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Summary and Reviews of Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang

Julie Chan Is Dead

A Novel

by Liann Zhang
  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • First Published:
  • Apr 29, 2025, 320 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin's influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #Emotional). When Julie discovers Chloe's lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she's always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe's luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe's seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe's untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe's exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister's demise and realizes she might be the next target.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

Glamour
Author Liann Zhang clearly has her pulse on the absurdity of modern social media and is able to make her points while delivering a story that is truly one of a kind. You won't be able to stop talking about that ending.

Publishers Weekly (starred review)
[A] witty and insightful thriller about the pitfalls of influencer culture...Zhang offsets the novel's fast and entertaining first two acts with a gonzo final third, displaying impressive audacity for a newbie. It's a marvel.

Booklist
All is not as it seems in Zhang's twisty debut thriller. This fun, fast-paced read reveals the lengths people will go to in order to stay on top.

Author Blurb Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty and Immaculate Conception
I devoured this sharp and wickedly funny novel about the intoxicating and corruptive promise of love and connection telegraphed by influencers. With prose that crackles off the page, Liann Zhang skewers our brave new world where everything and anything is leveraged for likes.

Author Blurb Sophie Wan, author of Women of Good Fortune
As mesmerizing as it is grotesque, Julie Chan is Dead exposes the rotten insides of the influencer industry with sharp insight and dark humor. It perfectly captures the absurdity of our permanently online modern age.

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