"Kill Her Twice" was not what I expected at all. This was my first Stacy Lee novel and I was thinking it would be more of a historical fiction, but instead I got a historical thriller with some of the best thriller writing style and use of metaphors. I really enjoyed this book, I love alternating viewpoints and the culture sprinkled throughout was incredible. The characters were enjoyable and the romance/relationship was sweet. This was an all around winner for me. I will be looking into more Stacy Lee novels in the future.

DNF: 25%

Ooh how this book contains one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL book covers that I have seen in 2024. And honestly, it was this very cover that motivated me to request this book. Unfortunately, however, I could not get into this as much I was hoping. Trust me when I say that: IT IS A ME THING MORE THAN THIS BOOK!!!

Between the reading slump that I am currently in and the need for a quick read, this book was just not hitting me the way that I was hoping.

However, if you enjoy:
✨Historical Fiction…
✨Multiple POVs…
✨Sister relationships…
✨Murder Mysteries…
And
✨A pretty page layout…

Then this book is MOST DEFINITELY for you!!!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for grating me an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!

This was a 3 star read for me. I do really like the culture and setting of the book; it seemed to stick to the 30s theme and the racism/prejudice the characters faced very well. But the mystery was meh for most of the book, and I feel the end was rushed. Overall it was just not my cup of tea.

The struggles of Chinese in LA during the 1930’s. Being forced from their home and the dismantling of their whole communities for the sake of progress. Villainized on screen while trying to honor family and tradition. When May, Gemma, and Peony find an old class mate dead after making it into the lime light. The sisters are determined to find out the truth even though the powers just want to have it all forgotten.

Beautiful mix of historical fiction with murder mystery. The sisters are all so individual but each personality plays a huge part to finding the truth for Lulu. Such a powerful underdog story.

Thank you Penguin Teen & Penguin Random House Audio for the free hardcover & complimentary audiobook.

This book transported me right away. I had a long drive ahead of me and I sunk into the audiobook and the Chow sisters’ lives in LA’s 1930s Chinatown during the Great Depression. When they find their childhood friend turned movie star murdered headlines twist the story as another reason to tear down Chinatown for a railway stop. The Chow sisters must solve their friend’s murder and do everything in their power to save their town.

What I enjoyed most about this story were the historical and cultural perspectives. Chinese turns of phrase and idioms are sprinkled throughout the story and they always drew my attention to them. I hadn’t considered what the Great Depression was like for various cultures in America and the stigma against Chinese citizens in the media were heartbreaking to discover.

Where I struggled was in the murder mystery aspect. I did lose interest in the whudunit mid-way through the book. I could have used a little more action or romance overall to keep my interest but all that said this book has a lot to offer.

It's 1932 in Los Angeles and Lulu Wong is Chinatown's star. When she turns up dead in an alley, the police aren't concerned due to her race. The Chow sisters, May, Gemma and Peony decide to solve the murder of their friend, and bring the justice she deserves.

This was definitely a cover buy for me, absolutely gorgeous! The murder mystery was okay, and I did want to know what happened to Lulu. BUT it was nothing that blew my mind in the end, although I do think the ending was clever it felt slightly rushed. The book dragged for me for the majority of the book, which was a bit disappointing. I did really enjoy the sister dynamics between the three Chow sisters. I liked how different they were from one another, but how much they cared for each other.

An actress found dead in 1930's Los Angeles' Chinatown. Three sisters who know they must investigate the murder of their friend turned actress because the police won't. May, Gemma, and Peony take matters into their own hands and use their unique skills to solve the murder and discover their own strengths.
Told in alternating points of view, Kill Her Twice brings in elements of romantic love, sisterhood, friendship, and racism into a murder mystery complete with spying, secrets, and threats of injury. Reading the story from both Gemma and May's perspectives helps develop the two sisters as independent strong women who love their family fiercely despite their different personalities and strengths.

I love this author so much. I always walk away feeling like I learned something important. I was looking things up the entire time I was reading. I studied the history of Max Factor Makeup for example.
It was so delightful and so sad. I loved how it picked up in the second half of the book.
Bravo.

The beginning was a bit slow for me but once it picked up, it PICKED UP!!! I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction but this was pretty good.

I loved the premise, and really enjoyed the historical setting!! I wish I had been able to spend more time with the story, and I will definitely be picking up a copy of my own soon.

Stacey does it again and again and again. This is solid as always. Nobody does research like her, nobody picks settings and time periods like her!

Old Hollywood with the well-known glamor and the lesser-known girls. Kill Her Twice shines a spotlight on 1930s Chinatown and the formidable strength of those within. Stacey Lee is inimitable in enthralling historical fiction

Amazing book! Watching the girls explore their friend, community, and themselves was amazing. The mystery was well done and just made you feel for Lulu.

This is an incredible historical fiction tale set in 1930s LA. I love reading historical fiction that centers around non-white or lesser-explored groups during well-known historical times. It was a legit page-turning mystery that kept me guessing about whodunit the whole time. I loved this book and can't wait to put it into the hands of students who love mystery and historical fiction.

"Kill Her Twice" by Stacey Lee is a riveting historical thriller that seamlessly blends suspense with rich period details. The gripping narrative follows a determined protagonist navigating a treacherous world of crime and deceit. Lee’s deft storytelling and well-drawn characters make for a compelling and immersive read.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫

Really great book. Good mystery and history of how the Chinese were treated in the 1930’s. I really liked the main characters, especially Gemma. She was a bit more forward thinking for the times yet still tried to maintain her traditional upbringing. As the second daughter she probably did have a bit more freedom than May who was expected to take care of her sisters and learn her role as a woman who would one day marry. I liked the bit of romance for May as well as his character. I would definitely read another book by this author.

A strong historical mystery for teen readers! It moved a little slowly at times, but I loved the 1930s Los Angeles Chinatown setting, old Hollywood and glamour, and character development - especially May, Gemma, and Peony!

this was a delightful historical fiction read! i enjoyed the time setting, the dual pov of the differing sisters, and the suspenseful mystery.

i felt on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to solve the mystery alongside the chow sisters and was delightfully surprised in the end. though despite that, i do have to admit that the ending felt a bit rushed. the small bits of romance were fun but i felt like one of the relationships could’ve ended so much better, but alas it was set in the 1930s.

Despite the gorgeous cover and the absolutely captivating premise, this book was entirely disappointing. (I feel like a hater, but I genuinely did not find this book any good beyond simply " it was ok.")

Lulu Wong, a rising Hollywood star and the darling pride of Los Angeles Chinatown, was found murdered. Despite Lulu's glorious climb to stardom, the police are less than interested in investigating her death due to her race, which leaves sisters May and Gemma to solve their old friend's case and bring her the justice she deserves.

As much as I wanted to fall in love with the characters, they lacked that extra depth that kept me invested in their fates. They simply felt like what they were: characters on a page. When you watch a show or a movie, you typically want to feel something. you want to be moved by what the actors are doing or feeling and resonate with the essence of the story. I felt disconnected from both May and Gemma, and I honestly couldn't care at all what happened to either of them. (And I also literally forgot the third sister, Peony, even existed for a good chunk of this book.)

I do think Stacey Lee did a wonderful job of capturing the gritty essence of 1930s Chinatown. Her prose is rich and definitely something to be admired. You can get a sense that Lee did research to accurately portray the challenges Chinese Americans faced in this time period, and in my opinion, the historical aspects were the best part of this book.

The pacing felt sluggish to the point that the overall storyline felt bland and dull the more you continued, but it did make the mystery easy to follow. They is my first Stacey Lee book, so I don't know whether or not her other YA historical fictions compare, but Kill Her Twice was a book with a very compelling premise and a stunning cover that didn't have that meat to fully bring the book all together into an excellent masterpiece.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a young adult murder mystery set in 1932 Chinatown that delves into xenophobia, family dynamics, self determination, and many other important societal issues I think are relevant even today.

It took a bit to get into the whole who dunnit aspect but I can’t say I’m complaining. There’s a lot of layers to a story like this and I loved slowly unraveling them. It was interesting and certainly eye opening to see the parallels of bigotry presented in the context of this novel (set in the 1930s) to racism against minorities in today’s society. The dehumanization, the racial stereotypes, the lack of care and effort in the investigation for the death of a Chinese American actress, and more importantly the role the media plays were all things I found not only highlighted excellently by the author but portrayed realistically and significantly. Seeing the Chow sisters navigate it all while faced with their own troubles along with carrying the responsibility of untangling their friends murder made for one hell of a compelling story that I could not put down!!