This murder mystery by @gloriacchao is as wild as its title promises, and just as fun. If you’re a fan of movies like John Tucker Must Die and The Other Woman, with a dash of murder mystery this might be the perfect book for you!

When Kat finds out her boyfriend’s been cheating on her by awkwardly interrupting his marriage proposal to another woman, she’s obviously done with the relationship! But when she meets up with this ‘other woman’ and together they end up finding girl number 3, they accidentally form one of the most chaotic girl gangs ever! However… this little gangs plan for revenge takes a sharp turn when they stumble on his very dead body!

Fast paced, laugh out loud funny, and full of heart, this story is all about messy friendships, murder, and unexpected sisterhood. A total blast from start to finish, with a truly unexpected ending!

⚠️ this book has like no spice, but Contains some MA language

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks Audio for the advanced audiobook copy! All thoughts and opinions are mine :)

#cozymystery #foundfamily #girlpower #murdermystery #romcomvibes #womensfiction #booktokreads #funnybooks #gloriachao #thrillerbooks #tbrpile #bookrecommendation

VERY cute and enjoyable. This is a cozy murder mystery centered around a really charming friend group. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this book -- listened on audio (the narrator was terrific!! She distinguished the three main female leads from each other without sounding fake or weird. I always knew who was speaking.)

I won't rehash the plot, the summary says it all. I wanted to read this based on the premise alone.

The humor and humorous moments weren't over-the-top, but fun and relatable. The podcast thread was great comic relief. The characters felt like real people, especially Katherine Hu (in whose head we spend our time.) What I really, really loved was how Katherine shifted over the course of the story through the support of her new friends (the other ex-girlfriends!) and how her relationship with her parents didn't so much evolve as how she realized they showed their love in unexpected ways. I liked the mystery, and while I had an idea about the ending, I didn't have everything figured out, which was awesome.

The heading says this is book 1, so I'm excited for book 2!

Received the audio through NetGalley -- thank you to the author and publisher! I listened at 1.25X speed.

VERY cute, Finlay Donovan plus Thursday Murder Club plus John Tucker Must Die plus Good Girls plus Only Murders in the Building. I love it! Plus neurodivergent lead. Loved the twists and turns.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good cozy murder mystery. The friendship in this book is what makes the story what it is and the secondary love story was sweet. For anyone who likes the movie John Tucker Must Die, this is definitely the book for you.

📕Book Thoughts
The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao

This was a fun book with a different twist to it. 3 women all find out that the guy they are seeing is also seeing other women. Instead of disliking each other, they team up to get revenge on the cheating boyfriend. Sadly, while at his apartment, they find him dead.

Now they really need to team up to solve the crime before it gets pinned on one of them.

This is a murder mystery with a lighter side. Is that a thing? It must be as this book was it! It was such a fun plot and cast of characters. It had me smiling at their antics and friendly banter. I also loved all the word and saying origins throughout the book. Some were very interesting.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
By Gloria Chao
Release Date: 6.24.2025

Thank you @Harlequin Audio for the advanced listener copy of The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club!

If you are looking for a read with some shits and giggles, then pick this one up 😉.

We are following three women, strangers to each other, that find out that they have all been dating the same guy, Tucker. Shortly after, they begin planning a revenge plot against the cheater when the plans come to an abrupt halt after finding Tucker's dead body. Things don't look good for the girls.

A comical cozy mystery with unlikely friendships. I caught myself eye rolling and shaking my head throughout the book. It was a fun quirky read.

A light-hearted murder mystery following three women dating the same man who get together to plot revenge. When they discover his body, things don’t look good for them. They come under suspicion and need to solve his murder before they go down for it.

A fast paced read providing some chuckles, twists and even some romance. I listened to the audiobook which was cleverly narrated by Carolyn Kane who brought the characters to life. This is the first book in a series; look forward to reading more adventures of Katherine Hu.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a fun surprise! The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a humorous mystery with a twist—a group of women who are all exes of the same man teaming up to solve his murder. The premise alone is entertaining, but what really made it stand out was the dynamic between the women.

At first, they’re awkward and suspicious of each other, but as the story unfolds, their connection deepens in the most unexpected ways. It’s hilarious at times, but also surprisingly heartfelt. Gloria Chao did an amazing job balancing humor with emotion.

For a funny, fast-paced read, this book actually ended up being a celebration of the power of female friendships—even the ones that start under strange circumstances.

Highly recommend if you love mystery with a dash of comedy and strong women supporting each other.

This book had strong John Tucker Must Die vibes, with an added twist of murder mystery. It was a fast paced and fun read that had me laughing out loud multiple times. Kat, Olivia, and Elle are an absolutely hilarious trio. A group of one man’s exes team up and they must clear their names after things take a dark turn. All they wanted was a bit of revenge but fate clearly had other ideas. Now they must prove they didnt kill Tucker Jones.

This book was amazing, as is everything Chao writes. It’s funny, full of heart, and keeps you invested from the very beginning.

I want to thank Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when 3 women find out their significant other is cheating on them? They band together to get revenge, of course. This book was not only hilarious but also heartwarming. I think my favorite part was that these women decided to not just band together but they formed a sincere friendship from something that would normally tear women apart. They shared things, bonded, & had each other's backs when things were against them.

If you love cozy, murder mystery with some comedy sprinkled in, then I highly recommend this book.

4.5 stars, rounded up ⭐️

This book was so cute and a fun little murder mystery! It also had me laughing out loud more than a few times. As a fellow woman in STEM, I could relate to Kat in so many ways. And I loved all the idiom origins- not only was I entertained, but I actually learned something!

It is a cozy mystery, so don’t expect any groundbreaking twists or being kept on your toes at every corner. The friendship and “live your life” themes were so sweet and a lovely reminder of what truly matters. The plot and pacing were excellent, the characters had dimension and were interesting, and overall it was very well written.

I listened to the audiobook and Carolyn Kang was such a great narrator! I’ll always be amazed when narrators can change their voices/tone so that each character has a unique voice and you can easily tell them apart.

As the book blurb suggests, this book is 100% a combination of John Tucker Must Die and a cozy murder mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author Gloria Chao for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club releases June 24!

This book is pure entertainment from start to finish. The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club blends laugh-out-loud humor with a twisty, satisfying mystery that never drags—even when you’re stuck in traffic. I listened to it on a long road trip, and the hours flew by thanks to the sharp writing, clever plot, and hilarious dynamics between the three main characters.

Kat, Olivia, and Elle make for a fantastic, chaotic trio as they try to clear their names after their shared ex turns up dead—and the story keeps you guessing (and laughing) the whole way through. Think Finlay Donovan meets John Tucker Must Die.

The narration by Carolyn Kang is engaging and easy to follow, making it perfect for audiobook listeners. Whether you’re looking for a summer read, a palate cleanser between heavier books, or just a fun, fast-paced mystery, this one’s a great pick.

4.25 🌟
Format: ALC

This was so fun! I loved this little mystery and trying to find out who done it. The girls forming such a strong bond after what they found was perfect. The narrator is fantastic. I definitely didn't see the twist coming at the end. I will say the obsession with poop at the beginning is super strange lol.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
Author: Gloria Chao
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Carolyn Kang
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Genre: Mystery
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
My Rating: 2.5 stars
Pages: 318

An unlikely friendship trio is formed (Kat, Olivia, Elle) when they all figure out they’re involved with the same guy. They plot to get back at him, but discover something much more sinister when they break into his condo.

I always love a good cozy but when I see any story described as hilarious I take it as a challenge – However when one reader stated it reminded her of the Finlay Donovan series. I thought okay this just might be humorous.

Okay there were times it was funny. However, I was disappointed as it was not a cozy mystery - doesn’t fall under’ little or no profanity’.

I was disappointed on several levels.🤔

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this Audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 24, 2025.

Not your mom’s cozy mystery—unless your mom likes her murder with a side of snark and her exes six feet under.


Kat’s having a day. You know, the kind where your boyfriend love bombs you… then you find out he’s also dating two other women… and THEN he turns up dead and the cops think you did it? Yeah. That kind of day.


What follows is a hilarious, fast-paced romp as Kat and her fellow exes form the most chaotic girl gang and try to solve the murder before one (or all) of them gets thrown in jail.


Full of sarcasm, sass, and laugh-out-loud moments, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is the perfect blend of mystery and mayhem. If you like your thrillers with a healthy dose of dark humor and badass female friendships, this one’s for you.


💫 4/5 stars – I came for the murder, stayed for the ex-girlfriend Insta-friends energy.

Kathryn Hu has the perfect boyfriend, Tucker, he understands her and is her best friend! She is ready for the next step in their relationship and surprises him at his place one evening and discovers it is set up for a proposal….. not for her.

Kathryn discovers she was one of three women he was involved with, and through a chain of events the three ladies become friends. One evening the women decide they’re going to prank Tucker with some of the worst pranks they can think of and when they do, they come across his body. Now they need to erase any trace of them being in his apartment before they become suspects.

The book is full of humor and suspense and few twists along the way. The characters are lovable and flawed and in some instances their worst enemy. I hated to see the book come an end - looking forward to what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review of the book

I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time.. It was a lot of fun to read and had several twists and turns throughout. I laughed out loud many times. All of the characters were relatable and enjoyable to read about (except Tucker for obvious reasons). I also did not expect the ending! I hope this is the start of a series, as I'm eager to see where Kathryn Hu ends up next. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone. The narrator for the book was amazing and felt that they perfectly embodied Kathryn's personality and spunk.

You had me at laugh-out-loud murder mystery.
I thought I was in for a treat with this one. Who doesn’t love a Knives Out dark comedy vibe?

Even though I was laughing through the first chapter, the comedy didn’t last long and by chapter 4 I’m fed up with random little factoids about the origin of statements/idioms.

There was a neat little twist for hanging in though, so kudos for that.

Random thoughts captured while reading:

If I hear the words beta mercaptoethanol again, well…🤯 (spoiler-I heard them a lot more!) If I had an ebook copy I would’ve searched how many times it was said.

The conversations start out stunted, unnatural. When the people get more comfortable, they’re too comfortable for a group of people who barely know each other.

It tries hard to be funny but for me, it doesn’t continue to deliver.

Suspension of belief is required.

I didn’t love the narrator’s delivery, there’s dry wit and then there’s this.

For an FMC who is so book smart, Kat makes some ridiculous decisions to advance the story.

I know this will land right for many readers so make sure you still check it out if you’re drawn by the blurb.

With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance listening copy.