Everyone in the Group Chat Dies: A Novel by L.M. ChiltonPublication Date: December 9, 2025
Pages: 368
Add on: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★
Source: From the Publisher
Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth
Publisher: Gallery / Scout Press / Simon & Schuster
From the breakout author of Swiped comes a compulsively readable, surprisingly funny, and genuinely thrilling pageturner about a TikTok true crime investigator, a ’90s serial killer that may not be as dead as everyone would like, a text thread from hell, and long buried secrets that just won’t stay in the grave where they belong.
Kirby Cornell needs a break from everything:
- Her crumbling apartment in the sleepy town of Crowhurst (famous for its bucolic countryside and a second-rate serial killer from the ’90s).
- Her dead-end job.
- Her sleazy landlord
- Her messy roommates.
- And, most of all, the terrible thing they all did.Luckily, that hasn’t caught up with her just yet. Until a new message on their old group chat pops up: Everyone in the group chat dies.
It’s the first text her ex-roommate Esme has sent for ages, but that’s not the really weird thing.
The really weird thing is, Esme died twelve months ago…
Don’t miss the new laugh-out-loud thriller from L.M. Chilton, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies—a murder mystery that fuses the comedy of Friends with the serial killer thrills of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
REVIEW
L.M. Chilton’s Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a razor-sharp, wickedly funny thriller that taps into our true-crime obsession and the chaos of digital life. At its heart is Kirby Cornell, stuck in a dead-end job in Crowhurst and still loosely tethered to old friends by a long-forgotten group chat. Everything changes with a single ominous text from Esme, a former housemate turned social-media sleuth: “Everyone in the group chat will die.” Suddenly, the group is back together, sort of, scrambling to figure out who’s behind the threat before it comes true.
Chilton’s cast is vivid and messy in the best way, especially Kirby, whose dry humour and vulnerability keep things grounded. Esme brings a wild, unpredictable energy, making every scene she’s in pop. Their interactions, full of old grudges and new secrets, keep the tension high and the jokes flying. The book skewers nostalgia, exposes the weirdness of online friendships, and pokes fun at the way we chase internet fame, all while navigating a genuinely suspenseful whodunit.
The writing is quick and clever, loaded with zingers and authentic dialogue that will resonate with anyone who has ever lived online. Short chapters and fast pacing make it impossible to put down, and the humour only makes the danger feel more real. If you like your thrillers with a side of satire and a lot of snark, this is for you.
There are moments where the irreverence might feel a bit much, or the characters tiptoe toward caricature, but that’s part of the book’s charm. You’ll probably be too busy guessing twists and laughing at the banter to care.
Everyone in the Group Chat Dies stands out for its originality, biting humour, and compulsively readable style. It’s perfect for fans of true-crime podcasts, internet culture, and anyone who’s ever wondered if their old group chat might come back to haunt them. Chilton nails the sweet spot between suspense and satire, making this the murder mystery for our always-online age.
