Book Review: ‘Julie Chan Is Dead: A Novel’ By Liann Zhang

by | Apr 3, 2025 | Books | 0 comments


The book is in stores on Tuesday, April 29th from Atria. Click on the link to buy a copy. https://amzn.to/4iPh5Jh

Julie Chan has a twin sister, Chloe, who is a social media influencer and star. They lost their parents when they were four, Chloe was adopted by a rich family and Julie went with her horrible aunt. Today Julie works at a supermarket and sometimes follows along with her sister, who she has not seen in a long time, until she shows up to film a reunion for her social sites and then vanishes again. One night Julie gets a call from Chloe, who hears her say ‘I’m sorry’ before she cuts off and Julie cannot get a hold of her, so she goes to her apartment in NY and finds her dead. When the police arrive everyone assumes it is Julie who is dead and Julie decides to be Chloe from now on. No one knows the difference until a getaway with a group of influencers changes everything. This is an excellent debut novel that looks at the highs and lows of social media. It has some funny moments and some intense moments, as this thriller hits all the right notes. Zhang is a writer to look out for as her career moves on.