My Readers Guide to Julie Chan is Dead discusses that if, like me, you loved Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, then you should consider Julie Chan is Dead. With a few caveats!! Join me for Jen’s Quick Take plus some sneaky spoilers. Let’s discuss whether this book is for you!
Readers Guide to Julie Chan is Dead
This short readers guide will have my spoiler free quick take, and then some protected spoilers if you are still on the fence. Let’s go!
Jen’s Quick Take on Julie Chan is Dead
- Yes, Julie Chan is Dead has many of the same elements that made Yellowface such a satisfying read: an identity theft, a skewering of an industry (influencer marketing), a calling out of white privilege, a darkly comic tone.
- I love a good twin book (I grew up watching Parent Trap and 80s soaps). Check out my new list of Mysteries and Thrillers About Twins
- This also had a bit of a Stepford Wives feel
- If you’re a pop culture addict, you’ll recognize many funny spoofs of real influencer behavior
- Readers Advisory: there’s a pretty horrifying animal cruelty scene that is reader cruelty to read. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one.
- Publication date: April 29, 2025. Thanks to Atria for the advance review copy!
Spoilers for Julie Chan is Dead
SPOILERS BELOW! To protect readers who HATE being spoiled you will need to click on the blue “Show Me” box below and log in with a Grow account, Facebook, or Google. By doing so, you will be added to my email list and receive weekly updates about new books! For more information on why I protect my spoilers, please read this post! If you are having any issues check this tutorial OR leave a comment below as I want to help!
I’ll keep this quick:
Julie Chan and her sister, Chloe van Huusen, are twins who were adopted out separately after their parents’ tragic death.
While a cranky aunt took in Julie, a rich white couple from NYC adopted Chloe.
Now Julie is working as a checkout girl, Tracy Chapman style, and Chloe is a popular influencer. (Hmmmm this is now also reminding me a little of Trading Places.)
Chloe hires a PI to track down Julie and makes callous “Long Lost Twin” YouTube videos about their reconciliation, angering an already bitter Julie.
So when Julie finds Chloe dead in her apartment, she decides to take over Chloe’s life. Yes, she’s like the “before” in a women’s magazine “before and after,” but people seem to be buying her switcheroo.
But she has to fool the Belladonnas.
The Belladonnas are a clique run by Bella Marie, an intimidating blonde influencer. Can she fool them?
Then her aunt figures out her scam and tries to blackmail her.
Julie makes the strange discovery that both Chloe’s adoptive parents live in a nursing home after being severely injured by a hit-and-run driver. Weird.
Then there’s an internet rumor that “Chloe” is actually Julie. She has to film a fake breakdown and get a Better Help sponcon deal.
The final test is at the Belladonnas’ top-secret retreat (like Kim K’s private island birthday party or Taylor Swift’s girl squad parties in Rhode Island.)
The retreat is … weird. There’s Viktor, a communal male sex worker for the women.
Then an initiation ritual where all the Belladonnas have to eat live mice. I’d skip chapter 50!!!
Julie then has to make an offer to the devil.
She’s got to get out! Julie drugs most of the Belladonnas with gummies, grabs her only friend Isabella and gets going trying to burn up all the women in a fire.
But Bella Marie is awake, and confesses to killing Chloe, who was helping a journalist with an expose on the Belladonnas.
Julie kills Bella and lights the fire, but Isabella blabs to the police, who charge Julie not just with the Belladonna murders, but Chloe’s too.
Fortunately Julie gets a great lawyer, Viktor testifies on her behalf, and an exonerated Julie becomes a heroine. Who writes a book. (This book, I guess…)
Crazy, right? Leave your thoughts in the comments!