I liked it, but I was lost about half the first quarter of the book. I wish there was a bit more context and setting the scene. Additionally , the end was rushed and that didn’t help with the book.
Overall, I still finished and didn’t hate it.

It's not a secret that mystery thriller as a genre is quite formulaic but when it's executed well, a seasoned reader is still able to enjoy the ride the author decided to take them on.

"Everyone in the Group Chat Dies" is not one of those enjoyable books, even though the idea had a potentia. Maybe it's the undeveloped characters, including the protagonist whose first-person narrative sounded clunky. Maybe it's the nature of the mistery, Maybe it's the anticlimactic ending.

For me this novel was a time wasted, unfortunately.

This is the second book of L.M. Chilton’s that I’ve read and the second that I’ve absolutely adored. His skill of writing empathetic and flawed characters honestly makes his novels a joy to read. Whilst the time skips back and forward could be confusing, they’re done with a deft hand.
I wish I could have another book with the adventures of the Deadbeats but for now I’ll settle for this joyous and deadly romp through Surrey.
One for Millenials and murder mystery fans alike.

L.M. Chilton's "Everyone in the Group Chat Dies" offers a captivating mix of humor and suspense, set in the quaint yet troubled town of Crowhurst, England. The narrative centers on Kirby Cornell, a local journalist who receives a disturbing message in her old group chat: “Everyone in the group chat will die.” This unsettling text comes from Esme, her former flatmate who passed away a year earlier, thrusting Kirby into a complex investigation linked to a long-buried murder case from the 1990s.

The atmosphere of the novel is both quirky and unsettling, effectively capturing the duality of Crowhurst—a town celebrated for its award-winning sausage rolls yet infamous for its history of crime. Chilton skillfully juxtaposes humor with an undercurrent of dread, creating a vivid portrayal of this sleepy locale. As Kirby grapples with her past while navigating the unfolding chaos, the narrative is imbued with nostalgia, evoking a spectrum of emotions ranging from laughter at her self-deprecating wit to tension as she races against time to uncover the truth.

Character development stands out as one of Chilton's strengths. Kirby is a relatable and flawed protagonist who embodies the challenges faced by many young adults, particularly as she confronts her previous mistakes. Her interactions with her eccentric flatmates—collectively dubbed "The Deadbeats"—provide both depth and comic relief. Each character is well-crafted, contributing to the humor and suspense as they collectively grapple with their secret regarding Esme.

Chilton's writing style is engaging and approachable, combining sharp dialogue with insightful commentary on contemporary life and friendships. His talent for weaving humor into darker themes creates a distinctive tone that keeps readers engaged. However, I found that at times the narrative felt somewhat disjointed and predictable, which somewhat detracted from my overall enjoyment.

Chilton has crafted a story that resonates with anyone who has ever felt ensnared by their past or overwhelmed by the intricacies of adult friendships, inviting readers to contemplate their own experiences and connections

For me, the book felt somewhat disjointed and a bit predictable.

I really enjoyed this book and would love to read more from this author. A book full of plenty of twists and turns.

I’m a big fan of a good small town mystery, and Everyone in the Group Chat Dies did not disappoint!

It took me a little bit to become fully absorbed in the story, as the first chapter seemed out of place. But once I was past that, I was gripped! I needed to know everything about what had happened in Crowhurst, and why they were so obsessed with their weird town mascot.

I managed to pick up on a few clues throughout, and really enjoyed how it all came together at the end.

EVERYONE in the Group Chat Dies is the perfect blend of black humour, that dreaded group WhatsApp chat you haven't got round to deleting, a smidge of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and is set in a dreary forgotten English town and it's utterly brilliant,

I laughed, cringed, turned the big light on when it got a bit too creepy, and did not guess the killer until the final chapters.

Thank you for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

New to the author and not disappointed, Everyone In the Group Chat Dies is a story for the 2020s. Revolving around WhatsApp chat, the story follows Kirby Cornell; daughter of a TV star, wannabe journalist and flatmate.

Esme turns up in Crowhurst, lets herself in with a key and announced herself as the new flatmate, but Dave, Dylan, Seema and Kirby (aka The Deadbeats) don’t have any idea who has let her rent the room. 24 hours later she’s gone again, vanished without a trace.

The book is told in 2 timelines, present day and 12 months ago, which nicely links together the relationships between the characters as slowly, everyone in the group chat dies…

As someone who has grown up in the age of social media, the title of this book immediately caught my attention and I wasn’t disappointed. ‘Everyone in the Group Chat Dies’ is a fun, modern, small town murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns.

The book is told with two alternating timelines: 12 months ago, and the present day. In the first, we see aspiring reporter Kirby investigate the disappearance of her new flatmate Esme, who had arrived less than 24 hours beforehand with the intention of investigating a decades old murder.

In the present day, Kirby and her former flatmates have dispersed and drifted apart following the events of the previous year. Their group chat is idle, until a message from the supposedly-dead Esme wakes it up. Now, one by one, Kirby’s friends start turning up dead, and she’s determined to find out why.

With a chatty, first person narrative and a fast pace, it’s a quick and easy read which could definitely be started and finished in a single sitting.

If you are in the mood for a dual-timeline small-town murder mystery with elements of humour, self-depreciating protagonist, odd flatmates, serial-killer/horror thrills and social-media sleuths, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies might be for you. Journalist Kirby Cornell works in a dead-end job after leaving a mess in her wake. She lives with her slobby friends (in a flat owned by a right creep) – and they share a secret about their ex-flatmate and social-media sleuth Esme who died twelve months ago. So how can Esme be messaging in their group chat? And how seriously should they take the words “Everyone in the group chat will die”? They should take it dead seriously. The story rolls out via a then and now narrative and has a very current generation vibe. You’ll be wondering how the heck is it going to end?
Everyone in the Group Chat Dies hit the spot for me. Fast paced, quirky/funny, suspenseful, twisty and current. Recommended.

I received this book for free, as an Arc, in exchange for an honest review.

The language used in this story was very much on par with how I talk, so I was able to be enveloped within the book from the very start.

The story follows Kirby, an almost 30 year old minor journalist who wants to make it big. She shares a flat with three other people, and they're known as "The Deadbeats".

One day, a young woman by the name of Esme enters the flat, and this is where the story gets interesting. Esme is a social media influencer, who reports on cold case crimes, and this is what brought her to the sleepy, quiet village of Crowhurst.

When Esme goes missing, just after 24 hours of being in the village, Kirby knows there's something sinister going on.

Could the rumours be true, that the spree killer of 1996 never actually died, and has come back to stop the chitter chatter?

A gripping, addictive read that I finished in one sitting.

This story revolves around Kirby, a journalist, and her housemates, The Deadbeats. It is told across two interwoven timelines a year apart. Both storylines are packed with thrills and intrigue as Kirby tries to get to the bottom of both mysteries.

In the past, Esme, an armchair detective with a massive social media following, turns up in Crowhurst to investigate a spree killer case from 30 years ago. When she goes missing, Kirby takes to social media to enlist the help of Esme’s fans and solve her disappearance.

In the present, members of the Deadbeats group chat are dying after an eerie message from the now-deceased Esme. Kirby returns to Crowhurst to find out who is behind this series of murders and try to stop them before anyone else is killed.

The author explores themes such as the decline of print journalism, the rise of social media, and the consumption of true crime as a source of entertainment. Newspaper articles give way to clickbait headlines, and true crime enthusiasts investigate alongside police as they try to help solve cases with their own research.

This story is funny, witty, and light hearted. The characters are relatable and fun, and the Deadbeats banter was fantastic! I was a little bit suss on nearly everyone at one point or another and didn’t pick the ending at all. This is an easy read, and the switching between timelines kept me engaged and turning pages. Some scenes were a bit cringe, but this only added to the laughs and it suited the sassy, sarcastic tone in which Kirby tells her story.

If you’re looking for a fun, easy-to-read mystery, give this book a try. I enjoyed reading this story and I’d recommend it!

This book gave me I know what do you did last summer vibes. The characters are likeable, the story is interesting and it’s a great, easy read. I did not predict the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Loved the title and the cover, but I really didn't care for this book. The humour wasn't funny to me, and the switching of timelines across chapters didn't have the tension-building effect that it can have when used well. It almost felt laborious to read to the end just to know for sure whodunnit. I've given it two stars because it wasn't bad, per se; it was just too bland for my liking.

With cracking characters, pacy plotting and a sitcom-esque style, Everyone In The Group Chat Dies is to murderous crime thrillers what Scary Movie is to Scream.

Fabulous Fun.

Fast paced is the best way to describe this book. Short and snappy keeps you engaged with a mix of characters that keep hold of your attention. The storyline itself kept me guessing. I loved the whole use of modern day technology (WhatsApp!).

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this great ARC. I loved this book, it is written with wit and humour and has a fast paced narrative that means you cannot put it down. I loved the story and the sense of mystery with a modern day focus on socials and online presence. A great read.

Having enjoyed 'Swiped' I devoured this book over two nights.

We meet Kirby Connel who, whilst working on a 18-30 type holiday, gets a text from her old flatmate Esme, only problem is Esme died the previous year.

The story moves between present day and a year ago where Kirby lives in a dreary Surrey in her shared flat with her 3 flatmates, they call themselves The Deadbeats and have a group chat to discuss things such as dinner time and who broke the toilet flush.

One night Esme turns up stating she's renting out the temporarily vacated boxroom. Esme is popular on video sharing app Showme (tiktok is sooo last year), investigating various crimes and mysteries. She's in town to investigate a serial killer from 30 years ago (that's the 90s btw). A bunch of teenagers are murdered and the killer threw himself off a cliff, case closed...Esme is here to open it back up, was he really the killer?

An enjoyable, fast moving read, funny in parts, certain events skimmed over and a slightly rushed ending but I liked it.

Thank you very much Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance.

While this was atmospheric and spooky, the storyline was a little incoherent and could definitely do with some further development. On reflection, whilst it was enjoyable to read, there was no real purpose to the storyline and was a little futile in places. An extremely average thriller; personally, I would be inclined to recommend something more worth your while.

I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity. This was an enjoyable read but not that rememberable.