The Mortal Enemy Murder Club

Hu Done It #2

by Gloria Chao

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back with a twist in this smart, hilarious mystery by USA TODAY bestselling author Gloria Chao.

Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders. Yes, she and her friends Olivia and Elle figured out who killed their cheating ex-boyfriend. But now Kat can get back to her usual, murder-free existence.

Then she gets an unexpected plea for help. Mandy Thorne has ruined countless lives through her revenge podcast. She also did her best to frame the girls. Now, she claims, someone is trying to kill her. And the girls are the only ones who can save her.

But can the trio and Mandy put aside their mutual contempt long enough to prevent a murder and solve this case? Can they become…the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Humor

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

Gloria Chao is a USA Today bestselling author and a screenwriter. Her novels include The Mortal Enemy Murder Club, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, Ex Marks the Spot, When You Wish Upon a Lantern, Rent a Boyfriend, Our Wayward Fate, and American Panda. She graduated from MIT and became a dentist before realizing she'd rather spend her days in fictional characters’ heads instead of real people’s mouths. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the curling ice, where she and her husband are world-ranked in mixed doubles.

Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.

Reviews

[Gloria Chao]

Dear Reader,

THE MORTAL ENEMY MURDER CLUB has all of my favorite things from the first book but even MORE:
–twists and turns
–suspects
–romance
–Kat's MOM
–Mandy Thorne
–and of course, many more shenanigans, including one of my favorite scenes I've ever written

I hope you enjoy this follow-up to THE EX-GIRLFRIEND MURDER CLUB. I am so grateful to all you readers for the love and support you’ve given this series. Thank you. To each and every one of you. For going on these adventures with this trio; for reviewing, posting, telling a friend. I am just so grateful. When I changed careers over a decade ago, I didn’t dare dream this big. Thank you for making it so I can do my dream job. Writing books filled with humor, shenanigans, and ride-or-die friendships brings me so much joy, and I hope in turn I was able to bring you some joy as well.

This book is for anyone who wishes to be part of the Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. You are.

Happy reading!
Gloria

[Hannah]

3.5. Easy read. Nice follow up. Fun. Love the mom!

[Erin]

If Kathryn Hu, promising forensic analyst, solver of her ex-boyfriend's murder and girlfriend of a very handsome detective, has anything to say about it, she's finished sleuthing. But when the podcaster who almost ruined Kathryn's life faces her own threat, Kathryn cannot help but admit she's mildly interested. This begins the hijinks all over again.

This series is great, but you don't need to read book 1 to enjoy this one. It works fine as a standalone mystery. There's humour and heart to be found, and as long as future readers don't take themselves too seriously, it's an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date 28/07/26
Goodreads Review 29/07/26

[Sarah's Reading Nook]

This is the second book in the series. If you enjoy the Finlay Donovon series, you'll enjoy this as it is similar.

Having said that, while I thought the story was fun and engaging, I didn't like how crass some parts were. That's why I'm rating it down. I'll still likely read the next in the series, but I'm hoping it'll be a little less crass. (Maybe I'm in the minority here with the crass-ness, but I felt like it was indicative of the way a younger audience lives on Instagram, etc.)

[Ashley Fisher]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mortal Enemies Murder Club was a fun palate cleanser between heavier reads. It balanced humor with a surprisingly serious mystery, making it an easy, entertaining read that kept me invested from start to finish.
I accidentally jumped into book two without realizing it, but it honestly read well as a standalone. The author sprinkled in enough backstory that I never felt lost or like I was missing key plot points from the first book.
Overall, it was a light, engaging mystery with enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. A solid 3-star read if you’re looking for something fun.

Thanks you NetGalley for this opportunity.

[Cozy Champagne]

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is the second book in the Hu Done It Mystery Series by Gloria Chao.

In this installment, Kathryn Hu and her bestie, Olivia, take on a new mystery when Mandy, the hated host of a revenge podcast, begs them for help.

I loved the Mortal Enemy Murder Club. This book is funny! The hijinks had me laughing out loud while I tried to solve the mystery.

The female friendships are a highlight of the series and give the book a cozy feel that warms the heart.

The mystery is cleverly plotted and kept me entertained right up to the end.

I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. The narration by Carolyn Kang is amazing. She does a really wonderful job of voicing the characters and performing the story.

I am looking forward to more books in the series and the movie adaptation.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Park Row for the ARC.

[⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ Jinx Reads ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆]

{4.0 Stars}
ARC

Holy shit did I not think the author would be able to cook another masterpiece as the first one. This is, to me, the perfect amount of comedy in a murder mystery. The characters are witty or so stupid in the most funny way, the plot is actually going around and making sure that the reader ask themselves who did it? Who is the murderer?

I absolutely loved the mother, she is everything to me and the epilogue? Genius, I want advice from mama Hu anytime even though there is a 95% chance she either does not understand my question and answers wrong or just answers wrong because she feels like it!

I think that making the podcaster join the crew was amazing honestly, I had not understood until I was at the end of the first book that she would be still present in the second book! It was embarrassing to realize it so late, but I adored this fact!

I loved that regardless of what the characters did or who the characters are, they are still here while still bringing in new characters and making them fully fleshed out, this is extremely well done!

The only issue I had with this book was mostly that the murderer was not present enough for me and so I was a little confused as to who he was by the end. I would have loved more scenes with him to actually get to know him more and properly get shocked by the end without asking myself who he was at the party again.

[Bethany]

3.5⭐️ I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was really excited about this one. I enjoyed the overall humor and the mystery plot and enjoyed this book, but I can’t say I loved it as much as I expected. Maybe it’s me, but I felt that The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club just was all around a perfect start to a series but book 2 lacked some of the humor and I didn’t get that feeling of watching a movie like I did with the first book.

I laughed so hard at a lot of the situations in both books. But I must say that even though Olivia was a part of this one, her absence left a hole in the humor. Mandy Thorne stayed true to her wacky, obnoxious but funny self. But the real star of both books is Mama Hu! The hilarious gifts and conversations were just as good as when we first met her.

I do like this series and hope it continues with Elle re-entering as more of a main part of the crew. I also need more Dear Mama Hu podcast in my life! 😅

This can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club before this one so the backstory and references make more sense and to get to know the characters better

[MrsHarvieReads]

Thank you to Park Row Books and HTP Books for an advanced listener copy of The Mortal Enemy Murder Club by Gloria Chao in exchange for my honest review. All opinions of my own.

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is the second book in the Hu Done It series. I enjoyed the wild shenanigans in the first novel, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, and this novel picks up right where that ended. The author provides flashbacks and some context, but it will help to read the books in order. This book follows Kathryn Hu as she teams up with her enemy, podcast host Mandy, to solve a new murder mystery that Mandy claims she’s being framed for.

This novel provides an overall enjoyable, low stakes reading experience. While it didn't quite live up to the first novel, the humor and unlikely female friendships still made it a fun read. I’m a sucker for all of the idioms, word origins, and Mama Hu’s helicopter parenting. The characters were a bit chaotic and over the top but the cozy mystery kept my attention for the most part. It’s lighthearted and readable, and I rooted for Kathryn as she learns to open herself up to a new romance.

The audio version is narrated by Carolyn Kang. Ms Kang is so easy to listen to, with an energetic and pleasant voice. This second novel has a large cast of characters and suspects that I had some difficulty keeping track of, so this may be a better fit for a tandem or strictly eyeball read. Overall a light hearted, cozy mystery for readers in the mood for a pleasant palate cleanser 2.75/5⭐️

[Joseandbooks]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club follows a group of amateur sleuths who find themselves wrapped up in another murder investigation, uncovering secrets and trying to figure out who can really be trusted.

I had a good time with this one! There were definitely a couple of characters that got on my nerves, but the mystery itself kept me invested and wanting to know how everything would come together. Even though this is book two, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. There are plenty of little Easter eggs from the first book, but I actually felt like they added more depth to the story rather than making me feel like I was missing anything.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. I can’t blame them for me not liking certain characters—that was exactly how they were written! Overall, this was an entertaining mystery with a solid plot, and I’m glad I had the chance to experience it in audio format.

[Sandy]

The next installment in the Ex-Girlfriends Murder Club series picks up with Kathryn Hu attempting to move on from the events of the first book, only to be pulled back into the orbit of her nemesis, Mandy Thorne. When someone begins targeting Mandy in retaliation for her controversial podcast, Kathryn must join forces with Olivia and Elle to help the detectives solve the case before it's too late. While this was another enjoyable cozy mystery and I appreciated seeing the growth and healing of the core team, I felt the central murder mystery plot was only mediocre.

Audiobook provided by MacMillan Audio. All opinions are my own.

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja]

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back with a second installment of the A Hu Done It Mystery.
I was excited to receive an ARC because I had thoroughly enjoyed The Ex Girlfriend Murder Club.

We have the same cast of main characters: Kathryn Hu, Olivia and Elle. A popular podcaster, Mandy Thorne, has asked Kat for her help. Mandy claims that someone is trying to kill her. Mandy has a long list of enemies after ruining many lives with her podcast. Not to mention, Mandy tried to frame Kat, Olivia and Elle for their boyfriend's murder.

I had one major issue with this book that I just couldn't get past. Kat's new boyfriend and his partner, whom are both police detectives, allow Kat and Olivia to participate in the search warrant of Mandy's home.

I did love that Kat's mom is still sending her bizarre gifts and that her mom became interested in the investigation.

The narrator added an extra layer to this book. Yes, this didn't quite live up to the first in the series but it is still entertaining. I will be anxiously looking for future installments in the Hu Done It Mystery series.

I received an ARC and an Advanced Audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Hannah Weiland]

Kathryn Hu is caught in another murder investigation... again! This time, she is actually employed by the investigators as a forensic scientist and her boyfriend is one of the investigators on the case. Kat and Olivia come together to help protect Mandy Thorne, a popular podcast host and their mortal enemy, from the person sending her threatening letters. In the process of investigating the threats, two people turn up dead connected to Mandy. What is happening -- "Hu" is doing this?

This was a fun, comedic mystery to listen to! This is the second book in the series and while it is not necessary to read the first book, the plot makes a lot more sense with having all the context. I was a little confused with how they incorporated Elle into the storyline from the first book. She was still somewhat involved in the investigation, but also still in prison. Overall, entertaining read!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

[Danielle Holmes]

3⭐️ 🎧book

This is a sequel to The Ex-Girlfriend’s Murder Club - both are kind of silly, fun cozy mysteries.

[amanda | thereadinghomebody]

Another witty, hilarious, 5 star Gloria Chao novel! I was so happy to be back with these amateur sleuthing ladies! They are such a good time!

Once again, we are solving a murder alongside Kat and Olivia. And once again, the author adds elements of laugh out loud situations as well as nurturing a sisterhood that I have grown to love with these characters! I did miss Elle but loved the way she was still incorporated throughout the book. It was also fun having more Mandy Thorne’s shenanigans in this one! I can’t forget to mention Mama Hu either. I love an overprotective Asian ma, and she never fails to disappoint!

The audiobook presentation of this one was a 10/10. Carolyn Kang does such an amazing job voicing these characters and is a true narration talent!

If you are looking for a nonstop entertaining murder mystery with so many likeable characters, this one is for you! It’ll leave you brushing away tears from laughter and eager to help solve another mystery.

Content considerations: obviously, murder, but not a ton of gore/description. There are mild sexual conversations but I would consider this a clean book. It does contain small amounts of mild language.

Thank you NetGalley, Park Row Books/ Harper Collins and Gloria Chao for this ALC!

[JennieFromTheBook]

Jinkys! 🔎💥 The girls are back!!!
If you enjoyed The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, you are going to absolutely LOVE this sequel. It is the ultimate fun, cozy mystery palate cleanser, and I adored every single second of it.
✨
•Mama Hu is an Absolute Gem: Seriously, she is the star of every scene shes in. I love her so much!
• This book literally had me laughing out loud. The banter is chefs kiss. I love when books have the ability to make me genuinely laugh 💖
•The friendship, the camaraderie, and amateur investigating are everything you want in a cozy mystery.
•The plot kept me guessing, and I loved watching every moment of the story unfold!
🎧 I was lucky enough to listen to the advanced audio ARC, and let me tell you.. the narration is fantastic! The narrator completely brought the characters to life.
This is a super fun, fast-paced ride that releases on 7/28. Add it to your TBR immediately!!! I highly, highly recommend it! ☕️🕵️‍♀️

Huge thank you to @harlequinaudio and @netgalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review

[Alexis Raja]

3.5

This was chaotic, and a lot of fun, even though it was sometimes doing way too much at once. Kat and Olivia investigating alongside someone they can barely tolerate created such an entertaining group dynamic. I loved their undercover moments and completely questionable decisions. (I should have read the first book prior)

There were so many possible suspects and connections to keep track of that I stayed curious, although the middle started to feel repetitive before everything finally came together. This was quick and entertaining.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing!

[Rayo Reads]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinion.

Your enemy comes to you for help. She says someone wants to kill her, sending her threats online and such. You look at the situation and remember when you and your girls were in a similar position — your cheating boyfriend dies and someone tries to pin it on one of you, and you decide to help.

I really love a cozy murder mystery, and I love the close-knit friendship between Kat, Olivia, and Elle (who is in prison, by the way 😅). I also love the introduction of a budding romance, and oh my gosh, Kat's parents, most especially her mother 😂. The murder mystery kept me engaged. It wasn't as intense, but enough to keep you flipping the pages.

I didn't like the fact that phrases that Kat used had to be explained 🌚, and there were too many characters for me to follow.

If you love cozy murder mystery plus girls' friendship, you might enjoy this one.

[Shannon]

I wasn't expecting a sequel to the Ex-girlfriend's murder club but I quite enjoyed this new cozy mystery that featured a CSI in training trying to help absolve her podcaster nemesis with the help of her new friends, boyfriend and mother. It was twisty, kept me guessing and good on audio. Recommended for fans of books like Dial A for aunties. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Cindy Huskey]

Last year I read The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club as an ARC, so when the publisher invited me back for round two, my answer was basically, “Absolutely. Sign me up for more questionable life choices and murder.”



Once again, the chaos did not disappoint.

The premise alone is delightfully unhinged: the women who solved the murder of their terrible ex-boyfriend are now expected to protect the woman who made their lives miserable. Sure. What could possibly go wrong?

This series doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly its superpower. Between the ridiculous situations, funny shenanigans, and increasingly unhinged hijinks, I had a great time following Kat, Olivia, and sometimes Elle as they’re dragged into solving yet another murder. Apparently once you solve one homicide, people just assume you’ve opened a detective agency.

The Hu/who puns were… a lot at first. I may have rolled my eyes once or twelve times. But as a former English teacher who’s an absolute sucker for etymology, But as a former English teacher and lifelong etymology nerd, I was completely won over by the little asides explaining the origins of common idioms. Nothing says "good time" quite like learning where a phrase came from while someone is trying not to get murdered.

The real MVP, though, is Kat’s mom. She completely stole every scene she wandered into. She gave me serious Vera Wong energy—that wonderfully nosy, lovable, impossible-to-ignore parent who barges into everyone’s business and somehow ends up making everything more entertaining.

This is exactly the kind of mystery I love picking up after finishing something emotionally devastating. It’s light, funny, clever, and never asks you to carry the weight of the world. Sometimes you just need suspicious people making questionable decisions while you happily tag along.

And that ending…

Let’s just say it leaves the door cracked open enough that I’m desperately hoping there’s a book three. I refuse to get emotionally attached to that possibility, but I’ll also be over here waiting…just in case.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for this review copy.

[Jacklyn B]

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back!! Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders…except, well, Mandy Thorne needs her help. Yes the same Mandy who tried to frame Kathryn, Olivia and Elle… 👀

This book was an absolute joy to read. It was so funny and witty and I loved the mystery too. It is cozy and has some good twists and found family vibes. I love the idea of women, who were dating the same cheating ex-boyfriend, have come together to investigate!

There were so many moments I found myself laughing out loud. The secondary characters were so good and as far as I am concerned Mama Hu is national treasure.

Two words: Glen Powell 👀😂🪟

If you love cozy mysteries, amazing characters and all the chaos, I think you will love this book!!

✨ What To Expect:
🔪 Cozy Murder Mystery
👀 Alllllllll the Shenanigans
🎙️ A Revenge Podcast
😂 Over-the-Top Humor
🔍 Amateur Sleuths
🌪️ Twists & Turns
⁉️ Whodunnit
⚔️ Enemies Working Together
💋 Unlikely Female Friendships

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Warning: this book begins with a a MAJOR spoiler for the prior book, The Ex-Girlfriendm Murder Club, so if you intend to read both, read them in order.

What I loved about the book: Such a fun premise! Mandy (the club's mortal enemy from book one) needs their help. I also love Kat's mom and the strong female friendships in the story. Great cliffhanger ending with just enough resolution to satisfy but enough intrigue to keep me interested.

What I struggled with: there was minimal recap of book one and I was never sure if a character was new or recurring. Also, because a main premise of the book is a big get-together of all the people Mandy wronged in her podcast (which was funny) there were a LOT of characters to keep straight and after while I just kind of gave up.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Kandace]

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.

After Kathryn Hu solved the case of who killed her cheating ex, with her friends Olivia and Elle who *also* happened to be dating her ex, she can go back to her normal life... Until Mandy Thorne who has ruined lives with her revenge podcast needs help. She tried framing the friends, but now she's saying someone is trying to kill her and they're the only ones who can help. Can they put aside the past and help Mandy and become the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?

4/5 stars. This was so fun!! This was a cozy listen and a fun little murder mystery. There were twists and turns all the way until the end! But I did figure out the killer before it was revealed... well, what the name of the killer was but not WHO it was. This was full of fun, friendship, family, and revenge. I would love to see what club these girls become next.

[Carol lowkey.bookish]

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is the second book in Gloria Chao’s Hu Done It Mystery series. I actually started this one first, but there was so much backstory from the first book that felt pretty spoilery that I stopped and went back to listen to The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. I was interested enough to want the full story and I’m glad I did.

I enjoyed the mystery, but my favorite part was the female friendships and the Hu family. Mama Hu is absolutely hilarious, and I loved that Mom and Dad get pulled into the murder club and become its newest members. Their involvement in the ending was so much fun.

Narration: Carolyn Kang did an excellent job voicing all of the characters in the book.
Overall, an entertaining audiobook with a fun mystery and a great cast of characters.

I received a free advance review copy of this audiobook; all opinions are my own.

[Amanda Alviz]

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club was a fun, fast-paced mystery with plenty of humor and chaos along the way. After Kathryn, Olivia, and Elle already managed to solve the murder of their cheating ex-boyfriend, the last thing they expect is to get pulled into another murder investigation—especially when the person asking for their help is Mandy Thorne, someone they absolutely cannot stand.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between the characters, especially the tension that comes from the girls having to work with someone who has actively tried to make their lives miserable. The banter and ridiculous situations kept the story entertaining, while the mystery gave me enough to keep guessing about what was actually going on. I also liked that the book didn’t take itself too seriously and leaned into the humor and shenanigans.

There were a few moments that dragged a little or felt over-the-top, which kept this from being a five-star read for me, but overall, it was a really enjoyable sequel. If you like mysteries that mix murder with comedy, friendship, and a little bit of chaos, this series is definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for a digital ARC.

[Kendra Mae]

A fun sequel to the first, The Ex Girlfriend Murder Club! Entertaining read packed with just the right amount of humor, charm and chaos. The mystery itself moves at a great pace with unpredictable setups and antics that keep you turning the page.

My favorite touch had to be the historical origins of everyday idioms. Intertwining etymology (I had to look that word up lol) into the narrative added such a unique, clever layer to the story!

Overall an entertaining and enjoyable read I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for an ALC!

[Regina Butcher]

This was a fun time. Lots of mystery, romance, twists and a touch of overbearing but well meaning mother involvement. This is the sequel to the ex girlfriend murder club, and the team reunites with their enemy to solve yet another murder case. I love the found family and girlhood in this series! The narration was fantastic!

*thank you to @netgalley for the ALC*

[Tana]

3.75 stars, almost 4

[Cara Elizabeth | justanotherbookishgal]

Not quite as good as the first one but still funny and entertaining.

[Vanesa]

DNFed. It's an adult book but it reads really YA