Kirby Cornell just wants a break—from her crumbling apartment in sleepy Crowhurst, her dead-end job, her sleazy landlord, messy roommates, and most of all, the terrible thing they all did. But when a message pops up in her old group chat saying, “Everyone in the group chat dies,” from her ex-roommate Esme—who died twelve months ago—her life quickly spirals into chaos. This is the premise of L.M. Chilton’s Everyone in the Group Chat Dies, an ironic thriller that fuses TikTok-obsessed true crime investigation with a ’90s serial killer mystery. The book releases December 9, 2025.
This book leans into silliness, bordering on absurd, which will delight readers who enjoy quirky, offbeat thrillers. The fast-paced banter among characters evokes the vibe of The Gilmore Girls, though I personally found it more exhausting than charming. Horror fans will also recognize echoes of films like Scream, with moments of gruesomeness framed for comedy rather than tension.
Kirby herself is a total mess from start to finish. As a mom with a kid almost her age, I spent much of the book wanting to send her to her room to think about her life choices. Younger readers might find her relatable, but for me, she was frustratingly aimless. The “bad guy” reveal is shocking and unpredictable, though some of the repeated details meant to foreshadow it felt more like red herrings than genuine clues.
Ultimately, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies isn’t a perfect read—it’s a 3-star book for me—but it has a particular charm for fans of chaotic, humor-tinged thrillers. If you enjoy a mix of horror, comedy, and fast-talking dialogue, this might just be your next binge read.
Have you read Everyone in the Group Chat Dies? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
An advance reader copy of this book (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.
For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.
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