Twin-swapping thriller by Canadian author Liann Zhang nominated for International Thriller Writers award
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Canadian author Liann Zhang has been nominated for a 2026 International Thriller Writers (ITW) award.
The ITW, an organization representing thriller writers worldwide, honours thriller writers with six annual awards: best standalone thriller, best series novel, best first novel, best young adult novel, best short story and best audiobook.
Zhang is shortlisted in the best first novel category for her novel Julie Chan Is Dead. She is the only Canadian to make the list.
In Julie Chan is Dead, Julie Chan and her identical twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, are polar opposites and barely communicate after being separated at a young age. When Chloe, a popular influencer, mysteriously dies, Julie steps in to take her place and is thrust into a glamorous world with millions of followers. However, she quickly learns that Chloe’s seemingly flawless life was far from it, and as she uncovers the sinister cause behind her death, it casts Julie as the next target.
Zhang is a second-generation Chinese Canadian writer who was a former skincare content creator. She holds a psychology and criminology degree from the University of Toronto and splits her time between Vancouver and Toronto.
Julie Chan is Dead also made the 2026 Canada Reads longlist. The shortlist was announced last week.
The shortlist and winner of the 2026 ITW best first novel award, as well as the other categories, are decided by a volunteer panel of authors, readers and industry professionals.
The complete list of shortlisted authors is available on the ITW website.
The winners will be announced on May 9 in New York City, at ThrillerFest, a conference for thriller enthusiasts.
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