Stacey Lee is a master when it comes to writing characters and historical time periods. I love how she expertly weaves together a murder mystery plot set in 1930s Hollywood with the racial and cultural tensions of the era. Learning more about the Chinatown community and what they experienced is eye-opening. I love when historical novels shed light on events and cultures that are often skipped over in history class.

In addition, Stacey always writes unique characters with such memorable personalities. It’s almost as if she plucks them straight out of history. The dual point of view chapters of the two sisters truly help capture what it must have been like to grow up Chinese in part of the country during this era. Paired with the setting details of old Hollywood and the Chinatown community, Stacey Lee's writing prowess shines through this book.

The murder mystery itself was a fun element, but it often felt more like a backdrop than actual plot. Sure, it pushes the characters into motion, guiding their steps. But I was much more interested in finding out how May and Wallace’s relationship would develop or what would happen to Chinatown than to learn who killed Lulu Wong. It was obvious her death was tangled up in shady business, but there were too many characters and events happening throughout the novel to keep track of all the details and piece together who the murderer was.

Kill Her Twice is a brilliant, historical story about family, love, culture, and the greed of power.

I really wanted to love this book. On paper, it’s everything I want in YA historical fiction. Crime solving sisters! 1930s Hollywood! And my misgivings aside (which I detail below), this book does have heart and I would confidently put it in the hands of a teenager to read.

However, there’s just too many characters to keep track of. It was difficult to get swept up by the story because I was constantly trying to remember who was who and how people were connected. I felt like the big reveal came out of nowhere. I didn’t feel a sense of betrayal, or really anything at all because the characters largely felt flat. I did care about Gemma and May, but even their characters could have been fleshed out more. I would say May was my favorite, and I enjoyed her relationship with a certain someone.

I do give this three stars though because while the writing style wasn’t for me, I did learn a lot about Los Angeles’ Chinatown in the 1930s. That part of the book was done well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1930s Hollywood Noir perfectly describes this novel. It touches on all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and also the seedy underbelly of the way stars under contract were treated. As outsiders, Gemma and May don’t have a foot in the door until they both channel their inner Lulu Wong. May and Gemma are opposites who come at the investigation in different ways but hoping to achieve the same outcome. Stacy Lee is the queen of YA historical fiction. Her focus on telling the stories of marginalized voices is second to none. The Downstairs Girl and Luck of the Titanic are as masterfully written as Kill Her Twice.

This was an absolutely spectacular Y.A. mystery novel! I enjoyed it immensely, from the characters to the atmosphere to the plot twists. Very well done and I will be recommending it highly!

Stacey Lee’s writing is a warm hug. She never fails to draw me into a story with her relatable characters, familial warmth, and vivid descriptions. Her stories transport the reader into a different time period, showcasing a specific story of how life was for Chinese families during that time. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

For those who love:
🌹 Historical Fiction
🌹 Dual POV
🌹 Sisters
🌹 Old Hollywood
🌹 Murder Mystery

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee in exchange for my honest review on NetGalley. Kill Her Twice is a noir mystery set in 1930s Los Angeles’s Chinatown. The setting feels like another character in the book with a soul. I really felt the author wrote Chinatown so beautifully, although the community is definitely feeling the Great Depression.

The story revolves around two sisters, May and Gemma, They run the family business while their father is away. One day they discover their old friend, Lulu, murdered in the horse stables. They have no choice but to investigate since the police are not.

This book was a little confusing with some of the 1930s slang used, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Sadly this ended up being a DNF. Since this was an ARC I had hopped to push through but decided not to as o could not get into it. I loved Downstairs Girl but Lee’s other works have not hit for me. The way the book is promoted, I thought we were getting a noir mystery with lavish old Hollywood mysteries. Not to complain too much because I did like seeing Chinatown in 1930s LA, but I was hoping just for something else. The characters were all fine, but nothing so catching. Sadly I was bored once again. A younger audience with a special interest in this time period in Hollywood may be best suited for this book.

What I liked: Solving the murder of a controversial young starlet in 1930s Los Angeles, with glimpses at Chinatown politics, crime, and racism.
What I disliked: The story repeatedly describes the main characters driving the old delivery truck around town, and is not as well written when compared to the author’s earlier books “The Downstairs Girl” and “Luck of the Titanic”.

It took me a long time to get into this book and a long time to read it. I just didn’t really care that much about the plot. I did like the balance of the introduction of the characters with the murder mystery with the history of the time. I feel like all three of those roads were walked very evenly. I just wish I had cared a little bit more and that maybe it had been a bit shorter? It felt like a lot of stuff was reiterated multiple times.

DNF @25%

Well, this was disappointing.

While I highly anticipated this and was overjoyed that I got an arc from the publisher, this just... let me down. It felt like a race through mud, and while it was nicely written at some points, at others it felt very SHOW, not TELL. To add to that, the characters were very pale. May and Gemma were simply words on a screen, not fleshed out people to me. And as another reviewer mentioned, I often forgot that the third sister even existed.

Also, maybe this was because this was an ARC or because of formatting issues with my Kindle, the amount of grammatical and formatting issues in this book was ASTOUNDING to me.

Bottom line: an interesting premise, poorly executed.

2/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Kill Her Twice! I really enjoyed this read. I did find the pacing to be a bit slow at the beginning, but once things started picking up, it became a thrilling read. The novel’s heart definitely lies with its heroines, May and Gemma, and their fight to save their community. I felt that the dual POV worked really well, and I loved getting to know these characters and walk alongside them. I also felt that the mystery was, for the most part, well-crafted. There were some extraneous elements (red herrings?) that didn’t really lead anywhere, but seeing how everything fell into place was very satisfying as an enjoyer of murder mysteries. Overall, I found this to be an exciting read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the time period, the cultural history, or a good murder mystery!

Stacey Lee always writes the most beautiful, compelling, and relatable stories for Chinese-American girlies like me :,)

I absolutely loved this book. I love reading about the 1930s in historical fiction!! And Gemma and May are such interesting characters (and sisters), I loved the dual POV in this book!

When I requested this book on NetGalley, I was fully convinced that this was going to be a five star book. I was right.
First, let’s talk about the characters.
“Act like you have power, and you just might get it.”
-Lulu
May and Gemma’s main goal in this book was to find justice for Lulu, so I figured I should talk about her. Of course, we don’t actually get to see her because she’s dead, but from what I learned about her from May’s memories, I really liked her. Lulu was such an inspirational, courageous woman. I think we can all learn a lot from her character and her ambition. She didn’t deserve the end she got.
Now, moving on to the two main characters of this book, May and Gemma. I liked both of them a lot, each for different reasons.
“Life gave us plenty of opportunities to be afraid, and an equal number of chances to punch those fears in the nose.”
-Gemma
Gemma was really something. She was a very driven, brave (but at times, stupid) woman with very big ideas. She could not be silenced and she refused to let the killer get away. She was prepared to do whatever it took to fight the injustice. That’s what I liked about her. Sure, she was stubborn and sometimes made stupid mistakes, but she had a goal and she fought to accomplish it. She wasn’t just going to sit still and do nothing while someone from her town was killed, which is why I admired her. My only complaint about her character was that she talked/thought a lot about her sister being really pretty and kind of reducing her to her looks. Of course, she knew that her sister was more than that. She probably didn’t actually mean anything by it, but it just annoyed me a little.
“How many petals can a flower lose before it stops being a flower? Before everything withers away and only the memory remains?”
-May
May was definitely very different from Gemma, but I found that she was the one I related to. While I may have admired Gemma for her boldness, I understood May. As the oldest daughter who is expected to the more responsible, sensible sister, I understood her point of view. She had more pressure on her, pressure from her family and pressure from her community, in a sense, to be a certain type of way. She cared more about other people’s judgement because she had to. Despite that, however, she also knew she had to help Lulu. And so she did. While Gemma is an example of those who are born as spirited people, May is an example of those who are not as bold, but still have just as much potential to be brave and make an impact on society.
Gemma and May might’ve been very different each other, but both were great characters.
Now, about the actual murder.
I could not guess how Lulu was killed, or who the killer was. I thought I would figure it out, but I couldn’t, so I ended up following their investigation and only realizing the truth when the characters did. The author wrote the way it all came together very well. The truth was definitely shocking, but it made a lot of sense.
Lastly, about the ending. I still have some questions, and I’m not fully satisfied, but overall, I’m pretty happy with how it ended. It was a pretty nice way to tie it all together.
Overall, this book was really interesting and I think the author did a really great job in writing it. Without a doubt, 5 stars.

An actress's fate is linked to Chinatown's in this gripping historical thriller.

During the golden age of film, Lulu Wong was a Chinese actress on the rise, until her body was found dumped in Chinatown. Two sisters, Gemma and May, frustrated by the police's lack of action, take it upon themselves to investigate. But the closer they get to the glitter of Hollywood, the harder it is to decipher friends from enemies.

This book takes on prejudice head-on as it shows the impact on Gemma and May's life, from not being allowed to sell their flowers certain places to top Chinese film roles going to white actresses who taped their eyelids. It also shows how conflicted even so-called good people can be in the face of the prevailing culture.

The mystery was engaging, with lots of great twists and turns. I didn't see the final villain coming, so that was fun! It also has a great fake-dating side plot between May and Walter, the Chinese boy picked by her parents. All of these elements combine to make an unforgettable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.

I'm a big fan of Stacey Lee's books, which always feature a Chinese American (or British, in one case) perspective on various historical events/settings. They're clean, compelling, and well-written, which is why I always enjoy them. While KILL HER TWICE isn't my favorite of the author's novels (that would be THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL), it's still a compelling read that kept me reading.

The book's Old Hollywood/Chinatown setting is unique and interesting. L.A.'s Chinatown is painted as a vibrant, colorful community that is facing its demise with reluctant grace. Just as the movie world does, it has its heroes and haters. It's easy to sympathize with its residents as they deal with the violence and disregard that are aimed toward them by their prejudiced and racist neighbors.

Gemma and May are warm, likable main characters whose opposite personalities provide a fun counterpoint to each other. They are sympathetic and admirable in their desires to be good, obedient daughters while also pursuing their own dreams and causes. With her impulsive, energetic charm, Gemma is especially delightful. While there are a lot of secondary characters, making it confusing at times to remember who's who, there are some that stand out as much as the Chow sisters (my favorite being "Bug Boy").

Plotwise, KILL HER TWICE moves along slowly for a murder mystery. I was never bored, but I didn't rush through the pages either. In fact, it took me a few days to read the novel because I was never so engaged that I couldn't put it down. I definitely wanted to keep reading, though, because I cared about the Chow sisters' goals and I wanted to see justice done for Lulu. Although I guessed a couple of the plot twists, the killer's identity did surprise me, which is always nice.

Even though I didn't love, love, love KILL HER TWICE, I did find it compelling and enjoyable overall. If I could, I would give it 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Kill Her Twice" by Stacey Lee is a YA historical mystery set in the vibrant backdrop of 1930s Chinatown. Lee masterfully combines a gripping murder mystery with rich historical and cultural details, offering you a compelling story that explores themes of racism, discrimination, and the pursuit of justice. If you are a fan of historical fiction and/or have read Lee’s books in the past, you will definitely enjoy this book. I especially enjoyed the focus on 1930s Chinatown as this isn’t a setting you typically see in fiction, especially YA fiction. I was very interested in learning more about this history, especially in the perspective of Asian main characters.

The story follows sisters Gemma and May as they stumble upon the body of their schoolmate-turned-Hollywood-star, Lulu Wong, and embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind her murder. Against the backdrop of a racially charged society, Gemma and May navigate the complexities of Chinatown, facing prejudice and discrimination as they pursue justice for their friend.

Lee's storytelling shines as she expertly captures the essence of the time period, immersing you in the sights, sounds, and struggles of 1930s Chinatown. I absolutely loved the setting of the book as Lee was able to bring Chinatown to life for the readers. I don’t have much prior knowledge on this time in history, but I thought Lee was able to be both informative and engaging in her depiction. The dual perspectives of Gemma and May also provide depth and complexity to the story, offering insight into the unique challenges faced by Chinese Americans during this tumultuous era.

I did find the pacing to be slow at times, especially in the middle of the book. There are also a lot of red herrings and misdirects, which normally are really good at keeping the reader guessing when it comes to the mystery, but I almost felt like there was too much going on at times with the mystery. I had no idea who the killer was (which is a good thing!), but I found it difficult to keep track of all the different elements of the mystery. Gemma and May definitely make up for these faults with the mystery as they were strong and relatable protagonists, each grappling with their own fears, doubts, and desires. Their dynamic relationship adds depth to the story, highlighting the bonds of sisterhood.

Overall, “Kill Her Twice" is a compelling and evocative historical mystery that transports you to an immersive story filled with intrigue, danger, and suspense. Stacey Lee's impeccable research and vivid storytelling make this book a must-read for fans of YA fiction and historical mysteries alike.

I have much love for historical mysteries. As someone who doesn't read nonfiction often, it's a great way to teach about vital parts of history while incorporating an engaging plot to keep me interested. While I enjoyed learning about Chinatown's culture and the struggles the community faced, it was the only well-written part of the book.

May and Gemma are doing their best to keep their family afloat while their dad is away. But keeping their heads down and staying out of trouble gets a lot harder when they stumble across their schoolmate-turned-superstar, Lulu's dead body. When the police are unmotivated to solve this heinous crime due to Lulu's race, May and Gemma are determined to find out what happened to their friend and bring her justice.

I did enjoy the historical aspect. The tensions and discriminations of Chinatown in the 1930's aren't something I've heard much about. May and Gemma's struggle to be taken seriously due to their sex and ethnicity was written vividly. As May and Gemma try to solve their friend's murder, they come to realize how much racism Lulu is still facing despite her fame. Lulu was only cast in villain roles and was still seen as an oddity or "exotic." The author did a great job of bringing the themes of prejudices and discrimination throughout the novel.

I wanted to love May and Gemma, but their characters were too stiff. Sisters often fall into the "responsible and firecracker" duo, but there is still more to explore within their personalities. May was too uptight, and Gemma was too hasty. They lacked a balance throughout the novel. Overall, May had a stronger character arc, but there was still a lack of depth and change. May and Gemma were still the most developed characters in the series. The supporting cast was nothing more than shadows, even the third sister. I forgot she was mentioned in the blurb. Any romantic relationships between May, Gemma, and their respective beaus felt forced due to the lack of personalities. While I didn't hate the relationships portrayed, I wasn't rooting for them either.

The mystery was way too convoluted. Yes, there needs to be red herrings and misdirects, but there is such a thing as too many. It was confusing since every wild goose chase introduced a new character for a paragraph and then dropped them, only for the character to return chapters later with no explanation. Add to that the romantic and political developments scattered throughout the book, the plot was hard to follow.

This isn't a bad book by any means. If you like to learn while reading fiction, Kill Her Twice is a fantastic option. As long as you can handle bland characters and a convoluted plot, the author did a great job writing about the racism and discrimination that dominated the 1930s.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have never been the kind to attempt reading a novel set in the 1930s. However, after reading the first few chapters of this book, I had a change of heart. Although the author is new to me, I now rank her among my top five favorite authors after reading this book. She wrote this book in such a fantastic way; her style is how I want to write. My interest and obsession started, not just after turning the first page. Nonetheless, the book's synopsis gave me chills and made me wonder, "How will this work out?" "How are they going to go about solving this murder on their own?" "Will they get hurt? "Will they learn the truth?". All of this has me curious, and I want to know more. This book is the ideal illustration of realizing that you may fall in love with a book, discover a new favorite author, and fall in love with a book all at once. I'd like to read every book the author has written because she seems like such an underappreciated talent.
Thank you netgalley and group penguin young readers group for the ARC

In 1930s Chinatown, the Chow family's future is uncertain due to the looming threat of a railroad station being built, which will force them and their close knit community out of their homes. With their father in a sanitorium due to ill health and their mother pregnant, it is left to the oldest daughters, May and Gemma, to run the family's flower selling business. As they prepare their flowers for a day of selling in City Market, they find the body of Lulu Wong, a famous Hollywood actress who was also their friend and classmate growing up. Due to anti-Chinese sentiments and widespread corruption in the LAPD, Gemma and May fear that the investigation won't be taken very seriously by the police, so they set out to solve Lulu's murder and make sure that the real killer is brought to justice.

I enjoyed the alternating between May and Gemma's POVs, it really showcased the differences between their personalities and their approaches to the investigation. I also really loved the growth that they went through over the course of the book. It did take a bit for me to get into the story at the beginning, but once I got into it, I did not want to put it down. The ending did not feel predictable to me, but I did feel like it moved very quickly through the climax. There is an epilogue, but I think that I needed a bit more after the climax for things to feel fully wrapped up. Based on real historical events, this is a fascinating mystery showcasing Chinese culture and the corruption and political intrigue in old Hollywood.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eArc for review!

I extend my gratitude to BookishFirst, Penguin Teen, and Putnam Books for providing me with a physical ARC of "Kill Her Twice."

Entering the world of 1930s Hollywood with its noir atmosphere and the murder of rising star Lulu Wong, the premise of this book held great promise. Two sisters, Gemma and May Chow, decide to take matters into their own hands when they believe the police will overlook Lulu's case due to her Chinese ethnicity. While the setup is intriguing, the execution left me feeling detached and neutral.

Despite the potential for a suspenseful and mysterious ambiance, the narrative failed to evoke the expected emotions. The characters, including Gemma and May, lacked the depth needed for readers to invest in their journey. More exploration of Gemma's character would have added a layer of complexity to the story.

While the mystery itself was easy to follow, Stacey Lee's writing style, though beautiful, became a point of irritation. The constant barrage of figurative language, idioms, and metaphors felt forced and unrealistic for characters of their age, detracting from the overall experience. Initially, the incorporation of cultural elements and family sayings was interesting, but the excessive use became overwhelming.

"Kill Her Twice" tells the story of the Chow sisters in dual POV, along with their younger sibling Poppy, as they delve into solving a murder. The setting in 1930s Chinatown, amid racial tension and discrimination, adds a layer of complexity to the plot. The mystery unfolds with the sisters uncovering interconnected threads that lead to a larger conspiracy.

The slower pace of the story aligns with the tone and genre, providing a methodical exploration of the mystery rather than a fast-paced thriller. The character arcs of Gemma and May, along with their respective love/crush stories, contribute positively to the narrative. May's cautious demeanor as the older sister contrasts with Gemma's animated and bold personality.

In conclusion, "Kill Her Twice" is a well-fleshed-out story with an interesting mystery, though it may lack the gripping intensity expected in a thriller. Stacey Lee's ability to craft compelling characters shines through, but the overuse of figurative language and idioms might be a point of contention for some readers. Overall, while the book may not fully meet expectations, it remains another commendable work by Stacey Lee.