I Was Hooked Until the Ending: Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L. M. Chiton

Read time: 3 minutes

Edition:
📱📖 Read as an ebook
📃 368 pages
⏱ Duration: ~4 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press
Part of my ARC challenge, thanks to NetGalley

Book Blurb:

L.M. Chilton’s Everyone in the Group Chat Dies is a witty, twisty mystery about Kirby Cornell, a burned-out twenty-something who thought she left her past, and her secrets, behind in Crowhurst. When a text pings from their old group chat warning that “Everyone in the group chat dies,” Kirby’s world unravels. The sender? Esme, who’s supposed to be dead. As Kirby digs into the strange reappearance and the creepy echoes of a decades-old serial killer, the truth that unspools is darker and more personal than she ever expected. A blend of humor, suspense, and nostalgia, this thriller turns social media chaos into murder fuel.

Let’s talk about the book:

I was hooked from page one. I tore through this book like it was a tray of killer cupcakes: fast, addictive, a little weird, and way too fun. The dual timeline format (past and present) created this eerie, intertwined rhythm that made each reveal hit perfectly. Every cryptic present-day text yanked me into a flashback that made the stakes feel real. Kirby’s voice? Relatable chaos. Esme’s unhinged energy? Chef’s kiss. The friend-group banter had me cackling while clutching my Kindle, and the Crowhurst Killer lore dripped ’90s slasher nostalgia without feeling gimmicky.

Character development is top-notch. I felt with Kirby, understood her frustrations, and loved the quirks of every supporting character. The dual-timeline structure gave the narrative a captivating rhythm that made it hard to put down. The pacing was chef’s kiss, building tension scene by scene. Chilton has that rare knack for balancing dark humor and genuine dread, and the emotional depth snuck up when least expected. By 80% of the book, I was ready to award it five stars.

But then… the ending. The reveal of the Crowhurst killer and the motive behind the murders felt utterly ridiculous, almost as if the story cheated me after building such meticulous suspense. After 80% of such thrilling, smart plotting, the final 20% completely undercut the momentum. The climax lacked the brilliance of the rest of the book, and the resolution didn’t match the tension that had me hooked. It was frustrating, disappointing, and, honestly, felt like a wasted opportunity.

Would I recommend it?

This book had me fully hooked until the last few chapters veered into “wait, what?” territory. The setup was flawless, the execution near-perfect, but the finale felt like it tripped at the finish line. That said, it’s clever, character-rich, and worth reading for the first 80% alone.

Meanwhile…

Try these books too

• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley – Isolated setting, complex characters, and a killer among them keeps tension high.
• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
  An intense psychological thriller about sisters unraveling family secrets and dark past crimes with sharp pacing and complex character interplay.
• The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine – Dark, cunning characters with intricate plotting and shocking reveals.
• The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
  A locked-room style mystery with chilling twists and layered characters. The dual timeline narrative slowly unravels a summer camp secret with great suspense.
• Swiped by L. M. Chiton – If you liked the darkly funny, twisty style of this ARC, Chiton’s debut delivers similar humor and suspense.

Whose Motive Made You Facepalm?

Drop your wildest “the killer did WHAT?” letdown in the comments. Let’s roast (or redeem) that final twist together!

Book Links:

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Bookshop.org
Goodreads
Follow L. M. Chilton on his author page
Check out more books from Gallery / Scout Press