Mystery, mayhem, and friendship? Not exactly what you expect when three women discover the man they love has been cheating on them (they didn't know about each other before). So revenge is in the air but when they go to his home to trash it they find his body instead. Oh, Tucker hasn't just been deceiving them, but everyone in his life. There are plenty of suspects and they will have to work together, undercover and not, to find the real killer before for they go down for the crime.

This has shenanigans, laughter and a twisty story that will keep you guessing until the end. I really liked the friendship that formed between these women. A perfect summer read--or at any time of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club was such a funny, cozy mystery! If you love the Finlay Donovan series, then you will enjoy this book!

I loved the main character, Kat. She has a quirky sense of humor and knows the origin of idioms, which made her a very likeable character, in my opinion. I also loved the relationship she built with Olivia and Elle. Their interactions with each other and their plotting were comical at times.

I do wish Kat's interactions and budding relationship with Detective Birch were explored a little more. To me, the details of the relationship were a little shallow. Also, I feel like the ending and "resolution" to the mystery were suddenly rushed at the end of the book, and more detail could have been given to the how and why.

Overall, this was a cute read that kept me invested in the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Mira for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

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

i was initially so excited to start this one because the blurb of the book sounded interesting. It was giving the movie the other woman with cameron diaz but with a murder twist !!

however, once I actually read the content, it wasn’t what I was expecting. the execution of the blurb felt lackluster. the idea of the story sounded better than the actual story. first of all, it took me so long to get into this book. maybe because of the slow start but ugh it was tough

the plot is kinda slow and at the same time, the plot points felt weird like it didn’t make sense sometimes. for example, the involvement of a podcast felt so random. also the writing was not only bad but also cringe and quirky

the friendship between the girls was cute though. I also like that they all have their own personality and backstories. i just wish we got MORE of their bond.

also the romance aspect felt so rushed considering the timeline of the book. like i love a good detective love interest but idk it felt so forced

there were so many times I wanted to dnf this book but I just kept gaslighting myself that this book will get better and I need to know what happens in the end. sadly the book is so predictable that i even knew the plot twist by the time I read it. the climax was VERY UNDERWHELMING!! also i feel like i still have so many unanswered questions and plot holes like how tf did the tucker guy get murder???

the author’s writing is not for me. most disappointing and underwhelming read.

When I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book I was excited. It sounded like a fun read and the cover appealed to me. (Yes, I judge books by the cover.) The book started pretty well and I had a fairly easy time getting into the story and knowing the characters. But then things fell apart a little. I felt like the story lost its flow and I struggled with it.

As far as the characters go I really liked Kat and Olivia. I liked the friendship they formed and getting to know their stories in relation to Tucker. Even Elle wasn't bad as far as characters go. At times though I felt like the characters lost themselves and were too much.

As far as the story goes I liked the premise of it. It started out well and then seemed like it went off course a bit and became a bit too quirky. It was during those times that I struggled with staying interested in the story. Towards the end it felt like the story got back on track and I enjoyed reading it again. I wasn't expecting the plot twist at the end.

All in all this was an ok read. I'm giving it 3 stars since it was a struggle to read in the middle. If not for that I would probably give it a 4 star rating based on the likability of the characters and friendship between them.

This is a bananas plot that moved pretty quickly, and also had a lot of humor in it. My favorite thing are the way the three ex-girlfriends of Tucker Jones band together and really become best friends once they discover that they have all been cheated on by the same man. Lots of hijinks ensue, and then a murder mystery and even a little romance. If you can suspend your disbelief, you can really have a lot of fun reading this book. I didn't necessarily need the plot twist at the end, but it was well done. If you like mysteries, and podcasts, revenge and John Tucker Must Die, you'll enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE EX-GIRLFRIEND MURDER CLUB – Gloria Chao
Mira
ISBN: 978-0778387213
June 24, 2025
Contemporary Fiction

Boston – Present Day

Kathryn Hu is stunned to learn her boyfriend, Tucker Jones, was not only cheating on her with one woman, but two! He seemed so devoted to her. But she caught him at his condo in the process of proposing to one of the women. What a scumbag! The other woman, Olivia, agrees to go to a weekend rental with Kathryn, where they hope to lick their wounds. Instead, they find Tucker with a third woman, Elle. Tucker takes off, and the women bond. The three women think the same about Tucker, and they plot revenge. They would love to kill him, but that’s not legal, so they break into his condo and leave it a stinky mess. But just before they are to leave, guess who is found dead in the closet? Yep, Tucker Jones. Who did it? The police will think it’s one of them, so the three women decide to investigate the murder. There appear to be several suspects because Tucker was embezzling and owed a lot of money to people, including a loan shark.

THE EX-GIRLFRIEND MURDER CLUB is a funny murder mystery that keeps readers on their toes as they try to figure out what happens next. Kathryn is attending college at Harvard, and the other two women are just as accomplished. Olivia is a lawyer, and she becomes an instant attorney for Kathyn when she is questioned by the police. The women agreed to be careful not to implicate each other, but that is hard when they are around each other, though they are using burner phones to communicate. The lead detective in the case is attracted to Kathryn, but is it because he is trying to get her to slip up? He does appear genuinely nice.

I have to admit that halfway through THE EX-GIRLFRIEND MURDER CLUB, I began to suspect a couple of people were the murderers. It turns out that I was right…in a way. You must read this funny tale to find out what I mean. The action is crisp and rarely lags, and the dialogue is cute and laugh-out-loud at times. This is part murder mystery and part comedy, all in a good way. The women get into predicaments, yet always get out of them, such as when a loan shark holds Kathryn hostage for the money Tucker owes him. He can’t believe that Tucker didn’t share with her where his money was. Of course, she has to get rescued.

As a reader, you will have a good time reading THE EX-GIRLFRIEND MURDER CLUB, so don’t miss picking this up.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

LWhere are my John Tucker must Die fans? This one is definitely for you! It was a cozy murder mystery that had me laughing throughout the whole story.

Kat, Olivia, and Elle-discover they’ve all been dating the same guy-Tucker Jones, who is literally just a human red flag !😂

This is a fun chaotic, laugh out loud story mixed in with some flirtation with a detective who is trying to arrest them for Tucker’s murder.

This book is perfect for a light fun summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the free digital ARC in exchange for my review!

I really enjoyed this book! I breezed through it in 2 reading sessions. I almost thought I’d dislike it just because there are so many bodily excretions mentioned towards the beginning (and somewhat throughout). It didn’t feel realistic for the characters, and felt childish. But once I got past the main chapter about it, I enjoyed the rest of the book.

The characters are so fun and likable, and I loved Kat’s inner dialogue. The small details had purpose, which I always appreciate! It is definitely more of a comedy than a thriller (I see some of the lower ratings complaining because it’s not a horror/thriller, which seems unfair to me), but I loved the banter between the 3 friends and seeing their interactions.

I’m usually really good at guessing the endings of mystery novels, and I made it to about 65% in before figuring this one out. Which is a win, I think!

This book had me hooked from the very first page! I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book and the author did an incredible job of mixing comedy with murder mystery. All the characters are very likable and eccentric and it makes readers root for them. I could relate to each of the female main characters in different ways which made this book more enjoyable for me. I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down, there was so much packed into this book and I think readers will really enjoy this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

I took a chance on this book when the hilarious cover and title caught my eye while browsing on Netgalley.

The plot sounded like a ‘John Tucker Must Die’ rewrite but so much better with so much more at stake.

Kat, Olivia and Elle. These 3 main characters were hilarious! I loved Kat’s awkwardness and dislike of anything social. Olivia and Elle were great, but I liked how 99% of the story was told from Kat’s POV.

I liked the balance between knowing exactly how a situation was going to go comically wrong and unseen plot twists the reader was served in this. It kept me guessing and the ending was great! I would have liked a little more development with Officer McHottie, aka Detective Birch, but I enjoyed the role he played as well. I’m secretly hoping that since this is listed as the first in the series, that Birch plays a significant role moving forward! Possibly with some amateur sleuths ‘helping’ out with his investigations!

It was really cute how podast episodes played into the story as well.

Defintiely worth a read! I went through this ridiculously fast because I couldn’t seem to put it down! Much faster than I have been reading this month for sure!

“The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club” is a delightful, quick popcorn thriller about a group of girls who become unlikely friends when they discover their boyfriend is dating all of them! They wish him dead, but are SHOCKED when he actually turns up dead, and now they are the prime suspects. Can they solve his murder before they go to prison for a crime they didn’t commit?

This story found a great balance between a twisty, crazy plot and introspective growth with the characters. This book reminded me of some of the best parts of the “Finlay Donovan” series and “Dial A for Aunties.”

My only twinge of irritation came from the fact that these characters all had important jobs (like being a lawyer!) but it seemed like they were never working, and the way time passed seemed inconsistent.

The ending was surprising (in the best way!) but made complete sense, which can be a foible of some thrillers. Overall, the characters were quirky but lovable, which was a sweet undercurrent to the murder mystery.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kat Hu doesn't have much figured out, her job is stressful and unfulfilling, she doesn't have many friends, her parents are convinced she'll die alone, but she has a great boyfriend. That is, until she interrupts him proposing to Olivia one night. The ladies dump Tucker and form a close friendship (and add his Tinder hookup Elle for a round group of three), but all goes off the rails when they find him murdered in his apartment. To clear their own names the ladies must solve the murder. I did NOT see the twist coming, I couldn't have guessed the murderer if you paid me. And I loved the ladies' friendship, watching them all address their own insecurities after being cheated on while still lifting each other up felt so comforting and real. And it was funny! I loved the Life Alert plot line, it felt exactly like something my mother would do with me. This was a fun story that kept me entertained and even taught me a few things

3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars.
This book was cute, funny, and had a few twists I didn’t expect. And I like to tell myself that I am really good at predicting plot twists.
All of the characters were extremely likable and had great character development.

This was such a fun book! There’s nothing better than women banding together to after finding out he has been unfaithful. That is unless you find his body. I really liked the characters in this book, the humor and found it very entertaining. It reminded me a bit of the Finlay Donovan series (one of my favorites!).

This is absolutely delightful. I was hooked almost immediately. I love the relationship between the exes and some of their light and funny moments together. I did not predict the ending and I totally loved that! This one is an excellent read.

This was an entertaining read with interesting characters! The podcast was a nice extra touch, too.
3.5 rounded up to 4.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao starts with a great premise: Three women unite to get revenge on the boyfriend who cheated on them. Kat, Olivia and Elle, each with their own wounded backstory, somehow become instant friends after they discover they are all having a relationship with Tucker. They decide to seek revenge on Tucker, but wind up as prime murder suspects when they find him dead. They continue to team up to clear their names. The story soon becomes more slapstick than thriller, and leans heavily on metaphors. It would be best described as a lighthearted, female friendship murder mystery. I found it quickly paced and easily readable. The ending felt a bit drawn out to me but I enjoyed the final twist. This book is a fun popcorn thriller that would be perfect for when you want to turn your brain off and just enjoy. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harequin Trader Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was... fine?

Pros: Nothing is particularly offensive. It's an easy read and easy to follow. The premise is solid.

Cons: Everything felt way too referential to something else. Also, the protagonist had too many "things." Books like this often have a protagonist with one novel quirk, but this protagonist had far too many. She has "Rules of Luck," explains the origin of idioms, inserts science constantly, and more. It just got distracting and felt like the author couldn't decide which quirk to use, so just went with all of them. There is also a LOT of scatological humor - like, pretty much in every chapter, including some significant plot points. It isn't offensive, but it does get grating. Also, the podcast subplot was completely unnecessary.

Overall, not a complete waste of time, but I would certainly not pick up book two.

This book was Finlay Donovan meets John Tucker Must Die. I do think this would be best read as an audio though and at times felt like a bit too much going on, even though it wrapped up loose ends nicely. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced reader copy!

Let me just say it: this story is just as cute as the cover—and then some. It’s like John Tucker Must Die crashed headfirst into a cozy murder mystery, got tangled up in police tape, and then decided to host a girls’ night.

Kat, Olivia, and Elle—discover they’ve all been dating the same guy—Tucker Jones, human red flag—and teaming up for some good old-fashioned revenge seems like a great idea. Just some innocent plotting, emotional closure, maybe a little petty sabotage. Murder? Not so much. But when they find him very much dead—and very much stuffed in a closet—they go from girl gang to amateur sleuth squad real quick.

What follows is a delightfully chaotic whodunnit filled with laugh-out-loud banter, ridiculous undercover antics, and a slow-simmering flirtation with a hot detective who is unfortunately very much trying to arrest them.

Kat, Olivia, and Elle are absolute disaster queens in the best way. Their accidental sleuthing is hilarious, their friendship is chaotic gold, and their collective approach to crime scene management can best be described as “please stop touching things.” The mystery keeps things moving (as does the hot detective, let’s be honest), and every side character feels like they wandered in from their own spin-off sitcom.

A few moments dragged in the middle when the plot tried to juggle too many suspects, and I wanted a bit more depth to the hot detective (other than “hot” and “detective”). But overall? A wildly fun ride.

Is it totally plausible? Not even a little. Do I care? Absolutely not. The real joy here is in the shenanigans, the found-family girl gang vibes, and the steady stream of snark, sass, and crime-solving incompetence.