Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is so much fun to read. Based on the title, I wasn't expecting it to be funny, but the humorous writing style kept me engaged. The story mainly follows Kirby, who lives in a small town and is not happy with her life. One day, she and her flatmates receive a group chat message from Esme. The only problem is, Esme is dead. The story is told in a dual timeline, and it’s quite fast paced. The mystery keeps the reader hooked, and the plot twists are really good as well. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. If you're in the mood for a humorous thriller, I definitely recommend picking up this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

The title of this book made me want to read it and I'm sure glad I did.
The book mainly follows Claire(Kirby) as she is dragged bag to the small town she was living a year ago. The book the splits between the happenings of 12 months ago and at present day.
The writing style was chatty and I loved how Claire spoke almost directly to the reader at times. What started out as quite an amusing book turned more tense as the story progressed. At times is had me flipping the pages so fast.
I loved the addition of the group text messages and I would definitely recommend this one, the pacing made me fly through it and I found the characters and the friendship group really fun.

A dual timeline story based around Kirby, a struggling journalist, and her flatmates, who are all pretty much losers!

When Esme arrives, having sublet a room, and then promptly disappears, Kirby becomes obsessed with finding her, believing solving the mystery could hold the key to reigniting her career. Esme is confirmed dead, but a year later, she sends a message to the flatmates' group chat.

Told in the timeline of when Esme first disappeared and the present day, when she messages the group chat, this is an intriguing story, a bit slow in parts, but with some good twists and I think this would really appeal to a YA audience.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, L. M. Chilton and Head of Zeus for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A year ago, Kirby was a junior reporter in Surrey – until Esme died. Now she’s working in Magaluf and she’s just received a WhatsApp – from Esme! Which is impossible because she saw Esme dead, there was an inquest and a funeral. The message is on a Groupchat, set up for a group of twenty something flatmates, which included Kirby (real name Clare), Max (moved out but still on the list), Dave, Dylan, Seema and Esme (new occupant of Max’s room). The first message said, “miss me?” , the next said, “Max Robertson has left the group” Curious, Kirby googles Max and discovers he has just died, having fallen in front of a tube train. She immediately leaves her job as a Holiday Rep, and heads back to Crowhurst, where the Gazette, her former employer, was situated; where their flat was situated; where Esme had died; where every year they held a bizarre Fayre featuring a man dressed as a murderous crow; where a spree killer had murdered five teenagers in 1996 before jumping to his death. The relevance of these last two items is that Esme had been a True Crimes blogger, who didn’t believe that the murderous crow/spree killer was really dead. Was she right? Is this why she died? Are the others at risk?
The story is told in the first person by Kirby. The language and style sound appropriate, although I’m not at all of the right demographic, so don’t actually know! It is told in two timelines, last year and this year, and the reader is never confused about where and when they are. The plot is not particularly novel, but it rolls along quite smartly. Kirby is a bit erratic (she self identifies as a “Hot Mess”) but entertaining; other characters are more stereotypical. The solution is not hard to spot, but the ending is possibly a surprise. I give it a 3.5 which rounds up to 4, a shade generous, but fair.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of this authors previous book Don't Swipe Right, but this sounded like it could be a fun read so I wanted to give it a chance and I went in with an open mind.
And I'm so happy to say that I really enjoyed this one!
Straight away, this book grabbed me and I was thoroughly invested in the story from start to finish.
I loved the characters, the friendship they had together and the banter, which at times had me laughing out loud.
I really enjoyed the mystery in the book which I found interesting and it held my attention throughout.
I liked the writing style and I absolutely flew through this book as it was such an easy read.
I found the whole thing to be so entertaining and funny.
I highly recommend you check this book out and I will definitely be reading from this author again!

I enjoyed this book and story took some unexpected and shocking turns. The twists were good too and I like the back and forth in time POV. However, my main issue was with the immaturity of the group. They were supposed to be in their thirties and acted more like teenagers. However, I looked past this and read it for what it was - a thoroughly entertaining read that was also quite funny.

3.0

12 months ago, Kirby Cornell lost her job and moved to the small town of Crowhurst to live with a bunch of messy housemates. She spent her days navigating her boring, dead-end job and avoiding her sleazy landlord. This all changed when super-sleuth Esme moved in temporarily with them to investigate an infamous series of murders which occurred in the town 30 years ago. Esme uses her social media platform to get to the truth about whether the killer died as was believed at the time. She believes he's still out there.

Fast forward a year and Esme is dead. Despite this, she starts messaging everyone via their group chat. As each flatmate leaves the group chat , they die a horrible death. Kirby is left to find out who is behind the killing before she becomes the next victim.

A fun contemporary murder mystery with it's modern take on amateur sleuthing, with a strong focus on the use of social media. It's a fast-paced, easy read. I enjoyed the twists in the storyline and while I guessed where some of the story was heading, it was still very enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a wickedly snarky and sensational thriller that riffs on the true crime industry and classic slasher narratives.

I highly enjoyed this darkly comedic murder mystery that moved into slasher-esque territory at times and had a gripping plot. Some of these scenes will make you hide behind a cushion. They are gruesome and yet strangely creative, like some of the best kill scenes in Scream. There is a level of camp ridiculousness to affairs that Chilton plays with so well. I really enjoyed the dark humour that is threaded throughout the narrative. It can add a welcome relief to the tension of these scenes, which is a pretty intense narrative, but sometimes it can also feel like the final twist of a knife.

Chilton plays with your expectations and the standard plot beats of a thriller and a mystery, as we try to work out whodunnit and why. The dual timeline adds to this as you begin to explore what exactly happened previously and why it is rearing its head once more. There is plenty for readers to sink their teeth into. It certainly made me want to read more of Chilton’s work. If the others are as well-constructed as this, I am certainly in for a good read.

Its exploration of the true crime industry was fascinating and layered as well. Esme is obsessed with her image and craving the fame that can come from cracking a cold case. She chooses this particular place to exploit the violence that took place there, disregarding the impact it had on the community and the ongoing ramifications. In contrast, Kirby is hyper-aware of just how much it can wreck your life. Her investigation is more cemented in the community she has tried to flee.

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a fast-paced, fantastic thriller that brings in some slasher elements.

This was, for me, a one sitting read. The characters are well written so I could almost imagine the scenes in my mind. The murderer was not even on my radar. It had present and past sections, but, in this book, not enough to annoy me. In fact they were crucial to the telling of the plot. I was rooting for Kirby (and Dylan) to survive and be together. A good book in my opinion

This was a fun, easy read. The story follows Kirby and ‘The Deadbeats’ - a long abandoned group chat comprised of her former flatmates. The plot was novel and intriguing with plenty of twists to keep us guessing. The story was nicely resolved at the end. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of the characters, but I also don’t feel like that detracted too much from my enjoyment of the book. A worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys contemporary mysteries.

Really wanted to love this book as the synopsis & cover drew me in. But I found it super slow to read and didn't find myself reaching to find out what happened next, although looking at other reviews lots disagree so it might be that I just didn't gel with it. I did love the writing between current and past events which made things easy to follow

‘Everyone In The Group Chat Dies’ by L.M. Chilton is a dual timeline mystery set in a small Surrey town famous only for one grizzly night decades ago where a misfit spree killer murdered five residents. The story begins with our main character, Kriby, receiving an ominous message in a group chat that fell dormant a year ago, and then jumps back to twelve months ago when the elusive Esme moved in with Kirby and her housemates Seema, Dave and Dylan. The worlds of print media, TikTok-esque social media and true crime collide into the re-opening of a cold case, a disturbing contemporary disappearance… and members of the group chat perishing one-by-one…

This was an intriguing tale, with an immediately gripping title and a number of twists (some more predictable than others). The jumping timeline allowed witty foreshadowing and cliffhanger chapter endings, and the writing style was gossipy and eminently readable. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much character development, which made me less invested in the conclusion, but it was a fun quick read.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Aria & Aries via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I read L.M. Chilton’s last book and I really enjoyed, I actually bought a copy to gift a friend.

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is brilliant, I thought it was a really clever, twisty, mystery with a good dose of humour throughout. It’s a really easy read with a storyline that got hooked from the beginning. I think if you like Katy Brent’s books and Happy Bloody Christmas, you’ll like this.

This book had me laughing out loud! Fans of Katy Brent will absolutely love this book!

I love a thriller and even more so when there is a wicked element of humour throughout. Fast paced from the very beginning and this did not let up until the very end! L M Chilton has a way of dropping clues and hints throughout the story, yet you still don't expect the ending. Just when you think you have worked out the plot, it takes a chilling twist.

I was engrossed in the mystery of the small town and felt a need to know what had happened. A true page turner. It is definitely a book I have been talking about and recommending!

I loved the dynamic of the characters and their development and the way everything tied together was seamless!

An author I will definitely be keeping an eye out for!

After reading this authors previous book I was eager for this and over the moon to be accepted.

Whilst I did enjoy it, it didn’t wow me, it was a little too predictable and I didn’t particularly gel with any of the characters.
I think it’s definitely more of a YA book.
I did quite like the ending though and would still recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Darkly Fun and Twisty Thriller

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton is a fast-paced, darkly humorous thriller that keeps you hooked from the first page. With a sharp, modern take on the classic whodunit, the story follows a group of friends who find themselves in a deadly game where secrets are exposed, and no one is safe. Chilton’s writing is witty and engaging, blending tension with just the right amount of dark comedy.

The twists are clever, and the story unfolds at a gripping pace, though some moments feel a little over-the-top. The characters are distinct and entertaining, though a few could have been developed more deeply to heighten the emotional stakes.

Overall, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is an addictive, cleverly written thriller that balances humor and suspense in a fresh, modern way. A must-read for fans of fast-paced mysteries with a bit of bite!

I quite enjoyed this book! I found the characters interesting and engaging and I enjoyed the writing style - it was engaging and easy to follow. The only reason this doesn’t have more stars is that it is also very predictable and seems to go through a tick list of any stereotypical thriller and this takes a lot of excitement away for me!

Overall though great characters and an easy read!

New to this author and will read more! This caught my attention from the beginning - title and book cover are great, Kirby's stream-of-consciousness narrative made me laugh out loud at times, and the plot kept me engaged throughout. At one point, I got very slight Hot Fuzz vibes from the small town mystery feel which I loved. I also very much enjoy a dual timeline! Definitely a good wee read and would recommend 👌

Thanks to Net Galley and Head of Zeus for sharing this digital ARC with me.

With a title like this and a bright, eye-catching cover, I was instantly intrigued. And I’m happy to report that the story inside is just as fun and gripping as it promises.

The book is told from the perspective of Kirby Cornell, a sarcastic, chaotic, failed journalist. The narrative flips between the present day and events from a year earlier, adding layers of mystery as we follow Kirby’s attempts to piece together what really happened.

When we meet Kirby, she’s working in a Club 18-30-style holiday camp in Magaluf – hardly the investigative journalism career she once dreamed of. But then, she gets a notification from an old WhatsApp group chat. The weird part? The sender, Esme, is dead.

Esme was a true crime influencer, known for her deep dives into cold cases. She disappeared when she was in the middle of covering the Crowhurst Killings – a decades-old mystery in a small English town. Kirby finds herself pulled back to the UK, determined to uncover the truth. Who is sending the messages to the group chat and is the Crowhurst Killer still out there?

This is a sharp, fast-paced popcorn thriller packed with dark humour, relatable friendships and plenty of twists. If you love true crime, unreliable narrators and a good mystery with a modern twist, this one’s worth adding to your TBR!

Thank you Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC.

I found the concept for this book really exciting, something original. I enjoyed the fast paced writing and the twists in the story however I feel this is better marketed towards a YA audience. I didn’t connect well with the characters but enjoyed the humour and twists in the story.