Q&A with Gloria Chao

 

 

 

 

Gloria Chao is the author of the new novel The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. Her other books include Ex Marks the Spot. She is also a screenwriter, and has worked as a dentist. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, and how did you create your characters Kat, Olivia, and Elle?

 

A: I was brainstorming a book idea involving three women discovering they’re dating the same man and getting revenge on him, and when I was trying to raise the stakes, I asked, What if he dies? And everything clicked.

 

I realized that, with motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA, these women would become the number one suspects. And so of course, they would then have to solve the case before they go down for it. Once this idea formed, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I knew I had to write it.

 

Kathryn Hu is the nerdy chemist who is unsure of herself, Olivia is the badass lawyer whose life seems picture perfect, and Elle is the bold writer who says what others are too scared to.

 

And together, they are the Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. The trio perfectly suited to solve crime. The heart, the brains, and the guts coming together to solve the murder of their shared ex-boyfriend.

 

I knew from the start that I wanted all three women to have very different personalities that would lend themselves to banter and humor as well as helping each other see situations in a different light.

 

Writing the friendship between these three was the best part of this, and I wanted to remind readers that even the worst storms can lead to a rainbow.

 

Q: The writer Mia P. Manansala said of the book, “Wacky shenanigans, heartfelt vulnerability, and a cleverly plotted murder.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I’m grateful that Mia’s blurb captures the most important parts of the book. I wanted to write a cleverly plotted murder that was balanced with humor and wacky shenanigans as promised by the premise.

 

And at the heart of the story is the friendship between the three women and how they help each other not only get over a horrible situation, but to grow from it.

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: I knew early on how I wanted the novel to end, and I wrote toward that ending. This was one of those rare books that was not only so much fun to write, but the structure ended up staying fairly consistent throughout the process.

 

The sequel, on the other hand, has completely changed in structure and I’m currently rewriting the manuscript. It’s funny how different each book can be!

 

Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: I wanted a title that captured the mystery aspect of the book, the humor, as well as the girls’ friendship. And I was so pleased that my editor and publishing team were excited about The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, which I think has all three.

 

As a bonus, it even tells you that these three women were involved with the same man. I hope this title makes readers want to know more about the book!

 

And I’m very lucky that Quinn Banting designed a cover that represents the title perfectly, capturing the shenanigans and fun, as well as the murder mystery! I hope you have fun spotting the clues in the binoculars that will come into play throughout the book.

 

Q: What are you working on now? Can you say more about the sequel?

 

A: I am so thrilled to be working on the sequel to The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club! The Mortal Enemy Murder Club will be the second book in the Hu Done It mystery series—named after protagonist Kathryn Hu—and the sequel is projected to release in July of 2026, one year after the release of book #1.

 

In The Mortal Enemy Murder Club, the women are back on a new case and must work with their worst enemy from the first book.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I love writing about larger-than-life, humorous family members (e.g., see American Panda and Rent a Boyfriend), and Kathryn Hu’s parents are among my favorite.

 

Kathryn’s mom is consistently trying to set her up, is disappointed in her career choice and wants her to be a dermatologist instead, and continually sends her daughter ridiculous gifts throughout the book because she’s single—a stepstool because there’s “no man to reach up high for her,” a George Foreman grill because there’s “no man to grill for her,” and a Life Alert because she’s single and “could fall and not be able to get up.”

 

I hope you enjoy her antics as much as I enjoyed writing them!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Gloria Chao.