Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang @theliannz @alice_in_punderland @simon.audio @simonaudio.bsky.social #JulieChanIsDead

the setup…
Julie Chan hasn’t had a lot of breaks in her life, raised by an uncaring aunt and in a dead end job. Hers is a far cry from that of her identical twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, who was separated from her and adopted by a wealthy family when they were young and now a national influencer. They’d had no contact until recently when Chloe reached out to Julie and featured her in a video that went viral but then…nothing. That is until the popular influencer leaves Julie a cryptic message, prompting her to go to Chloe’s luxury apartment and then finding her twin dead. She makes a snap decision to take on Chloe’s identity, her life suddenly transformed as she navigates the world of a lucrative influencer with millions of followers and the exclusive network Chloe was a part of.

the heart of the story…
I guess twins do have an undefinable connection because these two couldn’t be more different but the ease in which Julie slipped into Chloe’s life was stunning (but believable). There were a lot of tricky moments but she was quick on her feet and surprisingly enterprising. I was riveted by the story through the first half and then it took a wild turn after she connects with that exclusive influencer group and accompanies them on a secret, bizarre annual retreat.

the narration…
Yu-Li Alice Shen skillfully gave life to not only Julie and Chloe but a host of other characters. I’m so glad I listened to the book because she was a great storyteller.

the bottom line…
The first half was incredibly entertaining as Julie quickly inhabited her dead sister’s world, one that was polar opposite of anything she experienced. The insights about how high profile influencers operate was fascinating, their lives incredibly superficial but one requiring a lot of work and attention. I was caught up into the tension. The second half went completely off the rails and there I somewhat disconnected. However, it’s still a compelling debut and a cautionary tale.

Book Info

• Release Date: April 29, 2025
• Narrator: Yu-Li Alice Shen
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 39 minutes
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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