This book is just an all around great cozy mystery. As long as you consider a murder mystery cozy. Gloria Chao found such a fun balance of making our main character Kathryn quirky, unique, and so smart without her being over the top. I really enjoyed the fun facts about the origins of different phrases, it itched my brain in exactly the right way! I also can’t help but LOVE a girl group. The way these girls became fast friends, willing to do anything for each other was so fun. The mystery was well written, but I did guess the twist pretty early on and really felt like the romance was not necessary. Definitely pick tho up if you’re looking for a fun mystery!

I was in SUCH a slump and then I picked up Gloria Chao's book. As a HUGE John Tucker Must Die fan, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club hits so many fun beats. Kathryn was a great narrator and I really enjoyed following her journey through the investigation. There were some moments I found to be a bit rushed, like the romance aspect, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Great cozy mystery!

This is outside of my typical comfort zone, but I loved the idea and I adore the author. This was a lot of fun in that very humorous like could never actually happen, but like maybe, way. This was such a good time and I can’t want to share the story with my book club upon it’s release.

The Ex-Girlfriends Murder Club by Gloria Chao is a delightful, fast-paced, and cleverly crafted tale that had me hooked from start to finish. The premise is absolutely hilarious yet surprisingly heartfelt. Three women—each unknowingly dating the same man—discover the betrayal and form an unlikely alliance to exact revenge. Their plan to wreck his condo is already pretty entertaining, but things take an unexpected turn when they find him dead in the closet. What follows is a whirlwind of secrets, humor, and self-discovery, as they try to unravel the mystery while navigating their own complicated emotions.
Chao’s writing is both witty and insightful, balancing laugh-out-loud moments with deeper reflections on relationships, self-worth, and the complexities of modern love. The dynamic between the three women is one of the book's greatest strengths, and the way they evolve from bitter exes to supportive allies is both funny and moving.
The plot twists are perfectly timed, and the ending is a delightful surprise that ties everything together in a satisfying and unexpected way. It’s a book that combines humor with heart, and by the time I finished, I felt like I’d been on an emotional rollercoaster—laughing, cringing, and rooting for these characters all the way through.

This hilarious murder mystery is absolutely perfect for fans of John Tucker Must Die and Dial A for Aunties. While this may seem like a strange combination of stories it fit so perfectly. I loved every moment of this book.

An absolutely extraordinary book! Embarking on this story reminded me why I love reading so much.
This book is filled with charming characters and has a unique story. 100% intriguing!!!
Thank you for allowing me to read it in advance.

ARC review • pub date 06.24.25

This book was hilarious and so much fun to read. An unlikely friendship trio is formed (Kat, Olivia, Elle) when they all figure out they’re involved with the same guy. They plot to get back at him, but discover something much more sinister when they break into his condo.

I would classify this as a cozy mystery and I knew just by the cover I would have a great time reading it. And I’m pretty sure I saw the author announce another book 👀 which I will be sure to read

Read if you love
-podcast transcripts
-revenge
-the movie The Other Woman
-metaphors

4⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, HTP books, Mira Books for my ARC

Ex Girlfriend Murder Club was as hilarious, unhinged, and nerve-racking to read as I imagine the unlikely trio of friends felt during the whole investigation!

This was such a fun book full of love, friendship, and chaotic sleuthing. There was never a dull moment and the ending I definitely didn’t see coming!

Easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2025! This story had me guessing, reeling, and shocked. I did not see the end coming until right before, and holy Hannah! I wish I could go back and re-read this book again. I enjoyed Kathryn, and seeing her growth throughout. The main thing I loved was the strength of women uniting for a common cause and sticking together through everything. We should all be so lucky to have friends like that. Highly, highly, highly recommend this book!

Publication Date June 24th, 2025

What would you do if you found your boyfriend was cheating in you with not 1 but 2 other women? What any normal person would do..... plot revenge to get even right?? But what happens when you find his dead body while exacting that revenge???

This book had plenty of laugh out loud moments with this unlikely trio that becomes "The Ex Girlfriend Murder Club". The characters are so wildly different from each other, but they bring out something in each other and strike up a friendship that they didn't know they needed! There was a twist at the end that I didn't guess, which is always a bonus, but there was a romantic thing that seemed too unnatural to me and I wasn't a fan of it. Despite that, it's a solid read. This would make for a great palette cleanse, especially if you need a laugh!

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC

After a horribly bad day, Kathryn Hu decides to surprise her boyfriend, Tucker Jones, but she's the one who gets the surprise when she overhears him proposing to someone else! After she and Olivia meet, they decide to go on the trip Kat had booked for herself and Tucker - to end up meeting yet another one of his girlfriends! Inspired by a podcast, the three decide to get revenge only to find him dead in the closet. While they seem guilty, they swear they aren't and form the ex-girlfriend murder club to figure out who really killed Tucker.

I absolutely loved this book! It's funny and entertaining while also unraveling a mystery with an unexpected twist. Instead of Kat, Liv, and Elle hating each other when they find out they are all dating the same man, they form a beautiful friendship and are stronger together. I loved Kat's quirkiness and they way they all embraced each other and became so close.

Solid 3 stars. Entertaining and definitely reminded me of The Other Woman. Laugh out loud moments tied in with the mystery. The character dialogue between the three women was a little one dimensional for me, but overall it was a good book!

This book was so much fun. I will say, initially, I found the main character to be slightly obnoxious, but as the story went on, I was hooked. The plot twist I DID NOT see coming an it was the cherry on top!

Gloria Chao delivers a fast-paced, hilarious mystery in The Ex-Girlfriends Murder Club, a book that is as engaging as it is laugh-out-loud funny. The writing is sharp and effortless, making it an easy and enjoyable read without feeling overly simplistic. The humor is a standout, with plenty of moments that genuinely made me laugh. The protagonist’s voice is distinct, full of wit and nerdy charm, which makes her incredibly likable and refreshing. Chao balances the mystery elements with humor and romance, creating a story that keeps the pages turning while never taking itself too seriously.

The plot feels like a mashup of John Tucker Must Die and The Other Woman, but with an Only Murders in the Building twist and a Podcast thrown in for good measure—full of campy hijinks and over-the-top antics. While this made the book undeniably fun, it also made it hard to see the characters as entirely their own, especially since some felt reminiscent of familiar movie roles (I couldn’t help but picture Cameron Diaz as the lawyer). That said, the story still stands out thanks to its fresh voice and self-aware humor. It’s the perfect lighthearted beach read, ideal for when you want something entertaining, funny, and easy to devour in one sitting.

This book is not something I would typically pick up but I'm so glad I did!! There was just enough mystery and humour to keep the story light hearted, some suspense mixed in and a good dose of sisterhood vibes- I thought this was really well done. My only critisism was that the relationship between one of the main characters and the detective was kind of out of place unrealistic- it was easy to look past since the rest of the book was really fun, and overall I loved this book!

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒙-𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 by @gloriacchao

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🗓️ 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟰𝘁𝗵

📄 320

𝙰 𝙷𝚞 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙸𝚝 𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥:
💩Ride or Die Friendship
🐸Fun & Cozy Mystery
✨Hilarious & Witty Detective Work
💩Laugh out Loud Funny

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a super fun and cozy mystery filled with witty detective work and laugh out loud friendship.

When Kathyrn Hu, Olivia, and Elle discover they are all dating Tucker John, they devise an elaborate plan to get revenge & The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is born.
When the 3 break into his condo armed with poop, frogs, and glitter prepared to teach the cheater a lesson they are shocked to find Tucker John DEAD!

With their DNA spread from floor to ceiling, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club including a chemist, lawyer, and writer must now set out to find a killer before they are named the prime suspects.

𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This book had me laughing out loud from the very beginning! The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a fun and witty mystery with unexpected twists and turns. The friendship that forms between the women is heartwarming and hilarious. This book was so fun, I read it in one sitting! If you are looking for a fun and cozy mystery, this is the book for you!

I loved this novel, by Gloria Chao! Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC! The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club follows three girls, with different backgrounds, as they try to solve a murder. The humor in this book reminded me of Only Murders In The Building writing style. Kathryn Hu is a quirky chemist, who enjoys looking up the origin of common phrases (added bonus: I did enjoy learning about them too!) and she figures out her boyfriend is cheating on her. Her Asian parents offer not-helpful (but entertaining) advice and eventually Kat finds herself teaming up with Olivia (the brains) and Elle (the guts) to investigate a murder, because all signs point to her as the guilty party.

I found this story delightful and funny, with a great twist at the end! LOVED it!

This was so much fun! I could totally envision this being developed into a fun series or movie. I will be recommending this title to friends who similarly appreciate fun, witty, suspenseful reads, as they will not be disappointed by Chao's latest!

This was such a fun time. Laugh out loud funny. The twist got me for sure. 3 unlikely friends on a quest for revenge find friendship and themselves instead

If fast paced, bumbling amateur detectives, trashy podcasts, revenge, murder, idioms, and “chicks before d*cks” is your thing, then this is the book for you!

Three women, made besties because of fate (and one crappy guy) band together in a poop, frogs, and glitter bomb filled revenge plot only to find his dead body in a closet. Hilarity ensues.

Perfect for a weekend girls trip read this book hits all the high points: women’s friendships are vital to our existence, find the life and job you love, trust is hard - but once earned means everything. This book is hilarious and sweet, all with easily digestible tension and suspense. Heck, I told a 13 year old boy the plot premise and he said with a big smile, “They should make it into a movie.” Say less, right?

p.s. if you love figurative language and idioms, this book is a linguafiles absolute dream. This book isn’t going to set the world on fire (religious origin), but I promise, you’ll have a ball (origin: American slang). Enjoy!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing , a division of Harper Collins for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.