Review: Julie Chan Is Dead

Julie Chan Is Dead

Author: Liann Zhang

Simon and Schuster, 2026

ISBN: 9781668079867 (paperback)

$24.99 CAD (paperback)

320 pages

Ages: 15 years and up

Julie Chan got the short end of the stick. Separated from her twin after the death of their parents, she was raised by her abusive aunt while Chloe grew up to become a famous lifestyle influencer supported by wealthy, adoptive parents. When Julie finds her sister’s body, she grabs the opportunity of a lifetime: She steals Chloe’s life and finds herself tangled in a web of lies, cult-ish activities, and skincare PR packages.

 Julie Chan Is Dead is a dark comedy genre thriller grounded in the zeitgeist of post-pandemic social media. Though the premise is compelling, the pacing prevents the author from fully delivering on the promise of darker themes teased in the synopsis. With lots of exposition, the plot truly takes off in the final third of the book, where Julie’s life slowly unravels, putting her newfound fame, friendships, and identity to the test. Zhang crafts a messy, bitter character readers will still root for. The prose is light with but interspersed with a few sharp internal monologues that push character development forward.

This novel would make a good collection addition for those looking for stories with contemporary commentary and suspense.