Holy toxic!! I honestly had a hard time getting through some parts because it was just… a lot. But overall still a quick read and kept trying to find out what would happen.

A story about five book influencer friends meeting on zoom and one is murdered. Who is the murderer? Behind the scenes of influencers, multiple POVS, lot of secrets and twists throughout the book. The writing kept me super engaged and the characters were very different and well written. This was a fun and thrilling book. I was hooked!

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Five book influencer friends are on a zoom book club when the screens go black and screams ring out. One of them has been murdered and it seems like one of the other members is to blame. It leads us up to the murder and then after it, alternating between characters.

I really liked this one! I thought it was fast-paced and read really quickly. It built the suspense pretty well too I thought. However, the ending was SO obvious. Anyone who was paying attention I feel like could have figured out the whodunit (although some of the smaller details I did not get). I wish it had been a little more surprising, but it was still a very enjoyable read.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the E-Arc. I had such a hard time putting this book down. It was so captivating from the very first chapter. Five social media book influencers have their world turned upside down by a who done it murder. I thought I had the murderer but then it twisted into a whole different person. I loved it!

Thank you to net galley for this ARC I’m exchange for an honest review!
Pros- fun premise, unique. Fast paced, character POV rotates quickly. Two of the five main characters were easy to read.

Cons- predictable, Two of the main characters drove me crazy with their immaturity and poor decision making. Somewhat choppy to read/ mostly dialogue with very little description.

I would recommend this book for a plane ride or easy beach read!

📚🔪 *Sinister, Smart, and Totally Addictive!* 🔪📚

This high-stakes thriller plunges you straight into the dark heart of influencer culture, where polished profiles hide dangerous secrets—and the next post might just be your last. *Think “Big Little Lies” meets “Only Murders in the Zoom Room.”*

From the chilling opening scene—when a virtual book club meeting turns into a live-streamed nightmare—to the final twist, this book keeps you on edge, second-guessing every character and motive. The tension is electric, the pacing razor-sharp, and the commentary on curated perfection in the digital world is as cutting as it is clever.

Each of the book club members is vividly drawn and delightfully flawed, with just enough dirt in their past to make them all suspects. The story unfolds like a true locked-room mystery for the digital age, with shifting alliances, buried betrayals, and juicy secrets revealed with every chapter.

If you love twisty, character-driven thrillers with a timely edge and can’t resist stories about the dark side of female friendship and online fame, *this one is a must-read.* Grab a cocktail, charge your laptop, and prepare to binge.

I should have read more reviews before requesting this arc. It just didn't work for me and I couldn't finish it. I'm all for drama but this just didn't feel authentic. I could forgive the nasty characters but so many in one group takes a lot of suspended belief.

Everybody in this book is a terrible person - and I mean that in the best way. I loved the premise, but the plot dragged a bit in the middle and could’ve used some trimming. Still, it was an entertaining ride. Solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC! I loved the premise and dual POV throughout this book! This is definitely a book for the thriller and book lovers!! Only thing that would make this better is if it was more fast paced! We had some many story lines going on that interconnected but some scene were dragged out. Overall super fun read definitely enjoyed!!

I love book clubs and I love murder mysteries so obviously I had to give this one a fair shake!

I liked the uniqueness of the book club being online and imagining the horror of a freeze frame murder, watching from the comfort of your home with distance between you and the sinister event and yet still feeling unsafe!

If you enjoy messy toxic unlikeable characters then strap in. This book was for the majority fast paced and action packed with drama, however it did lose my interest in the middle part there. The end twists saved it from being a total flop however some excitement would need to be thrusted into the middle section to get my full recommendation.

Thank you for the gifted copy!

Publishes: October 21st

Five women make up an online book club and are collectively known as the Bookers. During one of their book club meetings their screens go black and one of them is murdered as the others hear the screams. As the women look in to who murdered their friend, they learn that they each have secrets that they would kill to keep from getting out. Is one the remaining four responsible for their friend's death?
As I started reading this book I expected to not like it. The character's were entitled, selfish, and spoiled. I didn't like any of them, but by the end I was rooting for all of them! The end definitely took me by surprise.
Thank you Crooked Lane and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a roller coaster. From the start, I really enjoyed the premise. The number of characters felt a little overwhelming at first, but Butler did a good job at developing them well enough to make them stand apart. I couldn't put this down for the first 35-40%, but then things started to drag around the 45-50% mark; the writing felt repetitive, the characters unlikeable, and everyone was just running around in circles wondering who the killer was. It did eventually pick up at the end and I really didn't see this one coming...and then ANOTHER twist was thrown on top of that one! Butler has great ideas for storylines and wild endings (that still manage to make sense and feel believable), but having more of an arc and variety toward the middle would have made this more enjoyable for me. Thanks so much for the ARC!

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book where not a single character was likable. Everyone felt either annoying, shady, or emotionally unavailable – and I LOVED every second of it. Honestly, I think it added to the plot by being realistic and showing how rotten human nature can be.

As for the plot: this was a fun, fast-paced read with solid twists and good storytelling throughout. I stayed engaged the whole time, which says a lot. The mystery was well-constructed, and the vibes were exactly what I wanted.

Can definitely recommend it if you’re into murder mysteries, book clubs, complicated friendships, and a dash of petty drama.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I love love loved this thriller! It grabbed me from the very first prologue and while there were multiple characters, they all had their own arc so it was easy to follow along. Each character was really fleshed out for me and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out who was doing what to who. Even though they are all "bad" they do have some redeeming qualities and I did not guess the ending at all. This was a fun, addictive read and every book club should definitely read this! Highly recommend!

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I found the characters excessively unlikeable and hard to keep track of. Also, the dialogue was just too cheesy for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Deadly Book Club 📚🍸 A Thriller by Lyn Liao Butler

Rate 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five members, the most popular and exclusive book club in the social media community and an unexpected murder. On the last video call when all of their screens freeze, and they listen to gut wrenching screams as one of them is brutally attacked. Messages and calls were sent to see who it was. An investigation is now in process and secrets are unfold the jealousies, hidden resentments, and trouble in their personal lives begin to surface. Each blaming one another to get the pressure off but now despite their anger at one other if they really want to know who killed their friend they must join together.

Went for the title and the description, hoping to get my hands on the advance reading 📖 but I hate to say it but it was pretty dull. I honestly avoided reading it. I will admit I did not expect the ending

Tropes 💬

Book Club 📚
Secrets 🤫
Plot twist 😱
Hawaii 🌺

Five book-fluensters meet for the regular club meeting on Zoom when one of them dies. But is everything really as it seems?

This book was a roller coaster. From the start, I really enjoyed the premise. The number of characters felt a little overwhelming at first, but Butler did a good job at developing them well enough to make them stand apart. I couldn't put this down for the first 35-40%, but then things started to drag around the 45-50% mark; the writing felt repetitive, the characters unlikeable, and everyone was just running around in circles wondering who the killer was. It did eventually pick up at the end and I really didn't see this one coming...and then ANOTHER twist was thrown on top of that one! Butler has great ideas for storylines and wild endings (that still manage to make sense and feel believable), but having more of an arc and variety toward the middle would have made this more enjoyable for me. Thanks so much for the ARC!

Thank you to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this early in exchange for my honest opinion.



This book had potential as a destination thriller but unfortunately ended up falling flat for me. It was so chaotic in the first half only starting to come together at around 50%. The dialogue was clunky and hard to believe as real conversation.

That being said, I did appreciate the spotlight on both the literary world and the multicultural aspects included. I think this book will work for people new to thrillers.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

⚠️ ARC REVIEW ⚠️

PUB DATE: Oct 20th 2025

My Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 2.5Toxic Stars

‼️ T.O.X.I.C.‼️

Woah 😮 this book was so toxic I had to wear a hazmat suit while reading it !!

A Bookclub , Lychee Martinis and Hawaii ? I’m in ,my bags are already packed !

The Deadly Bookclub is about five of the most manipulative and self absorbed women who are very influential in the book world and have their own online virtual bookclub where everyone is dying 💀 to get in !

Then one night during an online discussion there are terrifying screams of bloody murder and someone ends up dead ☠️.

We are taken on a wild ride of relationships filled with lies , secrets and zero accountability and the gaslighting was practically the plot device .

All five women had a motive and all five “ Bookers “ were playing a deadly game …who will come out on top or will they all end up down under ?

Ughhh I wanted to love this book , the synopsis and the cover alone had me sold !! Sadly I felt the writing was weak . It was very repetitive, yes we know you like lychee martinis . The dialogue was very immature, and every character was unlikeable and unrepeatable . I found the writing was very blocky , you would be reading and then bump something else happening and then we’d get going and hit another road block , I couldn’t get a nice flow going and would have to re read paragraphs which is never fun 😂 I don’t usually struggle with multiple characters, but for some reason the lack of connection and very similar personalities it was hard to navigate. I also felt the representation of abortion was insensitive & unnecessary., but If this sounds like your jam then go for it 🙌🏼

Thank you NetGalley , Crooked Lane Books & Lyn Liao Butler for this ARC in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼

Respectfully Another Read by Angie 🖤