I really wanted to love this one. The concept had so much potential. A murder mystery set in 1920s Harlem with flapper vibes and a young Black woman at the center of it all? Yes, please. But unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.

The opening started strong: we meet a girl who survives a terrifying kidnapping, then fast-forward ten years to see her life unraveling after a run-in with the police. But once the actual mystery kicks in… things started to fall apart. The pacing felt choppy, the writing uneven, and the historical setting never fully came to life. Aside from some slang, there’s very little that truly evokes 1926 Harlem, which was such a missed opportunity.

My biggest issue, though, was with the main character. Her detective work felt careless and impulsive often acting on unexplained feelings or hunches that didn’t really track. I found myself frustrated with her choices and seriously considered DNF-ing. I pushed through, but it was a struggle.

Honestly, I hope the ARC I read got another round of edits, because the bones of the story aren’t bad. I liked the flapper/nightlife aesthetic and the idea of the plot but the execution just didn’t land for me.

Barely 3 stars, and that’s mostly because I loved the idea of the setting. I won’t be continuing the series, but I’m still open to checking out future work from the author hopefully with tighter editing next time.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★.5

Dead Dead Girls out now. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.