The Book:

The Bookers is a group of 5 prominent book-fluencers who host a virtual book club each month. But this month - as they settle in with their lychee martinis, the screen freezes and The Bookers listen in horror as one of their own is brutally murdered.

This multi-POV book lets the reader into each of the Booker's stories and all of them have juicy secrets to hide and motive to kill.

My Thoughts:
At first, I found it a little difficult keeping the 5 characters straight, but it didn't take too long. I really liked how the author let little bits unfold. We know that each of the characters has a big secret before one of them is killed in the book club meeting, but we don't know who it is for a little bit. Once we find out, we know that the other book club members, as well as some other characters all have motive and slowly, suspects are eliminated.
I thought the unfolding of the plot and revealing of information was well-done and I was invested throughout the story.

The story takes place primarily in Hawaii and I also really enjoyed that setting.

This had that thriller element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book, it had that twist and turns that I was wanting and enjoyed in the genre. The characters were everything that I was expecting and enjoyed the overall element to them. Lyn Liao Butler has a strong writing style and had that feel that I was glad flowed overall.

This clever and gripping thriller by Lyn Liao Butler offered a thoroughly addictive and unique reading experience. I was immediately pulled into its central premise, which hinges on the horrifying moment an exclusive virtual book club witnesses a murder unfold over a frozen video call.

The narrative follows the frantic aftermath of this brutal attack as the remaining four members try to piece together what happened. As I read, I felt the paranoia and distrust mount, with each woman harboring secrets and resentments that now come to the surface. The author masterfully crafts a story of suspicion, jealousy, and betrayal, making me question every character's motive and every detail they reveal about their pasts.

The book maintains a steady, intriguing pace, with the pressure of the murder investigation intertwined with the unraveling of the characters' personal lives. The suspense is expertly managed, keeping me consistently invested in their cat-and-mouse game to unmask the killer before they become the next victim. The unique plot device is executed brilliantly, adding a modern twist to the classic whodunit.

I appreciated the author's ability to craft a story that is both a thrilling mystery and a deep dive into the hidden complexities of online social circles. It's a solid choice for those who enjoy character-driven suspense with a fresh and timely premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

In this book, we meet five ladies who are book influencers and part of a virtual book club and their meetings are held on Zoom. All of the ladies have their own problems they are facing. When their regularly scheduled meeting rolls around, the screens go blank and the screams start.

From there, four members of the club are left trying to solve what happened to the fifth member.

Overall, this was a good read. It did get a little confusing at first trying to distinguish between all the characters. It definitely had some surprises that caught me off guard!

Thank you Net Galley, Crooked Lane Books and Lyn Liao Butler for the eARC of this book!

A novel centered on a book club seemed like a perfect fit for a lifelong reader like me. However, I’m sorry to say this book didn’t work for me. I don’t like writing negative reviews because I understand how hard authors work on their stories so I won’t say more.

This book was a lot of fun, suspenseful, and twisted. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming! I thought the multi narrative added more depth to the plot and mystery of it all.

I liked the premise of the book and was quite excited to get into it, but unfortunately I was severely disappointed. About 20 pages in, I categorised this as a fun beach read. 30 more pages and I was getting quite annoyed with the characters and the writing style. I hope to god I never meet people like these characters in real life - extremely petty and selfish, almost bordering on unrealistic.

The writing style is immature and very monologue-y. It seemed like the characters were thinking out loud and were communicating everything that was happening around them in real time. Probably something for a pre-teen age group maybe.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. I greatly appreciate it. This book just isn't for me.

The Deadly Book Club is a fast-paced, twisty, drama-filled psychological thriller. Five prominent book influencers make up an exclusive virtual book club. While they may not be best friends (understatement), they do enjoy discussing their careers, their personal lives, and, of course, their love of books. When, on the most recent video meeting, all of their cameras fail, they assume a technical issue. But, then, they hear the terrible haunting screams. One of the book club members has been attacked - and later discovered murdered. As the remaining book club members investigate this gruesome death, secrets, lies, and betrayals all come to surface. Will anyone survive this investigation?

The Deadly Book Club is filled with plenty of action, drama, and twists. The story is told through multiple POVs with short chapters. The characters are well-developed with interesting backgrounds. The relationships between the various women are interesting, well-written, and very believable. With that said, I did find a few of the characters' actions/responses to be a bit unrealistic. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and really appreciated the ending. I'll definitely be reading more by this author!

DNF at 65%

The premise seemed promising and cover was cool.

Pacing was a bit slow, writing style was just not for me. I was hoping to laugh or be scared or have some emotional reaction while reading and I felt like I kept waiting for it to get better?

Just because this book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be your favorite. I’m extremely picky with thrillers.

Thank you for this ARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.

I dont like giving nad reviews but we have to be honest i feel it started off well i was interested to see where it went but i didnt gel with the characters at all and there was a few too many characters and people fpr me to keep up with i found it really slow and got a bit bored i found myself skim reading to get to the actual incident which i feel was a bit OTT . So this story just wasnt for me but i'm sure others will enjoy it

thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

man I wish this book was better because I really admire how the author is not afraid to write characters who are completely unlikable and doing terrible things. unfortunately, I found the prose to be bland at best and sometimes not good... please can we stop with paragraphs full of hypothetical questions in thrillers, that shit drives me nuts. additionally, the middle chunk of the book is really boring. it doesn't help that while the five members of the book club ARE interesting, they all come with like multiple supporting characters in their lives that are NOT interesting and hard to keep track of.

oh well! I do hope there are more "terrible people doing terrible things" books in this author's future.

*The Deadly Book Club* by Lyn Liao Butler is such a fun ride! It’s got that perfect blend of fast-paced thrills and smart, sassy friendships that kept me turning pages way past bedtime. I loved the dynamic between the women in the book club—relatable, loyal, and hilarious—even as they found themselves tangled in a seriously dangerous mystery. There’s a great balance of suspense, humor, and heart, and Butler’s writing makes everything feel fresh and just edgy enough without being too dark. If you love twisty whodunits with bold female leads and a dash of sass, this one’s a total win!

ha, a few toxicity revving moments around social media, yup sounds about right to me. has anyone been on those platforms lately!? wow. this books sums up so many of the points we should really be doing something about it but no one will. and giving us this books allows us to love to hate all those parts but one step away in a exciting and delightful thriller read.
the premise of this book is brilliant. and it takes you right into and alongside it for a wild ride of a read. do we have sides in this book? i'm not sure lol because i couldn't say the personalities cast favour upon any of them or it quickly changed throughout the book. but thats ok, then we just get to go where Lyn wanted us to.
this book gives us the top infleuncers all in a book club together. a virtual book club. on one such meeting the screens freeze and the sound of screams is all they hear. one of them is murdered! but by who? and what does this have to do with the others, are they now at risk too?
drama and secrets are never far away in this book. each of the members have secrets but are they worth murder?
i swept through this book and loved doing so. it was so heightened and thrilling. you couldn't figure out just what was going on and partly because you didn't really have sides. so at most points you couldn't see good and bad guys to pin anything on. there was murky waters abound in this one.
i was gripped right until the end and needed to know how it was going to end.

| A twisty and suspenseful ride with a few character bumps along the way**

Lyn Liao Butler’s *The Deadly Book Club* blends secrets, suspense, and the complexities of female friendships into a fast-paced, twisty thriller. The premise was instantly engaging: a tight-knit book club of four women is rocked by a tragic death that uncovers buried truths and long-hidden tensions. As secrets unravel, so does their sense of safety—especially when it becomes clear that one of them might not be who she seems.

The plot had great momentum—I found myself constantly wanting to pick it back up to see what would happen next. While some twists were predictable, the execution still made for an enjoyable and compelling read.

That said, I did struggle at times to differentiate between the characters, especially Leigh and Jesse. Their lives were so intertwined and similarly chaotic that I often confused them. Only Helena stood out clearly, mostly because her backstory felt so distinct from the others. Overall, the character work felt a little flat—many blended together rather than standing as fully fleshed individuals.

Still, this was a solid and entertaining thriller. With its messy friendships, dark secrets, and a few jaw-dropping moments, *The Deadly Book Club* is one I’d recommend to fans of domestic suspense and twisty drama-driven thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The deadly book club review

This book is a quick and fun read. Its a great mix of whodunit and drama with a sharp and sadly believable portrayal of book influencers. It definitely highlights the possibility of cruelty and grewd when the online world mixes with money and women who are just out for themselves.
Its a real mystery page turner. when I was adament I'd found the killer, the author delivered a twist, proving me wrong every time. My feelings were all over the place when it comes to the characters, some I liked, and some of them I just really didnt like.
I thought this was a stand alone novel but I think there are more to come which I will definitely read when they are released.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Lyn Liao Butler’s The Deadly Book Club is a fresh and addictive thriller that explores the dark side of influence, ambition, and digital intimacy. What begins as a cozy virtual gathering among five prominent book influencers rapidly spirals into a harrowing mystery when one of them is violently murdered live on a group video call.

What sets this book apart is its setting—the glittery world of online book influencers. These aren't just hobbyists posting book selfies; they're trendsetters whose carefully curated personas hide private dramas, simmering jealousy, and unresolved wounds. Butler taps into this ecosystem with uncanny insight, offering a sharp commentary on the performance of perfection in social media circles.

The plot builds fast, thrusting readers into the suspense as the remaining four women desperately try to uncover what happened while also protecting their own secrets. Their friendship feels complicated and real: full of buried resentments and shaky trust. The shifting dynamics make it difficult to know who to root for, and even harder to guess the culprit. I was certain I had figured out the murderer—twice—and both times I was wrong.

Beyond the tension and twists, there’s heart here. The ending is unexpectedly uplifting, offering a sense of closure that’s rare in thrillers this tense. I found myself sad when the book ended, not because the mystery was solved, but because I wanted to spend more time with these deeply flawed and intriguing women.

This is one of those novels that hooks you from the first chapter until the final page. A smart, character-driven thriller perfect for fans of First Lie Wins, The Writing Retreat, and anyone who enjoys layered female narratives with a sharp edge. I enjoyed it so much, I picked up another of Butler’s books immediately. She's now firmly on my radar.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 😐/2
Source: #netgalley
Review: Rich influencers behaving badly. Lots of characters initially. Didn’t like any of them, but was along for the ride until about 20% in when an incident that was completely ludicrous happened and I had to stop.

Format: 👩🏻‍💻
Published on The Storygraph 7/25/2025

The Deadly Book Club revolves around influencers, book clubs, friendships, and fame. A virtual book club between influencers comes to a screeching halt when everyone’s screens go blank and the only sound is screaming. Chaos ensues once the video call is dropped. Trying to figure out who was killed and who is okay, the friends frantically call and text each other.
Secrets, hidden resentments, and troubles in their personal lives come out while they do what they can to investigate their friend’s murder. After becoming suspicious of each other, the friends realize they might need to work together before one of them becomes the next victim.
It was a confusing, slow start trying to learn the five characters and how their lives intertwine. Once the characters were established the plot picked up with a who did it mystery. If you like books about books, book clubs and influencers then The Deadly Book Club has it!!
Thank you Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read this book in advance.


My first thoughts were “I’m not mad at this!”. This book club thriller was a fun read with the twists here and there. This book club is diverse and wild. I would have loved to join…it’s not often you can use your true crime skills to try to figure out who murdered a friend when everyone has motive.

Lyn Liao Butler's The Deadly Book Club is a fun, quick read. A blend of whodunit and drama with a sharp and sadly believable portrayal of book influencers. It definitely shows the possibility of cruelty and selfishness when the online world mixes with money and women who are just out for themselves.
The mystery itself is a roller coaster. From beginning to end. Just when I was certain I'd pegged the killer, Butler delivered a twist, proving me wrong every time. My feelings were all over the place when it comes to the characters. They are all a bit unhinged and meed to touch some grass. Which is exactly how some of the influencers online today seem.
There's Leigh, who I instantly disliked! I mean, I didn’t really like any of them very much but I can at least stand Kate and Jessie. Helena's the only character that I feel like really had any growth. But I just found out this isn’t a standalone so maybe there will be growth for these ladies
And of course Sidney, whose fierce devotion to standing up for others (and animals!), even when her protectiveness went way overboard, I found myself rooting for her.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review