Information
Goodreads: Kill Her Twice
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2024
Summary
It's 1932 and Lulu Wong is the pride of Los Angeles's Chinatown, where the residents hope that a popular film star can improve their reputation, even as the city threatens to tear their neighborhood down. But when Lulu is found murdered, her old friends Gemma and May Chow know that even Lulu's fame will not be enough to interest the authorities in uncovering the culprit. So the sisters decide to investigate on their own. But their persistence could land them in more danger than they realize.
Review
Stacey Lee writes wonderful historical fiction that focuses on lesser-known parts of the past, so I was excited to see a mystery steeped in the glamour of Old Hollywood. However, while the characterization, as always, is delightful and complex, the mystery itself falls flat. The plot lacks tension as the protagonists sort of meander about picking up unhelpful clues, until the perpetrator simply announces their involvement. While I enjoyed the atmosphere and the historical details of the story, I admit myself disappointed with the execution of the mystery.
Gemma and May prove sympathetic protagonists, with Gemma filling the role of the outgoing risk taker and may the more cautious, traditional sister. Both, however, possess a fierce determination to succeed in a world where the odds are stacked against them. While I enjoyed reading both their perspectives, I only wished that their narrative voices were more dissimilar. I frequently had to double check whose point of view I was reading, since both seem to "speak" the same way, despite having such different personalities.
Through the sisters' eyes, Lee deftly takes readers into the world of 1930s Los Angeles, showcasing not only the enthusiasm for film and film stars, but also the more disagreeable aspects of the past, such as the desire to eradicate Chinatown. The sisters have to confront everyday racism that shapes public attitudes towards them and their neighborhood. But Lee does not bid readers despair. Both May and Gemma hold their heads high and decide to fight and make a difference where they can. Their task seems monumental, however, as figures in powerful places are working against them.
The characters and the setting make the story a lively read; it is really only the mystery that falls flat. I do believe this is Lee's first attempt at the genre, however, so perhaps it is not entirely unexpected that the threads should not seem to be woven neatly together. For most of the story, Gemma and May seem to have few leads follow, and the ones they find are not particularly useful. Indeed, at some points, I was not sure why they were even following up certain leads. All this means that the culprit was a surprise to me. But I almost feel as if the culprit should not have been that surprising--more clues should have pointed that way in a well-written mystery.
Still, Kill Her Twice is a solid historical fiction. I always enjoy Lee's prose style and characterization, as well as the focus on overlooked moments of the past. I look forward to reading more of Lee's work in the future.
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