3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I’m a big fan of cozy mysteries, and while I usually like them in a different time period than my own, this was enjoyable! It had a sense of humor, a likable main character, and an ending I didn’t predict from the very beginning. I particularly enjoyed the audiobook! The narrator was wonderful to listen to and kept my attention.

Some of the humor was not my own, and I don’t love the trope of the main character being the main suspect. But, I respected this and I think it will find its audience!

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.

4.5/5

Looking for a fun murder mystery, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is for you. This book is The Other Woman meets John Tucker Must Die but with murder. It was a funny journey through all the emotions of finding your boyfriend is cheating and then befriending the other women. Surprisingly lighthearted, the story was fun and the audio was fantastic. The story is told from the POV of Kathryn Hu and Carolyn Kang (Narrator) was so good, I especially love when she voiced the calls from Kathyrn's parents in their phone calls, She did an amazing job.

I do hope there is more to come from Gloria Chao and that this is the first of many, if not this book had a satisfying ending and I look forward to more from this author.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is so flipping cute. If you are looking for something that has some mystery, along with some humor and found family, this is the perfect book for you.

You have 3 women, Kathryn, Olivia, Elle, who find out that they are all dating Tucker. They decide they are going to get revenge on him, but instead Tucker turns up dead and that makes them look very guilty. So they decide to form the Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club in order to find out who murdered him and clear their names.

I did the audio for this book and the narrator did an awesome job. She kept me drawn in and made it hard to stop listening. She definitely gave this great story a little extra something.

I had such a great time reading The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club that I flew through the audio. My only small complaint is that I was able to easily guess who did it, even though I wasn't able to guess the big twist. It's the only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars. Regardless, I can't wait to read more in this series and will be impatiently waiting for book 2.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao is a delightfully funny and fast-paced murder mystery with plenty of surprises and a clever, lighthearted tone. I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns, and the humor kept me laughing throughout. One of my favorite touches? The origins of common phrases woven into the story—such a unique and fun detail!

The plot is instantly engaging: Kat, Olivia, and Elle become fast friends after discovering they’ve all been dating the same guy. But just as they’re planning their revenge, they find him… dead. Now they have to solve the mystery before they’re charged with the crime.

Fans of the Findlay Donovan series will absolutely love this book. It has the same mix of quirky characters, smart plotting, and laugh-out-loud moments.

Carolyn Kang did an excellent job narrating the audiobook—she really brought the characters to life!

This is listed as #1, so I really hope that means more are on the way. I’m already looking forward to the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for letting me read this ARC.

This book was fantastic. It truly was so much fun combined with a fun mystery <i>and</i> friendship.

<b><u>The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club</b></u> fuses together aspects of books that I love (true friendship, chaos, page-turning mystery, and witty humor), and turned into a really enjoyable, what I hope to be one of many, novels. There is also a note of serious undertones in there as well that gives a reminder of reality.

This book really reminds me of the first Stephanie Plum novel and what I loved about that book; there was a grit to it- something raw and real that changed over the course of that series. I get that same sense from this book- there is something fun and different about it. And I hope that if it continues as a series, it doesn't forget its roots.

So, <b><u>The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club</b></u>, is a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. I will be listening to this one again, no doubt about it.

Okay, so I just finished The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao on audio, and I have to tell you it was such a fun ride! I honestly didn’t know what to expect going in, but it totally surprised me in the best way.

The story follows a group of women who all used to date the same guy… and then that guy ends up dead. Suspicious, right? Instead of turning on each other, they team up to figure out what happened and it’s messy, funny, twisty, and kind of heartwarming too.

What made it even better was the audiobook narrator since she nailed all the different personalities. Each character had such a distinct voice (literally and emotionally), so it felt like I was watching a drama/comedy series unfold in my ears. I found myself laughing one minute and then totally hooked the next trying to figure out who did it.

It’s like Only Murders in the Building meets Big Little Lies, but with a totally unique voice plus, the cultural references and the way it talked about identity and relationships felt really real and relatable.

If you're into mystery with a big dose of humor, female friendship, and just a touch of chaos, definitely give this one a listen. It's the kind of audiobook you’ll want to binge in one weekend.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club - Gloria Chao
Pub Date - 6/24/25
Rating- 3.5/5
Thoughts- Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator does a phenomenal job emulating all the characters. This book has it all - mystery, fun, and hilarious scenes. Three women bond when they find out that their boyfriend is dating all of them at the same time. Furious, they all decide to get revenge only to find out that their boyfriend is dead. The story continues with finding out who truly killed him while all three women bonded. It gave me Finlay Donovan vibes and I can't wait to read more books in this series!

This was such a fun book! The was perfectly paced and kept me entertained throughout. I loved the narrator!! She was fantastic! I will definitely be recommending this to friends.

It all kicks off with our protagonist, Katherine, having a terrible day. She's inherently awkward and struggles to navigate social blunders. After she spills coffee all over herself, filling the room with the pungent aroma of stale brew, her boyfriend, Jack Tucker, swoops in to save the day. Who says happiness can't be bought with sweets? At the very least, it buys Kat a reprieve from her fellow students' judgment.

Driven by a desire to surprise him, something she's never done before, Kat overhears Tucker "rehearsing" a marriage proposal. Naturally, she bursts out of the closet, enthusiastically blurting "Yes!" Only then does she discover the proposal was intended for Olivia, not her. As a bewildered Olivia mutters, "You're going to get murdered!" Tucker, ever the smooth operator, pivots and proposes to Kat. What?! Thankfully, despite her utter humiliation, Kat takes the ring and makes her exit. It's one of the rare times she stands up for herself.

As these two ladies decide to meet up and try to give each other the engagement ring, the duo decides to go on Kat’s prepaid, nonrefundable vacation that Kat was supposed to go with Tucker.. But wait! As they enter the cabin, they find yet another girl, Elle, already there, along with Tucker himself. The three humiliated and angry women, now united in their shared awkward predicament, break off from Tucker and decide to prank his place mercilessly. The joke, however, is on them when they discover a dead ex-boyfriend in the closet. Tucker has been murdered!

Now, with an unknown killer on the loose, a relentless podcaster hot on their heels, and the police closing in, deep friendships blossom. It will take the combined talents of this unlikely trio: The Brains, The Guts, and The Heart, to clear their names and escape being the prime murder suspects.

If you examine the cover closely, pay particular attention to the binoculars; you will find the clues to the story.. Let the fun begin! I rarely find a book I can't put down, one that makes me immediately switch to the audiobook to hear how the narrator interprets it. Comparing my internal reading to the narrator's performance was an added bonus, and I loved it both ways.

This is a great story that truly reminds me why I cherish reading so much. It whisked me away from reality, offering a delightful blend of hope, laughter, and pure enjoyment. You don't want to stop listening both due to plot, and the terrific narration.

I received a free advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

If you loved John Tucker Must Die in the early aughts, this one is for you.

Kat Hu's boyfriend is perfect-right up until she overhears him proposing to another girl, and then they find yet ANOTHER girl and Tucker turns up dead. To clear their names, they have to find who really did it.

Kat and Olivia and Elle's friendship is so fun. I love when books celebrate female friendships instead of pitting women against each other. Instead of hating each other when they find out they've all been sleeping with the same man, these three women ditch the loser and become friends. When they decide to prank him, they find him dead. There's a nosy, awful podcast host, and hot detective, and female bonding over frogs.

This was a cute murder mystery! I figured out the murderer pretty quickly, but not all the details, so it was fun trying to see if my theories were correct.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

Thank you to Netgalley, Gloria Chao, and the publisher for an ALC of this book.

One of my favorites is Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series and this was very similar. Three young women discover that they are all dating the deceptive Tucker at the same time and that he was playing each one for different reasons. When they cook up a plan for revenge, they don't expect to discover him dead!

Definitely a fun, summer must read. Quick and easy, finished in one sitting.

You find out you are one of three women dating one guy. What do you do? You all get revenge. Except after putting your DNA all over his bathroom, smearing poop in his office, and letting frogs go in his bedroom you find him...dead.

Kathryn Hu has finally found a guy who gets her. Except when she finds out that he has two other girlfriends, Olivia and Elle. The three decide that they need to take revenge. Unfortunately that was before they found him dead in the closet. The work together to find out who the real killer is to clear their names. But Tucker Jones is not who they think he is.

Built in is a petty revenge turned true crime podcast. The interludes added a depth to the story and made me question some of the true crime podcasts I listen to. The entire story was adorable and I enjoyed the play on John Tucker Must Die. As a chemist, I always get so excited when main characters are also chemists that are accurately portrayed. Generally when I read murder mysteries I read them because they're cleaver and I like trying to figure out who did it as the characters do. But there were so many inconsistencies about how a real investigation would actually happen. Why would a real cop ask people involved in the case to investigate? If they found any evidence there is no way it could be used in court. Though I will be totally honest I only had small inclinations about who the actual murderer was.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Links will be updated as posts go up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of the book as well as the audiobook
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This was really fun and perfect for fans of Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series. Several young women discover what they all have in common is dating the deceptive Tucker. When they discover him DEAD, they have to prove that they didn't kill him (and make sure each other are telling the truth about that!) Definitely a fun, summer must read.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a fast-paced, entertaining read that blends dark humor, relationship drama, and murder mystery with an often laugh-out-loud funny tone. The opening gave strong The Other Woman vibes—exes bonding over a shared past and shady behavior from the same guy—but the story quickly veers into darker, more twisty territory.

One of the biggest surprises? Elle/"L" is actually the wife and the murderer. I had my suspicions toward the end, but Gloria Chao still planted enough doubt to keep me second-guessing. That balance between suspense and surprise was well executed and kept the pages turning.

I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narration was fantastic. The narrator’s voice was smooth and easy to listen to, and I was especially impressed with how she differentiated between the female characters—subtly but clearly enough that I could always tell who was speaking. It added a lot to the overall experience.

While it wasn’t my favorite book ever, I genuinely enjoyed it and would definitely pick up more from this series. Fans of the Finlay Donovan series will likely love this one—darkly funny, chaotic, and full of unexpected turns. It’s the kind of mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers on drama and twists.

3.5 stars - I was hooked from the beginning of this book because it was giving "John Tucker Must Die" and "The Other Woman" vibes—and the boyfriend's name was even Tucker! I really enjoyed the quirks of Kat, the female main character, who brings an Asian-American perspective that you don't often see as the lead in this genre. Usually, Asian characters are relegated to minor roles as token representation, so this felt refreshing.
There were some aspects that felt stereotypical, but they also rang true in their nuances, which made them feel authentic rather than problematic. The combination of solving a murder through podcasting really interested me—it was done in a light-hearted way that spoke to the true-crime podcast lover in me, while also incorporating reality TV references.
The narrator was excellent—clear and engaging, with a voice that felt like listening to a friend tell you a story. Kat's character development was highly relatable, and all the women involved felt like real people you could actually know or encounter in your own life. What made them feel so authentic was their honesty about themselves after their relationships imploded—the vulnerability they showed about something they truly cared about. I appreciated that there was minimal focus on the women's bodies or their worth being tied to physical appearance. Instead, the story centered on their character and personalities. Even small moments, like when they gushed over a cute guy, felt genuine and relatable.
While some of the background problems felt less accessible to the average reader, they weren't the main focus anyway. The heart of the story lies in how these women come together—initially to pull pranks on a cheating boyfriend, but ultimately forming a found family built on acceptance and judgment-free friendship.
This book seems perfectly targeted toward a specific audience: women who exist in that sweet spot of loving Taylor Swift while also being brainy and intelligent, who are fierce friends and bond over commiserating about romantic relationships. If that's your vibe, you'll absolutely enjoy this.

I loved this book, the characters were genuinely delightful even when they were making terrible decisions, and I honestly wished it was longer. I would read a million more books about this squad.

The Ex-Girlfriends Murder Club

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harlequin Audio and Mira for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book genuinely surprised me. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did. It was very cute, funny, engaging and entertaining. I went back and forth between audio and ebook and really enjoyed the audio production and narration as well and would recommend either reading physically or via audio. There was a good twist and reveal at the end and lots of humour throughout. I also enjoyed hearing about the origin story for different idioms.

For those that loved the movies The Other Women and John Tucker Must Die - this is the book for you.

📖 Kat surprises her boyfriend at his condo mid proposal - to someone else! The next time she’s at his condo, she arrives with his nearly-fiancée and another girlfriend they’ve met along the way to seek harmless revenge and they discover his dead body.

3.5

Kathryn Hu thought he was proposing to her, but turns out it was for one of his OTHER girlfriends that she didn't know he had. Olivia got the proposal, but turned him down. Tucker Jones is not the great guy they thought he was and as Kat and Olivia team up for a little revenge, they stumble into another girlfriend, Elle, who also joins forces with them. The trio of exs head to Tucker's apartment to leave him some surprises but get much more than they bargained for when they shockingly find Tucker dead, hidden in a closet. They need to find out who else had a reason to want Tucker dead and actually went through with it before they are on the hook for the murder.

This book was a solid, funny, cozy mystery read. John Tucker Must Die meets Finlay Donovan is the vibe it was giving. The story was a little twisty, gave humorous chaos, and added a bit of character growth for the ladies as they discover themselves more without the loser cheating ex-boyfriend. Great for a fun and silly murder dark comedy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook for review.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a hilarious, cozy mystery spin on John Tucker Must Die. Kathryn finds out that the guy she is falling for her has not one, but two other girlfriends. When the three women team up to exact revenge, they get caught up in a murder investigation.

I loved this one! It was so fun and fresh. I am loving this trend of more modern, edgier cozy mysteries with a dash of romance. This is one of my favorites. Highly recommend.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.