If I had to get granular with my star rating, it's more of a 3.5. The extra half star is because I am still thinking about it after I finished it, but more in a critical way than about how much I enjoyed this book.
This thriller-lite was fine. It starts off with discussing whether the narrator is reliable, but this is not revisited, so if she is lying to us I guess I missed it. Or to cast doubt over the whole story, which is rather unsatisfying to me.
I found the plot fine, but the motivations of the characters were murky. Don't worry though, the bad guy explains it, Bond villain style, instead of finishing off the murdering. Speaking of murdering ( and I think this is a me problem) the murders felt like plot devices, rather than dead people that we (and Kirby) were truly sad about. Which goes with the fact that Kirby is always reminiscing about the good times the flatmates had, but it really didn't seem like they did.
My other issue was that I was just not drawn to keep reading. It was well written, reasonably well paced, the plot was better than some other books I've raced through, but every-time I had a choice between picking up this book and doing something else, I chose the something else. Maybe that's because the character's felt like plot devices, and I like a character driven novel?
I was given an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told with two timelines a year apart and tells the story from Kirby’s point of view, a journalist stuck in the town of Crowhurst, famous for a spree killer and a town fare, she wants to get out and move on. She lives in a flatshare and they have a group chat.

The story switches to a year later where Kirby is abroad as a travel rep and she suddenly gets a text from the group chat from Esme who was one of flatmates, always nice to hear from friends you haven’t heard from in a while, except Esme died a year ago and Kirby and her flatmates seem to have been involved in her death somehow. So she returns back to speak to her ex flatmates and they try and work out what is happening, but one by one people leave the group chat which means they will die. Can Kirby work out who the killer is before it is too late for her?

This book contains two tropes that I often struggle with. Both of them were done brilliantly.

This book tells the story of Kirby, a twenty/thirty something who is struggling in life and love. Her career is a dead end and she spends most of her time drinking with her equally hopeless flatmates until the mysterious Esme arrives on their doorstep with a plan to investigate a thirty year old mass murder…

I’m not usually a fan of the drop out main character trope but Kirby was so likeable I couldn’t help but root for her and her feckless flatmates. The dialogue between them all felt fresh and authentic and there were several moments that made me laugh.

The story has a dual timeline another trope I struggle with. Not here. It’s managed brilliantly. The tension builds throughout both timelines and the final third of the book is non stop action in both. I stayed up far too late on a work night finishing the story.

The balance of humour and horror is well managed with some really gory moments toward the end. I also liked that the plot is progressed via WhatsApp messages - I love multi media elements in stories like this.

Definitely recommend this one.

I really enjoyed the debut novel by this author however I think this novel felt flat for me for two reasons 1. It's not really clear what is going on and 2. The fourth wall breaks with the reader, like it is already written in first person what is the need for the fourth wall break? I personally only really tolerate 4th wall breaks in tv shows and movies but this was excessive.

This book was such a welcome treat that I didn’t know that I needed it’s packed with laugh out loud moments and I was instantly drawn into the mystery of Crowhurst and more than anything it’s obsessional mascot fandom!!!

Journalist Kirby is not at all happy with her life, sharing a dingy flat with her 3 flatmates, one day she receives a message from her friend Esme to the group chat…but Esme died 12 months ago!

The tale is told from Kirby’s POV over a dual timeline which is something I love and the author does this very well, the writing style switches between text and WhatsApp messages which made it such a speedy read.

While this is so funny it is also packed with mystery and twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end and the plot twists really were twisty!
This is definitely a mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is perfect if you want a mystery packed with light relief and laughs.

I wanted to love Everyone in the Group Chat Dies. This has my name written all over it. From the eye-catching cover, to the fact I absolutely love stories that have text conversations woven into them — and, of course, the thrilling, twisty premise and the strong humour that peppers the pages. I still enjoyed this, but it didn't grab me quite as much as I hoped it would, unfortunately.

While Everyone in the Group Chat Dies was an easy read to get through (even for me, ol' slowpoke over here, thanks to its easy-to-digest writing style), I was frequently left disappointed. It reads more like a YA novel, despite its protagonist being 30 — although saying that, I did enjoy the perspective of a 30 year old not quite having her life together. It's always nice to be made to feel a bit better about your own existence!

The book is told from the perspective of Claire 'Kirby' Cornell, a junior journalist working at a local newspaper in the small town of Crowhurst. Not much happens there, other than it being the home of a serial killer back in the 90s. After a rough time in London, she finds herself living in a dysfunctional flatshare, living the lifestyle of a 19-year-old student. But things soon get shake up when a social media "investigator", Esme, turns up on her doorstep. Esme claims the 'Crowhurst Killer' is still alive, and she's here to uncover him — and before she knows it, Kirby gets dragged into a mess of social media clout, chasing likes and a hunt for the truth.

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is told over two timelines set one year apart, and each timeline has its own twists and turns. The present timeline has the most thrills, but it feels rushed, and what should be big 'oh my God!' moments are brushed past. None of the characters feel important apart from Kirby, which is a shame because the first 40% of the book does a good job in setting up her friendships between her flatmates in the one-year-ago timeline. Ultimately, everyone ends up feeling dispensable and irrelevant, and even Kirby herself doesn't seem to show much care to any of them. It takes some of the believability out of the story for me.

If you enjoy young adult literature, you may enjoy Everyone in the Group Chat Dies. I'd have probably been less disappointed if I'd have gone in expecting a YA novel. As it is, I didn't dislike it: it's a very fun popcorn thriller, but it lacked any real substance unfortunately.

"They say there are three sides to every story: mine, yours and the truth.
So, which one do you want?"

I love a thriller that is injected with dark humour, so I had high hopes for this book. And I was not disappointed. L. M. Chilton has crafted a suspenseful, funny and inventive murder mystery that had me glued to its pages. The plot is delightfully absurd: Kirby gets an alert from her old housemate group chat. It’s a text from her former housemate Esme that reads, ‘Everyone in the group chat will die.’ But it isn’t the chilling message that unnerves Kirby. What really sends a chill down her spine is that Esme died twelve months ago. So who is the message from? Could they know the secrets that Kirby and her other housemates vowed to keep the night Esme died? Moving between the present and events that happened a year earlier, Chilton builds the tension as Kirby relentlessly tries to solve mysteries in both timelines but keeps things lighthearted thanks to the humour that is woven in. I was on the edge of my seat, the many twists and turns giving me book whiplash as I tried to follow the clues and solve the puzzles myself.

The compelling characters are equal parts likeable and unlikeable. There were great dynamics between them, lots of witty banter and petty squabbles that added a layer of realism and relatability. We know from the start that they are all keeping secrets about the night Esme died, meaning we never know who is friend or foe and I was searching every word and action for clues. Esme herself is an enigma, turning up out of the blue one night saying she’s been sublet the spare bedroom and revealing little about herself other than she’s there investigating the murders that happened in the small town thirty years ago. But she also feels very relatable and like Kirby I was desperate to find out the truth about her in both timelines.

A darkly funny, clever and surprising murder mystery that will keep you on your toes, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Head of Zeus & LM Chilton for this read and HAPPY PUBLISHING DAY!

This book was such an entertaining read. Think the friendship and humour of a group of mismatched housemates mixed up in a true crime case turned slasher.

The story was told in the past and present and the suspense that was building with each chapter had me literally turning the pages so fast.

Lots of suspects and a few twists thrown in - this book will definitely satisfy thriller lovers who want to solve an old crime while being thrown into a suspenseful slasher. Such an entertaining and fun read!

A new author for me.

A group of people in a shared flat - and not a very nice flat at that - but they had fun, and a group chat on WhatsApp. Kirby Cornell remembers it all well - her crappy job, sleazy landlord, the slobbish housemates. It's been a while since there was any messages, but the new one chills her to the bone. She doesn't want to recall what happened back then, but what is really chilling is that the message was sent from a dead person . . .

This is a fast moving, suspenseful read which hangs onto it's secrets until it's just the right time to reveal them. It kept me reading until the end although I feel it's aimed at a younger audience. Definitely different and quite exciting. For me, 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Something a little lighter – I saw this on NetGalley and it caught my eye. It’s another time-split narrative, like The Dark Hours, as the truth of what happened twelve years ago plays out alongside what is happening in the present, namely everyone in the group chat dying.
I should make it clear first of all that I really enjoyed this book. It’s the first for a while that I’ve been carrying around with me on my Kindle to catch a chapter whenever I had a moment or two. Short chapters along with a plot that keeps moving, it was a gripping read.
It’s told in a light manner, but the biggest problem – in hindsight, I should say – is the tone. Amazon calls it “laugh out loud” but I think that’s pushing it. And I don’t think the author was trying for that, just writing it in a light tone with some funny bits. But that carries over into the motivations of the ne’er-do-wells of the piece and that didn’t quite work for me. Yes, this is a serial killer that runs around in a giant crow costume, but there’s a reason for that and it presents a sinister image, so it did undermine the finale a tad.
Having said that, it’s the most fun read that I’ve had for a good while. It’s escapism and definitely worth your time.

I chose to read a free eARC of Everyone in the Group Chat Dies but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Andrew at Head of Zeus for inviting me to join the blog tour and for sending me a digital copy of the book.

Kirby Cornell hates her life. She spends her days cleaning up after chaotic singles in Magaluf, watching them party 'til they puke. One day whilst fishing half-empty beer cans out of the swimming pool, she receives a message in a long-abandoned group chat from Esme, one of her old housemates. Which is very strange as Esme died a year ago. Thinking nothing of it, Kirby continues to slack off in the Magaluf sunshine. Then a second notification appears telling her Max, another housemate, has left the group. With her interest piqued, Kirby decides to Google Max, see what he's up to these days. Only to discover Max has died. Shocked and saddened by her ex-housemate's untimely death, she reaches out to the rest of the group for comfort. But the only person to reply is Esme and this time she's not messing around. This time Esme means business, murderous business: 'Everyone in the group chat dies'...

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a funny, easy to read mystery which I devoured in two short sittings. Told in the past and the present, the reader gets to see what happened twelve months earlier. Why Kirby left her journalist career behind and ran away to be a holiday rep in Magaluf. Bit by bit, we discover the secret the former friends hold and the reason why Esme may have returned from the dead to wreak revenge in the group chat.

Crowhurst, in the home counties, is a mundane place to live. Famous for, well, a spree killer who murdered five teenagers in 1996 and not a lot else. But it's home to a disparate group of flatmates, thrown together only because they were looking for somewhere fairly cheap to live. Clare 'Kirby' Cornell is a journalist at the Crowhurst Gazette. Seema is a dental nurse. Dylan is a chef at the local pub. There's Dave. No one's really sure what Dave does. Max is pretty much absent from the get-go but he's still on the tenancy agreement, which immediately qualifies him to be the first to die. And then there's the new arrival, Esme. Esme is a true crime influencer on ShowMe - a bit like TikTok but WAY cooler. London-based Esme arrives in Crowhurst to investigate what really happened that fateful day in 1996 when Peter Doyle murdered five teens. One minute Esme is there. The next, she has vanished into thin air which causes Kirby a lot of anxiety. So Kirby takes it upon herself to use ShowMe to discover what happened to the influencer.

Back in the present day and unfortunately back in Crowhurst, Kirby notices a new notification in the group chat. Another former housemate has left. Based on everything that happened to Max, that can't be a good thing. Can it?

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a light-hearted, murder mystery with a cast of intriguing characters. I couldn't help but warm to Kirby who leads the way from start to finish. She has her flaws but she's well aware of them. The other supporting characters are well-formed and play their parts well, helping to move the story along. Was I able to tell whodunnit? Nope, not at all and it came as quite a surprise too. I loved the small-town vibe of the setting. A lot of Brits have either lived in or know a town like Crowhurst with its odd local traditions, and often stranger local residents. The dual timeline worked well. I think (and I haven't checked to be sure) we spend a lot more time in the past than we do in the present. I felt, for me, the main mystery in the book was what happened a year ago to cause the group to break apart and lose touch with each other. Rather than who was killing them off one by one in the present day. That might just be me though. All in all, I enjoyed Everyone in the Group Chat Dies. It's a laugh-out-loud, easy to read murder mystery. Quite different to the books I tend to choose. I read this straight off the back of a long historical horror novel. It was the perfect palate cleanser. Refreshing and lots of fun! Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Everyone in the Group Chat Dies. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Review will be published on Thursday 20th March]

First, I have to give credit to the author for nailing the characters. They're well written and suit the modern vibe of this book. That's how I think of this - a modern mystery with sprinkles of humour. The writing style is not as consistently sharp and slick as it needed to be, mainly due to some of the dialogue, but the narrative still flows well and makes for an effortless read.

If you're after a sit back, almost popcorn-thriller type mystery, then this fits the bill.

Set in a small out of the way town (I do like small town mysteries), this follows Kirby, a near-enough thirty year old who is in the midst of two mysteries (in both past and present narratives). The reader is taken through both, navigating Kirby's seemingly dull, but somehow still chaotic, life, as she tries to uncover the truth about a serial killer and a disappearance. The contrast of the chaos against the sleepy small town backdrop propels this book forward, and makes this more engaging for the reader.

I'm almost tempted to label this a cosy mystery, maybe under chaotic cosy mystery (a new sub-genre I may have just invented). However you choose to classify this, it's worth a read.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading ‘Don’t Swipe Right’ by the author last year I had no hesitation in picking this 2nd novel to read

This time we find ourselves in ‘Crowhurst’ a town some of us may well recognise as a place you don’t want to live but kinda accept grudgingly whilst making plans to leave…we meet 4 friends who house share and via past and present storylines are taken into their lives and a tragedy that happened 10 years ago and a new one unfolding ( via their group chat )

It is darkly funny, such fab observational comedy mixed with horrific spree killer, it is a hard combo to make work but this works so well you can laugh and grimace at the same time ( try it not easy to do! )

The characters are easy to like and dislike in equal measure, the story clever and the descriptions of small town yearly fate celebrations spot on ( I lived in Sonerset for 7 years, the Carnival and Fete Supremo County )

If you haven’t tried this author then I would, his books are a bit quirky, very funny but importantly also have a great plot and are an exciting read

First book by this author I have read and the title is a good book to draw readers in. For me the story was a bit slow evolving although it did have humorous moments. I think it would be more suited as a novella or short story but that is just my opinion. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

Kirby, who lives in the small town of Crowhurst, receives a text in her group chat from ex flatmate Esme. Only Esme died a year ago. Years ago a serial killer targeted the town which Esme was investigating prior to the tragic events. Could this be related and is it really Esme in the chat?

I read this author’s previous book and enjoyed it so wanted to read this one. This was another lighthearted, fun mystery, with witty humour. I enjoyed the easy banter between the characters, however there was a lot of dialogue involved in this story which at times felt overly heavy. The story is told in two timeframes which I liked and helped with the build up to the ending. The overall storyline and references felt relatable to current times, with social media and love for true crime, although at times it felt more of a young adult novel.

The characters were intriguing but I didn’t feel a connection to any of them, possibly as they weren’t overly developed below surface level. I found that I was engaged in the mystery as soon as I started reading, however this started dipping as the story moved on, although I enjoyed seeing the mystery unravel. This was an entertaining, quick, easy read overall and I would pick up more books by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

When Kirby receives a text message to her old home share group chat she knows she must return to investigate. Not only was it a threat to all her old housemates, but the sender died 12 months ago…

Told in a dual timeline between the events 12 months prior and today, Chilton unravels what really happened to Esme (a social media true crime influencer) and who is threatening the group chat and why. This story was definitely quick paced and very easy to follow. The main character Kirby did annoy me at bits, she was a klutz who managed to burn a salad she wasn’t cooking(?), I just felt her persona seemed very childish despite being on the cusp of 30. However looking past that this was a good mystery book and worked perfect as a palate cleanser in between some of the heavier books I’ve been reading recently.

The protagonist, Kirby Cornell, is a local journalist for a rural newspaper. She lives in flat with 3 housemates - Dave, Dylan and Seema. The flatmates have set up a WhatsApp chat where they post anything and everything. One day, Esme, a social media sleuth, appears at their flat and starts a chain of reactions that leads to a mysterious incident. One day, Kirkby receives a message from Esme, only problem is she died 12 months ago - Everyone in the group chat will die.. Tell me, what would you do if you receive a message in a WhatsApp Group from Esme? The story is told over dual timelines - present day and 12 months ago. Kirby proceeds back to the town to investigate more about the death and this leads to some strange occurrences. Can she solve the mystery before something happens to her?!

An easy read with lots of twists and turns along the way.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Sometimes I struggle with books that have dual timelines, but this one was easy to follow and I was hooked by each story that was being told.

I loved how the ‘past’ chapters shone a light on the power of social media and armchair detectives. Short form content is everywhere in day to day life and it was a fun addition to the story.

The storyline was great. I was instantly suspicious of Esme and it was so clever how she fit into the narrative of The Deadbeats. Her interest in the previous events within the town and how that tied in with the ‘Now’ chapters were incredible.

There were a lot of clever links and I didn’t predict them.

None of the characters were particularly likeable, I didn’t really relate to them and found it hard to connect.

Whilst it was a great story, I found it dragged out a little bit. The build up to the twist at the end took a while but when it got there, I felt the book finished quickly.

It’s a hard book to write a review about as lots of my favourite bits would be spoilers!

3.5 ⭐️

This was a great cosy and funny mystery that had me immersed with its fantastic characters and well written plot.