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We often hear stories of the Golden Age of Hollywood—of the elegant, fashionable stars who graced the silver screen in its early days. But the YA whodunit Kill Her Twice by author Stacey Lee offers a look at a different side of classic Hollywood—with a murderous, mysterious twist.
The story is set in Los Angeles in 1932. Flower sellers May and Gemma Chou are shocked to discover the body of Lulu Wong in an old horse stable in their neighborhood while they’re getting ready for another day of sales. Lulu once lived with them in Chinatown—and she was May’s best friend—until she became an actress and took Hollywood by storm. She was just about to take on her first starring role when she was killed—and May and Gemma are determined to find who was responsible.
As they try to juggle their meager flower sales with their investigation, May and Gemma find themselves caught up not just in solving Lulu’s murder but also in the fight to keep their beloved neighborhood from being demolished by politicians who see the people who live there as little more than common criminals. The author mixes interesting bits of history into the story, sharing what it was like to be a young Chinese woman living in America during the time, trying to balance cultural expectations with their lives in a very different culture.
In the process, the author also introduces a family of strong women with very different personalities—from outspoken and impulsive middle sister Gemma to quiet oldest sister May, who’s expected to be responsible and obedient, though she still secretly dreams of what would have happened if she’d followed in her friend’s footsteps to Hollywood. Readers will enjoy getting to know the sisters—and they’ll hope to meet them again in more adventures.
The mystery, too, is a captivating one, blending history and culture into the usual elements of a murder mystery—like jealousy and greed—in this search for suspects and motivation. The story takes readers in directions that they won’t expect—and it all comes together in an action-packed showdown that’s worthy of its Hollywood setting.
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.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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