If you love history and movies and stories of old Hollywood, you’ll quickly get caught up in the story of these two sisters and their hunt for a killer. The setting is fascinating, the characters are likable, and the story will keep you guessing.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery,

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I've read other books by Stacey Lee and adored them but something about this particular book just did not meet my expectations the way I wanted it to.

I hope to come back to this book in the future now that it is fully released and find that I enjoy it more.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

I had really high hopes for this book, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped. I think Stacey Lee did a fantastic job with the historical details in this book. I loved the relationship between May, Gemma, and Peony, and the lengths they were willing to go to seek justice for Lulu. All of them demonstrated strength and independence which I love to see from female characters. That said, I was never really invested in any of the characters and it didn’t feel like there was much character development.

This had a pretty slow pace, but the writing was well done. There really wasn’t suspense so while it is a mystery, the stakes felt incredibly low. I also think the romance piece was unnecessary. There wasn’t enough romance for it to be a solid side plot, so it felt a bit misplaced. Overall, this was just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC.

𓏲 .𖥔 ݁ ˖ dnf at 31% ⊹

this book didn’t hit the way i wanted it to. actually it didn’t hit, period. i’m bored and whenever i pick it up i can’t concentrate for more than 2 minutes. i wanted to love it but i was having such a hard time getting through it. may and gemma were so… dull? is that even the right word? i just couldn’t establish a connection with them.

It’s the 1930s. The powers that be hope to demolish Los Angeles’ Chinatown, pushing all of its current residents—who, by law, are unable to purchase property—to find housing elsewhere. This is also Hollywood’s Golden Age, and Lulu Wong—based partially on the actress Anna May Wong—is trying to use her influence in Hollywood to affect change in her community, starting by pushing for a role that challenges the harmful stereotypes perpetuated by Hollywood’s obsession with Orientalism. When Lulu is killed, two of her childhood friends realize that the police are not interested in finding Lulu’s actual murderer. They’d much rather blame the crime on a Chinatown resident, thereby strengthening the case to raze the community. Obviously, they then set out to investigate on their own.

Now this took me forever to read, but I’m 99% sure that that was me being overwhelmed with work and not the fault of the book. In fact, once I finally got to just sit with the book, I couldn’t read the last 30% fast enough. So I’m going to leave you with Kirkus’ review instead of my own: “This twisty mystery, brought to life by a vibrant cast and abundant historical details, will keep readers in suspense until the very end. Themes of community, representation, and sisterhood add an emotionally satisfying element to the narrative.”

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Available now.

In 1932 Los Angeles Chinatown, on the brink of being demolished to construct a new railroad Union Station, two sisters, May and Gemma Chow seek answers to the death (likely murder) of Lulu Wong, a Chinese American movie starlet and good friend to May. May and Gemma have had to step up and take the reins of their family due to unfortunate circumstances. While the sisters are polar opposites, their strengths complement each other in their search for truth about Lulu’s death while they run their struggling family floral business. Time is running out as the City’s plan to evict them from their community comes to fruition, and the police investigation is prematurely closed, both due to corruption and anti-Asian sentiment in influential circles.

Kill Her Twice is a period mystery full of atmosphere. The Chow sisters are vividly rendered. May is the oldest sister who carefully follows the rules of being a traditional Chinese daughter, but deep inside, she desires to break free to reach for her own dreams, including following in the footsteps of her friend Lulu and becoming an actress. Gemma is a rule-breaker, fiery and impulsive, unafraid to take risks. Peony is the youngest at twelve, always being left behind to watch over their mother. Together, they are stronger. As first generation children, their viewpoint shows the injustice of being American but treated as aliens, with limited ability to protect their own community and denied the same ability to achieve goals that are the bedrock of American values. May’s closeness with Lulu before her death strikes a poignant note as she reflects on the important lessons and encouragement Lulu provided her. The reader gets to know the wonderful woman that Lulu was, making her murder even more tragic and senseless.

An intimate look into the behind the scenes of the growing Hollywood movie industry forms a backdrop to this mystery as the sisters dig deep to find Lulu’s killer. Lee captures the 1930s period very well, immersing the reader into that setting with descriptions and dialogue that feels very authentic. The racism that Asian Americans faced during the period is untenable but it’s the reality, and it's extremely important for light to be shed on factual events of America’s dark past so that zero tolerance is allowed for its repetition in the contemporary time period and future.

The atmosphere and characterization are strong points, along with a tightly plotted mystery that will keep readers guessing. There’s a nice hint of romance as well that fits in very well with the narrative, without overshadowing this story of sisters who find themselves, each other, and the power they have under circumstances that seem to be stacked against them. Kill Her Twice is well worth a read.

Four and 1/2 stars.

I really liked Stacey Lee's earlier historical fiction YA, The Downstairs Girl, and so do my students. I was a bit worried this next one wouldn't compare, but I shouldn't have been. It's totally different, but also just as good! I love the murder mystery, and the alternating perspectives of the chapters help keep the pace up - as do the romantic elements and multiple red herrings. I think my students will really like Kill Her Twice, especially those who've enjoyed other mysteries like The Good Girl's Guide to Murder or Truly Devious, or other historical fiction/thrillers like I Must Betray You. (Nothing gory in this one, which I appreciated!)

I loved the sister relationship in this so much, and I liked getting both May and Gemma's POVs, but I liked that Peony (the younger sister) was still very much present in the story as well. The family and community relationships were so good. I liked learning more about a time in history that I didn't know much about, as well as what befell the Chinese Americans during this time - you know, the things that don't get talked about in American school history books.

I did think the first half of the story was more slow-paced, but once I got to the halfway point it really picked up. At the end, the murderer made sense, but I did feel like some people's roles in it could have been made more clear to better my understanding of how it happened.

my first books of hers and I was pleasantly surprised. I adore the dual pov who are so different than the other. I always love a book that is centered around a murder mystery and this was no difference. I will say the ending was fantastic but it was not bad either.

Love. love. love. Gemma and May are everything I want to be in two different people. Poised and calm, witty and spontaneous. Both wonderful compliments to each and what a lovely story of sisterly affection, fierce loyalty to community, and not backing down. Stacey Lee can do no wrong in my opinion.

I was really intrigued by Stacey Lee’s Kill Her Twice, especially since I quite enjoyed The Downstairs Girl and Luck of the Titanic, but ultimately was pretty let down by it. I really enjoy Stacey Lee’s style of writing, especially the way she writes historical fiction and sets up the world — I think it’s very easy to imagine yourself in that period, regardless of if it’s the 1890s, 1910s, or the 1930s. Right from the get-go, we’re dropped into a world of mystery and intrigue: who killed Lulu Wong, and why did they do it? Unfortunately, I don’t think the mystery element was executed as well as Lee had intended it to be. Or perhaps, maybe I just wasn’t entranced by the characters, or the mystery as much as I wanted to. Honestly, this book felt like it dragged on — but was also incredibly short at the same time. Kill Her Twice simply didn't work for me.

Stacey Lee always does a wonderful job with historical settings, and I loved 1930's Los Angeles as the backdrop for Kill Her Twice. The two protagonist sisters, May and Gemma, set out to solve the murder of May's friend and star Lulu Wong. I found May and Gemma to be clear, distinct characters and thought the book had a strong premise. The level of detail that Lee included is impressive but led to a book that I felt could have been tighter and much shorter. Though there were times I found myself skimming to get to the excitement, I'll continue to seek out Lee's writing.

As a fan of Stacey Lee's The Downstairs Girl, I had high expectations for Kill Her Twice, and this book did not disappoint!

Written in alternating perspectives - older sister May (the rule follower) and middle sister Gemma (the rule bender) - the story tracks the girls as they work to support their family and help their community. When their childhood friend Lulu - an up-and-coming movie star - is murdered, the girls decide it is up to them to figure out who the true killer is since the authorities don't seem to care about the truth. Faced with cultural expectations, misogyny, racism, prejudice & corruption at every turn, the girls must figure out ways to outsmart the authorities and all the people standing in their way.

I loved the dynamic between all 3 of the sisters - there is a 3rd, younger sister named Peony - and how they bicker and yet have each others' backs no matter what. The mystery is twisty and leaves plenty of false clues along the way. Overall, just a great historical mystery, and one set in a time and situation that we don't see a lot in YA fiction. It made me aware of things I did not previously know about and sent me on a search about historical events of this nature, which I always feel is the mark of a great historical read.

100% will be purchasing for my library!

#KillHerTwice #YAhistoricalfiction #YAmystery
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

Lee’s ability to interweave a perfectly paced story with historical details is exceptional. The brightly drawn characters are relatable while still being of thier own era.

Old Hollywood 1930s historical fiction feel with a great mystery vibe. Loved this one. This book is interesting and fun, it keeps you reading. Two sisters are solving the death of an actress. This is a lot more detailed then the normal ya book and has a lot of descriptions. Cover art is stunning. Overall great book.

this was a wonderful, cleverly written novel! Stacey Lee has never disappointed me yet. Her writing, sprinkled effortlessly with new spins on old sayings and metaphors, is like a breath of fresh air in this era where YA authors are trying so hard that their writing becomes corny and contrived. Her characters are unique and lovable in their own ways, and of course we get adorable side romances that don't even hint at trying to take over the plot. The plot itself is exciting and well-paced, with lots of twists and turns to keep one interested while also including many details of the rich backdrop of 1932 Los Angeles. My one complaint was that it could have used a little more action near the middle, as well as more closure on certain subjects at the end. But overall, Kill Her Twice was an immersive and fascinating murder mystery that is sure to deliver to whatever expectations you have for it!

I have enjoyed Stacey Lee’s previous books and this one did not let down my expectations. While I did think he mystery could have moved a little faster I enjoyed the story. The two narrators, sisters May and Gemma, were both great characters and totally unique voices. This book is set in the depression era as there was a push to destroy Chinatown. I like that our amateur sleuths faced barriers of being taken seriously far beyond your typical amateur sleuths. May’s good friend Lulu has made it big in Hollywood and while she offered to get May a part as an extra to break into the business as well, but May has responsibilities at home. May and Gemma have taken over the family’s flower selling business since their father was sent a a sanitarium due to health issues. Gemma and May were horrified to find Lulu’s dead body and when the police don’t seem to be taking her murder seriously enough the two girls are determined to get justice for their friend.

May and Gemma Chow have been struggling to keep their family’s flower selling business afloat in 1930s Los Angeles, after doctors send the teenaged girls’ beloved father to recuperate from tuberculosis in the dry desert climate of San Bernardino. Business has never been particularly booming, and the girls have had to resort to increasingly ingenious measures to help support their younger sister Peony and their pregnant Ma. Fast-talking Gemma is full of smart, if not entirely legal, ideas, while beautiful, dutiful oldest sister May tries her best to keep Gemma on the straight and narrow.

With businessmen threatening to raze Chinatown around their ears and Ma making increasingly loud noises about nineteen year-old May getting married, the last thing the girls need is a catastrophe to upset the already delicate balance of their world. Stumbling across the dead body of May’s old friend Lulu Wong is, unfortunately, exactly that kind of unneeded disaster. But Lulu’s death will have greater consequences for more than just the sisters’ lives. The young woman wasn’t just one of May’s closest friends: she was also a rising Hollywood star who’d amassed enough money to move with her family to Beverly Hills. What could have possibly brought Lulu back to an abandoned structure in Chinatown, and what – or rather who – left her lying there, dead?

The police are inclined to dismiss Lulu’s death as a case of the local Chinese turning on one of their own, a line of thinking that the Chows understandably find infuriating. An incensed Gemma tells her sister:

QUOTE
[“W]e owe it to Lulu to keep an eye on matters. We need to make sure justice is served, don’t you see? She might’ve been a somebody when she was alive, but now, who knows?” Gemma gazed up at me, her face as earnest as a daisy.

Worry trapped my breath in my chest. Lulu’s wealth and fame would give the investigation a push. But for how long and how far? In the end, she was just a dead Chinese woman, without even a father to speak for her. Would she matter enough? I said a prayer and nodded. Lulu [...] needed us. Plus, though Gemma might be bolder, she was also more foolish, and it was my duty to keep folly’s hand off her.
END QUOTE

As the girls investigate both separately and together, they find themselves moving amidst Los Angeles’ most rich and famous. From City Hall to Hollywood, the sisters brave hostility, corruption and their own treacherous hearts in their pursuit of the truth. But how far are they willing to go to find justice for Lulu, and by extension for their entire community?

Because Lulu wasn’t just a good friend with a generous soul who happened to have a talent for acting. She had ambitions far beyond her own glory. As she told May in their last in-person conversation together, she had decided to stop being pigeonholed into supporting roles. She was actually going to play the heroine in her next movie, a truly groundbreaking move not only for Hollywood but also for the Chinese American community, who faced constant discrimination merely for the way they looked:

QUOTE
I grabbed her fingers and squealed. “That’s fantastic.” Lulu always played the villain. It’d never occurred to me that she might play anything else. Would having a Chinese girl as a heroine shift perceptions of us? Might some come to believe we weren’t so bad? [...]

She faced the ocean again, her profile as resolute as carved jade. “See, sometimes you can’t just open the front door to air the house. Sometimes you have to come from the side, through a window. Sure, it’s work to lift it, even a crack. But once you get your fingers under it, the lifting gets easier. And when the sweet breeze fills the spaces, change will follow.”
END QUOTE

However reluctantly, the Chow sisters are inspired to take up Lulu’s mantle, fighting for progress, equality and visibility. But was that the reason someone felt Lulu had to die? And will her killer target May and Gemma next?

This was an incredibly sympathetic and illuminating historical mystery that kept me guessing almost till the very end. It’s easy to forget how different things were in America not even a century ago, as equal rights were only reluctantly extended to different minority groups in fits and starts. So many brave souls – represented here by Lulu, May and Gemma, among others – strove to change the public perception of minorities, fighting entrenched interests on their way to getting the world to acknowledge our shared humanity. Stacey Lee writes with both verve and accuracy, bringing the facts to startling, colorful life through the Chows’ struggles. I rather hope this isn’t the last we see of May and Gemma, as the sisters – so different in temperament and outlook – make for a truly terrific team.

Lulu Wong has a face that has graced the silver screen and is known by many, but no one knows her quite as well as her childhood friends and classmates, the Chow sisters. Living in a mansion in Beverly Hills, Lulu doesn’t often return to Chinatown, so everyone is surprised when she is found far from home, dead. Gemma, May and Peony are convinced that Lulu was the victim of foul play, but the LAPD doesn’t seem driven to investigate, preferring instead to use the crime as another excuse to demolish, as powerful men describe it, crime-filled Chinatown to make way for a new railway depot. Determined to find Lulu’s killer and save their community, the Chow sisters will do whatever they need to in order to uncover the truth.

Kill Her Twice was a novel that is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction that I really enjoyed. Both Gemma and May act as the main narrators, offering similar yet unique perspectives about the events taking place and the feelings held by many of the characters; these two sisters could not be more different. While there is a decent mystery within the narrative I think the historical and social commentaries carry the story just as much, if not more. I also found the title to be an apt representation/perspective of the death of Lulu.

Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending me an ARC to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own honest review.

I loved this book. The setting was fantastic, and the author really transported me back to the 1930s with the Chow sisters. I liked the dual POV narration between May and Gemma, and I liked that the sisters were very different.
The mystery in this one was fantastic. Lulu’s death isn’t being investigated properly, so Gemma and May decide to do so themselves. They got into some trouble, but they also found answers. I liked how many different angles they had to look into. I also liked how they came across supporting characters who continued to play a role in the story. The ultimate villain was revealed really well, and the story had me guessing right up until a few pages before the reveal when all the clues were laid out.
The pacing was good, and I liked that there was the mystery but also the family elements and May and Wallace’s budding relationship. The story really followed their lives during this period of unease with the impending destruction of Chinatown and the murder of Lulu.
I was hooked by the story, the characters and the writing style. It was easy to read and follow along with, and the author did a fantastic job of setting up the mystery and dropping clues.