★★★★★ 4
A Fun Historical Mystery!
Format: Kindle
In 1932, the famous movie star Lulu Wong was murdered. However, the police arrested an innocent man for the crime. The Chow sisters—May, Gemma, and Peony— believe that because Lulu Wong was Asian, her case was not handled fairly. They decide to investigate the case to find the real killer. As they investigate, the sisters realize that they are in great danger because the killer knows that they are investigating him and he wants to stop them.
Even though the synopsis named three main characters, there are only two narrators—May and Gemma. Peony is rarely mentioned and does very little investigating in this book. Peony mostly likes playing basketball and reading. She spends most of the time taking care of her pregnant mother. May and Gemma are the ones that do the real investigating. Gemma is very reckless and impulsive, but May is hesitant and reluctant. May thinks more about her family’s reputation and her responsibilities for her family. Therefore, Gemma has more freedom and independence. I found both Gemma and May to be very smart. I also like how they teamed up to solve the mystery. Therefore, they make a very fun team.
Overall, this book is about family, racism, and dreams. The main message of this book is to follow your heart. I liked all the characters. I found them to be very complex and realistic. I did find the book to move at an incredibly slow pace. I also thought that the mystery was drawn out. Nevertheless, I like the setting of 1930s Chinatown. Kill Her Twice was an entertaining cozy historical mystery that is perfect for a lazy afternoon! I recommend this book for fans of June Hur, Joan He, and Sherry Thomas!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)
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Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2025
