This was interesting. Somewhat annoying at times but interesting.
It was twisty and it kept me reading to the end. I loved the vibes of the town it was set in, Crowhurst. And there were some truly amazing camp scenes- claw machine anyone?

But sometimes it veered into too cringe territory. I hated the way some chapters ended with ‘and she turned around and came face to face with x’ and the the following chapter will start ‘A wax model of X anyway’. I don’t know why but it just drove me crazy.

I also thought there would be more of a commentary around spreading misinformation on the internet. I thought perhaps it would play into false accusations and cancel culture a little but it didn’t.

Kirby the main character made some of the most annoying decisions of any main character in a slasher ever. Don’t even get me started on some of the side characters who were only there as 2D plot points.

With that said, there is definitely something here. Chilton can definitely up the creep factor when he wants to and I was here for it.

I enjoyed the humour in this book. The characters are relatable and real. The story is easy to follow without being obvious who it is sending the messages as i did not figure it out before the reveal and is a good recommendation for people who enjoy books like pretty little liars. The mc could be a little annoying at times but not enough to be unbearable. I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a vacation read or something to get you out of a reading slump. The biggest downside to the book was that the fit bit was mentioned at such random times and so often it started to feel a bit like an advert for them, which makes sense by the end but until then seems a bit jarring as you progress through the story.

Thank you to head of zeus and netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this through Net Galley as an arc reader. It was a great easy read. The story was easy to follow and had some great twists to leaving you to the end trying to figure out who and the whys

I absolutely devoured this book. It was so so so well written. Constantly keeps you guessing and I did not pick the ending at all. I love thriller/horror stories that have multiple time lines so you’re going back and forth between before the event and afterwards being able to see them unfold alongside each other. I loved all of the main characters so much and wow I’m just in love with this book. thank you to @netgalley and the publishers for being given the opportunity to get an ARC of this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Sadly this was not one of my favourites. I really wanted to enjoy it but I found the humour to be slightly cringe in places and I felt it was dragged out for a bit too long. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened at the end but I didn’t feel that invested in the characters or what happened to them. I like the premise and the writing was good, I just don’t think it’s one for me!

Hello book lovers 📚

ARC book review: Everyone in the group chat dies by @lukechilts

I read this arc via @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

We follow ‘the deadbeats’ a group of 4 who are in their late 20’s living in a shared flat in the quiet rundown town of Crowhurst (do you understand the background image now?). Not much happens in Crowhurst, that is until Esme; a young girl who is ‘internet famous’ arrives to uncover the truth about what happened at the annual Crowhurst festival 30 years ago, when 5 teenagers were murdered by who people coined ‘the Crowhurst killer’.

Kirby moved to Crowhurst for a fresh start, she wants to become a journalist and after meeting Esme things start to fall in to place but not how she might have imagined.

Can Kirby and her ‘deadbeats’ uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will everyone in the group chat die before the truth is revealed?

This was an easy read, a classic “who done it”. I was guessing up until the last few chapters when it finally clicked. The twists and turns were done well and I had to re-read some pages because the answer was right under my nose the whole time😅.

The groups banter and arguments felt forced from time to time and sometimes random. But I guess it added to the plot twist so kudos.

I’d recommend this if you’re after a good “who done it” read.

It’s out on the 13th March 2025 so keep your eyes peeled!

3.5⭐️
#netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #arc

I loved Don’t Swipe Right by this author so was very excited that I was accepted to receive this ARC from NetGalley.

I found myself laughing out loud at numerous points within the book and did not have any guesses about the mysteries within the story until the reveals!

The flat mates had a wonderful relationship and it was lovely to read about & I loved Kirby as the narrator & the background into why she was in the town in the first place.

There are two mysteries within the story and I was relatively shocked at both reveals and the reasoning behind the mysteries flowed well.

I like that the author focuses on current trends within his books such as online dating & social media.

Would highly recommend and I will continue to read this authors work.

The storyline for this book was so much fun, I felt like I never knew what would happen next and I had to keep reading or else something would happen without me.
The plot
I was so invested in this plot, having guesses and then having them completely changed because of a new event. Also, the plot twist at the end is incredible.
The characters
The characters in this book felt so dynamic, I love how they have flaws that add to their character. The only issue is that I didn’t connect to any of them.
The writing
This writing made the story feel so fast-paced like the author gave you crumbs and left you to guess what is happening.
Who would I recommend it to?
I would recommend this book to people who want to try reading more in the murder mystery genre, especially those who are already avid readers.

Thank you to Vivacious Reads for the free review copy!

Blessed to read the arc (thank you so much!) in October - doomed for the book to be released in March 2025? (This is really suited for an autumn release in my opinion it literally features a harvest festival!!!!)

This has everything we, readers in the mid 2020s, have come to understand: social media platforms, Whatsapp group chats, dirty houseshares, uninspiring jobs in dying small towns and armchair detectives.

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies follows two alternating timelines, 12 months prior and present day, as we watch Kirby stumble her way through her new flatmates disappearance, multiple deaths of those around her and uncovering the truth behind a 20 plus year serial murder.

This book is zingy, current and has that sarcastic narrative voice adopted by quite a few recent murder mystery releases. You know the exact voice, it’s very millennial. 👀

Sometimes I found the dialogue shared by the housemates to be a bit pointless and unrealistic. For some reason every other line shared between the housemates was something along the lines of, “omg like that one time you burned salad” and “omg remember when you broke the toilet”.

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a book for fans of the following: The Murder After the Night Before, Clown in a Cornfield and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Recommended for those looking for something fun, easy and surface level depth of the content it’s exploring. 3/5 stars!

'Everyone in the Group Chat Dies' is a fun, fast paced slasher that combines true crime and social media to tell its story through two separate time lines. Focused on four friends living in a flatshare and their mysterious new flatmate, this book immediately introduces an interesting dynamic. When Esme goes missing, Kirby and the others end up getting themselves involved in more than just a missing persons case...

Personally, I am not usually a fan of social media references in books but due to the context of this one, I think it works quite well. I did find at some points the dialogue a bit clunky and unnecessary - mostly between the four flatmates - but I feel this became more refined in the present timeline. As for the twists, they are a little predictable but enjoyable nonetheless. You feel as if you are apart of the search to find Esme, hunting the pages for clues.

A great autumnal mystery set in a deadbeat town, perfect for true crime fans!

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for this arc !!

** All opinions are my own **

A group of twenty-something going on 30, a dead town, old murders, you've got yourself a sweet little whodunnit here! I really enjoyed the tone of the novel, mixing the fun of a group of friends/flatmates to mystery and a big "what did they do" in the past.

All characters were well-rounded and believable, from the kind to the annoying ones.

The pace and chapters were easy to follow and didn't fail to keep me entertained.

I enjoyed coming along for the chat and the mysteries.

This easy-to-read, quick paced book was lighthearted and witty.

The author uses a sassy narrative style to discuss everything from the tedious task of deciding what to watch on Netflix, to the absolute dread every 20 year old feels about turning 30.

This book combines the camaraderie and silliness of Friends, with the ‘who dunnit’ of your typical trashy horror movies we all love to watch. We know only a handful of characters could be the killer, but the journey to get there is messy but fun.

The first half of the book focused on their relationships and introduced the main plot, the second half is where the storyline focused on the mystery and the characters and plot were given the opportunity to develop.

When looking into the mysteries surrounding their little town, the main character Kirby cleverly used online criminal sleuths and got results being level headed and practical.

All characters were developed well. I could believe the motives of all the characters, and their actions reflected their nature perfectly.

I wasn’t expecting the reveal at the end. The reason behind the old murders and the new events wasn’t obvious and it tidied up the strands of the storyline.

A great book, that had me guessing..
I really thought I knew the answers , but with the big twist at the end , I clearly didn’t.

I’m so glad I gave this book a chance because it had me laughing and playing the armchair detective from the get-go.

Set in a little town in Surrey called Crowhurst, Kirby reflects through a dual-timeline perspective. After an unexpected visitor enters her life and comes to a terrible end 12 months ago, the last thing Kirby expects is a group chat message from them, resulting in the main character throwing herself into the role of local detective to uncover the towns 3-decade long mystery.

“If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Crowhurst was the town with chronic narcolepsy.”

Crowhurst is famous for one thing and one thing only. A gruesome murder of a group of teenagers at their annual fayre back in the 90’s. But when Esme turns up to Kirby’s flat, and is welcomed by herself and her flatmates, known as ‘The Deadbeats’, things begin to get sinister very quickly.

Through an accurate representation of today’s generation of armchair detectives who attempt to solve crimes over social media, journalist in the making, Kirby, uses the events to dip her foot in and give it a go. Esme goes missing, the Crowhurst killer is suspected to be making a comeback, and Kirby takes to social media to try and solve the mystery.

“As Frida Kahlo once said, ‘I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim’. So now I just feed my demons instead and get them nice and chunky.”

If you’re looking for a hilarious mystery set in a small-town, this is the perfect book for you. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What did I just read?!? Absolutely loved it! It was a crazy, crazy ride but so many cliffhangers and WTF moments. Would recommend.

What a wild ride this book was (in the best way possible!) It is undeniably refreshing and quirky whilst simultaneously terrifying. For a book that comfortably sits in the thriller/horror genre, I was pleasantly surprised by how much comic relief there was, with humour hidden on every page. But don't get me wrong there was so much wonderful suspense and plot twists around every single corner.

Esme's character was so much fun to read, I loved her obsession with serial killers and how she felt like such a naive and immature character who was also so well informed and had such a drive to make something of herself. I also loved reading Kirby's character - she was the ultimate dichotomy. In some scenes I thought she was such a brave and fearless character and in others I could feel her hide her identity behind other people's and seek affirmation in a way that felt very young.

Chilton is the absolute master of incorporating technology into his books and putting a modern twist on the classic thriller. The tech element of this book was woven into the plot so effortlessly and gave the narrative such an interesting angle which made it way harder to predict (I didn't see 90% of the plot twists coming).

I was a big fan of this book being set in a small Surrey town that is relatively unremarkable. I loved the 'Jude Law would take one look at the place and get the first Uber Exec back to Chelsea' line. I also loved the thread of social commentary about fame and the extent to which people will do 'bad things' to come out on top and ultimately be popular - the idea of fame was perfectly executed through many different perspectives.

I have a few critiques. Firstly, the misspelling of 'denim' in loc 4121. Secondly, some of the phrasing I felt leant towards the cringey such as when Kirby said 'as seats go it is banging' - why is she referring to a seat as banging?. Also the romance felt a bit abrupt, random and unnatural like it was sort of wedged in to add colour to the plot. The pacing was pretty good throughout but I felt like the momentum was lost a little around the 60-70% mark,

Overall, a wonderfully modern take on the whodunnit set in a small town revolving around a group chat with the ultimate plot twist at the end to wrap it all up.

This was so much fun (if an urban legend / horror film in real life can be called "fun"). I liked the setting, it felt so realistic of small villages and the weird stuff that happens there for tradition's sake. The modern elements of being in the group chat, live streaming, internet "crime fans" and living with a group of strangers felt realistic. The friendships were extremely relatable. I loved the plot overall and found it so interesting and twisty. Will definitely read more LM Chilton books!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This is the first book I've read by this author but certainly won't be the last!

I really enjoyed the writing style of this and am a big fan of the first person POV used. It really helped draw the reader in and made me feel like I was trying to help solve the mystery.

The chapters were short which really helped with the pacing and this was a quick easy read. The use of two different timelines really helped build up the tension. I liked the snippets of WhatsApp messages every now and then to break up the text.

The plot made me think of a early 00's slasher movie. It had lots of twists and turns and plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing! Some parts did feel a little rushed but it didn't take away from the enjoyment.

This felt very British with it's references which I really liked. The characters were personable and varied enough to keep me interested in all their different roles and their group dynamics.

This also looks at how social media influences situations, people's perceptions and has the reader questioning how they might behave in a similar situation.

Overall this is a fun mystery and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future!

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies - L.M Chilton

3.5 stars

Hi it’s me again, Dee, I judge a book by its cover, and also its title and this one grabbed me immediately. I love a good group chat 🤣

I read this book in a day, it was fun, funny and towards the end actually quite suspenseful. I really did want to know what was going to happen.

EITGCD is based in a little town outside Surrey in the UK. 30 years ago there was a spree killer and it looks like he might be back. We follow Kirby as she investigates the disappearance of a new friend. We have two timelines though out the book, what happened 12 months ago, and a flip through time to present day when members of her group chat are under attack.

This book has snappy chapters that bounce back and forwards through time and some quite fun cliffhangers which keep you wanting more.

It’s a good book and kept me engaged for the day.

However there was one plot hole right at the end that yanked me out of the book immediately and made me quite annoyed really as everything was resting on that point. Apart from that it was still worth a read and would probably appeal to people who like a good modern day mystery.

Characters- 6
Atmosphere- 5
Writing Style- 7
Plot- 6
Intrigue-6
Relationships-6
Enjoyment- 7
6.14