The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
By Gloria Cho

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Pub Date: June 24, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was fun!

It was very ‘John Tucker Must Die’ mixed with a little ‘First Wives Club’ and a murder mystery.

A touch reminiscent of Vera Wang.

The audio was well done and I appreciated listening to the story unfold - especially as the dual pov of a podcast was introduced.

The twist at the end was well executed.

I was happy to receive this ALC as I was in the mood for cozy mystery vibes and while those vibes were there, it fell a bit flat.

The structure of the book took away from the flow and at times the plot meandered along. It was strange because the actual prose was well written. There were time that I became complete engaged in what was going down and even had a very laughs but then it was short lived. That being said I think some looking bc it a low stakes cozy may enjoy this.

The narrator Carolyn Kang did an ok job with her performance but it was recorded at a very slow unnatural pace which added to bit being able to connect to the story. Also, she had a snark to her vocals which at times was an appropriate but it took away from me being able to create the world the author created in my head. Narrators for standard audiobooks walk a fine line with giving enough emotion to enrage the reader but not going overboard and color the readers imagination process. In this case Ms Kang put her big toe over that line. So it wasn’t egregious but it didn’t help the scattered plot with its multi time lines and POVs.

This book comes out June 24th 2025 and I may give it another go in physical form as I may enjoy it more as I love the description and as I said above, it’s well written just poorly organized.


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC or eARC from through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

Kathryn Hu is miserable at work, which is where she spends most of her time, but thankfully she has a wonderful boyfriend who takes her mind off everything that goes wrong with her days. Until even her relationship goes downhill fast. After discovering she wasn't Tucker's only girlfriend, she teams up with the others to get revenge—only to discover Tucker's dead body. And now she has to avoid becoming the prime suspect in his murder,

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a lot of fun! It's a bit silly in an engaging way, while also having some more serious things like distant parents and (of course) murder. Some of the podcast segments were a bit repetitive (I think there were at least two segments we heard twice) and I didn't love the (spoiler alert) romantic thread between Kat and the cop who was investigating the murder. Aside from that though, I really liked it, and I loved Carolyn Kang's narration!

This book is a quirky, funny, cozy mystery with a nice plot twist!

We have three women finding out they are dating the same guy, and while trying to play pranks on him for being such a terrible human they find his dead body. Soon one of the main characters accidentally becomes the prime suspect.They go into a hilarious journey trying to find out who killed their ex all while bonding and discovering more about who they are and what they truly want in life.

The narration was great, I did not have trouble identifying each character.

If you enjoyed The Maid books or Finlay Donovan is Killing it, then this is for you.
Thank you to Gloria Chao, NetGalley, and Harlequin Publishing for the ALC.

This was such a fun story. I loved the quirkiness of it. The characters build an unusual connection and friendship and it works for the story. There are great side characters that keep the story going. It was a well narrated story that kept my interest. I finished quickly and was sad it was over.

I freaking ATE THIS UP.
One: this narrator was incredible. Caroline Kang, you did such an incredible job doing different voices for each character. I knew who was talking every time and never got confused.
Two: THE PLOT. I loved the premise of this book: the ex-girlfriends of a guy who got murdered. The mystery was so good. I was convinced that I knew who did it, but did I ever have the rug pulled out from me!
Three: THE HUMOR. This book had the perfect amount of comedic relief.
Four: the friendships. Ugh. The ex-girlfriends creating such a bond together warmed my heart.

This was quite the entertaining story full of pranks, bonds of friendships made in the trials of a cheating boyfriend, and of course solving the case of who killed that boyfriend. Despite Tucker's seeming kindness to Katherine (especially when she has an epically bad day), he shortly reveals his true colors after a proposal mishap with another woman! Yeah, it is absolute craziness but I loved all of it (even if some of it was not quite realistic) with Kat, Olivia and Elle planning to get revenge (not murder of course) with frogs, poop, and the destruction of his special underwear and ending up finding much more than they expected in his condo. The parts with the podcast that they listen to and got ideas from was also fun (at least till Mandie went off the rails with her "clues" that she found) as well as their strong bonds and backing up each other no matter what trouble they go into. That friendship made this book so good! Plus you had the hot cop kinda helping to get Kat out of the murder suspicion. I am pretty sure Adrian Birch is going to make a reappearance in the next book. He is such a good foil when compared to the slimy Tucker Jones!

So, if you want an entertaining book with women teaming up and getting along after finding out the truth about the man they all had been dating, solving his murder, and having crazy adventures along the way, then you will definitely enjoy this! Plus the twist is great and I did not expect it at all but it works so well. I had vibes of the movie The Other Woman (also great!) while listening to this so if you like that, you will also enjoy this book.

The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the characters and story and life and was so much fun to listen to. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this entertaining audiobook (and giving me some great ideas for pranks if I ever end up with a cheating boyfriend) :)

Absolutely hilarious. I enjoyed every bit of this and can't wait to see more by Chao. The characters were delightful and it was a wonderful, light read!

This was such a fun update to the movie John Tucker Must Die! I loved the female friendships, the mystery, and the big reveal. This is solidly a 4.5 for me with my only complaint being that the ending felt rushed. The audiobook narrator was fantastic! I'll be recommending this one to many readers.

Thank you to Gloria Chao, NetGalley, and Harlequin Publishing for the ALC of this one. I wasn't familiar with this author before, but I liked the premise of the book, and the title also hooked me.

This starts as what seems like a romance/cheating man going down trope read, which also intrigued me. Then it gets even funnier, more mysterious, and even more so. The characters are well built, and the story is a fun ride from beginning to end.

When a scientist finds out her boyfriend is proposing, she is so excited that she bursts through the door. Only to realize the proposal was not for her, but for someone else. Cue the drama. And even worse, after the woman he originally was going to propose to leaves, he turns and drops down on one knee and spews the exact proposal to the scientist.

There are three main characters here, and I look forward to more books in this series. These women are hilarious, relentless, and a joy to read or listen to.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
by Gloria Chao
Narrated by Carolyn Kang

Step into the pages of this delightful cozy mystery, where you can unite with three spirited women to exact revenge on a cheating, despicable boyfriend. Imagine a guy who juggles not one, not two, but three girlfriends simultaneously, all while proposing to two of them in quick succession! This tale is brimming with laugh-out-loud moments, but the payback takes a dark turn when Tucker Jones, the unfaithful boyfriend, turns up dead. With all evidence pointing toward the vengeful trio—Kat, Olivia, and Elle—they must race against time to unravel the mystery before they find themselves behind bars. Do they look guilty? Absolutely! But they insist they are innocent.

As the story unfolds, we discover that Tucker had a complicated life, leaving behind a long list of potential suspects, including a mysterious wife.

Carolyn Kang’s narration is truly exceptional. She masterfully breathes life into each character, particularly the sleazy podcaster Mandy, who runs the sensational show "Dish Served Hot," where she spins embellished tales for her eager listeners. Will Kat, Olivia, and Elle uncover the truth before they are wrongfully accused of a murder they didn’t commit? Hit play to find out.

Thanks are extended to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy of the audiobook.

Here's to New Adventures in our Reading & Journaling Journey!
@thewritingwhisperer &
@shh_imreading Continue to Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, & the Power of the Written Word!✒📖

#readmorebooks📚
#readingjournal
#write
#journaler
#journal
#inspiration
#innerself
#reflection
#life
#digitaljournal
#reading
#readmorebooks
#2025
#netgalley
#audiobook
#harlequinaudio
#gloriachao
#review
#cozymystery
#mystery
#listen
#fivestar

This was a little silly and a lot of fun. It's bad enough to find out your boyfriend is cheating, but it's worse when there are more than 2 of you, and what could be worse than finding out he's married, too? Finding his dead body and coming under suspicion from the police.
The girlfriends were so funny and what really made this a blast was how they acted with each other. I also really loved the relationship of the main character with her parents, especially her mother. For me, these kinds of relationships are why I read cozy mysteries. Thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to the audiobook, and the voice itself and the performance were perfect for the main character.

Fun, easy to read, popcorn murder-mystery. This one was humorous, a bit silly and over the top, but it was just what I needed for a Sunday pick me up. This would make a great low stakes beach read. Don't take this one too seriously and you will have a great time.

If you liked the Finlay Donovan Series by Elle Cosimano, you will likely be a fan of this book.

The audiobook narrator Carolyn Kang does a wonderful job narrating this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley for the audio Arc of this title!

I listened to this book in one day. It was a quick, cute whodunnit. But it was also more than that. The way the story played out made it so fun to listen to. I adored Kat and her science brain. The ending was also satisfying. 4.5 stars

I had high hopes for this one! The premise was so good—three women discover they're all being cheated on by the same guy and decide to get revenge? Yes, please. But while the concept was solid, the execution didn’t quite live up to its potential.

Things take a wild turn when their revenge mission ends with them finding said cheating ex dead in his apartment. From there, the hijinks and amateur sleuthing really kick off—and I’ll admit, that part was a lot of fun! The antics had me laughing out loud and kept me guessing who the real killer was all the way to the end.

What didn’t work for me were the random cutaways to a crime podcast. Instead of adding to the story, those segments just made things feel disjointed and more confusing. I also think the story would’ve been stronger if we had all three women’s points of view instead of just Kathryn’s. It felt like a missed opportunity to deepen the characters and their dynamics.

I listened to the audiobook, and while the narration was okay, it didn’t elevate the story much for me.

If you like cozy mysteries with a chaotic twist and a trio of revenge-seeking women, this might be a fun one to check out—just go in with tempered expectations.

Really enjoyed this.

This was narrated by Carolyn Kang, who delivered an excellent and funny performance.

Finding a dead body while you're inside the apartment (illegally) of your cheating ex can really put a damper on the pranks you're trying to play on him. Especially when it makes you look guilty of the murder.

These characters are fun. Kat (the chemist) is brilliant and loyal. Olivia (the lawyer) is confident and brave. Elle (the writer) is fun and daring. They play off of each other's personalities very well. Their interactions remind me of the kind of snark filled sleepovers you have in your teenage years.

The plot was a treat, we see just how wrong things can go for people who are innocent and keep digging the hole they're in deeper as they try to fix it.

So much fun. Now I need a physical copy and a sequel.

This was my first read by this author and I loved the concept! It was just would I was expecting, it wasn't disappointing and it didn't blow me away, but it was fun! I loved how it all started with things slowly unraveling, but from the middle to the end, it didn't pull me in as much.

Any woman who’s ever been cheated on will love this book. When a woman discovers her boyfriend in the midst of proposing to another woman, she be friends the other woman and together they discovered there is yet another woman. The three team up and have glorious dreams and plans for revenge. But their dreams come true, when the cad is discovered murdered. The reality is they all have a very good motive for his death and the only thing that will save them is to find the real killer.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club was such a fun and charming delight. I wanted to read this book because the title intrigued me. After completing the book, I realized it was so much more. It was not just a fun murder mystery, but a story about finding friendship in the strangest of places.

Kat is in love. That is until she stumbles upon her boyfriend proposing to another woman. The two women connect and jokingly begin to plot their revenge. But soon the group of two becomes a group of three when Kat and Olivia come across Elle, another woman in Tyler’s life. The three ladies go to Tyler’s apartment to enact their revenge by trashing it. While they are wreaking havoc, they stumble on something unexpected……Tyler’s dead body. When suspicion is cast on them, the women work together to try to solve the mystery of Tyler’s murder and clear their names.

The author does a wonderful job developing rich characters and realistic, messy and beautiful relationships. I especially loved Kat’s mother and her quirky gifts.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and I must say that the narrator, Carolyn King, did a superb job bringing the characters to life. Her presentation was vibrant and entertaining.

A big thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this book. I had so much fun listening!

✨𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠✨

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒙-𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 by @gloriacchao

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🗓️ 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟰𝘁𝗵

📄 320

𝙰 𝙷𝚞 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙸𝚝 𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥:
💩Ride or Die Friendship
🐸Fun & Cozy Mystery
✨Hilarious & Witty Detective Work
💩Laugh out Loud Funny

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a super fun and cozy mystery filled with witty detective work and laugh out loud friendship.

When Kathyrn Hu, Olivia, and Elle discover they are all dating Tucker John, they devise an elaborate plan to get revenge & The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is born.
When the 3 break into his condo armed with poop, frogs, and glitter prepared to teach the cheater a lesson they are shocked to find Tucker John DEAD!

With their DNA spread from floor to ceiling, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club including a chemist, lawyer, and writer must now set out to find a killer before they are named the prime suspects.

𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This book had me laughing out loud from the very beginning! The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a fun and witty mystery with unexpected twists and turns. The friendship that forms between the women is heartwarming and hilarious. This book was so fun, I read it in one sitting! If you are looking for a fun and cozy mystery, this is the book for you!

The audiobook brought this book to an entire new level! I absolutely loved it!

🗣️ @htpbooks @htp_hive @netgalley @harpercollins360