Julie Chan Is Dead

A Novel

By: Liann Zhang

Narrated by: Yu-Li Alice Shen

INSTANT INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
One of NPR’s Books We Love for 2025

2026 Libby Book Awards Best Thriller

For fans of Bunny and Yellowface, this razor-sharp debut thriller blends biting satire with chilling suspense, as 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 barely scraping by, 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 body, she doesn’t call the police. Instead, she slips into her dead sister’s meticulously curated life: luxury fashion, high-end skincare, and a devoted online following who never noticed they weren’t quite the same.

At first, the transformation is seamless. Julie relishes the perks of influencer fame, but quickly learns that behind Chloe’s flawless feed lay secrets far darker than she imagined. Her sister’s final days were shadowed by paranoia, manipulation, and something far more sinister.

Now, trapped on a private island retreat with Chloe’s inner circle—an elite clique of influencers obsessed with status and secrecy—Julie is forced to keep up the act while being haunted by her sister’s untimely death. 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.

Darkly funny, fiercely paced, and full of sharp commentary on identity, fame, and the cost of visibility, Julie Chan Is Dead is a twisted thrill ride where fitting in could be fatal—and the people behind the posts are the real danger.

Critic reviews

"Narrator Yu-Li Alice Shen delivers a wild, bingeable listening experience in this fast-paced debut. Identical twins Julie and Chloe, who lost their parents at age 4, grew up worlds apart. Julie, who was raised by their miserable, greedy aunt, works a dead-end job, while Chloe, who was adopted by a wealthy family, lives a life of luxury and is a popular influencer. One day, Julie receives a strange call from Chloe and goes to her apartment—only to find her dead. Julie quickly assumes Chloe’s identity and lifestyle. Shen masterfully captures the dark humor in Zhang’s sharp critique of influencer culture. While the story’s latter half takes an unexpected turn into cult-like territory, Shen’s dynamic performance keeps listeners entertained."

Overall, super decent

However, the final 1/3 of the book got a little too … idk repetitive kind of? Like I get that the author is trying to impart the culty vibes but in the audiobook format it was just really annoying

Be prepared for what you wish for

This book felt as split as the twins at the center of it. First this was a novel about one twin taking over the life of her more successful influencer twin after she dies. I enjoyed the confusion and fear that Julie/Chloe feels trying to navigate that world. However in almost no time she masters it.

Then the second part of the book starts where the group of influencers goes on a secret vacation to a private island. What starts out as weirdness and fear of being caught in a lie, turns into an off the wall plot twist of cults, sacrifices, and murder.

The best part of the audio book is the narrator. Yu-Li Alice Shen, who I know, was great! She gave all the different characters voices and accents and really acted the story- not just read it.

However, the second half felt like such a bizarre and unnecessary twist. Yes, I assumed Chloe had been murdered so I was expecting a mystery delving into that with some social commentary on influencers and the internet. However that is not what this novel is so be prepared.

Addictive!

If you like psychological thrillers that make you go “wtf” but don’t give you nightmares this book is for you. This book is also for you if you find social media a bit culty. I really liked the performance of this audiobook - I feel like the narration style added a lot to the story. Loved it!

A fun read

Lots of good twists throughout the book , but it did feel a little too long to me

Chilling, immersive, and brutally honest, this one stayed with me

Julie Chan Is Dead completely pulled me in from the start. What begins as a dark and emotionally raw story about estranged twin sisters slowly unravels into something far more unsettling. The plot dives deep into identity, influencer culture, race, privilege, and how performative the world around us really is. Just when I thought I had a grip on what the story was about, it twisted again—in the best way.

The narrator absolutely nailed this audiobook. She gave every character a distinct voice, tone, and energy. It didn’t just feel like someone reading to me—it felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. I could see the characters, feel their shifts, and even anticipate their lies. It made the entire experience so immersive, I binged the last few chapters like I was glued to a screen.

Julie is one of those rare characters you go back and forth on. At times I felt for her deeply, especially knowing what she endured. But I also couldn’t ignore how much of her darkness was self-chosen. That tension is what made her story so powerful. And as a woman of color, I really appreciated how the book called out the way whiteness—especially white femininity—can silently shape success, desirability, and who gets to rise without even trying. That truth hit hard, and the author didn’t flinch away from it.

Five stars. I already recommended it to three people and I’m still unpacking it in my head.

I disliked when the book ended I audibly yelled out noooo!