Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang (Review by Maggie Majstrova)

Rating: 4.0/5 Stars

Julie has nothing. Chloe has everything – except a pulse.

Julie and Chloe are twins – they look identical, but their lives could not be more different. While Chloe was adopted by a rich family, Julie remained with an oppressive aunt.

Chloe has it all – she is a renowned social media influences with millions of followers, sponsored deals, invites to exclusive events. Julie, on the other hand, is a cashier living in a dilapidated house Chloe had bought for her as part of a ‘reunion with my twin video’.

But everything changes, when Julie finds Chloe dead. She meant to dial 911. But she didn’t. She didn’t mean to steal Chloe’s identity, yet here she is, posing as her identical twin online and IRL.

It’s all going to be fine. Julie will spend her days filming unboxing videos and filtering every photo. How hard can it be?

However, she soon uncovers that Chloe’s life was far from perfect. What’s more: someone out there knows that even identical twins have their differences.

Liann Zhang gained a degree in criminology and psychology after a shirt stint as a skincare content creator and both these parts of her experience are evident in her debut novel.  She offers an interesting narrative on social media and influencer culture, blended with a suspenseful thriller.

Through it’s fast pace, suspenseful yet witty tone, the book both challenges the idea of authenticity in the modern, digital age and takes the reader on a thought-provoking ride of a thriller.

I would suspect that some readers may find the transition from one to the other a little jarring, bur I personally was firmly along for the ride. Julie Chan is Dead is a unique novel, which offers a bit more bang for your buck than the usual whodunnit. I can see it topping many a list in 2025.