How far will you go to gain money and fame?

Julie lives an average life - she works at a grocery store, lives paycheck to paycheck, and has an influencer twin, Chloe, who reconnected with her only to use her for a video where her twin sister buys her a house. Just the average human experience!
One night, Chloe calls her in distress. All Julie can hear is the word “mistake” over and over again. The call begins to haunt her over the following day, leading her to Chloe’s New York apartment. When Chloe ends up dead on the floor of her luxurious abode of an apparent drug overdose, Julie gets an idea. She begins to situate herself as her sister. But, the beautiful and charming life Julie imagines that awaits her in Chloe’s life, may not be what she gets. Chloe’s life is riddled with secrets she didn’t expect her to have and having money wasn’t as glamorous as Julie had imagined it would be. Especially when someone Julie knows finds out her secret. Things begin to change when Julie finds herself in the middle of an influencer group that Chloe was a part of, which isn’t exactly as it appears.

For the most part, I enjoyed the twisty turns of this book. I wasn’t sure where exactly it was going to take me, but I was along for the ride. Towards the end, I kind of found it fizzling out a little bit but the meat and bones of it were pretty good. I couldn’t put it down so that has to count for something, right?

Thank you to Liann Zhang, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the e-book ARC.

3.5 ⭐️

<i>Julie Chan Is Dead</i> is a thriller meets weird-girl novel in which Zhang clearly had a lot of fun pushing the girl-takes-twin's-place narrative to its limits.

Humorous social media satire hooks you from the beginning of this story and continues throughout. And, although the story's setup in middle section lulls a bit, things start to get <i>really</i> weird (in a great way) making the novel is absolutely unputdownable from the 3/4 mark to an ending with a payoff that is totally worth it.

3.5 fun stars for this one

✨️twin swap
✨️murder mystery
✨️influencer lifestyle

This was such a fun read. Julie Chen gets the opportunity to step into her dead twins influencer lifestyle. She thought it would be nothing but a glamorous time but she realizes she was wrong. Her sister Cloe had secrets.

This book was filled with satire and was funny. I feltlike the first half and second were rather different but not in a bad way but the transition was just weird. If you're looking for a quick humorous but yet almost sinister influencer type of read then this is for you.


A big thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Release date April 29, 2025

Read if you like:
- Unhinged FMC
- Identity Swaps
- Influencer Culture
- Strained Family Relationships
- Cult Vibes

Julie Chan is Dead is a fever dream of envy, money, and unhinged ambition to have it all!

Julie, stuck in a dead-end life with her crappy job and family that sucks… and forever overshadowed by her social media famous twin sister Chloe, who was adopted after their parents death by a rich white family while Julie was stuck being raised by her resentful aunt.

Julie finally sees a crack in her twin’s picture perfect life when Chloe turns up dead—and instead of grieving, she steps through it and in a rash moment claims Chloe’s privileged life as her own… but the question lingers and looms over the story, what happened to Chloe and lead to her death?!?!

There’s something deeply unsettling about how easily Julie slips into Chloe’s skin—literally and figuratively—but that’s exactly the point… what would you do for all the riches and fame and attention from a large social media following?

And then the trip with the inner circle that is reminiscent of the exclusive social media brand trips with limited attendees, cult like devotion, promise of success tied to the group, and looming feeling that something just isn’t right as locked room thriller vibes take hold. There is no way out but through and deep into the clutches of the cult like group grounded in social media fame, loyal followers, freebies until your eyes bleed, and money beyond all that you can imagine.

This story truly brings to life the grotesque nature of social media relationships, overconsumption, need for more when you have enough and then some, and the parasocial relationships followers feel they have with those they follow online.

It's not a book that asks to be loved—it dares you to keep reading and digging deeper into the horrifying underground of the life as a social media influencer and begs the question—what would you do for….? You will keep reading along, because Julie and Chloe’s story is absolutely addictive, messy, and a chillingly smart take on social media influencing culture at its darkest.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Audio for my gifted finished audiobook copy and Atria for my ARC!

2.5 stars - Well that was unexpected. Love it or hate it, influencer culture is part of our society. The first half of this book was entertaining - I always love an unhinged character and was waiting for the moment Julie would be caught pretending to be her dead twin sister, a popular social media influencer. However, I felt like I was reading a completely different book in the second half. The story felt disjointed. I’m usually interested in a cult trope but I felt like this took a wild turn. And there was also animal cruelty that had me literally gagging toward the end - it felt unnecessary. While it started promising and unique, this ultimately wasn’t for me. Pub date: April 29, 2025.

Thank you Atria Books for providing an eARC through NetGalley.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. This was a super fun read. Drama, social media, influencers, everyone behaving badly, a little bit gross and outlandish, and a private island? This book got more and more far fetched towards the end but I didn't care at all, and I ate it up. Finished it in one day.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reading copy of Julie Can is Dead written by Liann Zhang, with a publishing date of April 25th, 2025.

The novel follows Julie Chan, who has had an unfortunate life coupled with a harboured resentment towards her identical twin who she was separated from after the death of their parents and was adopted by affluent parents and lives as a social media influencer.

Julie receives a concerning call from her estranged sister and becomes her after finding her dead in her NYC apartment. As her influenced twin, Julie unravels the dark and cult-like secrets of the influencer world that her sister became involved in.

The first have of the book, did not do it for me if I’m being completely honest. I found the social media jargon and the use of brands fitness clothing brand Gymfish (🙄) to be really corny and the writing to be very elementary.

Once the influencer retreat started and the suspense began, though, I knew I was locking in to finish the book. I thought it was interesting and enjoyed the commentary on Internet fame and the influencer space, but I think the writing style just wasn’t for me. I did find the ending of the book to be really rushed but, overall a light, easy read.
2.75 stars

Thank you for the ARC !
This book got me hooked from the beginning . Loved following Julie’s story. Definitely recommend. 5 stars !

This was a 2.5 for me rounded down. I thought the premise was good but it went down way too crazy of a path. I couldn’t tell if the book was funny / tongue in cheek or just really that insane? I wanted more on the BellaDonnas and less on the annoying aunt. A fast read but not very satisfying.

4 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC! I was invited to read this and share my thoughts after seeing the book on being promoted during the Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual conference. A fantastic day of learning, listening, and networking with fellow librarians.

Julie Chan is dead, to the world, at least. After finding her estranged twin, Chloe, dead in her luxury apartment, Julie takes her identity and dives into the extravagant world of social media influencing. Counting the views and followers in the millions, Julie begins to lose herself as Chloe and it doesn't take long for the pressure to get to her.

I really enjoyed this novel, and it's knocked down a point only because I feel like the plot jumps around a little too much. It needed just a little bit more editing to really tighten it up.

If this is her debut, I can't wait to see what Zhang has coming up!

When your sister dies, you grieve. When she’s famous—and your twin—you have a choice: mourn or become her. Julie chose both.


📚 Reasons to Read Julie Chan is Dead
Twin Swap Gone Wrong – Julie steps into her dead twin's influencer life thinking it’ll be glamorous… but it quickly becomes dangerous.


Dark Side of Influencer Culture – Behind the filters and PR-perfect friendships is a world full of secrets, lies, and people willing to kill to stay relevant.


Murder Mystery with a Luxury Aesthetic – There’s a body, a designer wardrobe, and a creepy island retreat full of suspects.


Social Commentary with Thrills – It explores fame, identity, and grief while keeping you glued to the page with every juicy twist.


This book was highly intriguing to me because it wasn’t just the murder mystery aspect, but also one twin taking another one’s place. It was quite a fun read, especially because you kept wondering how Julie never gets found out by anyone for awhile. However, this book isn’t as much a murder mystery as it is the commentary of being sucked into an influencer world and what people will do to stay there. It’s hard to say that I wished the characters had more depth when the whole point is that they are kinda shallow anyway. But it was fun to read and the ending was a little unsettling.

What a wild ride! The insights on influencer culture & the court of popular opinion via social media are biting while also satirical and darkly humorous. With shades of Yellowface, Blink Twice, Ready or Not, and even Bunny - this book really feels like a nod to old school media you grow up with where we're asked to suspend disbelief as a twin takes her sisters place - while also really cranking the messaging of agency, complicitness, manipulation, the dangers of power, and deep familial wounds until it sizzles with page turning intensity. Loved it so much. What a great novel, eager for anything Liann Zhang will be writing from here on out!

4.5/5
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Julie and Chloe are identical twins, orphaned at a young age. While Chloe gets adopted by rich white parents, and goes on to become a social media influencer with millions of followers, Julie is raised by her aunt in poverty. Eventually they lose touch with one another, with Julie bitterly acknowledging her twin’s success online. When Chloe dies mysteriously, Julie sort of grabs the opportunity to step in and live Chloe’s life. What ensues is a dark tale exposing the seedy underbelly of fast fame and the influencer life. Julie also takes up the task of investigating her sister’s death, which leads her to some bizarre encounters.

The writing is full of tongue-in cheek satire, often delivering golden monologues and dealing with the themes of race, privilege and power. 

The first half of this book made me want to go on a digital detox. It throws a light on the consumerist, exploitative nature of online life, and the quick hits of dopamine these likes and comments offer people. The second half was a different book in itself. It was eerie, absurd, and at one point, even disgusting? To call it sinister would be an understatement. 
It’s a commentary on how people are becoming more and more dehumanized, losing their individual identity and obsessing over the most materialistic things in the pursuit of ‘vibe’ and ‘aesthetics’.

This book was unputdownable for me, and I finished it within 2 days!

This was alright. A look into the “crazy” life of influencers, so maybe outside of my scope (I’m 36). A fun concept but ultimately I didn’t connect with it

I don’t even know what to say about this book. I think it was supposed to be satire about the influencing world, but it just came off as ridiculous. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy, but I absolutely cannot recommend this one.

Julie Chan Is Dead
By Liann Zhang
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book from beginning to end! Not only is this a totally propulsive premise with shocking twists, the writing is crisp and engaging and the themes run much deeper and darker than I expected.

Julie Chan Is Dead is a total binge-read with super short chapters and non-stop intensity and drama. The characters feel so real, you’ll be able to picture them and hear their distinct voices. The plot took a turn I didn’t predict AT ALL and it felt like a creepy fever dream. I was squirming with discomfort (in the best way).

Zhang achieves pure entertainment and a story with depth all wrapped into one. I enjoyed the insights into the addictive nature of social media and the loneliness and dopamine spikes that can come with the world of influencing. If you want a fun read that’s impossible to put down, look no further. Julie Chan Is Dead should be your next read!

Thank you Atria Books for the complimentary e-book ARC!

In this gripping debut thriller, a young woman named Julie Chan steps into the world of her deceased twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, who was a popular influencer. Julie discovers dark secrets hidden behind Chloe's social media persona and must navigate the dangerous world of influencers while uncovering the truth about her sister's death. As Julie struggles to fit in and faces mounting challenges, she uncovers sinister forces that may have led to her sister's demise and realizes she could be the next target.

This was the third book I read about twins this month! However, I must say that this book was quite dark and comical at times, and overall, a great, relaxing read. Despite hearing mixed reviews, I typically don't read the blurb but am drawn in by the book cover. I'm glad I decided to pick up this one!

The main character is slowly developed, with a few other side characters that all fit well and are easy to keep up with. If only the whole situation were as simple as taking on someone else's identity. It was a clever idea that was well executed.

Things took a dark turn rather quickly as Julie delved deeper into Chloe's past. Julie was invited to an annual retreat in an undisclosed location with no cell signal, creating an eerie atmosphere where everyone was secretive. This book was hard to put down.

If you enjoy drama with a secluded, almost cult-like feel, then this book is perfect for you. It was twisted, and the ending was unpredictable. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and finished it in just one day.

Thank you, Atria Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Julie Chan Is Dead is about a young woman named Julie who jumps at an opportunity to become rich and famous after her estranged twin's sudden death. Upon an impulsive decision to take over her twin's life, Julie is now thrown into the world of influencers and haunted by her dead twin, Chloe. Julie quickly learns that Chloe's life wasn't as glamourous as she had made it out to be. Many secrets quickly become apparent to Julie as she navigates her way through fully becoming Chloe. As Julie uncovers more secrets about Chloe's life and her death, she learns that her death could be next.

For the positives: I think the writer did a great job with the imagery. There were times Julie couldn't stop envisioning her dead twin and I felt like I was seeing it too and being haunted by it. Very unsettling! There were also other moments throughout the novel that I could completely picture thanks to the author's way of writing, I really appreciated that! I also think the dive into influencer culture was so interesting and is definitely an important conversational piece nowadays with how prevalent social media is.

The negatives: I did not like being in Julie's mind. At. All. She was a horribly bratty character with so much self loathing at the beginning and looking down on the influencer life style. How quickly her mind changes after the thousands and thousands of dollars she receives from taking over Chloe's influencer lifestyle. Not to mention, and I know this is probably super nit picky and I tried to look past, her reasoning to not call the cops for a wellness check on her sister were absolutely silly, made more so by the fact that she says she could barely afford a dress earlier in the book and then can suddenly afford a plane ticket to New York to check on Chloe herself? Huh? But whatever, we wouldn't have a novel if Julie never went to the apartment. I just feel a better reason should have been given so I didn't feel taken out of the story. While there were some gripes with the first half (it doesn't feel like a thriller at all, just a social commentary being beaten over my head time and time again) the second half went completely off the rails into a territory I could see coming but not to that extent. It was so over the top and at times just downright distasteful in my opinion.

I do appreciate some of the social commentary though. Being addicted to social media and taking advice from all these influencers, is just insane. I know I struggle with my own screen addiction. It's so easy to just turn the brain off and doom scroll TikTok!

Overall, this book was not for me. I give this a 2/5. I had too many issues and did not care for the second half of this novel at all. I've seen people compare this to Yellowface and Bunny, so if you're into those two, definitely check this out and hopefully you have a better time with this than I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

So I really love books about influencers, it’s one of my favorite sub genres. So a book about a twin who pretends to be her famous influencer sister? Sign me up! I loved the first half of the book as Julie slides right into her sister’s life….and NO ONE NOTICES. The second half of the book really went off the rails with a lot of crazy, but in the most fun way. And that ending???? Perfect.

I never flip pages so fast like when I was devouring this book! Julie Chan is Dead is one of my most anticipated books to read in 2025 and it did not disappoint.

Julie and Chloe were once lived together as twin sisters, but a tragedy separated them when they were only 4-years-old. Years later, Chloe became a popular influencer and Julie... well she was poor and worked as a grocery store cashier lady. Julie felt exploited when Chloe bought a house for her and used her for one of her viral videos to show that Chloe genuinely cared about her and really wanting to connect after being separated for years. When in reality, Chloe abandoned her after that event.

One day Julie received a weird call from Chloe, and when the line cuts off, Julie went to New York to check up on Chloe only to find that Chloe is dead. Thinking how wasteful Chloe's wealth would be, Julie decided to switch identity and became Chloe. That's when she gets rope into this influencer circle of girls who's also famous and wealthy. They were all planning and are excited for a weeklong retreat on an island the leader of this circle owns.

And when they were at this island, a lot of freakish events unravel. This is the part where "unhinge" is the word other reviewers use to describe the book, and I agree with them - in a good way. As I read through the last 40%-ish of the book, my mouth kept gaping because the truths revealed are insane. I keep on reading to find out what the resolution is and it was totally insane, crazy, nuts - you named it!

I'm so happy I get to read this book early and I highly recommend this book! If you're someone who grow up with Youtube and are aware at some of the drama of real-life influencers, this book actually touch on those things. It's kinda fun to read as I was trying to remember who the characters in the book are based of.

I hope Liann Zhang write more books and I'm looking forward to read more of the work in the future.