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Quick answer: If you liked Julie Chan Is Dead, try Yellowface, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Gone Girl, My Sister, the Serial Killer, Followers and Such a Fun Age. They share its mix of stolen identities, social media and dark humor.
Liann Zhang's 2025 debut follows a woman who takes on the online life of her dead twin, a famous influencer, and finds out how much she never knew. It is a sharp thriller about identity, ambition and what we show on screens. These 15 books carry that same edge: unreliable narrators, fake lives and satires of fame.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowface | R.F. Kuang | Adult | readers who want a satire |
| The Talented Mr. Ripley | Patricia Highsmith | Adult | readers who want the original |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Adult | readers who like twists |
| My Sister, the Serial Killer | Oyinkan Braithwaite | Adult | readers who want a quick read |
| Followers | Megan Angelo | Adult | readers who like tech satire |
| Such a Fun Age | Kiley Reid | Adult | readers who like social comedy |
| My Year of Rest and Relaxation | Ottessa Moshfegh | Adult | readers who like unlikable narrators |
| Eileen | Ottessa Moshfegh | Adult | readers who like noir |
| Luster | Raven Leilani | Adult | readers who like voice-driven fiction |
| Pizza Girl | Jean Kyoung Frazier | Adult | readers who like quirky protagonists |
| Bunny | Mona Awad | Adult | readers who like weird fiction |
| Fake Accounts | Lauren Oyler | Adult | readers who like literary satire |
| The Girl on the Train | Paula Hawkins | Adult | readers who love a classic thriller |
| Notes on a Scandal | Zoë Heller | Adult | readers who like cold narrators |
| Sharp Objects | Gillian Flynn | Adult | readers who like dark thrillers |
1. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
June Hayward steals the manuscript of her dead friend and publishes it as her own. Sharp, funny and tense, about publishing and appropriation.
Best for: readers who want a satire.
2. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Tom Ripley slips into the life of a rich young man. The classic of stolen identity.
Best for: readers who want the original.
3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amy disappears, and her husband becomes the main suspect. A twisty story of a marriage and its image.
Best for: readers who like twists.
4. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Korede cleans up after her beautiful sister Ayoola's murders in Lagos. Short, dark and funny.
Best for: readers who want a quick read.
5. Followers by Megan Angelo
Two women chase fame in 2015, while a future story shows what fame becomes. A sharp social media satire.
Best for: readers who like tech satire.
6. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Emira, a Black babysitter, is accused of kidnapping a child in a grocery store, and the aftermath exposes her employer. Funny and uncomfortable.
Best for: readers who like social comedy.
7. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
A young woman in 2000 New York tries to sleep for a year. Bleak, funny and strange.
Best for: readers who like unlikable narrators.
8. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
A lonely prison secretary in 1960s Massachusetts is drawn into a darker story. Dark and compelling.
Best for: readers who like noir.
9. Luster by Raven Leilani
Edie, a young Black woman, enters a strange relationship with an older man and his wife. Witty, raw and original.
Best for: readers who like voice-driven fiction.
10. Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
A pregnant teen working at a pizza place becomes fixated on a customer. Odd, tender and funny.
Best for: readers who like quirky protagonists.
11. Bunny by Mona Awad
Samantha joins a writing program at a New England university and is drawn to a clique of women. Surreal, dark and funny.
Best for: readers who like weird fiction.
12. Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler
A narrator discovers her boyfriend's secret online life and flees to Berlin. Smart and satirical.
Best for: readers who like literary satire.
13. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Rachel watches a couple from her commuter train and gets caught up in a disappearance. A bestselling thriller.
Best for: readers who love a classic thriller.
14. Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
A teacher recounts her colleague's affair with a student. A dark and witty look at obsession.
Best for: readers who like cold narrators.
15. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Camille returns to her hometown to report on a murder and faces her family. Dark and stylish.
Best for: readers who like dark thrillers.
How to Choose
For stories about identity theft, begin with Yellowface or The Talented Mr. Ripley. For social media satire, choose Followers or Fake Accounts. For short, sharp reads, pick My Sister, the Serial Killer or Pizza Girl. Many of these books include violence, mental illness and strong language. If you like the social media angle most, pair Followers with Fake Accounts, then finish with Yellowface for the sharpest take on ambition. If you want pure suspense, go from Gone Girl to Sharp Objects to The Girl on the Train. Listening to these on audio works well, since many are told by a single unreliable voice.
Related: Julie Garwood Printable Book List · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Julie Chan Is Dead about?
A woman steps into the life of her dead twin sister, a social media star, and learns how much was hidden.
Is it a thriller or a comedy?
It is a thriller with dark humor and a satirical look at influencer life.
Is it a standalone?
Yes, it is a debut standalone novel.
Which book is the closest?
Yellowface is the closest in tone, with its sharp satire of ambition and identity.
Are these books good for book clubs?
Yes. Yellowface, Such a Fun Age and Gone Girl all spark strong debate about identity, race and truth.
Do I need to follow influencers to enjoy it?
No. The story works without any knowledge of social media culture.