When a Chinese movie star is murdered, two sisters set out to find her killer (set in the 1930s). I liked the story here but the writing style was really slow for me!

This was a good read I was already intrigued by the cover and reading it made me happy that i requested it

I love Stacey Lee's books and she did not disappoint with Kill Her Twice. Told from the alternating perspectives of two very close but very different sisters, the story follows their attempt to uncover the killer of Lulu Wong, a Chinese-American actress who the elder sister, May, was close friends with. It is clear that the police are not doing a full investigation so the sisters take it upon themselves to find justice. May and Gemma's differences are a good compliment as they work through the mystery while also trying to support their younger sister and pregnant mother while their father is at a sanitorium being treated for Tuberculosis. The reader gets a glimpse of what life was like for Chinese-Americans at the time and the difficulties of navigating parental and cultural expectations. The climax of the story was gripping with a good resolution to the mystery. I do wish there had been a bit more space to develop the small romance in the story but was still satisfied with how it ended.

DNF @ 50% through

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin teen for a digital copy of this novel. I went about halfway through until I stopped because this wasn't the book for me. I was a bit bored the whole way to be honest. I consistently was not buying into the plot even though it was a murder mystery which usually piques my interest most. I did not emotionally care towards the characters and their mission.

I love a good Old Hollywood mystery and this book definitely has the vibes! With an Anna May Wong-esque movie star killed and two sisters working to uncover what happened, all while Chinatown is about to fall to a new Union station, the clock is ticking and the stakes are high. If you like historical mysteries, I think this is a great book, and honestly was still pretty fun as someone who doesn’t primarily read historical or murder mystery books but enjoys them nonetheless. The sister relationship and the character explorations of the two main girls was really interesting, and I liked that it was the priority over the romance elements (although they’re present, it’s definitely not a romance book). I feel like the twists caught me by surprise, even if I was able to spot some little details throughout the story, and the ending all comes at you fast. It’s a little bit of a mixture of 1930s Hollywood on the streets and neighbourhoods as well as the movie business, and while I can’t specifically speak to the historical accuracy I think Lee does a good job of trying to portray the era while taking the occasional artistic liberty. There’s a slightly movie-esque feel to the entire book, and I found it really readable and enjoyed my time reading it!

"Kill Her Twice" is a twofer in mystery writing. It gives you a complex mystery to solve while learning a lot about Chinese culture in Los Angeles in the 1930's. the Chow sisters, May and Gemma, are trying to support their family and find themselves involved in the murder of a local Chinese celebrity. This book is so much more than a mystery. It's an invitation to step back and see the world through a different lens.

I got this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

1930s! Hollywood! Los Angeles in general! I love when I recognize places when reading and this had a lot of places I recognized, mixed in with some real history that I didn't know, but found very interesting. The dead actress, Lulu Wong was based off a real actress (though she lived much longer in reality), and the political battle over Chinatown and building Union Station really happened. This book has historical fiction, murder, Hollywood glamor and political drama all in one. I really enjoyed this book beginning to end.

I have been a fan of Lee’s other books so I was excited to get an early copy of this.

For me this book was just ok. The other works I have read by this author are stronger. I think the dual POVs just didn’t really work for me. And honestly even I had a hard time getting into the story and believing that a couple of girls could uncover a murderer the way they did. If I were to get rid of a storyline it would probably be Gemma’s I’m not certain why we got this romantic build up with Freddie the doctor if they were just never going to talk again.

Also the whole mystery surrounding her dad was weird like why even include him really if he’s missing and getting better in a rehab center which I’m still confused about how they paid for.

May’s arc is more interesting. The dutiful daughter who wants to find justice for her friend who finally follows her dreams of acting and also decides to give love a chance. That works.

Also the storyline with the homeless man and his daughter really didn’t add anything to the plot.

Anyway, the book has its moments but the pacing is off and slow.

Set in LA's Chinatown in 1932, this story is about the murder of silver screen star Lulu Wong. But her body is found in a stable far away from her residence in Beverly Hills. Was it foul play?

This historical fiction mystery was captivating and suspenseful. I also felt the author did a great job of explaining Chinese culture, which was very educational. The character development throughout the book was excellent and didn't stall. I felt the story was easy to follow and kept my interest throughout the entire read. This book was an excellent rich story that didn't disappoint.

Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchanged for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

If you’ve read Stacey Lee before and/or if you like YA historical fiction with a mystery thrown in, I definitely recommend. Lee does a great job showing us a side of history often underrepresented or forgotten. Told in the dual POV of sisters Gemma and May, I loved their distinct voices and personalities as they investigated the murder of their friend, Lulu, and navigated being Chinese in Los Angeles in 1932.

3.5 stars I have enjoyed all of Stacey Lee's books and was really looking forward to reading this one but my expectations fell somewhat short. The premise is great- a murder mystery in LA's Chinatown during the Depression that two young sisters need to solve since it was their friend that was murdered. I felt the story dragged at times and I would put the story down and not get back to it for several days. At the end the murder was solved pretty abruptly but I won't say more because I don't want to leave any spoilers.

I do plan on ordering this for my high school library because mysteries are popular and Stacey Lee shares a lot about the culture of Chinatown and its citizens during this time period.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

TWS: Racism, murder, sexism, violence

Book provided by Penguin Teen (thanks!)

Los Angeles, 1928 Chinatown. Gemma and May Chow are content to help their mom run their flower business amid threats of jail and violence. That’s kind of the norm. Until they find out their classmate, Lulu Wong, has been murdered, and they take it upon themselves to find out whodunit.

There’s a lot to like about this book. The world of 1928 Hollywood is definitely lush and glamorous, which makes it interesting to read about. I also liked the characters and how they interacted with each other felt authentic. However, the writing was a bit slow for a book that’s marketed as a thriller type. Out now!!

I really enjoyed this mystery novel. This was a YA mystery but it really didn’t seem that way. I felt like the characters were more mature than in a usual YA novel so it really caught my attention. I enjoyed the story and I was surprised to find out it was based on a real person. It definitely kept me engaged.

Stacey Lee is an incredible and prolific author who has written another incredible book! This one is a murder mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Kill Her Twice is not only a murder mystery, it’s a story about social injustice and the little known history of Asian Americans in 1930s Los Angeles. As the three sister main characters work to prevent the destruction of their neighborhood, they also deal with family troubles and the economic crisis of the Great Depression. There are funny parts and sad parts. The author does a great job getting the reader to feel the emotions of the characters.

I recommend this book for upper grades because of the violence and social nuances.

I received an advance reader copy for free, but all opinions are my own.

From the cover, which is a glamourous shot of the beautiful actress Lulu Wong and drew me right in, to the spunk and creativity and daring that May, Gemma, and a bit Peony, to solve the mystery of Lulu's horrible murder in Hollywood, this was a solid fun story to read. Yes, it was fiction, but it felt nicely real, especially with the hardships Gemma and May and their family were going through in these tumultuous times when Chinese people were looked down on and the places they lived in Chinatown were threatened to be torn down for a railway station. All that made me admire May and Gemma even more because they refused to give up, trying to find the murderer and keep their family and flower business together, making enough to keep a roof over their heads. They faced prejudice, for their race, and also gender which caused conflicts, but it was nicely balanced by good people who also wanted justice for Lulu. The looks into making movies of that time were interesting too. It was a nice and fun book to read!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend it.

This was a fantastic mystery set in 1930s Los Angeles! Gemma & May Chow make the grisly discover of the body of their former friend, Lulu Wong, who has left Chinatown and is a rising Hollywood star. Local police are just looking for someone to pin the murder on, not actually investigating. The sisters take it upon themselves to track down what actually happened to Lulu and who could have done this to her. There are quite a few twists and turns and red herrings in the case. It is a little slow at the start, but definitely worth sticking with as the murder investigation picks up. Highly recommended for grades 9 & up.

Sending a huge thank you to PenguinTeen for this stunning copy of Stacey Lee's latest book! This was a 5 star read for me. It was so deftly plotted, with a twisty path of clues and an endless list of suspects. Our amateur sleuths, the Chow sisters, took matters into their own hands when their famous friend, Lulu Wong, was murdered in Chinatown and the police tried to pin it on a convenient Chinese scapegoat. This book had excellent pacing, as the sisters interviewed suspects, sought out physical evidence, and debriefed with each other while ironing clothes or hiding from their mother in their sewing room.

I loved the Chow sisters' distinct personalities: May, the dutiful eldest daughter with a passion for acting; Gemma, the firecracker middle child who jumps in headfirst and asks questions later; and Peony, the mystery-enthusiast who's always fighting to be included in the elder sisters' investigation. Though new to detective work, they were a true team who played off of each others' strengths and often split up to cover more ground. I was so emotionally connected to this family, from their playful teasing of each other to their interactions with their (mostly) supportive parents.

As a former resident of Los Angeles, I really enjoyed the 1930's historical setting and how the plot revolved around the real-life demolition of Old Chinatown. Lee loosely based the character of Lulu Wong on Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American film star. Even though her death kickstarted the events of the story, Lulu still felt larger than life. It was frequently emphasized that she was the pride of Chinatown—someone who worked her way into an industry that was openly hostile to Asian Americans and would employ them as extras, at most. While the mystery elements of the story were what made this book a favorite, the historical aspects added an additional layer of meaning for me during Asian American Heritage Month.

Add another one to the list of "horrible racial history we don't talk about." In 1932, the city of Los Angeles began the destruction of what is today known as Old Chinatown, to make way for a new train station. If you think that race wasn't a factor in this, there are some excellent history books about the way the Chinese were treated in America that will make you incandescent with rage. Stacey Lee, a champion of reminding us that US history isn't solely white, uses this as the backdrop for her latest novel, about the murder of a Chinese-American movie star and two sisters' attempt to solve it when some very influential men would rather they didn't.

As always, Lee's research is impeccable; you can see and feel the book's location. The mystery is well-crafted, making use of a large cast of characters who all might be suspects...or might be friends, depending on how you view their actions. Sisters May and Gemma, with occasional help from their younger sister Peony, discover the body of their friend Lulu in an abandoned stable in Chinatown, and they quickly realize that even though Lulu was a rising Hollywood star, her ethnicity matters more, and that means that the police are less than enthused about finding her killer. The book is narrated by both girls in turn, and that's the only weak point; their voices aren't easily distinguished, requiring flipping back to the start of a chapter to see whose perspective we're in.

But that's a small price to pay for a story that does its best to make a point, provide a hopeful note, and give us a solid murder mystery. My favorite Lee book may still be The Downstairs Girl, but this one is pretty great too.