This book was not exactly what I was expecting when I first picked it up. I suppose I was more thinking it would be similar to This Girl's a Killer by Emma C. Wells or even Dexter, where the main character is complicated and messed up but you somewhat understand their motivation. With Julie, I spent most of the book shaking my head and saying, "Oh honey," in a that quintessential Texan way. She is the prime example of an unreliable narrator, so enmeshed in her own delusions that she can't see what is so glaringly obvious even to the reader who is experiencing this through her perspective. Julie is certainly funny and entertaining at times, but she was also a bit exasperating in her obtuseness with social cues and being able to read situations. Though as more of her story unfolded, I did find myself swaying more to her side, especially once Sean shared that Facebook post (as soon as he shared it, I said, "Welp, that's why she's going to kill you or hurt you or whatever, Sean. You made that bed all on your own). Most of her actions were completely uncalled for, but Sean was a dick who did give her some mixed signals (though definitely not as many as she thought, but dude at least have an honest conversation with the woman after you bone her, you ass), so I didn't feel as bad for him in the end (I've always been a big morally grey). I mean, did he deserve a diabetic coma for weeks on end? No. Did he deserve a solid slap for being a douchebag occasionally? Yeah.
All in all, it was a fun enough book, though definitely not what I was expecting. The audio was excellent and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. I just wish Julie had been a little less head-shakingly delusional at times.

Yeah Julie Tudor is 100 % a psychopath. I listened to the audiobook and I must admit it was a lot of fun, it's witty and humorous. I honestly got Eleanor Oliphant vibes ...but if she was unhinged AF.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It felt very Freida, but with an ending I think I enjoyed more. I really love the way the backstory was woven in. I also enjoyed going back and forth with my feelings about Julie. I highly recommend this. It is a great thriller and a fast read!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook. Not my favorite, but not my least favorite. Can confidently say Julie Tudor is a psychopath. It reminded me of Amelie, since she had these various made up relationships. I found it a bit hard to follow in the middle in terms of the timelines with the wife and girlfriend. Also, not sure why she needed to catfish Sean once she figured out he wasn’t interested. Hoping she ends up with Frank, but at the end she seems set on repeating her previous delusions.

3.5
Julie is 49 years old, has a great job, a dream home and her eyes on the man of her dreams. The only problem is while she is head over heels for him, he is half her age and he is in love with someone else. Julie knows he just needs a little help getting rid of this other woman because they are meant to be together. What's a little murder when love is on the line?

Oh boy is Julie a straight up psychopathic stalker and killer and I was here for it. Julie's life is one delusion on top of another and her can-do, never giving up attitude is going to get her what she wants. This dark comedy had me laughing out loud at the absolute mess that Julie is. It was quirky, fast paced, and had me hooked. Once Julie sets her mind to something, she is going for it, even if it leaves a body count. The audiobook was great and such a fun, easy listen.

Julie Tudor is for sure a psychopath lol I knew from the first few pages this woman was going to be so unhinged and I was not wrong! I really enjoyed the thrilling aspect of this book. The narrator (Julie ) is one you can’t trust because of her very clear ability to misread other people. So much so that she believes when any man who shows her any common courtesy, is secretly in love with her. She obsesses and stalks these men until things ultimately end badly. The audiobook narrator did a great job giving Julie and the other characters their own voice.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook!

I just couldn’t get into this one. I’m sure it would be a fantastic read for someone who appreciates the kind of humour this book offers up. But unfortunately that wasn’t me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I will be reading another book that Jennifer Holdich writes. This novel was fast-paced, I was intrigued with each new step, and the events from the past were well woven in. I also really enjoyed Clare Corbett's audio narration. Her voice is charming and delightful.

I am not sure if this is where I am getting my hesitation. This novel felt like if Eleanor Oliphant was a serial killer. Is cozy serial killer a genre? I wasn't sure how to feel about Julie. I felt like if she took social comm classes in elementary school, she would not be a "psychopath." I see where the female Joe Goldberg is coming from. Yes, she is a narcissist because she sees scenarios and thoughts from others as she wants to see them, but sometimes it felt like she was missing social cues.

I am interested to see what others thought of Julie.

This is a great debut. Holdich has an amazing career ahead.

Like many of the other reviews of this book, this one just slightly missed the mark for me. I actually love books with a quirky, or even evil MC, I like being taken into the minds of characters who are less explored, but this one was just missing something for me. I admit any book where animals are harmed, or even implied to be harmed, is less likable for me, but it wasn't just that. I think that Julie was just not quite as complicated a character as she could have been. It is a quick read and an interesting premise. I think this one will be a little divisive, and some will love it, while others will be less enthusiastic.

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath is a quick read. The premise is intriguing—exploring the line between eccentricity and actual psychopathy—but the execution feels just fine. The characters are somewhat engaging, and the plot moves at a steady pace, but it lacks the depth or twists that would make it truly memorable.

If you're looking for an entertaining story with a psychological edge, this might satisfy. However, those expecting a gripping or thought-provoking thriller might find it falls a bit short. Overall, an okay read, but not one that leaves a lasting impression.

I nearly DNF'd this book, not because it was badly written, but because the subject matter is SO disturbing. Fans of Baby Reindeer will undoubtedly like this, but it just made me feel so uncomfortable throughout.

Julie Tudor Is (Not) a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an entertaining book! Julie Tudor is absolutely demented and not right in the head, I absolutely hated the MC but that made this book all the better.

The narrator did an amazing job at bringing this story to life

👛 Bookish Thoughts
This was a lot more somber than I expected, or than it’s really marketed to be. I usually love dark and quirky humor, but this leaned more bleak than funny. It was also pretty slow paced and felt repetitive at times.

The dual timelines weren’t really my jam either, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.

That said, I think others might connect with it more than I did, especially if they enjoy slower, character driven stories.

The audiobook narration was fantastic though, so I’m still giving this one 4 stars.

💅 What to Expect
• Delulu FMC
• Dual timelines
• True crime obsession

⸻

🎧 Audio Score: 4 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
📅 Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

Julie Tudor Is Not a Psychopath is a wild, darkly quirky ride straight into the mind of an unhinged woman—and yes, Julie babes, do you want the number to my therapist??

This book had all the makings of a chaotic good time: a delusional narrator, absurd plot twists, and a body count that just keeps rising. Julie is the kind of woman you absolutely do not want in your life—but can't stop watching like a car crash in slow motion. Her inner monologue? Absolutely unhinged and weirdly hilarious at times. The pacing was fast, the multiple timelines intriguing, and it was very easy to devour in one sitting.

That said… the story didn’t quite land for me. What started as sharp and funny grew repetitive and, honestly, kind of sad. Julie’s backstory is hinted at, but never explored with enough depth to understand how she got this way. And while the book sets itself up as a dark comedy or satirical thriller, the laughs were few and far between for me—especially as the violence (toward people and animals) started piling up.

If you're here for a clever, twisty mystery, this might not be the book for you. But if you're into Fatal Attraction vibes with a morally bankrupt narrator and don’t mind leaning into the weird, this debut might be your kind of chaos. Just don’t expect redemption arcs or heartwarming lessons. Julie Tudor is definitely a psychopath—and unapologetically so.

Audiobook

Julie Tudor insists she's not a psychopath. She's just a middle-aged office worker deeply in love with her coworker and willing to do anything for their love. The only problem is—the 25-year-old coworker isn't actually in this relationship. Cue some wild, crazy antics on Julie's part!


This debut novel by Jennifer Holdich is a wild ride. The FMC is completely nuts or "delulu," as the kids say. Readers won't be bored with her character. However, for me, it just wasn't my vibe at the moment. I sometimes enjoy stories with deeply uncomfortable characters or situations, so this might have hit differently if I were in that mindset (similar to how I was with Baby Reindeer). But... I believe many others will absolutely enjoy Julie's chaotic delusions and acts of love!

Advanced copy provided by Tantor Audio. All opinions are my own.

Spoiler alert: Julie Tudor absolutely IS a psychopath, a raging one! She’s also a stalker and a serial killer and though the story begins with her present infatuation with her co-worker Sean, we are taken back to different points in her past to learn how Julie became the woman she is today.

Told entirely from Julie’s POV, it’s clear right from the start she’s delusional, narcissistic and has ZERO conscience. However, her inner monologue is tinged with humor, but not because she’s TRYING to be funny. Julie is actually quite naïve and clueless in many respects. She certainly invokes conflicting emotions. She made me cringe, laugh, wince and shake my head in horror, all while also feeling somewhat sorry for her. Moving at a slower pace than I would’ve thought, some of her musings could’ve been left out without affecting the overall feel. Though Julie is definitely an intriguing character, I think I expected MORE darkness from her, or at least a higher intensity of a suspenseful atmosphere. I never knew quite whether to like her or hate her, but she definitely reminded me of a slightly older ‘Bridget Jones’ if she were deranged and off her rocker! (IFKYK!)

In this case, I think the audiobook version is the way to go since it adds to the emotion and feeling of situations with the humor coming through Clare Corbett’s performance. Sometimes the tone of a thought made more of an impact with the inflection and emotion of Clare’s fabulous narration.

JULIE TUDOR IS NOT A PSYCHOPATH is a fun, albeit demented look inside the mind of stalker’s life. I had no idea what she was going to do next and that certainly kept things interesting! Grab this one if you enjoy dark humor and twisted tales of love gone wrong!
____

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Audio for my free copies. All thoughts are mine.

Raised rating for a good audio listen

This was fine, not great, not horrible. The problem is that the concept is good and the writing is also quite good but it lacks something. Julie is a sociopath but she is painfully unaware, not the clever character I was expecting. Because of this, I had a hard time accepting the dark humor I believed was the point. There is some backstory to her development but that also was more sparse than satisfying. This could have been more but I think the author has teeth. I’ll try another.

Julie Tudor is no likable and I love that for her. She's absolutely delusional. She was entertaining and I'm a big fan of dark humor.
However, I didn't love the overall writing of the story. I didn't like that sometimes chapters were out of timeline and that caught me up a couple of times. The fact that the flashbacks were kind of repetitive did not help.

Boy oh boy is the title right. She is truly a psychopath! Stalker, obviously proficient serial killer and truly twisted person. A dark comedic (at times) thriller. I will say I found it a bit one note and longer than it needed to be.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved the narrator! She has the best voice for this book- great comedic timing and sarcasm. I loved the author’s writing style and can’t wait to read more by her- at no point during the book did I expect what was going to happen next! Loved it!