against a cheating scumbag, find themselves literally holding the bag (or rather, the dead body) when their intended revenge session takes a dark turn.
Kathryn, Olivia, and Elle are a dynamic trio, each bringing a distinct personality to their reluctant detective work. Their initial panic and bumbling attempts to cover their tracks are genuinely amusing, and it's easy to root for them despite their questionable judgment. The snappy dialogue and internal monologues are highlights, showcasing Chao's talent for comedic timing and character development. The romantic subplot with the "hot detective" adds a touch of flirtatious tension without overshadowing the main mystery.
Where the book truly shines is in its execution of the investigation. As the ex-girlfriends delve deeper into Tucker's life, they uncover a surprising number of people with equally compelling motives for wanting him dead. This expands the suspect pool significantly and ensures that the plot remains fresh and unpredictable. The journey of these three unlikely allies, navigating precarious undercover operations and increasingly elaborate lies, is genuinely entertaining.
While the pacing is generally excellent, there are a few moments where the revelations feel a touch too convenient, and some of the secondary characters could have been explored with more depth. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise well-crafted and highly enjoyable novel. The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a strong four-star read that offers a refreshing take on the murder mystery genre, proving that sometimes, the best way to clear your name is to team up with your ex's other exes.

1/5 stars: This is Chao's stand-alone which is a BIPOC Cozy-ish Mystery that follows a research chemist who finds out her boyfriend is actually a cheating scumbag who's two other women. The three band together to get revenge but after they discover his body, they become the main suspects. To clear their names, they team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex's life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn't commit? Chao's writing and character work are well done. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 19%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I could see where this was going. It had some great banter, and some good girlfriend moments. I felt all the characters could have been developed a bit more. The only really developed character was Tucker and well, he got killed didn't he?! So it was okay and it was entertaining.

I honestly have trouble describing this book because primarily I think it’s somewhat funny, which feels wrong considering the murder mystery?
Overall, I was constantly entertained with the dialogue based writing and Kat’s inner monologue. The shifts between comedy and true life issues was a bit jarring at times, but it also helped create depth to the characters and allow us to form more personal connections.

I particularly enjoyed Tucker’s character because he was so contradictory. He’s a cheater, liar, and a fraud. But he also seemed to have these moments where his caring character shines. I guess it’s mostly sad because we can see his potential, the type of person he could have been. A stellar job to the author for making me unable to truly hate this man.

This was surprisingly light and funny as well as a murder mystery. I think it’s a great palette cleanser of a book or something “easier” to read when your brain is in other places. Honestly, this was the first new book I’ve read in a month, so kudos.
Oh, and I didn’t guess the plot twist so do with that what you will!

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book 100% gives me a cross between Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and John Tucker Must Die with an added bonus of The Other Woman. I love the concept of this and I love that the lead off character is a chemist! However, as a chemist, I can say this wasn’t researched the best. There were some stretches with the chemistry knowledge and I really didn’t appreciate the characterization of chemists being antisocial (or lacking social skills) and being know-it-alls with regards to chemistry. If she was completing her post-doc (at Harvard no less!), people wouldn’t have kept referring to her as “Ms.” without her saying something. She’s a recent PhD, so she has the doctor title and people use the title! Also, as a PhD in chemistry, she is highly specialized in a relatively niche field of chemistry, so she wouldn’t know everything there is; it also would be a tough transition into forensics considering that typically isn’t part of a chemistry degree. I did love the friendship and the mystery in this book. I didn’t figure out the who-done-it at all and loved the clever twist. This was on par with the Finley Donovan series, with a touch of added spice, dealing with amateur sleuths and not the greatest detective skills. It was funny and enjoyable to read, but I wanted a bit more realism and better representation for female chemists. 3.75⭐️, 1🌶

This is a fun one! I read it all in less than 24 hours and enjoyed the quick pace of it. I didn’t have a single guess who did it until the very end.

If you’re a fan of Only Murders in The Building or The Residence, you’ll enjoy this fast and funny mystery. Despite the shenanigans, we also see a lot of personal growth between the three FMCs.

One random part I loved was how the narrator FMC would explain the origins of common metaphors and euphemisms. This was both educational and quirky in a fun way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Fans of the Finlay Donovan series are going to want to check out The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, the first of the 'Hu Done It Mysteries'. Centering around Kathryn Hu, this hu-done-it, it's a book you'll want to add to your summer reading list. The perfect beach or poolside read, despite being a mystery (like the aforementioned Finlay Donovan series), this book involves a murder but manages to keep it lighthearted.

When Kathryn sees a note on the door to her boyfriend Tucker's apartment, she opens it to see rose petals leading all the way to the bedroom, believing a proposal might be coming, she goes to the master bathroom to clean up, only to hear what she believes is her boyfriend rehearsing his proposal. Imagine her surprise when she pops out to say yes, and finds he is proposing to someone else.

After she leaves the apartment, Olivia reaches out and they decide to go on the weekend vacation that Kathryn was planning to take Tucker on... only to find out he has yet another girlfriend. Together, the three women plot revenge, only to find out that someone has beaten them to the punch... and taken it one step further.

Full of fun and finding love and friendship in all the wrong places is the best kind of revenge!
Everything goes wrong for Kat when she finds out she's not the only one in love with Tucker Jones.

♡ thank you to Harlequin Publishing and Gloria Chao for an ARC of this book via NetGalley ♡

4.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up!)

i DID NOT expect to like this book as much as i did!!! i mean, im OBSESSED! this was a cozy murder mystery that relied heavily on the friendship of three women, all screwed over by the same guy. their friendship was absolutely so wholesome! there's also such a dramatic plot twist at the end that i could've NEVER saw coming!

📖 plot & pace: this story Kat, a chemist who thinks she's finally met the love of her life.. until she interrupts his proposal to another woman (Oliva). yikes 😬 Kat & Olivia become friends, kind of like a trauma bond, but then they find that Tucker also had another woman (Elle) in his life (go figure right??) she joins their group and they decide on revenge. they trash his apartment but in doing so, they find his dead body. they have to figure out the truth before they're framed for his murder. the pacing of this story was pretty fast but never overwhelming. i couldn't put this one down!

👥 characters: let's start with Tucker.. that complete douche!! i'm not saying anyone deserves to DIE, but he definitely had a lot coming for him. the girls were all so lovable! i truly admired their friendship and they way they stuck together. they were the definition of girls girls! detective birch was also kind of iconic for trying to keep Kat out of harms way. i felt the characters were very well written and had just enough backstory that made them feel real.

🤩 tropes: murder mystery, unlikely friendship, found family (chaotic style), morally grey characters

this was such an enjoyable read! i can't believe this was my first book by Chao but i promise it will not be the last!!

podcast totally. unnecessary
ending was abrupt
more closure needed between Elle, Kat, and Olivia
the ending would have been better if the 3 ladies had a conversation before Elle turned herself in

Chao has been an auto buy author for me for quite awhile now, and this book just further cemented why and that she can write whatever genre she wants and it's going to be freaking amazing. This book is just so much freaking fun (and funny), and it has so much hope, heart, and friendship.

This book had a fun and intriguing premise, along with moments of sharp humor, making it an entertaining read overall. I enjoyed parts of the story, especially the dynamic between the characters and the way Gloria Chao played with genre conventions.

However, the execution didn’t always live up to the promise. Some plot developments felt forced or unrealistic, which pulled me out of the story. The pacing also lagged in spots, particularly in the middle, making it harder to stay fully engaged.

I’d recommend this one with caveats—it could be a good fit for readers who enjoy quirky, character-driven mysteries and don’t mind a suspension of disbelief. For me, it was just okay—not a standout, but not a total miss either.

Thank you to Gloria Chao, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I must say the cover of this book immediately grabbed my attention—but I had no idea just how much I would end up liking this book. This was my first Gloria Chao book and I loved the humorous murder mystery, and I was completely hooked by the clever genre blend. The combination of dark comedy, mystery, and a dash of teenage chaos was absolutely refreshing.

The writing is sharp, witty, and packed with clever metaphors and really funny moments. As someone who took chemistry, I especially appreciated the nerdy jokes—they were spot on and quirky.

I also loved Kat, the main character. Her awkwardness and internal commentary were both relatable and endearing. And while the ending felt a bit predictable, the journey there was so entertaining that I didn’t mind at all.

If you're looking for a genre-bending murder mystery that’s as funny as it is smart, this book delivers. A solid 4 out of 5 stars from me—and now I am intrigued for the sequel.

Thank you for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end . I loved how the friendship between the girls progressed and got stronger . I definitely did not see that ending coming at all. Definitely recommend this book!

Title: The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club   
Author: Gloria Chao          
Genre: Mystery    
Rating: 4 out of 5

The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead. 

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex's life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn't commit?

Talk about a comedy of errors! This made me laugh several times, and the podcast transcript irritated me. Tucker was the worst—especially how he made Kat, Olivia, and Elle question their worth, even before they found out just what a jerk he really was. Kat’s opening bad days was a lot and made me really emphasize with her. I liked her and would be happy to read more about her.

Gloria Chao graduated from MIT, became a dentist, and is now a writer. The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)


(Blog link live 6/23).

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ARC version of this title in exchange for my review.

This was such a fun book! I didn't know what to expect, but it did turn out great. When 3 women all discover they are seeing the same man, an unlikely friendship is formed as they plot to get back at him. Very much a cozy mystery, and thoroughly enjoyable light read.

4 stars. Recommend to anyone who is interested in an updated "Strangers on the Train"!

I loved this book sooooo much! It was such a fun read. Super quick and engaging.
I have an Instagram post scheduled and will update the link on here once that posts.

This book reminds me of John Tucker must die but like he actually dies in this one. I loved it so much. I think Kat was a well rounded character and Olivia being by her side makes this even better. And then when we meet Elle? like I loved this. I thought the murderer was one person in my mind but the twist for me (mind u i don’t ever get plot twists in my mind correct idk how) but i enjoyed this. it was funny and sweet at time and also so somber. I want more of this and more of these three so bad.

Author Gloria Chao’s foray from YA to the adult The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club did not disappoint. Tucker Jones is the ultimate adulterous boyfriend to the dismay of Kat “Hu”, Olivia, and Ellie, who learn the hard way they are dating the same man, and unfortunately sometimes you cannot trust “your person.” The trio decide to take (YA style) revenge in his apartment after discovering each other exists, and to say their high jinks do not go according to plan when they discover Tucker dead in his closet, an understatement of the chaos that ensues. Chaos ensues, and their revenge plot is taken far too seriously by detectives. The trio then joins forces to clear their names and solve Tucker’s shocking murder, in a way that makes them impossible not to cheer for. A fun, easy read for fans of ex-girlfriends and the Finlay Donovan series. I really hope there’s a sequel so I can find out what is next for these women! It would have been great to offer readers an epilogue to explain where the trio ends up, perhaps their story will become a series. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved the humor and it made me giggle and laugh. I felt bad for the girls. I mean dude be tripping trying to play all 3 of them. This read gave off John Tucker Must Die and The Other Women vibes and I was all here for it.

Thank you @netgalley and @readmirabooks for the advanced copy!