The Deadly Book Club was a lighthearted mystery who dun it sorry that I absolutely loved. The story starts with introducing us to each member of the zoom book club, before the border happens live on zoom call. The members then come together in Hawaii to figure out what exactly happened to their friend. Throughout the novel, there are twists and turns to keep you guessing but you absolutely fall in love with each member of the club.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own honest opinion.

This is my first book by this author and I found the premise extremely interesting. The premise is there’s a virtual book club of book influencers and in one of those virtual call all of their screen freezes for sometime and they hear scream of someone and realize someone is getting murder and later the call drops.

Then they frantically tries to call and find out who was murder and how it happened. Lots of twist and turns when everyone tries to keep their secret hidden. I really loved all the twist and turns. It was quite good. I loved the book.

Did not like the book at all. Could not finish in unfortunately. Characters were not interesting and so many were introduced right away it was confusing. Loved the cover and idea of the book

What could possibly go wrong when five book-loving friends meet for their usual virtual book club? Plenty, as it turns out. The Deadly Book Club opens with five well-known book influencers gathered on a virtual call, with cocktails in hand, ready for bookish banter. In the middle of their Zoom call, the screens freeze, and someone on the call screams. The call abruptly ends with all of them wondering who was attacked and why. The rest of the book is about revealing these details and also many secrets which our protagonists hide.

Kudos to the author for choosing a plot which relevant to current times. The premise is clever. In an age where everyone curates their lives for Instagram and TikTok, the idea of a murder among influencers feels especially timely.

The cast (Helena, Sidney, Leigh, Kate, and Jessie) have their flaws: ambitious, opinionated, tangled in both follower counts and family drama. There are some who I took an instant dislike to (looking at you, Leigh) and had an instant connect with some. Some characters and their motives are incredulous, but hey, one doesn’t look for 100% logic in a murder mystery.

There’s a clever tension in pairing book influencers with an influencer-worthy murder. Butler understands social media’s illusions and pressures and spins them into motive, distrust, even ambition-driven madness.

It’s meant as “popcorn thriller”, not raise existential questions. It is a quick thriller that reminds us: even among book friends, not everyone’s story is what it seems.

I didn’t enjoy the book. There were too many characters and each character had significant others and more. It didn’t jive together. The characters were not relatable and the situation felt forced. I kept hoping that it would get better or make more sense but it didn’t.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books, for providing the copy of The Deadly Book Club by Lyn Liao Butler Talk about melodrama! There was so much going on it was hard to keep track of who did what to whom. The characters weren’t described well enough for me to feel that they were “Five of the most prominent book influencers in the U.S., so as much as I loved the idea that someone was killed during a bookclub meeting, it didn't seem very relevant to the women involved. I liked how things finally came together and there was a reason everything that had happened earlier, and readers who love a shocking reveal will love this one! 3 stars

When group of five book influencers scattered around the US form an online book club, none of them could imagine the secrets and lies that the others hold, until those secrets start seeping into the book club itself. The Deadly Book Club was a wild ride of secrets, lies, murder, and finding out what friendship really means. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Lyn Liao Butler, and Netgalley for the gifted ARC.
Five of the most prominent book influencers in the US make up an exclusive virtual book club that’s the envy of the online book world. Once a month, they get on a video call to sip cocktails, chat about social media campaigns and book events, and discuss their monthly book club pick.

Until one meeting, when all of their screens freeze and they listen to gut wrenching screams as one of them is brutally attacked. It feels like an eternity before the video call drops—and thus begins the frantic texts and phone calls as they try to figure out who was murdered and why.

As the investigation unearths secrets each of them need to keep buried, the jealousies, hidden resentments, and trouble in their personal lives begin to surface. The remaining four women are suspicious of each other, pointing fingers to take the heat off their own indiscretions. But if they want to figure out who killed their friend, they need to band together and put past hurts behind them. Or one of them will be next.
I won’t lie, this review is going to be hard to write without spoilers, but I’m going to try. I fell in love with the idea of this book after reading the description. The world of successful book influencers is a fascinating one, and I think Lyn really captured the behind the scenes with this group of quirky, successful women. What they portray online is not who they really are in life, and the situation they find themselves in repeatedly leaves cracks into the personas they give themselves and leave them questioning just how well they know the people they call close friends.
Overall, I give this book a 3-star rating. I loved the premise of the story, the vivid description of the setting really made you feel like you were there witnessing everything take place, but honestly, I just did not like any of the characters. Each of these women were privileged in almost an unrealistic way, not to mention the moral compass on each of them was extremely skewed. It added to the mystery of the story because each one of them looked guilty, and each one of them maintained suspicious behavior through the entire story. However, I feel like the unrelatability to the characters and their extreme suspicions of each other really did take away from the story itself. I will admit, even though I was never 100% certain I had an inkling of an idea that the twist was going to happen, but I doubted myself just enough to still be surprised when it was unveiled, and that means the author did a really good job of making you not just doubt the characters, but your own judgement.
The ending did leave the story open to continue in a series format, which is how this book is advertised, but honestly, I think this one would have been fine as a stand alone and really can’t see how it will keep the momentum without becoming redundant. And that leads me into my biggest complaint about this book. I felt like it drug out way to long. The cast of characters walked circles around their own suspicions for what seemed like forever, and it made the pace of the story hard to want to continue (which is why it took me 10 days to finish it). It moved at a snail’s pace.
Overall, I did enjoy the story, it just wasn’t my favorite, it moved a little too slow for how unlikeable I found every single one of the characters. I do see this being a big pick among book clubs when it is released though, it has a nice flare for a cozy beach read as well, and I think it will be popular among the cozy mystery crowd.

This was a really easy read. The characters were unlikable, but I feel that that was the point. It would make an excellent beach or holiday read, nothing too taxing.
The author built tension throughout with a good 'whodunnit' feel. I kept you guessing (up to a point) although the dialogue in the middle was a little repetitive between characters as they were guessing. I felt that there was a small aside in the middle from the killers perspective that for me gave the game away and the ending became a little obvious.
A good length. Any longer would have dragged it out even more.

3.75⭐️
So were these characters deliciously toxic and somewhat unbelievable? Sure! Am I mad about it? Nope not at all! This book draws you in with the promise of a sort of “love letter” to book influencers and thriller lovers and it delivers.

I’ve seen some reviews commenting on the toxic nature of the chat gets and that it gets ridiculous, however, have you really paid attention to the ridiculousness that happens on TikTok and Instagram? For me, it made it completely believable in a fiction sort of way. It took some of the worst behavior we have seen on the various platforms and creates these characters that you want to love to hate. Each one has a negative attribute complimented with a positive which mirrors life.

I really enjoyed the Asian representation throughout balances with other cultures as well. The author being Taiwanese herself was able to bring the cultural touches to the appropriate characters that allowed the reader to learn a bit along the way which I loved.

Now, this is a book written in 3rd person POV on behalf of the 5 characters plus the killer. It also is a multi timeline with the chapters bouncing around a bit but pertinent to the story. It was a swift read for the most part with easily and quickly turning pages. I finished it in one sitting ultimately after a false start for the first 3 chapters. (I got interrupted with another book with a close deadline so it’s not the books fault).

I will say that there was about a 10% section roughly midway through that was a bit of a slog to get through but it quickly resolves. I’ll mention that to ME, it was very predictable. I had everything neatly sorted out by the 54% mark but I admittedly am a reader who tends to figure these things out despite not trying. But I think that other readers will enjoy the twists even if they figure it out as I know I did.
It comes out October 21st 2025 so it’s just in time to round out your spooky season reading.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Crooked Lane Publishing through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as so don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

Very entertaining and fun read! I really enjoyed this one. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc!

I went into this book with high hopes, sadly I was left underwhelmed. The dialogue was very immature, and every character was unlikeable. I couldn’t get a nice flow going and would have to reread paragraphs, and it was hard to navigate.

A Promising Thriller That Finds Its Footing
The Deadly Book Club by Lyn Liao Butler, set to release on October 21st, 2025, offers a twisty and engaging thriller premise that ultimately delivers, despite a somewhat bumpy start.
The concept itself is fantastic: an exclusive virtual book club made up of prominent book influencers, where a chilling murder unfolds live on screen. The initial setup promises a gripping whodunit within a very contemporary and relatable setting for book lovers. Indeed, the synopsis of screens freezing and frantic calls as they piece together who was murdered and why immediately hooked me.
However, I have to admit, the beginning was a significant hurdle. I found myself quite confused by the sheer number of characters introduced in rapid succession, making it difficult to keep track of who was who and their individual connections. There was a point early on where I seriously considered DNFing (Did Not Finish) the book, as the confusion threatened to overshadow the intriguing plot.
Thankfully, I persevered, and I'm glad I did. The storyline did get significantly better as I progressed. Once the initial character introductions settled and the plot truly kicked into gear with the investigation and the surfacing of hidden secrets, the narrative became much more compelling. The jealousies, hidden resentments, and personal dramas among the remaining four women added layers of intrigue, making each character a potential suspect.
While some aspects of the plot stretched the bounds of believability, that's often the joy of a good fictional story, isn't it? It allowed for a more dramatic and unpredictable unfolding of events. The author does a good job of keeping you guessing, pointing fingers in multiple directions and making you question everyone's motives.
Ultimately, The Deadly Book Club is a solid thriller that fans of First Lie Wins and The Writing Retreat will likely enjoy. It’s a compelling read once you push past the initial character overload, offering a clever premise and enough twists to keep you turning pages.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Initially, the narrative exhibited a brisk tempo; however, the momentum waned mid-way, and I encountered some difficulty maintaining engagement. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to complete the book, as my attention drifted, and I struggled to recall the preceding content.

This is one bookclub I am thankful not to join! This book had me in a tight grip from the very beginning in the best way! The conflict between characters is a driving force, and I found myself rooting for a few characters to be murdered. This story kept me guessing, spinning, and unsure what was coming next up until the very end. The only question I have left is when do they actually read?? A truly great read for the book lover and closet booktok follower.

A fun and fast-paced whodunit that kept me guessing—or more accurately, not guessing—until the very end. I genuinely had no idea what was happening or who was behind it, which made for an unpredictable and entertaining read. With a large cast of characters and multiple shifting points of view, it did feel a bit chaotic at times, making it hard to keep track of everyone and their story. However, the constant twists and fast momentum kept me hooked.

The Deadly Book Club has such an interesting premise - members of an online book club listen in horror as their screens go blank and one of them scream in terror before their latest meeting can get underway. One of them has been murdered and the hunt for the killer reveals secrets, lies, and betrayals galore.

I had mixed feelings but overall would recommend that thrillers fans give it a chance if it sounds good to them.

What I liked:

-Multiple, alternating POV -- great for propelling a story of this kind and slowly revealing information
-Most characters were developed well
-The suspense of wondering how everything would play out

What didn’t work:

-A story like this needs red herrings and misdirection, but some here were too heavy handed and not well enough connected to the overall story to seem like actual options (i.e., it was obvious they were likely red herrings and I wanted to skim these portions, but couldn't just in case I was wrong)
-The very end left a bad taste in my mouth.
-Inconsistent pacing
-Some clunky and/or hokey exposition

I would categorize this book as more of a popcorn thriller. I may have taken it too seriously overall, but I just couldn't shake how the resolution to many of the threads brought down my enjoyment of the story.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[My review will publish on Instagram and Goodreads in the next couple of weeks.]

Unfortunately this book was a dnf for me. I loved the premise and as someone who is part of a book club for thrillers I really wanted to see how this would play out. But the pacing and the dialogue I just couldn't get past 30% and realized that this book is not for me. Unfortunately it can't always be a match!

The Deadly Book Club delivers a fast-paced, twisty ride that blends cozy mystery charm with the suspense of a thriller. The plot kept me turning pages late into the night, and the pacing never let up. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a good whodunit with secrets, suspense, and a touch of small-town intrigue.

What a unique read! That being said, I didn’t love or hate the Deadly Book Club. From the outside, it seemed like it would be an entertaining bingeable thriller, and it was until it wasn’t.

The book starts out faced-paced, then kind of lost me in the middle - I found myself struggling a bit. It did redeem itself at the end though, so it wasn’t a complete bust for me.

I will say, every single character is unlikeable and the drama at times was so off the wall and ridiculous. Overall, the toxicity got me on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was super excited to read this book by Lyn Liao Butler, as the premise/concept of it seemed very unique for a thriller book. I also have never read a book by this author before, so I was excited to try one of her books for the first time as I have heard great things about her work. The Deadly Book Club is about a group of popular book influencers who many people are envious of due to their success and power in the literature world. These influencers consist of Sidney, Leigh, Helena, Kate, and Jessie, who all have their own secrets and personal agendas. Some of these women would do whatever it takes to keep their secrets buried in order to protect themselves. One day, the women are on a Zoom call together when their screens freeze and they hear one of the women on the Zoom call being murdered. As a result of this, the women start investigating each other to find out who the killer is and begin unearthing the skeletons in each other's closets, leading them all to start to distrust each other. The women in this novel are very unlikeable characters, but the way the story is written makes you want to keep reading to see what happens. There is a big twist/reveal in the end that I did not really see coming, but I can't say that I really cared for it too much. I also did not like that some of the bad deeds committed by the women went unpunished, as this made some of them get away with doing really horrible things. That being said, I enjoyed the author's writing style and found this book hard to put down. I also appreciate how unique the plot of the book is and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!