This month I have felt a bit of a reading slump, and this one was on my Libby App. I was in two minds as I never have read any books set in Asia. I was captivated by the title and as I was reading it, I was immediately drawn into the book. We first meet Zhang who has been working up to killing his parents’ in-law and so he has found the perfect crime scene and way to murder them. Or he thought it was as turns out at the park with a camera three friends who have captured the whole thing and now can prove it was murder. Chaoyang and his friends need money to survive as his two friends are on the run from the orphanage, they plan to blackmail Zhang. What will happen though when Chaoyang's friends come up with a plan to get back at his stepmother and accidentally kills his young stepsister. Soon Chaoyang and his friends are stuck in the middle of several murders and must figure out how to get away with murder and throw the cops off their scent. This was such a great fast-paced thriller and the perfect read if you want to read a book set in a different continent and translated into English. Fans of the series Teen Killers by Lily Sparks will enjoy Zijin Chen's book Bad Kids.

Thank you Netgalley. This was a great read and I enjoyed it. The multiple POVs kept the storyline moving at a great pace. The characters were well drawn. The slow revel of secrets kept me guessing!!

"Bad Kids" delivers an electrifying suspense thriller that grabs your attention from the start. The perfect crime takes an unexpected turn when three bold kids uncover a dark secret. With a fast-paced narrative and multiple perspectives, the story explores the thin line between nature and nurture, leaving you questioning the roots of human behavior.

While the ending may leave you craving more, the overall journey is a gripping exploration of the complexities of innocence and guilt. The author skillfully delves into the minds of both adults and children, revealing the chilling potential within. A solid 4-star read for those craving a psychological thriller that challenges conventional notions.

An early fan of Breaking Bad, I now love the genre of television shows and books where seemingly normal people make a decision that leads them down a path they normally would never take. Bad Kids captured my attention in much the same way that Walter White did, a book where shades of gray are the main theme. Bad Kids is a book you can - and will - want to read in one setting, it will pull you along to the very end and you will be glad to have been along for the ride!

"Bad Kids" by Zijin Chen is a gritty and raw exploration of adolescence in contemporary China. Chen's narrative delves into the lives of disaffected youth, revealing a world of rebellion, desperation, and hope. The characters are starkly authentic, their struggles and desires palpable. As the story unfolds, it paints a stark picture of a generation navigating societal constraints. This novel is a compelling and poignant reflection of the challenges faced by today's youth in a rapidly changing world.

When Zhang Dongsheng pushes his in laws off a mountain he thinks he's committed the perfect crime, what he doesn't know is that teenagers Chaoyang, Pupu and Ding Hao have unknowingly got a recording of him doing it. When the teens realise what the accidentally recorded the decide to blackmail Zhang but nothing any of them seem to do goes to plan. Will the teens make it out alive?
This was a wild ride from start to finish. Full of murder, suspense and intrigue I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this so much. This was such a fun read because its so shocking. I feel like this stuck to its native Chinese and was translated very well. Highly recommend.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Very interesting book.This book hooks you from start.Murder,children and mystery.A must read for all mystery lovers .

Having watched the TV show of this I have to unfortunately say, I enjoyed that one more than the book. The writing style was not engaging for me but I am not sure if this was due to the translation or the original, or both.

The story, however, is incredibly gripping- following these young kids as they try to navigate this really tricky situation they are makes it a good read. The characters are perhaps the most beautiful part of the book, it is impossible not to get attached to them but also to be continuously questioning the intentions of each of them. A good solid read

Great book. Interesting because we see that adults aren't the only ones who can have dark thoughts, but also children. And children who can act on those dark thoughts are very dangerous. All characters fight for their freedom, but to each their own kind. I recommend this book

This is one of my best reads this year. It's dark but neither morbid nor nasty. Just basically human. Personally, I love stories like this. I wonder if there'll be sequel and if a sequel would bring the story to new heights or if it's gonna bring it down.

A Twisted Chain..
When Zhang Dongsheng helps his in laws off a mountain top, catapulting them to their untimely deaths, he is convinced that he has committed the perfect murder. Little did he know that a group of teenagers were watching. So begins a dark and twisted chain of events. A cleverly crafted straight talking murder mystery, incorporating a woven in social commentary, made all the more surprising when shocking events are gradually revealed.

5 stars-This one was a WILD ride! 3 friends (13, 13, and 11) are at the park taking pictures. They capture a double murder on video. That’s all of the story I am going to summarize, because like other reviewers have pointed out, the less you know going into this one, the more enjoyable it is. I love that this was made into a tv show in China, I might try and find it to see if it available in the US. Definitely worth the read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars'

I really enjoyed this book because it was quick to get through and not like many books I read before. I have not read that many stories that follow devious criminal children so it was interesting to read. The open ending of this book was something that I think fit with this particular story. It would have been intriguing to get more perspective on Pupu and Ding Hao.

Thank you to Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the next best-selling psychological thriller! Bad Kids by Zijin Chen is a thriller translated from Chinese that is sure to appeal to audiences worldwide. The story revolves around three kids who witness a murder one day. But instead of cowering in fear or running to tell the police, the kids instead decide to blackmail the murderer. In exchange for their silence, they tell the murderer that they want money. Can they stay one step ahead of the murderer or will they end up becoming his next victims?

Here is a chilling excerpt from Chapter 1:

"They screamed loudly as he stepped beyond their reach. Zhang was overcome with shock for a few seconds. He went back to the edge and looked down. "Mum! Dad!"
There was no response.
There was no chance of surviving the fall.
He turned and ran towards the shops. People had heard the screams and hurried to see what was going on.
Zhang's voice became panicked. "Help! Help! There's been an accident!"

Overall, Bad Kids is a psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Keigo Higashino's mysteries or Kotaro Isaka's Bullet Train. In fact, I could see a Hollywood adaptation becoming a huge hit just like Bullet Train was.
One highlight of this book is the unforgettable protagonists, the bad kids. I've rarely read books with child protagonists that are this dark and psychologically complex.

Another highlight of this book is how well-planned-out and well-thought-out the crime is. Although this book isn't a mystery, I can tell that the author spent just as much time on planning out the plot as a mystery writer would. One final highlight of this book is how unputdownable it was. I sped through this book in 2 days because I had to know how it ended. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you won't regret checking out this book, which is available now!

Pushkin Press has made a name for itself as a publisher of translated fiction, specialising in classic Japanese crime fiction by authors such as Seishi Yokomizo and Akimitsu Takagi. With Bad Kids, written by a Chinese author, they make the transition to modern crime fiction. The reason for their choice is obvious: the novel has been adapted for television and is one of China's most popular online TV shows of all time. But will the English translation be as successful?

The short answer? Yes and no. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The plot of Bad Kids starts off as a simple one. Zhang Dongshen, an opportunistic and clearly evil man, is in an unhappy marriage. His wife, who comes from a wealthy family, has a new lover and wishes to divorce him. Zang wants her money, but he has to get rid of a few people first. He begins with his in-laws, whom he takes to Sanmingshan, Ningbo's most famous mountain. Zang pushes them both over the edge while posing for a photo on a ledge, convinced that no one saw what he did. No one witnessed the murder, but three children were taking photographs nearby and they see a perfect opportunity for extortion. What begins as blackmail quickly transforms into something much darker and unexpected.

Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2023/06/29/bad-kids-zijn-chen/

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

While the premise of three children going toe to toe with a full-fledged murderer is what initially drew me in, I found myself having to suspend my disbelief in order to force myself to finish the book.

"One beautiful morning, Zhang Dongsheng pushes his wealthy in-laws off a remote mountain.

It’s the perfect crime. Or so he thinks.

But Zhang Dongsheng did not expect that teenager Chaoyang and his friends would catch him in the act. An opportunity for blackmail presents itself and the kids start down a dark path that will lead to the unraveling of all their lives."

It bears repeating that I initially LOVED the premise. I thought this story would be similar to the film Hard Candy starring Elliot Page and Patrick Wilson, with sadistic and violent children making a victim out of a coldblooded murderer.

But the children were CHILDREN–their choices, behaviors, and priorities (like exams, crushes, and getting taller) are simply that of tweens, and I found myself doubting the validity of the plot. There is no way three kids, who were easily bribed with food and pocket money, could have outsmarted all of the adults on the police force, as well as highly educated university professors (one of whom is shown to be a calculated killer).

I give this ⅗ stars, simply because the initial premise and course of events will drew me in, and compelled me to see what happened next. But keep in mind, this book was originally written in Chinese, and it is very apparent in the sentence structure and word choice that this is a translated work. Readers who are not used to translations may find this a bit disorienting and have trouble making it through the story.

I really enjoyed that this book is constantly moving from the first page. I'm a fan of slow-burn thrillers as much as the next reader, but this shock of a beginning kept me glued to the page! The plot is so involved and I found each page to be just another clue into everything. I will be recommending it to most of my book buddies as they enjoy thrillers as well.! 4/5 Stars.

I have wanted to read this book for quite some time, so thanks to Netgalley!
Never knew what it was about, I just blindly trusted a recommendation without checking what it was about. And I do not regret, at all. It was a real whirlwind to read in a good way, and it was sick and menacing all at once. We follow a young teenager who all of a sudden gets visited by an old childhood friend accompanied by a young girl he met at an orphanage. After a day out they are unknowingly witnesses to a double-homicide and decide to blackmail the murderer... I mean, what can go wrong?

This book was sadly just not for me. I wanted to like it but the actions of the kids went too far for me and I wasn't able to finish it. It was easy to read, though a bit clunky at times which is probably the fault of the translation and not the author.