What do you think?
Rate this book
Juniper Song #2
Beware, Beware (Juniper Song Mysteries) by Steph Cha
Juniper Song—an unforgettable new crime heroine hailed as “young, sharp, and worldly-wise” by New York Times bestselling author Meg Gardiner—returns in this smart, fast-paced follow-up to Steph Cha’s critically acclaimed debut Follow Her Home.Working as an apprentice at a P.I. firm, Juniper Song finds herself nose deep in a Hollywood murder scandal where the lies may be more glamorous than most, but the truths they cover are just as ugly. When a young woman named Daphne Freamon calls looking for an eye on her boyfriend, her boss punts the client to Song. Daphne is an independently wealthy painter living in New York, and her boyfriend Jamie Landon is a freelance screenwriter in Los Angeles, ghostwriting a vanity project for aging movie star Joe Tilley. Song quickly learns that there’s more to this case than a simple tail, and her suspicions are confirmed when Tilley winds up dead in a hotel room. Nonetheless, when Jamie becomes the prime suspect in the movie star’s murder, she agrees to help the charismatic couple discover the truth, even as the police build their case against Jamie. As she chases leads and questions grieving Hollywood insiders, she uncovers a sordid layer of blackmail and hidden identities, of a history of violence that leaves no one—not even Song—safe from judgment.An edgy, gorgeously written read, Beware Beware is perfect for fans of Megan Abbott and Tana French. It’s a tale that twists around the lies we tell ourselves and others, that examines the ugliness under the skin-deep glamor of L.A. Praise for Follow Her Home“[Song] is a compelling and original protagonist… One only hopes that Cha and her driven, neo-noir detective have more opportunities to explore those troubling intersections over many books to come.” –LA Times“Engrossing… Steph Cha's intriguing debut Follow Her Home works as a testament to the power of storytelling and a cautionary tale against forsaking reality for fiction…Cha elevates Follow Her Home with glimpses at the culture of Korean-American families.” –Oline Cogdill, Tulsa World“Stephanie Cha's brilliant debut is as Noir as Old Nick's sense of humour. Compelling from first to last page, she takes on contemporary L.A., sweeping the reader through Chandler's twilight, heartbroken city from mansions to faux K-town hostess bars. L.A. Noir at its finest.” -- Denise Mina, author of The Dead Hour
Hardcover
First published May 20, 2014
24 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 6, 2024
At the time Steph Cha’s excellent Your House Will Pay came out, I read that she had a great L.A. detective series featuring Juniper Song.
Beware, Beware is the second in the series, and Cha does a decent job of filling in the extensive backstory from the first, although I would recommend starting at the beginning since I still had questions about Juniper’s background by the time I finished this one. Nevertheless, this had enough internal coherence to make it viable as a standalone.
The plotting was great, as was the L.A. noir feel. Juniper is a fan of Chandler, and I’m guessing Cha is as well. It has that vibe grafted onto a young, inexperienced woman detective from a Korean family. Somehow it works. There are plenty of twists and turns to the story; all that typical Chandler unpeeling of secrets.
My one criticism would be the narration. This is purely a matter of personal preference. I’m not fond of girlish voices, regardless of the age of the characters. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes detective fiction - but read it, don’t listen.
Beware, Beware is the second in the series, and Cha does a decent job of filling in the extensive backstory from the first, although I would recommend starting at the beginning since I still had questions about Juniper’s background by the time I finished this one. Nevertheless, this had enough internal coherence to make it viable as a standalone.
The plotting was great, as was the L.A. noir feel. Juniper is a fan of Chandler, and I’m guessing Cha is as well. It has that vibe grafted onto a young, inexperienced woman detective from a Korean family. Somehow it works. There are plenty of twists and turns to the story; all that typical Chandler unpeeling of secrets.
My one criticism would be the narration. This is purely a matter of personal preference. I’m not fond of girlish voices, regardless of the age of the characters. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes detective fiction - but read it, don’t listen.
November 30, 2014
Steph Cha is many things: lawyer, lover of Basset hounds, author of more than 2,000 Yelp reviews and the creator of the Juniper Song series of detective novels.
Much like her fictional forebear, Philip Marlowe, Song drinks heavily, smokes like a chimney and calls Los Angeles home. Unlike Raymond Chandler’s famous private investigator, Song is young, female and Korean-American. In other words, she’s not like Marlowe at all.
In Beware Beware, the second installment in the mystery series, Song is hired by New York artist Daphne Freamon to keep tabs on her boyfriend, Jamie Landon. Jamie, Daphne explains, hasn’t been returning her calls, and she’s concerned because he’s dabbled with drugs in the past. After securing a ghostwriting gig with aging mega-star Joe Tilley, Jamie’s become one of the actor’s closest associates. Jamie says they’re working on another project, but Daphne suspects they’re partying together.
Song spends a few mostly uneventful days tailing her new client. She logs more time on her laptop than she does behind the wheel and discovers interesting things about the man she’s following around town and on the Internet. Song quickly reaches the conclusion that she’s more than a little envious of Jamie: His good looks, numerous friends and apparent ease in social situations stand in stark contrast to Song’s solitary life in a two-bedroom apartment she shares with her young cousin Lori, who, unlike Song, has a boyfriend with whom she spends most of her free time. Alone, Song drinks and broods.
“I liked to think of myself as an honest person, someone who valued truth above comfort, sometimes even above kindness. It was one of the virtues I allowed myself to admit, that gave me a measure of pride. I’d lost friends and family over festering lies, amputated them like a sinner set on heaven. It might have been the impulse that led me to private detection in the first place—the Marlowe drive, the itchy longing to uncover ugly soil, to dislodge the bad fruit that rooted below.”
In other words, Song’s code of honor is also the source of her discontent. It’s the Marlowe drive, however, that leads Song to the hotel suite where, after a night of binging on booze and blow, Tilley is found dead in a bathtub filled with his own blood, and Jamie is the prime suspect.
The first third of Beware Beware follows Song as she tries to uncover the truth behind Tilley’s murder. Song interviews a slew of people who are so eager to talk to her and insert themselves in the murder scandal that Song seems more like a TMZ reporter than a gumshoe. But toward the middle of the book, the story takes some unpredictable twists and turns. No one is quite the way they seem, danger lurks everywhere and even Lori and her boyfriend are in peril.
One of the things I like most about Cha’s handling of Song is that unlike Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade or Mike Hammer, Song isn’t accustomed to dealing with death. She’s not used to people turning up dead every few chapters like her counterparts in crime novels. In fact, she hasn’t sufficiently recovered from the trauma that unfolded in the previous novel, Follow Her Home, which casts a long shadow over Beware Beware. After she witnesses a cold-blooded murder, she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
“I stumbled into the apartment in a haze of fear and trauma. It was a relief to be home, out of the direct company of a murderer, but the immediate release uncorked my bottled up panic, and I felt anything but safe.”
Song lacks the panache of a Marlowe or Spade, and that makes her vulnerable. Perhaps “lack” isn’t the right word. The absence of a tough-talking exterior doesn’t make Song less of a detective; it makes her real. But this vulnerability comes at great cost. The stakes keep getting higher and higher, and the ending left me emotionally flattened in a way I didn’t see coming. I never felt that way after reading a Raymond Chandler novel.
Cha is currently working on a third Juniper Song novel, and I hope her heroine is able to protect herself from the crimes of the past and the horrors to come without becoming too hardboiled. In the field of detective fiction, there are many Marlowes, but there is only one Juniper Song.
Much like her fictional forebear, Philip Marlowe, Song drinks heavily, smokes like a chimney and calls Los Angeles home. Unlike Raymond Chandler’s famous private investigator, Song is young, female and Korean-American. In other words, she’s not like Marlowe at all.
In Beware Beware, the second installment in the mystery series, Song is hired by New York artist Daphne Freamon to keep tabs on her boyfriend, Jamie Landon. Jamie, Daphne explains, hasn’t been returning her calls, and she’s concerned because he’s dabbled with drugs in the past. After securing a ghostwriting gig with aging mega-star Joe Tilley, Jamie’s become one of the actor’s closest associates. Jamie says they’re working on another project, but Daphne suspects they’re partying together.
Song spends a few mostly uneventful days tailing her new client. She logs more time on her laptop than she does behind the wheel and discovers interesting things about the man she’s following around town and on the Internet. Song quickly reaches the conclusion that she’s more than a little envious of Jamie: His good looks, numerous friends and apparent ease in social situations stand in stark contrast to Song’s solitary life in a two-bedroom apartment she shares with her young cousin Lori, who, unlike Song, has a boyfriend with whom she spends most of her free time. Alone, Song drinks and broods.
“I liked to think of myself as an honest person, someone who valued truth above comfort, sometimes even above kindness. It was one of the virtues I allowed myself to admit, that gave me a measure of pride. I’d lost friends and family over festering lies, amputated them like a sinner set on heaven. It might have been the impulse that led me to private detection in the first place—the Marlowe drive, the itchy longing to uncover ugly soil, to dislodge the bad fruit that rooted below.”
In other words, Song’s code of honor is also the source of her discontent. It’s the Marlowe drive, however, that leads Song to the hotel suite where, after a night of binging on booze and blow, Tilley is found dead in a bathtub filled with his own blood, and Jamie is the prime suspect.
The first third of Beware Beware follows Song as she tries to uncover the truth behind Tilley’s murder. Song interviews a slew of people who are so eager to talk to her and insert themselves in the murder scandal that Song seems more like a TMZ reporter than a gumshoe. But toward the middle of the book, the story takes some unpredictable twists and turns. No one is quite the way they seem, danger lurks everywhere and even Lori and her boyfriend are in peril.
One of the things I like most about Cha’s handling of Song is that unlike Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade or Mike Hammer, Song isn’t accustomed to dealing with death. She’s not used to people turning up dead every few chapters like her counterparts in crime novels. In fact, she hasn’t sufficiently recovered from the trauma that unfolded in the previous novel, Follow Her Home, which casts a long shadow over Beware Beware. After she witnesses a cold-blooded murder, she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
“I stumbled into the apartment in a haze of fear and trauma. It was a relief to be home, out of the direct company of a murderer, but the immediate release uncorked my bottled up panic, and I felt anything but safe.”
Song lacks the panache of a Marlowe or Spade, and that makes her vulnerable. Perhaps “lack” isn’t the right word. The absence of a tough-talking exterior doesn’t make Song less of a detective; it makes her real. But this vulnerability comes at great cost. The stakes keep getting higher and higher, and the ending left me emotionally flattened in a way I didn’t see coming. I never felt that way after reading a Raymond Chandler novel.
Cha is currently working on a third Juniper Song novel, and I hope her heroine is able to protect herself from the crimes of the past and the horrors to come without becoming too hardboiled. In the field of detective fiction, there are many Marlowes, but there is only one Juniper Song.
October 12, 2024
Nope. The opening chapter had me gagging, too. DNF @ 7%.
May 6, 2016
IT'S ALIVE.
March 21, 2016
Book review Beware Beware by Steph Cha
Steph Cha’s new thriller, Beware Beware, starts out like a sassy beach read and ends with muscle and authority. It’s gritty, urban,edgy, and ultimately deals with a burning real life issue in a way that is not preachy, but instead is integral to the plot. Her character development and pacing are handled as expertly as a champion driver at the Indy 500. Buckle up and be ready!
Great thanks go to the publisher and Net Galley for letting me sneak a peek ahead of time.
Daphne Freamon, a renowned painter, contacts PI Juniper Song, the first Korean-American to join the formidable array of female sleuths marketed in contemporary detective fiction, for what appears to be a routine domestic investigation case. In the end, it is far more. There are more twists and turns than you can possibly imagine, and the pages turn so rapidly that by the end of the weekend, I was done, yet still thinking about what I had read, which for me is significant; usually I mow through one book, reflect long enough to spin a review, and then move on.
Freamon hires Song, a hard-drinking, hard-working PI with a past that haunts her daily, to follow her boyfriend around. Is he having an affair? Is he back on drugs?
The answer is obviously “yes” to at least one of these, and yet Freamon still wants Song on the case. Two weeks have gone by and she’s still doing this work after she has more than enough information; something feels off about it, but hey, it’s Daphne’s dime. Daphne Freamon wants her to continue, and Song follows through. Oh boy, does she follow through!
A distraction that becomes urgent, then menacing, is the ugly man who has taken an unmistakable yet unwelcome interest in Song’s roommate, whom she considers her little sister. Why can’t Lori lose this guy? When Lori’s boyfriend, the one she loves, is beaten so badly that he requires hospitalization, the facts come out, and they aren’t pretty. Now Song has two problems instead of one. How can she protect Lori from this thug, a man with a thousand tentacles that reach everywhere?
Freamon, who has become not only a client but a friend as well, sees the problem too. She has a quick word with Lori at a nightclub. From there, things speed up. You may find yourself leaning forward as you read!
One small thing that twitched at the back of my brain all the way through the book, being a practical-minded gal, was whether Freamon pays up for Song’s sweat and hard work. I keep waiting for Song to send an invoice or cash a check. She spends so much time on this case and does so much for this woman, and I just want to know that Song can pay her bills at the end of the day. It shouldn’t bother me, given the immediacy of the story line, and yet it does.
This picky detail shouldn’t keep you away from fresh, original writing by a new talent who is sure to be a huge hit. Cha writes with confidence and authority, and if you take this book to the beach, you won’t notice the sand or the sea. Carve out some time, because you won’t want to do anything else till you have turned the very last page!
Steph Cha’s new thriller, Beware Beware, starts out like a sassy beach read and ends with muscle and authority. It’s gritty, urban,edgy, and ultimately deals with a burning real life issue in a way that is not preachy, but instead is integral to the plot. Her character development and pacing are handled as expertly as a champion driver at the Indy 500. Buckle up and be ready!
Great thanks go to the publisher and Net Galley for letting me sneak a peek ahead of time.
Daphne Freamon, a renowned painter, contacts PI Juniper Song, the first Korean-American to join the formidable array of female sleuths marketed in contemporary detective fiction, for what appears to be a routine domestic investigation case. In the end, it is far more. There are more twists and turns than you can possibly imagine, and the pages turn so rapidly that by the end of the weekend, I was done, yet still thinking about what I had read, which for me is significant; usually I mow through one book, reflect long enough to spin a review, and then move on.
Freamon hires Song, a hard-drinking, hard-working PI with a past that haunts her daily, to follow her boyfriend around. Is he having an affair? Is he back on drugs?
The answer is obviously “yes” to at least one of these, and yet Freamon still wants Song on the case. Two weeks have gone by and she’s still doing this work after she has more than enough information; something feels off about it, but hey, it’s Daphne’s dime. Daphne Freamon wants her to continue, and Song follows through. Oh boy, does she follow through!
A distraction that becomes urgent, then menacing, is the ugly man who has taken an unmistakable yet unwelcome interest in Song’s roommate, whom she considers her little sister. Why can’t Lori lose this guy? When Lori’s boyfriend, the one she loves, is beaten so badly that he requires hospitalization, the facts come out, and they aren’t pretty. Now Song has two problems instead of one. How can she protect Lori from this thug, a man with a thousand tentacles that reach everywhere?
Freamon, who has become not only a client but a friend as well, sees the problem too. She has a quick word with Lori at a nightclub. From there, things speed up. You may find yourself leaning forward as you read!
One small thing that twitched at the back of my brain all the way through the book, being a practical-minded gal, was whether Freamon pays up for Song’s sweat and hard work. I keep waiting for Song to send an invoice or cash a check. She spends so much time on this case and does so much for this woman, and I just want to know that Song can pay her bills at the end of the day. It shouldn’t bother me, given the immediacy of the story line, and yet it does.
This picky detail shouldn’t keep you away from fresh, original writing by a new talent who is sure to be a huge hit. Cha writes with confidence and authority, and if you take this book to the beach, you won’t notice the sand or the sea. Carve out some time, because you won’t want to do anything else till you have turned the very last page!
December 10, 2018
I read Steph Cha’s first novel a few months ago and in that time, I’ve discovered her work outside of this series is as important as the series itself. She’s listed as the “noir” editor for the LA Review of Books and it appears she writes for the LA Times on a weekly basis. Her column in the Times which covered Linda Fairstein’s unfortunate history as a prosecutor in the Central Park Five case* (and her continuously unrepentant attitude for how the case was handled) helped inspire the Mystery Writers of America to withdraw the prestigious Grand Dagger Award from Fairstein. She’s got a lot going on.
There are three books in this series and I hope she returns to it sooner than later. Because she definitely improved on her first. The characters feel more lived in and not just because they are familiar now but because Cha improved on both characterization and atmosphere. And the mystery itself is a very interesting whodunnit that doesn’t get resolved until near the end. Mystery reveals rarely surprise me anymore and while this one didn’t either, it resolved itself in a way I didn’t expect and really came to appreciate.
If hardboiled refers to the style of loner detective in the Chandler mold that Cha is clearly aping, while noir refers to characters caught up in bad circumstances who can’t really escape them, Cha does a great job here of fusing the two. She also gets major points from me in addressing both racism (especially anti-black racism) and rape in ways that are honest and responsible. Rape and sexual assault are obviously recurring themes in bestselling mysteries and they’re usually portrayed in an awful manner, even by female authors. I’m impressed with how Cha handled it.
*Which was brought to her attention by fellow mystery scribe Attica Locke.
There are three books in this series and I hope she returns to it sooner than later. Because she definitely improved on her first. The characters feel more lived in and not just because they are familiar now but because Cha improved on both characterization and atmosphere. And the mystery itself is a very interesting whodunnit that doesn’t get resolved until near the end. Mystery reveals rarely surprise me anymore and while this one didn’t either, it resolved itself in a way I didn’t expect and really came to appreciate.
If hardboiled refers to the style of loner detective in the Chandler mold that Cha is clearly aping, while noir refers to characters caught up in bad circumstances who can’t really escape them, Cha does a great job here of fusing the two. She also gets major points from me in addressing both racism (especially anti-black racism) and rape in ways that are honest and responsible. Rape and sexual assault are obviously recurring themes in bestselling mysteries and they’re usually portrayed in an awful manner, even by female authors. I’m impressed with how Cha handled it.
*Which was brought to her attention by fellow mystery scribe Attica Locke.
June 23, 2017
An excellent approach to contemporary noir. Despite being the second of a trilogy, 'Beware Beware' is forgiving enough to stand on its own. The characters, particularly the protagonist Juniper Song, are fleshed out and complicated, without being too frustratingly broody to relate to (an unfortunate curse among the genre). The author paints the landscape as LA as it is rather than what it was; it doesn't cling to the old glamour of it, but pays homage when its appropriate. One weird thing that mystery novels often do is ignore the fact that an almost cartoonish amount of violence is taking place in the vicinity of this one person, without any real explanation of why. Thankfully, issues like this are addressed, explained, and most importantly, show how heavily it weighs on the character, who despite being a PI is still susceptible to the same kind of depression, PTSD, and remorse that we all would be. 'Beware Beware' is a good introduction to the Juniper Song series, as well as the strong chops of a mystery writer poised to inject some new blood into a sometimes diluted genre.
February 5, 2021
Really enjoyed this after finishing the first Juniper Song, which was also very good. Song now works as a junior member of a PI firm.
This starts with her being asked to check up on a client's boyfriend, to ascertain if a previous drug problem had made a reappearance. The plot develops rapidly from here and I won't attempt to describe it fully. I thought the plot was very well constructed and the dialogue and pretty much everything else was spot on. Definitely a major new talent and looking forward to reading more by this author.
This starts with her being asked to check up on a client's boyfriend, to ascertain if a previous drug problem had made a reappearance. The plot develops rapidly from here and I won't attempt to describe it fully. I thought the plot was very well constructed and the dialogue and pretty much everything else was spot on. Definitely a major new talent and looking forward to reading more by this author.
January 5, 2021
Even better than the first one. Nice view into K-Town in L.A. and deals really well with difficult topics.
July 18, 2022
Second book in the series, we find at the beginning of the story Juniper Song is now working as an apprentice at the private investigator firm of Lindley & Flores. There is still some fallout from the first book in the series, with Juniper still processing Diego’s death, trying to maintain some sort of relationship with his widow Jackie, and now seeing Lori as family and a person to protect (and rooming with Lori).
Still new to this whole PI thing, Song gets assigned a case working for a client based out of New York City, an artist named Daphne Freeman. She wants Song to tail her Los Angeles boyfriend, Jamie Landon. Jamie works as ghost writer and companion for an aging but still very well-known movie star named Joe Tilley. Daphne is worried that Jamie might be doing bad things, maybe getting into drugs, possibly dealing, so she follows Jamie around town (and by extension sees a good bit of Joe Tilley).
Things seem ok for a while, then on a stakeout in a hotel lobby of the place where Joe was staying at (and with Jamie there at a party), Daphne tells Jamie to make contact with her to the surprise of Song. Going up to Joe’s room, Joe is found dead in the bathtub, of apparently an overdose and slashed wrists, with Jamie very soon the chief suspect. Song’s job now is apparently per Daphne, to prove Jamie’s innocence even though it looks kind of bad for Jamie.
I really liked it. There is some character growth for Song, especially towards the end, continuing the thread from _Follow Her Home_ where Song still aspires to be Philip Marlowe but finds herself falling short, most especially the aspect where even though Marlowe’s stories are traditionally seen as noirish, they aren’t, as Marlowe always manages to stay true to himself, defending the innocent and not colluding with the villain and basically keeps the noir off of him. Song finds this ideal very hard to live up to in real life. I loved the continuing exploration of how Song is getting disillusioned with real life compared to how Marlowe experienced being a PI.
Overall, the story felt very noirish, with lots of hard drinking, smoking, bad people doing bad things to other bad people, conflicting loyalties, double crosses, and even a femme fatale as well as the Los Angeles setting. The final mystery was maybe a little convoluted but I understood it. I think the aspects with Jackie were maybe not completely necessary though I get why Song tried to maintain a relationship with her. If one hadn’t read the first book in the series, that aspect would have been confusing but it wasn’t a big part of the story. There was a plot thread with Lori and an unwanted would-be boyfriend that at first seemed like an extraneous side plot but I was wrong on that, so kudos to the writer. Song being Korean-American figured into a few elements of the story though mostly it didn’t. Pacing was a bit of a slow burn at first though I was never bored. The author’s Chandlerisms could still use work but they were much better this time around. As a whole, the writing had improved from _Follow Her Home_ and I look forward to the next book.
Still new to this whole PI thing, Song gets assigned a case working for a client based out of New York City, an artist named Daphne Freeman. She wants Song to tail her Los Angeles boyfriend, Jamie Landon. Jamie works as ghost writer and companion for an aging but still very well-known movie star named Joe Tilley. Daphne is worried that Jamie might be doing bad things, maybe getting into drugs, possibly dealing, so she follows Jamie around town (and by extension sees a good bit of Joe Tilley).
Things seem ok for a while, then on a stakeout in a hotel lobby of the place where Joe was staying at (and with Jamie there at a party), Daphne tells Jamie to make contact with her to the surprise of Song. Going up to Joe’s room, Joe is found dead in the bathtub, of apparently an overdose and slashed wrists, with Jamie very soon the chief suspect. Song’s job now is apparently per Daphne, to prove Jamie’s innocence even though it looks kind of bad for Jamie.
I really liked it. There is some character growth for Song, especially towards the end, continuing the thread from _Follow Her Home_ where Song still aspires to be Philip Marlowe but finds herself falling short, most especially the aspect where even though Marlowe’s stories are traditionally seen as noirish, they aren’t, as Marlowe always manages to stay true to himself, defending the innocent and not colluding with the villain and basically keeps the noir off of him. Song finds this ideal very hard to live up to in real life. I loved the continuing exploration of how Song is getting disillusioned with real life compared to how Marlowe experienced being a PI.
Overall, the story felt very noirish, with lots of hard drinking, smoking, bad people doing bad things to other bad people, conflicting loyalties, double crosses, and even a femme fatale as well as the Los Angeles setting. The final mystery was maybe a little convoluted but I understood it. I think the aspects with Jackie were maybe not completely necessary though I get why Song tried to maintain a relationship with her. If one hadn’t read the first book in the series, that aspect would have been confusing but it wasn’t a big part of the story. There was a plot thread with Lori and an unwanted would-be boyfriend that at first seemed like an extraneous side plot but I was wrong on that, so kudos to the writer. Song being Korean-American figured into a few elements of the story though mostly it didn’t. Pacing was a bit of a slow burn at first though I was never bored. The author’s Chandlerisms could still use work but they were much better this time around. As a whole, the writing had improved from _Follow Her Home_ and I look forward to the next book.
December 19, 2021
I loooooove this series! Steph Cha is my favorite discovery this year.
January 26, 2020
The sequel to the Juniper Song's series' plot was a little predictable but I honestly enjoyed this book more than the first one. I thought Steph Cha's character building was stronger in this one. The protagonist is very flawed and at times unlikable, but that's what makes this character so fascinating. She's very raw and gritty and that makes her very human. There are so many layers to this character where we are shown her strength but also revealing her vulnerability. Most importantly, I really appreciate as a Korean American being able to read and follow a character that really resonates with me. Asian characters are usually portrayed as quiet and submissive, and Juniper Song goes against the stereotypes. The 2nd book introduced a lot of strong, complex female characters. Daphne was also another fascinating character with multiple layers. Her character portrayed the quiet yet powerful. Her quiet nature does not cancel out her motive and her drive for success. The characters in itself kept my interest throughout the book and left an imprint on me long after I finished this book. I am looking forward to reading Steph Cha's 3rd Juniper Song book in the series.
November 11, 2015
Cha's good writer, and very smart. However I found the main character weak. Even beyond the squirrely moral compass offered by the clever interpretation of classic Noir's femme fatale, I would think at least from pride, Song wouldn't brook being lied to. The way she abdicates at the end shows that, despite her tough exterior and the wounded interior, there's no code holding her together. Even if she doesn't tell the police about a murder -- and another murder that she witnesses! -- because she feels like the law isn't important, or that she can judge which murders are okay and which are not, I felt like Song lost everything when she lost herself, overpowered by her client, defaulting to a witness instead of a hero, or even an anti-hero... taken advantage of... Also I wish there had been a LOT more about Korean Angeleno culture, especially Korea town, which never seems to sleep, surrounded by a city where everyone else seems to be in bed by ten. Nonetheless, I'd like to read the next book, for Steph is a writer to watch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2017
Just as heartbreaking and complicated and all-around noirishly excellent as the first! Also, I loved the further character development of all of the awesome ladies, and everything about the life Song has built for herself since the end of the first book rang true and made me so happy.
However, the writing in this one was not quite as delightfully vivid--it seemed much more straightforward. I'm not sure whether that was a character choice, since Juniper Song has been through a lot since the beginning of the first book, or a result of the writer having less time to polish the sequel, since she's talked about the mystery genre having tight, new-release-every-year deadlines, but I missed the gorgeous and off-putting imagery of the first a little.
However, the writing in this one was not quite as delightfully vivid--it seemed much more straightforward. I'm not sure whether that was a character choice, since Juniper Song has been through a lot since the beginning of the first book, or a result of the writer having less time to polish the sequel, since she's talked about the mystery genre having tight, new-release-every-year deadlines, but I missed the gorgeous and off-putting imagery of the first a little.
May 30, 2017
I picked this book up off the library shelf pretty randomly, really because it was marked mystery and I was craving one. I truly enjoyed the writing style of Steph Cha, and the twists of this book. I won't reveal any spoilers but I couldn't put it down because I was very surprised every few pages. I definitely think that good mystery books should be that way.
November 8, 2020
This 2020 election has me all tied up in knots. This novel was an incredibly satisfying distraction. The 2nd installment in Juniper Song saga was just too cool for school, in my humble opinion. Such an imaginative, yet feasible plot...made me wonder about mystery writers and how effective they would likely be as contract killers or serial killers. But the creative ways that that Ms. Cha ties so many disparate characters to Juniper and her adopted sister, Lori....and simultaneously speaks to really grand themes...reading it feels like listening repeatedly to your favorite song by your favorite artist, and every single time finding something you hadn't noticed before. Like some cool little brass line, or a lyric that references a historical event you knew nothing about, before you got curious about the line and then started researching. It's like that.
Just a couple of the themes in this story that had me searching my memories and asking questions of myself and others: (1) the stratification of lies...or the thought that a lie by omission is better or worse than a straight fib; (2) the extent to which we define our roles in the lives of our loved ones by our perceptions of their needs as strengths relative to our own; (3) the definition of "family," and how some cultures continue to see blood as the only criterion that matters, while others so easily see emotional connection or affinity as the most important criterion. Is the latter an American thing? Is it a white thing? I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
Anyway, I'm really awestruck by, and appreciative of, the work of an awesome storyteller, and the gift of a few hours of respite from the madness of the present day. Highly recommended!!!
Just a couple of the themes in this story that had me searching my memories and asking questions of myself and others: (1) the stratification of lies...or the thought that a lie by omission is better or worse than a straight fib; (2) the extent to which we define our roles in the lives of our loved ones by our perceptions of their needs as strengths relative to our own; (3) the definition of "family," and how some cultures continue to see blood as the only criterion that matters, while others so easily see emotional connection or affinity as the most important criterion. Is the latter an American thing? Is it a white thing? I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
Anyway, I'm really awestruck by, and appreciative of, the work of an awesome storyteller, and the gift of a few hours of respite from the madness of the present day. Highly recommended!!!
September 27, 2021
Steph Cha has a nice little series going with her Juniper Song character, a junior PI in LA with a solid education and a Philip Marlowe fetish. Cha tells nice stories with interesting characters set in the sunshiny tinsel-town venue and since Song is at the beginning of her career it appears we'll be reading Cha's work for a long time.
At the beginning of "Beware Beware", Song's boss hands her an assignment that sounds like a layup for even an apprentice PI. She's hired by a beautiful, rich female NY artist to follow her LA-based boyfriend around to determine whether he's behaving himself. What sounded easy evolves into something that isn't, as the boyfriend discovers his buddy, an aging ex-heartthrob actor, dead in a bathtub following a cocaine-fueled party. The LA police step in and one would expect Song to gracefully exit, yet the relationship she's developed with the woman who hired her won't allow her to do so. She kicks off a shadow investigation that becomes productive in spite of the fact that virtually every person she deals with lies to her.
Beware Beware is a showcase for Juniper Song's talents and shortcomings. She's surprisingly tough and unafraid to deal with people of various cultures and socioeconomic standings but she's also prone to rookie mistakes. She's smart and a good communicator but also has yet to learn how to distinguish fact from fiction. Cha's writing is fine, the dialogue is good, and the story line is quite tricky, but I had a bit of a problem with the fact that LA's finest allowed a very inexperienced outsider to remain involved in a high profile murder investigation to the extent Song was. This is a series that's growing on me that I hope will become more credible as the characters mature.
At the beginning of "Beware Beware", Song's boss hands her an assignment that sounds like a layup for even an apprentice PI. She's hired by a beautiful, rich female NY artist to follow her LA-based boyfriend around to determine whether he's behaving himself. What sounded easy evolves into something that isn't, as the boyfriend discovers his buddy, an aging ex-heartthrob actor, dead in a bathtub following a cocaine-fueled party. The LA police step in and one would expect Song to gracefully exit, yet the relationship she's developed with the woman who hired her won't allow her to do so. She kicks off a shadow investigation that becomes productive in spite of the fact that virtually every person she deals with lies to her.
Beware Beware is a showcase for Juniper Song's talents and shortcomings. She's surprisingly tough and unafraid to deal with people of various cultures and socioeconomic standings but she's also prone to rookie mistakes. She's smart and a good communicator but also has yet to learn how to distinguish fact from fiction. Cha's writing is fine, the dialogue is good, and the story line is quite tricky, but I had a bit of a problem with the fact that LA's finest allowed a very inexperienced outsider to remain involved in a high profile murder investigation to the extent Song was. This is a series that's growing on me that I hope will become more credible as the characters mature.
January 25, 2020
Juniper Song is back but she's a bit less Marlowe-centered than she was the first time around. And I think that is a negative.
Song is now an apprentice PI. She is assigned to follow a woman's boyfriend to see how he is spending his time. But the routine job quickly picots into a Hollywood murder investigation.
Song is still cutting edge and a unique voice for a new generation of detectives. But I find value in her noir roots and preferred when they were showing a bit more.
Song is now an apprentice PI. She is assigned to follow a woman's boyfriend to see how he is spending his time. But the routine job quickly picots into a Hollywood murder investigation.
Song is still cutting edge and a unique voice for a new generation of detectives. But I find value in her noir roots and preferred when they were showing a bit more.
January 13, 2023
PI detective series Juniper Song is really growing on me. I like that it is set in LA and the description of the renovation of Echo Park really hit home as well as Steph Cha’s use of imagery when the fountain began working and Juniper and Lori were not going to let a little gang tagging mar their beautiful lane and beautiful morning. Cha is really developing Juniper’s character. She is a character I am delighted to follow. I already downloaded the 3rd in the series.
January 13, 2019
This is a solid sequel. Not as good as the first, but aside from Godfather films, what is?
I love the main character and how she grows through each book. The storyline is a bit more predictable than the first one. I love the tiny references that she makes - The Princess Bride, The Usual Suspects and the NY Trilogy.
Very enjoyable. If you like mysteries, this is a great series.
I love the main character and how she grows through each book. The storyline is a bit more predictable than the first one. I love the tiny references that she makes - The Princess Bride, The Usual Suspects and the NY Trilogy.
Very enjoyable. If you like mysteries, this is a great series.
January 20, 2020
A great follow up to Follow Her Home. Song is now professionally detecting. Unfortunately for her, she gets wrapped up in a modern Hollywood tale, and finds herself drawn to her client. An excellent detective drama.
Used for the Book Riot prompt: read a mystery where the victim(s) is not a woman
Used for the Book Riot prompt: read a mystery where the victim(s) is not a woman
June 20, 2019
Tried to read it but the very first page describing in detail the protagonist clipping her toenails turned me off. 1. Gross and 2. This is something considered interesting and noteworthy? Does not bode well for the rest of the story.
Too many other good books out there to spend time on this.
Too many other good books out there to spend time on this.
December 9, 2019
Song is hired by a woman to investigate her boyfriend. This leads to Song getting involved in a murder, drugs, gangs and being manipulated into helping the accused murderer. Interesting twist as to how Song deals with all the drama.
February 25, 2022
Song is an apprentice PI who finds herself in the middle of a Hollywood murder mystery. She is hired by Daphne, a successful artist, to prove that her boyfriend Jamie didn't kill an aging male movie star. After that, it gets complicated.
November 22, 2023
Juniper Song is hired by an artist to check on her boyfriend to see if he's cheating on her.
While tailing the guy, a murder occurs and the boyfriend looks like the most likely suspect.
Meanwhile Lori, Song's roommate, is being told to be "nice" to this older Korean thuggy-looking dude, as requested by Lori's uncle who owns an auto shop.
And Lori's new boyfriend gets beat up.
Hmmmm.
While tailing the guy, a murder occurs and the boyfriend looks like the most likely suspect.
Meanwhile Lori, Song's roommate, is being told to be "nice" to this older Korean thuggy-looking dude, as requested by Lori's uncle who owns an auto shop.
And Lori's new boyfriend gets beat up.
Hmmmm.
August 31, 2024
I read this book because I had read Your House Will Pay, a truly exceptional book. this is just an everyday detective story with the unusual twist of a noir-type Sam Spade detective who is a female Korean in Los Angeles. A good who-done it.
January 22, 2025
Not my usual kind of read but I'm glad I picked this up. It's L.A. Noir, gritty and harsh but Song is an endearing protagonist. It captures the injustice of real life very well and the grime behind the glamour of celebrity.
July 2, 2017
Really enjoyed "Beware Beware," Book #2 of the Juniper Song series. Twist ending that I didn't see coming - Looking forward to Book #3 of the series, "Dead Soon Enough."
October 3, 2017
The writing and structure is better than the last but the plot is equally implausible. Still like it just because I miss LA.
December 22, 2017
The main character is intriguing! I found this a page-turner. The LA setting, Koreatown, the office of the detectives, and Chaz are all so lifelike. It did a great job of painting a world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews