Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Terrific whodunit set in the Chinatown of 1932 LA.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
As KILL HER TWICE BEGINS, 19-year-old May Chow and her 17-year-old sister Gemma are shouldering a lot of responsibility. With their father away recovering from tuberculosis, they've taken over the family flower business and are struggling to keep it afloat and earn enough to support their mother and younger sister. But that might not be enough, as the Chows, like everyone in Chinatown, are in danger of losing their home. Powerful business and political forces have determined that Chinatown should be demolished to build a new train station and a campaign of lies and racial slurs has been launched against the Chinese American community. One bright spot for everyone in Chinatown is Lulu Wong, a local girl who's become a movie star. When May and Gemma discover her body in a derelict stable in Chinatown, they're certain the police won't put much effort into finding her killer. So the sisters decide it's up to them to solve her murder, a search that becomes urgent after an innocent man is arrested. So May goes undercover on the set of the movie Lulu was filming and Gemma goes in search of Lulu's autopsy report. What the girls discover is that Lulu had a secret lover who was White, her costars have secrets, and her agent is both despicable and dishonest. And what about the mysterious man with the white Schnauzer dog and who delivered rare out of season oranges to Lulu the day she died? The shocking identity of the killer is finally revealed the night of a glamorous Hollywood party.
Is It Any Good?
A mix of vividly drawn historical details, a secret romance, and a powerful storyline about prejudice and racism make for an impossible to put down read. Kill Her Twice might be set in 1932, but many of the challenges faced by May, Gemma, and Lulu will be familiar ones to today's readers — living up to your parents' expectations, facing discrimination because of your race or gender identity, living with a sibling you love but who can also drive you crazy, and finding a first love.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how challenging it was for the girls and women in Kill Her Twice to be independent, courageous, and outspoken.
Interracial romance and marriage was extremely rare (and often against the law) in 1932. How open are students in your school to dating across racial or religious lines? Why do you think feelings on this topic have changed over time?
What are the most important lessons you've learned from reading novels with a diverse cast of characters?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Activism , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : April 23, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate