A sweet novel about friendship and finding yourself with some crazy murder mystery antics thrown in. The mystery won't keep you up at night, but it will keep you entertained until the last page. This is the perfect light read for by the pool this summer!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I was hooked from the start of the novel. Three women became unlikely friends all because of one man: Tucker Jones. Fast pace murder mystery to solve who killed Tucker Jones (coincidentally around the same time the women became friends). The women (as amateur sleuths) tried to solve the case together. Great for readers that want to read a cozy murder mystery with a touch of humor.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three women, Kat, Olivia and Elle are dating the same man at the same time. When they find out, they decide to work together to get revenge! But when they discover his body, they decide they need to solve his murder before they go down for it. Not only did they want Tucker dead, everyone else in his life wanted him dead as well.
Will they uncover the truth?!

I LOVE this book so much! I sucked in right away! It reminded me of the tv show good girls. I really enjoy the authors writing. She really knows how to keep readers hooked. I did not want to put this book down! I also really enjoyed the characters and the women working together! I could see myself reading this again!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Gloria and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC!

Publication Date: June 24 2025
Rating: ✨✨✨✨


#TheExGirlfriendMurderClub #NetGalley

this book is a new mystery comedy favorite!!! My first Gloria Chao book and I can't wait to read her backlog and for the sequel! It's FUNNY, heartfelt, and just such a good mystery. I also love the ode to John Tucker Must Die, one of my favorite films! I 110% recommend this book and I'm so glad I took a random chance to read it!!!

This was such an engaging and fun read. I enjoyed the suspense and was shocked by the twist! I was hooked until the very end. I liked the storyline and how relatable the characters were. This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last.

This was a fun book- kind of like a combination of The Other Woman movie and the Finlay Donovan books both of which are some of my faves. I felt like the ending/big reveal were. a bit sudden but overall I enjoyed it- especially Kat and Olivia. The life alert scene was absurdly funny as well.

This is a fun little cozy murder mystery for younger women. I felt a little too old to get into it, especially with the references to things like number two. It will be a great fit for younger readers who want a PG friendly murder book.

This was funny and highly entertaining. If you love the movie John Tucker Must Die this book is definitely for you! The banter throughout between the women was hilarious. Loved the twist at the end and the final chapter. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a witty, suspenseful, and wildly entertaining read. When Kat, Olivia, and Elle discover they’ve all been cheated on by the same man, Tucker, their heartbreak turns into an unlikely friendship. But when Tucker winds up dead, the trio launches their own investigation, determined to uncover the truth.

While some parts of the story felt a little dragged out and a bit unrealistic, the humor and the strength of the female friendships kept me hooked. The banter between the women was sharp and fun, and the mystery had enough twists to keep me guessing.

If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted mystery with strong female leads, this one’s a solid pick!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my gosh! This was such a fun read; an absolutely enjoyable, totally bingeable story! This book is filled with memorable and charming characters; each of the female MCs are wonderful in their own right and together they're a hoot. I loved that they are honored as individuals AND a trio and absolutely ate up all their shenanigans while worrying about their fates. Throw in a hot cop and a whodunnit and you're all set!

The John Tucker Must Die vibes are strong, in the best way, and I really hope there are more adventures in store for the Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club!

This one was FUN!! While I picked it up as a suspense/thriller, I didn't expect the added humor as well! Perfect for any 90s baby with plenty of Taylor Swift references that also reminded me a lot of Gossip Girl meets John Tucker Must Die - totally appropriate considering the notorious cheater's name is Tucker!

"The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club" was an easy book to spend a Saturday afternoon sinking into. The characters were funny and likable, but I wish some of them were fleshed out a bit more as I wanted to know more about their back stories with Tucker! Some immature moments that had me rolling my eyes a bit, but overall this was a fun rom-com with added suspense that will certainly be a hit upon release. Thanks for the ARC!

The book itself was absolutley captivating, and I was truly engrossed as I started reading. the plot was interesting, and the characters seemed unique. A few things felt out of place - Kat's quirks with the idioms and the metaphors/malaphors seemed like extras that didn't have a solid explanation. The cop romance and storyline was also interesting, and I would have liked to explore that character more.

Ultimatley I did enjoy this book, but I felt there could have just been a bit more expansion on the why behind these characteristics.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure I would since I’ve read many similar books of this genre in the past year. I didn’t see the twists coming and as an ELA teacher I loved all the idioms laced throughout.

This book was such a funny, page turning, and cozy murder mystery of three very different girls who form a unique bond after finding out they’re dating the same guy! What better way to get back at a man who’s scorned more than one woman than with revenge. What happens when a dish best served hot goes cold and all three girls lives are left upside down in a mess they have to solve before the gig is up and they no longer can play koi with police on how they know each other. This book had elements of Clue, Charlies Angels, John Tucker Must Die, and Gossip Girl. Along with Taylor Swift and Sriracha hot sauce references. I could not stop laughing and gasping while reading this book! What a fantastically fun and crazy rollercoaster of a ride until the VERY END!

This was super cute and fun, really enjoyed the dynamics of the girls and how they all brought out the best in each other. Was a great cozy mystery! I know it’s supposed to be a play on john yucky must die but the extreme similarities between this and the other woman were a bit much for me. The murder element was super fun though! Thank you again to netgalley, and the publisher for this arc!

Still laughing out loud after finishing Gloria Chao’s The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. Her trio of cuckqueans (females who have been cuckolded) really won my heart over with their hilarious hi-jinx and quirky personalities. It gave John Tucker Must Die vibes, but in the best way.

Katherine Hu was happily dating her dream man (she was 🎵looking for a man in finance🎵), Tucker Jones, while in her dream postdoc program at Harvard. She was a genius, but had the self esteem of a rock. He saw and appreciated all that she had to offer with her Big Brain Energy. One night, while she thought that Tucker was getting ready to propose to her, she inadvertently popped into the room where he was actually proposing to someone else. This is where the drama really begins….but doesn’t end anywhere near there.

After bonding with the other “Tucker Cuckqueans”, the drama gets more intense, but just as hilarious as the book started. I couldn’t stop reading it. It was like rom-com meets mystery meets Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. As to not give away any spoilers, I will just say that you need to read this book! It has something for nearly everyone to laugh along with and to sympathize with. One of my favorites of 2025 so far.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA for this outstanding ARC!!!

I was immediately drawn to this book by the cover and synopsis!!

This was such a fun experience!! It was different from anything I read, and it grabbed my attention quickly! The mystery was light hearted and comedic! I giggled multiple times! And was shocked when the murderer was figured out!

The women were relatable and likable! Their personalities complimented each other and made them the perfect group, especially with having the same thing (guy) in common!
AND THAT ENDING!!! I still can’t believe it!!

Definitely a book I’ll add to my shelf!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the ARC!

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao was absolutely hilarious! I typically stick to Women's Fiction, Fantasy, or Rom-Coms, but this book was incredibly engaging and kept me hooked. I loved Kat, Olivia, and Elle, and the unique friendship that forms between them in such a wild situation. While I’m not usually drawn to suspense, this one was more lighthearted and quirky than intense, making it enjoyable. The mystery was fun, and the story was well written. Definitely a must-add to your summer TBR!
Thanks to Netgally and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy of this eBook in exchange for my honest review.

This one is tricky for me because I did like the book - there was just too much that took me out of the story to make it a knockout for me.

This is a fun and both lighthearted and deep/introspective plot, with the exes out for revenge yet recognizing things holding them back in their lives and working to make themselves truly happy. Although they could be a smidge irritating, I enjoyed hanging out with the three main characters. I loved the side shtick of the origins of phrases. I liked the ending, as I did not suspect it at all. So overall it was a great read.

What I didn’t like: the immaturity at the beginning (way too much poop humor, and honestly the name issue with Kat’s coworker seemed very middle school); the conveniences and coincidences are a bit too much (I always expect some in a book about a murder but there was just too many); the romance (unprofessional and highly unlikely given the length of time this book took place over); and the podcast…I love a podcast and they are done so well in a lot of books these days but this one was mostly unnecessary - also the episodes seem like they would last about 2 minutes so it might have been better to make them TikToks, if anything. I do think the author accidentally stumbled upon a really cool plot for another book though - a podcaster discovers her show has led to a crime and feels bad/responsible so she investigates. (Said podcaster would need to actually be likable and non-annoying, unlike in this book.)

This would be a 3.5 for me but since I must give whole numbers, I rounded down since I was never fully able to be in the story.

Thank you Netgalley, for an arc in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book by Gloria Chao that I have read and I was not disappointed. The cover of the book is what caught my eye and I was glad that it did. The beginning of the book reminded me of the movie “John Tucker Must Die”, but it quickly turned into a fun mystery. I liked how the story kept you guessing and trying to figure out who did it but also had funny parts in it. The growth of the characters was an added bonus. I would read more from this author.