Bad Kids

I really liked the plot of this book. It was very unique in the writing style. It was very easy to follow; I finished it in a day! Did t want to put it down.

Bad Kids is an amazingly captivating story that will have you gripping for every single page. I am obsessed with it, the characters are complex and beautifully written, so much so, you cannot help but both love and hate the all. It covers a number of complex situations such as revenge, murder and more, and I highly recommend it for everyone who loves a captivating thriller!

I watched the Bad Kids tv series when it first came out a few years ago and was shocked to see the English translation of the book available on NetGalley. The show was really popular and I was curious to read the work that it was adapted from.

The book involves a murder that is witnessed and inadvertently filmed by three kids. Each kid has gone through hardship in different ways and rather than report the murder to the police, they decide to blackmail the murderer for money in exchange for the footage. What could go wrong?

I binged the book on a plane ride and am still thinking about it. The writing style is simple and not particularly descriptive. I find it tends to tell rather than show. That said, the characters are where the book shines. I really like the title of the book because it makes us question are the kids actually bad or are they victims of circumstance? Perhaps both. I won’t spoil the book but it was an enjoyable, dark read with a bit of an ambiguous ending. There are some key differences in characters and the plot toward the end between the show and the book. The show I believe was modified due to Chinese censorship laws. I have to admit I kind of preferred the tv show’s ending and I’m looking forward to a rewatch now that I’ve read the book.

This was a great book with an unexpected twist at the end. I got shocked from the start, having to re-read the first few pages again to make sure what happened really happened-which was a first for me!

"[Zhang Dongsheng]...allowed himself an inward smile...He had committed the perfect crime-nothing could compare to the 'accident' he had choreographed."

July, 2013. Zhang took his in-laws for an outing at Sanmingshan, a nature park. After climbing up to the observation point, on the most famous mountain in Ningbo, Zhang seated them on a long wide wall to take their photo. "...then without warning he grabbed their legs and lifted sending them hurling down the mountain. They screamed....". No one was looking in their direction. Zhang had gotten away with murder, or so he thought. Three young teens were fooling around nearby.

Zhu Chaoyang, 13 years old, lived in a shabby, musty apartment. His mother worked a low-paying job with long hours and was often away for days. His father, having abandoned the family, chose to live a cushy life with his demanding new wife and spoiled daughter. Chaoyang was a diligent student, a math superstar with a promising future. He felt isolated and alone, was bullied at school, and embarrassed by his small stature. He should never have opened the apartment door to two runaways from an abusive orphanage in Beijing. Ding Hao was a former classmate who Chaoyang hadn't seen in five years. Along with him was Pupu, an eleven year old girl who ran away from the orphanage with Hao. They were out of money, had begged on the street, and now hoped that Chaoyang would let them stay for the night.

Using an old camera, barely able to hold a charge, Chaoyang took a video of Pupu to burn so that her dad would receive it in the afterlife. The video, taken at the lookout point at Sanmingshan, would reveal Zhang's so-called carefully planned murder as seen in the video's background.

Three kids with troubled pasts. A plan to blackmail the murderer, Zhang. Three kids who get sucked into more than they bargain for. "Chaoyang realized that he was afraid of the murderer-and of his new friends." So many unfair elements make up the lives of these youngsters.

"Bad Kids" by Zijin Chen is a dark thriller that questions societal accountability, parental responsibility and judges the resultant behaviors presented by the trio. A crime is covered up and bad choices are made. The age of the protagonists who lack a moral compass is a tragedy, in part, due to the circumstances of their upbringing. A chilling, heartbreaking novel.

Thank you Pushkin Vertigo and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Bad Kids by Zijin Chen.

This is a novel about Bad Kids! They capture a murder on a camera and decide to blackmail the murderer instead of turning the evidence over to the police. There are a bunch of different points of view, but they all work together really well.

I really loved this book. I was nervous the entire time I read it, not sure what was going to happen next or what would happen to Chaoyang. This might count as a spoiler, but the part with the journal was amazing! I honestly dreaded reading what might be discovered as the journal was read. The ending…you’ll have to make up your own decision about what happened. I found the translation a bit choppy, but it didn’t really bother me that much.

O K EEEEE Y

This book was a roller coaster of murder.

When I started reading the book, I was not expecting everything that happened at all and the truth is that I loved it when only the tip of the iceberg is revealed to us and one finds oneself involved in a totally intricate story that you don't know where it's going to go because clearly You do not expect everything you are reading.

It's the first time I've read the author and although at first I felt that the childish conversations that the main characters had with each other shocked me a bit, later I realized that they were common conversations between boys of that age. It's just that one is used to other types of more mature protagonists even when they are 13 years old. And that's why I think I ended up liking it so much, because even though these guys find themselves involved in a lot of extreme situations and act in somewhat perverse ways, they're still kids and that innocence and talk still has the characteristic tint of age.

The truth is that I look forward to reading other things about this author. And more if they are thrillers like these! I loved how the events unfolded and although the way this story ends is not the kind of ending I prefer... it was very fitting.

Atmosphere 👌: Fly-on-the-wall observations with a sympathetic, candid, sincere tone. There were moments with an off-beat, almost whimsical feel that may be translation relics or purposeful (excellent translation btw!).
-Set in Ningbo, China during the summer break from school
-People are well described through body language and appearance. You can be creative with imaginings without it being destroyed later, but your imagination doesn't have to work overtime to set a scene

Main POVs: Third party narration with gradual, seamless transitions between POVs.
-A 13 year-old student. Academically intelligent, conflict-avoidant, and lonely. They are bullied at school and despite the best of intentions often misunderstood by the adults in their life.
-A 13 year-old who had a rough start in life, but comes through with idealistic resilience. They are loyal, moral, and protective, but also easily distracted and overly trusting.
-An 11 year-old who faced tragic loss and abuse at the hands of an institutional caregiver. They are stoic, skeptical, and condemnatory, but also loyal, sensitive, and emotionally intelligent.
-A police officer who is logical, evidence based, and hard working. They set high standards for themselves and that affects how they interpret evidence and treat their family.
-A mathematically intelligent former police officer who is now a Criminal Logic Professor with a rare gift for merging 'gut feeling' with logical analysis
-An adult from humble means that has married into a wealthy family. They thought their relationship was based on love, but that seems to be fading away and they are looking for a quick-fix

Cred Rating 👌👮🧒: Realistic to plausible
This story is giving off so much true crime, 'truth is stranger than fiction' energy. The parent-child dynamics seemed very realistic.

Tail wags 🐕:
-Main POVs are those of pre-teens, yet the story was not juvenile and didn’t rely on ‘creepy kid’ vibes. It was nostalgic reading about their experiences because I saw the world as a kid again with all the feels, revenge and freedom fantasies, and friendship dramas.
-The author didn’t overly rely on convenience, coincidence, or police incompetence to drive the story, and didn’t use information delays, interruptions, or hold-backs either. It felt like it naturally unfolded.
-The thriller/suspense elements don't depend on how much you care for any one character. If you like them you'll be cheering on their plans and hoping they come out unscathed. If you don't you'll be hoping they fail and get caught.
-As the reader, we usually know more than any one character so the unexpected and mysterious moments are all the more vivid.
-Possible Growl for some: Cliffhanger ending open to reader interpretation. It worked for me because it was symbolic of how pre-teens and teens are constantly living in that awkward space where adult intervention can redeem or destroy.

Reading Journey: On vacation exploring a new city. Never been there before, but somehow, it’s nostalgic and familiar. Arrive back home planning a repeat visit.

Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Light touch of literary fiction with fly-on-the-wall narrative
-Cat-and-mouse dynamics between police and perpetrators (involving a competent police force)
-Coming-of-age, found family trope
-“Good for them” (revenge against the bullies) elements involving blackmail
-Thought-provoking commentary on kids behaving badly – born, made, or a combination?
-Complex dynamics between fathers and their children

Vibes: 😥🤭🤯

Content Heads-Up: Blackmail, Parent Death, and Parental Rejection

Format: ARC of the English translation from Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley

P.S. 🤗 In the running for our Fav Book of 2023 .

What a pleasant surprise Bad Kids by Zijin Chen proved to be! I loved the Fargoesque quality to it. Bad Kids is often chilling. At other times, it is hilarious. It is always entertaining. I couldn't have anticipated how much fun this book would be. It is indeed fast paced. The suspense is palpable. The characters enveloped by the black cloud of the crimes committed in Bad Kids will shock you. This is a book I can't recommend too much! Thank you to Pushkin Press, Pushkin Vertigo, & NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #BadKids #NetGalley

This is an extremely twisty and suspenseful story that will keep a reader on the edge of her chair until the very last page. The concept behind the story is relatively simple, though its execution is anything but.

Chaoyang is a bright 13 year old who's having a bad time at school. Widely viewed as a nerd, he is also singled out for bullying by the daughter of a high-level police officer. The girl is jealous of his excellent academic results, and his dubious social status as the son of divorced parents in a China where conservative social values still hold sway makes him particularly vulnerable, garnering little sympathy from teachers.

To make matters worse, his wealthy father provides very little support to the boy and his mother, forcing the latter - despite being a single parent - to often spend days away from home in order to meet the requirements of her job. Meanwhile, his father and very mean stepmother dote on their own 10-year-old daughter, who is not even aware that she has a brother!

Alone and friendless, Chaoyang is surprised at home one day when a friend of his comes to visit after a gap of several years. It turns out the this 13-year#old boy, Ding Hao, is on the run with another young girl aged about 11, who is nicknamed Pupu. The pair have escaped from a state institution, where they were placed after their parents were imprisoned or executed for various violent crimes.

Initially unwillingly, Chaoyang nevertheless allows them to hide out at his place. The trio quickly become close friends, and one day he takes Ding Hao and Pupu for a day out at the National Park where his mother works. While they are at the sightseeing area, an unfortunate accident occurs, and two elderly tourists fall to their death during an attempt to take a scenic picture.

The children return home to find that in the background of the video they were taking of their various antics, a man can be seen pushing the couple over the edge. After an abortive attempt to contact the police, they realise that such an action would actually lead to the authorities discovering that Ding Hao and Pupu are escapees, which would mean that they would then be taken into state custody.

So, instead, the children decide to take the far more dangerous route of finding the murderer and extracting money from him in return for the video, so that Ding Hao and Pupu will have the necessary resources to live on while they wait to reach the age of independence.

What the children don't fully realise is the darkness they will be led into by stepping onto this path. Chaoyang - who is the least keen on this idea -is quickly caught up in the plan, which will have unforeseen consequences. Not just for the three children, but also for the killer.

This is a well-plotted book, with remarkable number of twists and turns, and all four of the main characters are brought vividly to life. The supporting characters - who include the killer's wife, Chaoyang's parents and stepmother, his classmates, and the police officers involved in the case -
are also well-drawn, and linger in the reader's mind.

It was particularly interesting to learn something about contemporary China through the eyes of these children, and by the ways in which the authorities puzzle over the complexity of cases which they are not aware are actually linked.

Despite the occasional quirk inevitable in a translated work, this is a fast-paced read, and quite gripping. The complexity of the plot is belied by the ease with which the story can be read.

It's a five star read for me, and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys complicated family dynamics, murder mysteries, and good storytelling that combines psychological thriller and crime elements.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book as much as I did. The plot seemed unbelievable in the first few chapters but I’m glad I kept reading. The writing itself is simple but the as the story got going I was riveted. The story is not the run of the mill mystery and it has a good twist that you won’t see coming

Bad Kids by Zijin Chen is certainly something a bit different.
It begins with Zhang Dongshen somewhat spoiling his wealthy in-laws enjoyment of a day with him at a local mountain beauty spot by pushing them off of a wall to their deaths. With the police convinced that the whole thing was an accident Zhang's smug self-congratulation is brutally ended when he's approached by 3 children who inadvertently filmed the whole thing. With the kids blackmailing him events take an increasingly darker path.

The book initially seems like a rather juvenile YA story but as the story gets into its stride I went from thinking maybe I'd chosen the wrong book to read to enjoying its simplistic style and finding some of the horrific and disturbing scenes more effective for being related in what seemed like the voice of a child. There are plenty of surprises in the book and a definite need to suspend belief quite often but it's very entertaining and definitely not run of the mill.

The Chineses TV show based on this book was streaming online and got viral a few years ago.
It surprises me when I see the English version of the original novel has published.
The book "Bad Kids" by Zijin Chen is a coming of age story that discusses serious social topics: family, education, friendship, etc.
I enjoy the changing of POV and the thought-provoking ending.
I expect to read more by Zijin Chen.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There is this mysterious feeling that surrounds the whole plot, setting, and all the characters that makes it unique. I wasn't sure if I'll end up liking the book at first because the writing/translating is a bit different, after all, it is a Chinese book.
I certainly wasn't expecting the ending, throughout reading the book I was wondering what the ending might be and there were many possibilities that the author could've done but the one that we're left with is a pretty good one.

I liked the premise but have a really difficult time trying to get into the meat of this story. The kids were desperate and the gentleman the same for different reasons. Nobody came out the winner in this one.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

I read it because I heard good things about this book, especially the adaptation.

It's a fast paced thriller book about our three main characters who's witness a murder, and decided to blackmailed said murderer.

It was an enjoyable read, I finished it in one sit. It has everything I expected to. Dark, and reminded us just how viled and twisted children could be. Some part are hard to read here and there. Overall, there isn't really anything new in this kind of genre, but still good enough to keep the readers sit throughout it.

When 3 kids find evidence of a murder, instead of reporting it to the police they take the time to blackmail the murderer and perhaps use him for his skills.

I absolutely powered through this book, the opening prologue was brilliant to capture your attention and to them follow the kids throughout the novel kept it entertaining and easy to read! I loved the storyline as it became more and more thrilling and I think the ending was perfect! I can't wait to recommend this to people!

Un romanzo eccellente, che esplora senza timore le parti più oscure della natura umana e insieme le peculiarità di una società, come quella cinese, lontanissima dalla nostra. Leggerò sicuramente altro di questo disturbante autore.

I loved this. The setting was fascinating to me and I want to learn more about China and the modern culture there. I thought the author did an amazing job of expressing the thoughts, views and conversations of 13 year olds. The different points of view were utterly immersive and this, combined with the setting, made for a book which seems more fact than fiction,

I really enjoyed reading Bad Kids by Zijin Che, the most intriguing crime thriller of a Chinese teenage boy, Zhu Chaoyang, his two friends, his mother, father, step-family, grandparents, and a police detective - and a series of 9 murders. I really enjoyed reading Bad Kids by Zijin Chen: a most intriguing crime thriller and story of a Chinese teenage boy, Zhu Chaoyang, his two friends, his mother, father, step-family, grandparents, and a police detective - and a series of 9 murders.

The language of the translation, at times, seems a little awkward but in a way that added to the exotic-ness of the story, which serves as a window into Chinese family/parent-child culture (perhaps). There are many cultural nuances that will feel odd to the western reader and I enjoyed this aspect of the book.

Zhu Chaoyang is hard-working and very successful student with no friends. He is the occasional victim of class bullies. His parents are divorced; his father remarried and neglects to maintain a positive relationship with Chaoyang. And he's mean with his money and his affection for his son.

A friend from several years ago appears at Zhu Chaoyang’s front door and asks to stay with Chaoyang for a few days. He and a younger girl have run away from an orphanage.

Meanwhile, Zhang Dongsheng, a teacher, murders his parents in law and the murder is captured on video by Chaoyang and his new friends. Their dilemma is that if they take the video to the police, the friends will be returned to the orphanage. So they hatch a plan to blackmail the murderer.

Around the same time Chaoyang meets his father, but it is clear that the father is completely under the control of his second wife and young daughter, fueling shame and financial hardship for Chaoyang and his mother. The meeting ends when the step-mother and step-sister appear and Chaoyang is introduced by his father as the nephew of a colleague. This upsets Chaoyang and...

Grateful for Chaoyang’s hospitality, his new friends offer to help exact some revenge on his nasty step-mother and spoilt-brat step-sister for being the source of his financial and emotional difficulties. This goes wrong and the step-sister is accidentally killed. This leads to the blackmail arrangement changing and I should probably stop telling the whole plot…

The story/plot is very well-constructed. At a distance, the plot seems far-fetched, but up close, sentence by sentence, it works well. The plot is told quickly and economically. We’re not bothered by too much florid description of the setting, and this brevity works well for this story, and keeps the plot ticking along at a rapid pace.

The characters are convincingly authentic and the reader will quickly develop a sympathy for the three kids, Chaoyang especially and his mother. The principal detective is no chump and it was interesting to read him being included into the relationship-driven plot.

It’s been fun to read that other reviewers were not happy with the ambiguous ending, but the ending is as clear as can be. And, in my opinion, it’s the perfect end and is perfectly satisfying. This is the most interesting and best-written crime fiction that I’ve read in a long time.

I usually don’t read books that have to be translated because I always feel like things are ‘lost in translation’ as it were but Michelle Deeter did an excellent job on this.
That being said, BAD KIDS by Zijin Chen is an action-packed, thrill ride from start to finish. I am SO GLAD I took a chance on this one. Just when I went to zig, I found out I should have zagged (if that’s a word) and I was turned around all over again, spinning to the end…and beyond.
When three tweens find themselves in possession of a damning video, they decide on extortion to solve all of their money woes. While one of the kids wants to be noticed (by his father), the other two prefer to stay hidden (from authorities ). But how can nine deaths be linked to this one group? It’s six degrees of separation in this one. But who will walk away and is it really as a victor? Does the survivor really win anything?
My pulse was pounding, my heart rate went through the roof and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to get to the end, and what a shocking ending. it was! While I couldn’t wait to see how it ended, I was sad when it did because I would have loved to see what happened beyond that. But, I suppose this way, I can carry on the story to any conclusion I want. I will be thinking about this one for some to come. For me? That’s the best kind of book! BRAVO!

Thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good! Its like in the same vein of Keigi Higashino. If you love psychological exploration of a crime, you will love this. Its brilliantly told in the varying perspectives of a child, a detective, a killer and a professor. I found the plot to be very engaging and you will want to know how everything unfolds.

You knew what happened, you dread the whole situation yet you will be so repulsed and intrigued by the mastermind of the whole events. Its mindblowing and absolute vile to read. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars

Three children inadvertently capture a murder on video while horsing around. Instead of contacting the police, they devise a plan to blackmail the killer. Soon things spiral out of control and we're left asking the question: is it nature or nurture that pushes someone to kill?

This was a page-turning novel and the translation was great. Perfect for fans of books like Strangers on a Train and Stand By Me.

I received this arc for free on netgalley in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this, and was hooked from the very beginning! This is a very fast paced and intriguing read. This will also leave you questioning nature vs. nurture. Are people born bad or are they the victims of upbringing/circumstance? This is told from multiple POVs, and the story flowed very well. I will say, at times this did read a bit "YA" to me, but that did not bother me. I found the ending to be a little unsatisfying, but that did not take away from the overall story.

I have wanted to read this book for quite some time, so thanks to Netgalley!
Never knew what it was about, I just blindly trusted a recommendation without checking what it was about. And I do not regret, at all. It was a real whirlwind to read in a good way, and it was sick and menacing all at once. We follow a young teenager who all of a sudden gets visited by an old childhood friend accompanied by a young girl he met at an orphanage. After a day out they are unknowingly witnesses to a double-homicide and decide to blackmail the murderer... I mean, what can go wrong?

I really enjoyed that this book is constantly moving from the first page. I'm a fan of slow-burn thrillers as much as the next reader, but this shock of a beginning kept me glued to the page! The plot is so involved and I found each page to be just another clue into everything. I will be recommending it to most of my book buddies as they enjoy thrillers as well.! 4/5 Stars.

Thank you to Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the next best-selling psychological thriller! Bad Kids by Zijin Chen is a thriller translated from Chinese that is sure to appeal to audiences worldwide. The story revolves around three kids who witness a murder one day. But instead of cowering in fear or running to tell the police, the kids instead decide to blackmail the murderer. In exchange for their silence, they tell the murderer that they want money. Can they stay one step ahead of the murderer or will they end up becoming his next victims?

Here is a chilling excerpt from Chapter 1:

"They screamed loudly as he stepped beyond their reach. Zhang was overcome with shock for a few seconds. He went back to the edge and looked down. "Mum! Dad!"
There was no response.
There was no chance of surviving the fall.
He turned and ran towards the shops. People had heard the screams and hurried to see what was going on.
Zhang's voice became panicked. "Help! Help! There's been an accident!"

Overall, Bad Kids is a psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Keigo Higashino's mysteries or Kotaro Isaka's Bullet Train. In fact, I could see a Hollywood adaptation becoming a huge hit just like Bullet Train was.
One highlight of this book is the unforgettable protagonists, the bad kids. I've rarely read books with child protagonists that are this dark and psychologically complex.

Another highlight of this book is how well-planned-out and well-thought-out the crime is. Although this book isn't a mystery, I can tell that the author spent just as much time on planning out the plot as a mystery writer would. One final highlight of this book is how unputdownable it was. I sped through this book in 2 days because I had to know how it ended. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you won't regret checking out this book, which is available now!

4.5 stars'

I really enjoyed this book because it was quick to get through and not like many books I read before. I have not read that many stories that follow devious criminal children so it was interesting to read. The open ending of this book was something that I think fit with this particular story. It would have been intriguing to get more perspective on Pupu and Ding Hao.

5 stars-This one was a WILD ride! 3 friends (13, 13, and 11) are at the park taking pictures. They capture a double murder on video. That’s all of the story I am going to summarize, because like other reviewers have pointed out, the less you know going into this one, the more enjoyable it is. I love that this was made into a tv show in China, I might try and find it to see if it available in the US. Definitely worth the read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Twisted Chain..
When Zhang Dongsheng helps his in laws off a mountain top, catapulting them to their untimely deaths, he is convinced that he has committed the perfect murder. Little did he know that a group of teenagers were watching. So begins a dark and twisted chain of events. A cleverly crafted straight talking murder mystery, incorporating a woven in social commentary, made all the more surprising when shocking events are gradually revealed.

This is one of my best reads this year. It's dark but neither morbid nor nasty. Just basically human. Personally, I love stories like this. I wonder if there'll be sequel and if a sequel would bring the story to new heights or if it's gonna bring it down.

Great book. Interesting because we see that adults aren't the only ones who can have dark thoughts, but also children. And children who can act on those dark thoughts are very dangerous. All characters fight for their freedom, but to each their own kind. I recommend this book

Very interesting book.This book hooks you from start.Murder,children and mystery.A must read for all mystery lovers .

"Bad Kids" by Zijin Chen is a gritty and raw exploration of adolescence in contemporary China. Chen's narrative delves into the lives of disaffected youth, revealing a world of rebellion, desperation, and hope. The characters are starkly authentic, their struggles and desires palpable. As the story unfolds, it paints a stark picture of a generation navigating societal constraints. This novel is a compelling and poignant reflection of the challenges faced by today's youth in a rapidly changing world.

An early fan of Breaking Bad, I now love the genre of television shows and books where seemingly normal people make a decision that leads them down a path they normally would never take. Bad Kids captured my attention in much the same way that Walter White did, a book where shades of gray are the main theme. Bad Kids is a book you can - and will - want to read in one setting, it will pull you along to the very end and you will be glad to have been along for the ride!

"Bad Kids" delivers an electrifying suspense thriller that grabs your attention from the start. The perfect crime takes an unexpected turn when three bold kids uncover a dark secret. With a fast-paced narrative and multiple perspectives, the story explores the thin line between nature and nurture, leaving you questioning the roots of human behavior.

While the ending may leave you craving more, the overall journey is a gripping exploration of the complexities of innocence and guilt. The author skillfully delves into the minds of both adults and children, revealing the chilling potential within. A solid 4-star read for those craving a psychological thriller that challenges conventional notions.

Thank you Netgalley. This was a great read and I enjoyed it. The multiple POVs kept the storyline moving at a great pace. The characters were well drawn. The slow revel of secrets kept me guessing!!

This month I have felt a bit of a reading slump, and this one was on my Libby App. I was in two minds as I never have read any books set in Asia. I was captivated by the title and as I was reading it, I was immediately drawn into the book. We first meet Zhang who has been working up to killing his parents’ in-law and so he has found the perfect crime scene and way to murder them. Or he thought it was as turns out at the park with a camera three friends who have captured the whole thing and now can prove it was murder. Chaoyang and his friends need money to survive as his two friends are on the run from the orphanage, they plan to blackmail Zhang. What will happen though when Chaoyang's friends come up with a plan to get back at his stepmother and accidentally kills his young stepsister. Soon Chaoyang and his friends are stuck in the middle of several murders and must figure out how to get away with murder and throw the cops off their scent. This was such a great fast-paced thriller and the perfect read if you want to read a book set in a different continent and translated into English. Fans of the series Teen Killers by Lily Sparks will enjoy Zijin Chen's book Bad Kids.

This books was nearly impossible to put down. The characters shine through the entire time. Multiple POV that all work together and cohesive. I never knew what to expect as I was reading and for the first time ever I stopped trying to predict what would happen and just read the book and enjoy to rollercoaster.