Written with a flow that feels almost like the dancing Louise and Rosa Maria love partake in.

It’s a lovely debut that makes you want to keep reading until all your suspicions are confirmed.

Something I found a little difficult were Detective Martin as a trustworthy alliance after he was so racist and cruel in the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this eARC!
—
Overall rating: 3.5 but I prefer to round up if I have to give a rating
—
There was a lot to enjoy in this book even though it fell a bit flat for me.. Dead Dead Girls is set during the Harlem Renaissance and Prohibition Era with a queer Black protagonist who is strong-willed, hard-headed, and can dance with the best of them working with white police to stop a serial killer. Mystery is a genre that I’m unfortunately very picky with and don’t often read much of, but this seemed less twisty “whodunnit” because the “Girl Killer” is revealed early on and what’s left is to prove how.

I thought there was a lot of promise in this book but was unfortunately jolted out of the story because the pacing and storytelling seemed choppy. I would often be wondering why we were suddenly in a different scene. In addition, it seemed as if there were inconsistencies in how some characters were described, but that might just me being nit picky.

I think this book will have readers who really enjoy it despite my personal issues because Harlem Renaissance mystery is just such a great premise and Afia created such a strong female protagonist!
—
Instagram post to be uploaded by pub date on www.instagram.com/unofficialbookstagram

Louise Lloyd, age 15 at the time, escaped her kidnapper and saved three other girls from their captor. At the young age of 15, Louise became the famous “Harlem Hero.”

Fast forward 10 years. Louise, now a young woman, is determined to lead a normal life. A life without the stigma of the “Harlem Hero.” In her determination, Louise undertakes a life filled with bootleg alcohol and dancing by night, and working the local cafe by day.

Louise’s past cannot be forgotten as fears begin to mount in the neighborhood. There is a kidnapper at large. A kidnapper that murders its victims. Tensions escalate and Louise is forced to assist in the murder investigations under the guise that white detectives aren’t able to penetrate the Harlem neighborhood for clues.

Dead Dead Girls is not a high octane suspense, nor is it a jet fueled thriller. It is a steamship voyage into the Roaring Twenties and the Harlem Renaissance. It is an interesting and measured read.

The characters are fascinating and the plot is not like your everyday “whodunnit.” Rather, the “who” is revealed, and the evidence needs to be proven. Not the typical format, but it is something different. However, I didn’t particularly like knowing the “who” as it didn’t seem like there was enough evidence to prove the alleged perpetrator guilty. Added to this, is the unlikely scenario that a common/layperson would be recruited to assist in any murder investigation — it was a little too far fetched for me.

In any event, Dead Dead Girls is a decent read and worthy of two stars. It was okay.

I received a digital ARC from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Louise Lloyd lives in 1920s Harlem, works at a diner during the day, then dances and drinks the night away in speakeasies with her girlfriend Rosa Maria. When three young Black women who work at the speakeasy hidden under the diner where Louise works are murdered, and the police investigation seems half-hearted at best, the lead detective recruits Louise to help gather information from places he can’t easily have access to.

First of all, I loved the historical recreation. The characters speak the lingo of the time in a way that sets the action in a definite period, but the narrator’s voice is modern so it doesn’t become too heavy-handed. It is fascinating to explore the different spaces that Louise navigates: the cheap or more upscale speakeasies, the rooming house where she and Rosa Maria live, the strict household where she grew up, and the police station. (I would love to say that the racism and misogynoir that is directed at Louise is also part of the period detail, but sadly I only have to look at the world today to know that they are still prevalent.) Louise deftly navigates the different worlds, a little lost in her first time as amateur detective, but determined to find justice for the dead young women and stop the killer.

Which brings me to Louise, who is a wonderful protagonist. She is the survivor of a kidnapping that occurred when she was a teen, while saving herself she also saved several other victims. The middle daughter of a strict religious father, she is fiercely independent and has a bit of an anger management issue, which her friends see but she herself refuses to acknowledge. She is headstrong and outspoken, which for a young unmarried (not to mention Queer) Black woman at the time was not a safe combination. She keeps getting into scrapes and fighting her way out, and I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages to see what she would do next.

The only less than perfect element of this novel was the mystery itself. While Louise’s investigation is compelling, there are not a lot of twists, and Louise guesses the identity of the murderer fairly early on and from that point the mystery becomes “how will she prove it” rather than “whodunnit”. While the final confrontation is nerve-wracking, there weren’t a lot of twists to get there. I would still read any further adventures of Louise as a detective, especially to see her grow as a character and plunge again in the period setting, but I would hope for a few more red herrings.

This book was so immersive— from the setting, to the wardrobe, to the way the characters spoke, that I immediately felt transported to the prohibition-era jazz age. The author kept the pacing and the plot tight, and the main character was such a firecracker that it’s impossible not to love this book. I can’t wait for the next one!

Dead Dead Girls is the start of a promising and refreshing new historical mystery series. Set in 1920s Harlem, readers get to follow Louise, a complicated and compelling heroine, as she becomes entangled in a series of murders despite her best efforts to stay under the radar. Definitely not a cozy, this book has a menacing undertone and doesn't hesitate to shine a light on the ugliness that people are capable of. I look forward to seeing Louise develop as a character, and hearing more about her close-knit group of friends. Solid characters, an interesting setting, and plenty of intrigue.

There is some choppy or abrupt moments in the prose and pacing, but overall, this was a wonderfully surprising historical mystery. I was expecting something akin to Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and while the set pieces bear some similarities, this was a wonderfully dark serial killer thriller set in 1920s Harlem. I loved seeing a different kind of protagonist than we normally see in these books, and I found this to be a very page turning, satisfying mystery

CW: racism & hate crimes

The bones of this story are so good. A lesbian POC solving crime in 1926 Harlem. So much catnip in one sentence. I wanted another enjoyable historical murder series to look forward to reading a new volume every year. However, the construction of the book needs a rewrite. The flow of chapters is horrible. At the beginning of every chapter, I don't know where we are or how we got there. It reminded me of reading short stories. I honestly want Nekesa Afia to work on it before it gets published. The lost potential of this book hurts.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction cozy mystery set in Harlem NY in the 1920s. The main character is Louise Lloyd, a young black woman who at 15 had been kidnapped off the street, and beyond all odds, had escaped her assailant and helped three other teenage black girls escape with her. When we next see her, she is in her early 20s living in a boarding house for Wayward Girls, and is involved with another of the girls Rosa Maria. Young girls are being killed and left outside the cafe Louise works at, and the officer in charge asks Louise to help. I loved the ending and finding out who the killer was.

I received an e-ARC of this book by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was an absolute joy. Louise is a fantastic heroine: tiny but fearless, complex but flawed, and I was immediately drawn into her world. The story may be set a hundred years ago, but the characters in this novel are wonderfully relevant for twenty-first century readers. The writing is fast paced and stylish, and the author beautifully evokes the atmosphere of prohibition era Harlem - from page one I could visualise this book as if it were a film. The plot twists and turns, throwing out wonderful red herrings along the way, and the ending left me speechless. Add to this the fact the heroine is black and queer, and this is an astonishing debut from a major new mystery voice.

This was such a good book! I loved Louise and think this is a great debut. The pacing was well done and the mystery elements were seamless. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. Nekesa Afia is one to watch.

CW: murder, attempted rape, kidnapping, racism, sexual harassment

3.5/5 stars

"dead dead girls" is a solid debut, but i have mixed feelings about this novel. while i did enjoy most parts, the middle dragged a bit and i hated the way it ended. it was so rushed and quick, and not much was explained.

the writing is wonderful and the author does a great job making us understand the character's emotions and what drives her. i liked how unapologetically herself louise was and how fleshed out her personality was.

the side characters were also interesting. i loved rosa and i loved her relationship with louise. they were so soft together. the twins were so cute as well and i really liked the trio.

the mystery was kinda all over the place. louise missed clues that were pretty obvious and got stuck on stuff that didn't really matter that much. the ending left a lot of questions unanswered and in my opinion, it ended way too abruptly. we didn't get to know why the killer did what he did besides a few sentences that didn't offer much.

overall, it is a good novel, it just needed a bit of editing. i'll definitely pick up the next books in the series!

thank you to netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I love historical mystery books! Once I read the description on this book I knew I had to get my hands on it. To also find out that it is a series I am over the top excited. I thought the characters were well developed and the story line was clever. Louise is a great lead and I can't wait to see what else she does!

A great historical mystery with wonderful representation of a queer Black girl in 1920s Harlem. It's more than just mystery or history and ties together issues of race and sexuality, family and found family, and the joy of dancing.

I’ve been on a historical mystery binge for the last year or so and have devoured one series after another. I saw the cover reveal for Dead Dead Girls on Twitter, read the blurb, and then immediately put it on my TBR wishlist. I mean who can resist gorgeous women drinking illegal booze in speakeasies and dancing with each other all night long while a killer is on the loose in Harlem? Definitely not me.

Dead Dead Girls features a strong, fabulous, black lesbian protagonist named Louise Lloyd. When the book opens she is the victim of a kidnapping and fights to rescue herself as well as several other girls taken from a mysterious villain. She becomes the Hero of Harlem. Years later there is a series of murders of young black women in and around Harlem and after getting into an altercation with a police officer while trying to save another young woman, is arrested and soon realizes the only way she is getting out of a jail sentence is to help the lead detective with his case. Louise may be uniquely qualified to help find the killer, but she’s also just a normal woman working at a cafe by day, living in a group home, and spending her evenings with her girlfriend dancing and drinking the night away. But she doesn’t have a choice.

I enjoyed this mystery very much. So many twists and turns and Louise is a wonderful narrator. The pacing kept me flipping pages and the mystery was well done. I started to get a feel of who the killer might be around the 60% mark, and couldn’t wait to see if I was correct. If I have any complaint it’s that the details of what happens immediately after Louise catches the killer are kind of fast-forwarded and glossed over.

She is also surrounded by a lovely cast of supporting characters and I hope to see them and Louise very soon solving more mysteries.

I liked Dead Dead Girls, but I didn't love it.

Let's start with what worked: It was *awesome* to read a story about a Black queer woman solving crime in 1920s New York City. That type of representation is almost non existant, so coming across it here (as a reader who is a Black queer woman) was so validating. I love how vibrant Harlem feels while reading: it's easy to paint a picture of each speakeasy, café, and park. I also loved that this book didn't pretend that racism didn't exist, but weaved a realistic take on it into the story. It felt so much more believable because of that.

Okay, so now for what didn't feel quite right for me: the mystery. To be fair, I love true crime and I read thrillers, but I don't read a TON of mysteries. However, this mystery here didn't feel quite aligned to me: I never fully understood the killer's signature, his reason for killing didn't get as deeply explored as I wished, and the pacing felt a little off to me. There were things Louise didn't pick up on that were obvious signs and other things she found fishy for no reason. I like when I can solve the crime with the main character and here, I felt like I wasn't given a chance to: I had to be content to just sit on my hands and watch Louise solve the mystery.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I loved this book! The setting of Harlem and Louise Lloyd as the lead were perfection. I loved the twists in the book, and I thought the plot was very well-developed. The ending was amazing, too! Overall, I fell in love with these characters and the story, and I can’t wait for others in the series to com out. I felt like I was transported from 2021 to 1920 and Harlem, and it was truly like taking a time traveling journey with a mysterious twist. Louise Lloyd as the main protagonist was such an inspiring, motivating character that I will not soon forget her! Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy of this book. I enjoyed it immensely!

I was SO excited when I first saw a murder mystery set during the Harlem Renaissance -- and with a queer, Black woman detective -- yes please! This crucial period of history is vastly underrepresented in fiction, and I'm so glad Nekesa Afia has finally arrived with this stunning debut. While she does keep the promises of what a reader will expect from the genre, Afia doesn't hide behind the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. Instead, she exposes the dark corners of those Prohibition years, highlighting the pages of history that have been written over by white voices, claiming Black culture as their own.

DEAD DEAD GIRLS easily leads you onto the dance floor with a graceful Waltz, and quickly twirls you into a Charleston, and as the rhythm picks up, you won't ever want to sit back down. (Seriously, do NOT pick this up right before bedtime or you will see the light of dawn!) The mystery itself is expertly woven, and will certainly satisfy both a newbie to the genre, and the Jessica Fletchers among us. The suspects are complex and multi-faceted, keeping you guessing at every turn. The author does an incredible job of placing red-herrings, and varying pace throughout the novel to keep the tension up and the reader on their toes.

Though every single character in this novel jumps off of the page with life, Louise Lloyd is a standout heroine. THIS is the friend you call in a crisis, or just when you need a fun night out. Louise is incredibly smart and compassionate, and uses her charisma and life experiences in a unique way to solve the case, while constantly fighting against prejudice and her family's judgement to keep her friends and sisters safe. There is a huge amount of emotional depth in this book that goes far beyond the murders at its core, and I'm so thrilled we are going to continue following Louise on her adventures throughout this series.

Deftly written and completely atmospheric, DEAD DEAD GIRLS is a standout debut clearly steeped in research and containing so so much heart. I cannot wait to see what Louise and her friends do next! I'm a Nekesa Afia fan for life.

This is an excellent read-just a super freaking good book. An excellent mystery, too, because I truly had no idea who was killing the girls until the very end, and the author does such a great job of disseminating red herrings and making you think like maybe you know who the bad guy is-but then you second guess yourself and figure that maybe you don't know. Basically, my fave kind of mystery: where I'm always changing my mind about who did it. But aside from the mystery there is soooo much more to love. A non-comprehensive list of my fave parts:

- Louise. She is a force of nature. She is tiny and relentless and intelligent and stubborn and "ornery" (a direct quote, btw) and there is something beautiful in watching her going from feeling like the investigation is something forced upon her to realizing that she cares way to much to let go of the girls. (Also I looooved her past as the Hero of Harlem and her complex feelings about that and about her father... she has such a layered backstory! Basically: I love her. Lou marry me.)

- The relationship between Louise and Rosa Maria. Their quiet, deep love is #goals. I just loved how Rosa Maria was Louise's rock throughout. And Lou sneaking up to Rosa Maria's room (CRIES!!) and their little guarded gestures of affection... I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS EXPLORED IN THE NEXT BOOK!

- Rafael. He's cute. He's funny. He's Lou's BFF. And his gesture for Lou at the end... it made me tear up.

- Louise's relationship with her sisters. It's complex and layered and I love them and I want to spend Thanksgiving with them.

- THE!! ATMOSPHERE!!! The descriptions of the Harlem Renaissance-perfect. I want to go the Zodiac!! I love the setting and I love the way the author made me feel like I was right there! (And I am deeply ignorant about American history, but this book is sooo accessible!)

Basically: read this book. One of my fave reads of the year--and it weaves in lot of themes that are still relevant in 2021. Seventy out of five stars, would recommend to everyone.