Bad Kids is originally a Chinese crime fiction title that has been translated into English. Its uniqueness begins with a very different world view and thought processes than a Western readership is used to—it makes the book more intriguing because there is unfamiliarity in the functioning of a language that you’re fluent in.
Another interesting thing about this novel is its narrative strategy. Bad Kids takes the point of view of the perpetrator, so the reader experiences the crime(s) in real time (so, this book isn’t a mystery), but the narrative allows the reader to re-experience the crime from a less subjective standpoint as well.

The plot is solid, complex, and satisfying. The blurb and the book start off with the Zhang Dongsheng’s in-laws. Slowly, the story unfolds, and three kids find themselves embroiled in blackmail and murder. However, my favourite thing about this book was its ending: It manages to be a little open ended, but, in retrospect, that’s really the only way the book could have ended. This book promises to be dark, violent, and thrilling, and it delivers on all three. Chen Zijin crafted this tale masterfully and Michelle Deeter conveys the very essence of the story to the English-language readers.

10/10 would recommend if crime fiction is your genre.

Dark and thrilling, I was hooked. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Bad kids was a good read but it wasn’t a book that I couldn’t put down. I enjoyed the storyline but I wasn’t particularly bothered what happened to the characters and for a book that should have been shocking due to the age of the children, it didn’t particularly feel shocking. I did want to read to the end to find out what happened, it just wasn’t a book that gripped me.

This was my first Chinese translated book and I didn't know what to expect in terms of how it would read but it was translated well. The premise of the book really intrigued me and it didn't disappoint, it was full of unsavoury characters and loads of twists and turns. Having children behave so badly but only because they are children is great.

It may take some time for Chinese crime fiction to take a hold on readers in the way that authors from Japan have captivated many in the western world in recent years. Aside Zhou Haohui who has had two novels from his Death Notice series and a standalone published in English, few have been translated, however this may change with Bad Kids by Zijin Chen. This intelligently written and multiple twisted story definitely deserves to receive the same attention. The story follows a key young character who becomes locked in a battle of wits with both a murderer he is blackmailing and the police. In 2020 a Chinese streaming television series televised adaption of the 2014 novel was premiered on iQiyi). Overseen by House of Cards screenwriter Joe Cacaci, it was immediately successful with The Beijing Times noting: how it raised “the standard of domestic suspense dramas” while director and actress Zhang Ziyi proclaimed "after watching American and British dramas for so many years, there is finally a "Chinese drama" whose quality can compete with them.” It also became a social media hit, in the first week it had garnered 1.12 billion topic posts on Weibo, and within 2 weeks of its release had trended on the site 50+ times.

From the outset of the novel there are indications that hint at why it captivated so many as we witness a young man Zhang take his elderly in-laws to a remote mountain location where he then pushes them off a cliff in what he considers a perfect murder. However the primary focus of the story is on Choayang, a teenager with a very modest lifestyle living in Ningbo, a small city not far from Shanghai. While he is a very able and studious pupil at his school who particularly relishes maths and reading, he finds there is little pleasure to be derived from the rest of his life. While he has a mother who loves him dearly, her work often takes him away from their family home for weeks at a time. By contrast to this he has a wealthy father, Zhu Yongping. Unfortunately for Choayang, he left his first wife early in his son’s life. Remarried Zhu Yongping is very much under the thumb of his new wife Wang Yao and rarely sees his son while doting on her younger half daughter Jingjing. Choayang like his mother is small in stature and we see him bullied by a girl in his school who is the daughter of police chief Yan. Indeed due to his academic success and apparent cold demeanour he only regularly speaks to one other member of his class. Naturally he gains the reader’s sympathy in the opening sequences of the book.

His life and indeed his character will unexpectedly change when visited by Ding Hao, a long lost friend from primary school and the boy’s female friend Pupu who arrive unannounced at his door. Having escaped from a children’s house in Beijing, the two are orphans who share troubled backgrounds. With his mother away, Choayang allows them to stay the night. Shortly afterwards the three teenagers are passing the time taking photos at a local beauty spot when they inadvertently capture Zhang’s actions. Later they decide rather than contacting the police the best outcome for them would be for them to contact the killer and request a large monetary amount from him. By lucky (or unlucky) coincidence he appears in Choayang’s neighbourhood and they approach him. Zhang is shocked that there is record of the crime he believed was perfect. He is clearly infuriated that these young people are attempting to blackmail him. While these premises would be enough for cat and mouse game between Zhang and Choayang and his friends, there are further elements which weave a tight tapestry of suspense.



While Zhang has his own problems getting hold of money despite the death of his in-laws due to the suspicious of his wife, Choayang is emboldened with the support of his found friends. Unlike him, they have avoided being pushed around and when they hear about his unfair treatment from his father and hostility from his step mother and half-sister (whom they term big and little witch respectively). They convince him to look to put his half sibling in her place. This leads to an unexpected outcome for Choayang the implications of this both for him and his own development are crucial. Meanwhile Zhang has not finished plotting and it later becomes clear that Choayang and his friends could find other uses for him than simply blackmailing him for money.



There are so many unexpected events that develop in this story as police chief Yan is lead to work on two apparently separate cases. It’s only when the bodies continue to mount that some strange connections begin to emerge. Bad Girls is an absorbing and fascinating story for it’ portrayal of characters from different ages and social classes. Writing a story from the perspectives of younger characters can be a challenge yet I found the voices given to each was very convincing and I must also give great credit to translator Michelle Deeter. I believe this is the first novel I have written by Deeter who appears to focus more on business than literary translations but her work in this case certainly helped a story set in quite a different society feel quite familiar. Significantly the book also but it also superbly shows how attitudes to injustices and resulting behaviours can be passed and evolve from one person to another. While Ding Hao is initially cocky and Pupu uses her cunning, Choayang’s actions are inspired both as well as the deceptive behaviour of Zhang. This is taken in a direction that none of them would possibly imagine. The book is keen to mark the distinctions between the extremes that people will go to, their motivations demonstrating the differing morals and motivations of each. In Choayang’s case it does appear that he is far from the innocent and easily led school boy seen earlier in the story. Thus challenging the readers’ original opinions of him and by contrast the other characters.

Those who have enjoyed books by authors such Keigo Higashino, Un-Su Kim and the aforementioned Zhou Haohui should certainly be attracted to this story but I would state that Bad Kids deserves to receive the same adoration as publications by many of the other finest sleuth and mind-game writers from any era. While Bad Kids is clearly a standalone novel, I have discovered there was a previous novel by Chen called The Untouched Crime published by Amazon Crossing in 2016 which also received a serialisation on Chinese television. I will be certain to hunt this down soon and eagerly look forward to reading more future translations of Zijin Chen. Highly recommended.

Teacher, Zhang Dongsheng, takes his wealthy in-laws on a trip to a remote mountain location & promptly pushes them off the side. It seems like the perfect crime, but he doesn't realise that three teenagers caught him committing the crime on camera in the background of their shots. He has their bodies quickly cremated which raises the suspicions of his wife, but the police rule the deaths as accidental.

Zhu Chaoyang is 14 years old, lives with his mother in a small flat, & they never have any money. His father remarried & Chaoyang's stepmother refuses to allow him to give his son any money, & their daughter, Jingjing, doesn't even know she has a stepbrother. At school, although he is top of the class, Chaoyang spends most of his time on his own & avoiding bully, Ye Chimin. He is overjoyed, therefore, when childhood friend, Ding Hao, reappears in his life. Ding Hao has run away from the orphanage where he was sent after his parents' deaths, & has brought a teenage girl with him nicknamed Pupu, that he is friends with.

At first they have lots of fun & Chaoyang lets them stay at his place as his mother is hardly ever there. When they examine the pictures they took on the mountain however, they realise they have caught a murder on camera, but instead of going to the police, they decide to track down & blackmail the murderer. Dongsheng knows he needs to keep the teenagers onside until he can kill them, but they are fairly canny for kids & keep him on his toes. Throw in the accidental death of Chaoyang's stepsister, Jingjing, whilst the three friends were teaching her a lesson, & her revenge-driven mother, & things take an even darker turn.

This is a book with a well-written plot with lots of twists, but the final one is great. The main characters are flawed, they carry out some pretty bad acts but the reader feels some sympathy for them due to their backgrounds, especially how Chaoyang is treated by his father & stepmother. Their tentative dealings with Dongsheng are tense, fraught negotiations as they circle each other like cats - but just who's playing who? The ending was a little disappointing as I hate open-ended conclusions where you are not sure what happens after the end scene. I feel a more definite ending would have been a stronger conclusion. 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 on sites where half stars are not allowed).

TW: death of a parent, murder/death, bullying, mention of child sexual abuse.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pushkin Press/Vertigo, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

THIS! WAS! SO! TWISTED! I LOVE IT!!!!

This is a book about three kids who were in the wrong (or right, depending on how you look at it) place at the wrong time, and while innocently snapping pictures, they caught a murder in the background on one of their videos.

After careful deliberation, they decided to blackmail the murderer, what could possibly go wrong?

A LOT CAN GO WRONG, LET ME TELL YOU, a lot CAN and a lot DOES go wrong. But I will not be spoiling any of that, you'll have to read the book to see all the plot twists, and trust me, they're worth it.

Actually, don't even read the blurb, go into this as blind as you can for the full experience.

So, the start of the novel seems fine, even if the very first chapter is about people accidentally falling off a wall.

It takes a bit to get to know the characters, but when the blackmail part comes in it's hard to stop reading.

I love how everything unravels like a sick little ball of yarn and the further along you go, the weirder it becomes.

The characters are lovable too, and the obvious baddies you just want to hate.

The translation deserves a mention too, like another review said it's smooth and I'd also add that it feels accurate to the language. Like, if you read this, you can tell that this is definitely a Chinese novel, the sense of the language wasn't lost in translation.

And for that reason I'll be looking into more books by this publisher in the future.

I'll also be watching the tv series based on this book ASAP, I already added it to my watch list on a certain drama logging site so all I have to do now is start it. I really wonder how much it differs from the book, if at all.

Lastly, the ending. It's an open ending which I have a love-hate relationship with. Love, because some are so good, and hate, because I like a nice conclusion. Well, this is also a cliffhanger AND MY POOR HEART WAS NOT READY.

I just know that this ending will plague me until the end of my days unless if there's a sequel book in the future BECAUSE IT CAN'T END LIKE THAT. IT CANNOT. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT.

*Huge thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I tried reading this book and I just don't think it was for me. I normally don't like translated works and this was no exception. I liked what I did read but never really got to into it.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC! This review was written by me voluntarily.

I actually already have the drama adaptation of this story on my watchlist, but when seeing this book is available for request on NetGalley, I tried to request for the ARC and, thankfully, was approved. I am very grateful for it because this book is one of the best books that I have ever read and no wonder why its drama adaptation has achieved a huge recognition in China.

Truthfully for me, this book is dark and suspenseful especially towards the end. With its short chapters and engaging content, it should be a fast read for me, but that is not the case. I can not go through this book fast because I just don’t know how I can handle how much darker this story will be chapter by chapter. I really like how the POV switched almost seamlessly without affecting the story’s plot. In my opinion, this book really shows that circumstances can really push people to do something that they are not supposed to do or people least expected them to do. I actually do sympathize a little bit with some of the characters, especially the kids. Lastly, the story really makes me think, are you sure that kids (or teenagers) can not do crime, especially heavy ones? Now, I am really excited to see the drama adaptation.

When Joing gets out of school for the summer he is so happy. Although he is the top student in his class, his classmates seems to have it out for him and so he is glad to be rid of her for a while. He is sitting in his living room when he hears a knock at the door it will he open the door he is shocked to see two kids who look frightened and he has even more surprised when he learns one of them is Bae his childhood friend from primary school. Little does Joing know, But before it’s over he will be a murderer and a black maleer and what’s most surprising is he may just get away with it. There were way too many details in this book for me to unpack it in a simple review. So I will just say if you want a book with great writing smart dialogue and an even smarter plot you definitely need to read this book. I thought this was going to be a simple case of bad kids, but these kids are clever they all maneuver adults and it all seems authentic and plausible. If you’re looking for a great thriller you need to read this book it is so so good! Please forgive any errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own. I was given this book by net Galley and I am leaving this re

This is one of the best book that I read in sometime. There I said it. Fast paced, wildly unpredictable, twisted and very dark. Just when you think, alright this is it. You get bombarded with more unpredictable dark twist. Amazing! The more I say, the less it would explain the book. You must read this. I'm buying the book. Period.
Thank you publisher for the e-arc.

You think you know where the story is going when you read about the kids witnessing the murder, but then something else happens. (I should elaborate: I almost never read the full synopsis of suspense books hoping to be surprised by the turn of events.) The kids’ actions show how neglect and poor treatment make people do things they wouldn’t normally do. Once you get in too deep, it’s hard to get back on track.

Bad Kids is a fast-paced suspense thriller that reads very smoothly. A novel with humor, despite the situations the kids find themselves in and the less than acceptable actions of the characters in the book. I wouldn’t say the plot is very surprising once you get past a certain point, but it is entertaining to watch it all unfold.

The story is told by multiple narrators, but the point of view changes feel very natural. Although all the narrators are important in conveying what is happening, most of the characters are very stereotypical. There is only one exception, namely a character (who I will not name) who undergoes a well-written character transformation. The “dark” in the synopsis is evident in this person’s state of mind. However, you take this in as a somewhat detached observer: you notice the situation, but do not feel this person’s pain. It is more about the chain of events that introduces the question of accountability.

I should add that the story is set in a place that most English-speaking readers are not very familiar with, which is always a pro in suspense thrillers because it introduces new motives. The TV Show adaptation of Bad Kids is one of China’s highest rated online TV Shows.

The thing about reviewing a suspense thriller is that you can’t say much about the story. So I will end my review by saying that I enjoyed reading this book. I am interested in reading more translated works by this author.

I had a lot of fun reading Bad Kids which, in certain ways of plot execution and its central protagonist, reminded me of Higashino's works.

The novel opens with Zhang Dongsheng, a maths teacher murdering his in-laws by throwing them off a mountain. Everyone but his wife is convinced that this was an accident. On the other hand, we have the not-yet-fourteen year old Chaoyang who is a brilliant student but has a tough personal life. His parents are divorced and his father neglects his first wife and son in favour of his second wife and daughter. Plus, Chaoyang isn't strong physically and feels bullied. When his friend Ding hao visits him suddenly with a somewhat younger girl Pupu, Chaoyang lets them stay at his place. Ding Hao and Pupu have run away from an orphange on Beijing and don't want to return. The two threads come together when the kids make a video in which the act of Zhang murdering his in-laws is recorded by chance and the kids decide to 'sell' his the camera for money.

But this business is not as easy as it sounds and the plot becomes full of twists and turns and thjngs keep becoming more and more complicated for the four of these people. I finished this book in a single day and absolutely loved it. Even though i could guess some parts of the novel, it didn't detract from the reading experience because this is not a typical whodunit. Another great addition to the Pushkin Vertigo series.

Thanks to the writer and the publisher for a copy in return of an honest opinion.

One beautiful morning, Zhang Dongsheng pushes his wealthy in-laws off a remote mountain.
It's the perfect crime. Or so he thinks.
For Zhang 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 unravelling of all their lives.
The kind of twisty, jet-fueled thriller that explodes on page one and has you happily abandoning work, sleep, and life as you race to the stunning end. Don't miss it!

Bad Kids by Zijin Chen is another worthy addition to the line of Chinese crime fiction being translated to English and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read and review its ARC thanks to the Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley!

Zhu Chaoyang has it tough: a middle-schooler whose father has divorced his mother for another woman, he is bullied at school for his small size and shabby appearance, particularly since he habitually tops all exams. One day, home alone, Chaoyang has a couple of visitors—a boy and a girl, both about his own age. Ding Hao, who used to be the only close friend of Chaoyang’s in school before he mysteriously went away a few years ago, and the girl, Pupu, are on the from an orphanage in far-off Beijing and are roughing it out. They want a place to stay until they could make some arrangement and Chaoyang’s mother won’t be home for a few more days due to work. Ding Hao and Pupu seem quite tough and dangerous to be associated with, but Chaoyang chooses reluctantly to honour his old friendship with Ding Hao and puts them up with him.

Zhang Dongsheng, a teacher and a mathematician, pushes his parents-in-law to their death in a national park, confident that he has committed the perfect crime with no witnesses. But Chaoyang and his friends are visiting the park at the same time and have accidentally captured a video of the double-murder in their camera. By his appearance, the murderer looks to be quite well-off and could be blackmailed for a decent sum of money that would immensely help Ding Hao and Pupu live free. However, what starts as a straight forward exchange of the camera for money quickly spirals into a dark and deadly series of events with more murders being committed and Chaoyang’s quiet—albeit difficult—life changing forever.

Zijin Chen has taken a few ordinary characters and has turned out a suspenseful, gripping cat-and-mouse game that never lets the reader go. Unpredictable twists keep coming as the darkness inside various characters spills out more and more with every chapter. In addition to thrilling the reader, this book provides a glimpse into the society of middle-class China through its descriptions of everyday life and characters. The author bio tells that Zijin Chen is celebrated as China’s Keigo Higashino and the compliment appears well bestowed. The translation by Michelle Deeter is smooth and makes for a fine reading experience.

Barring a few places where there are plausibility issues, Bad Kids is a page-turning read that I finished in only a few sittings. Pushkin Vertigo deserves a lot of praise for treating readers worldwide to such exciting fiction from world languages by translating them to English; Great Job folks!

Zhong Dongsheng believes that he has completed the perfect murder when he pushes his in-laws off a remote mountain; little does he know that 3 children taking pictures at the same time capture his murderous act.
When the children approach him to blackmail him a series of events is set in motion that will lead both him and the children down an increasingly dark path.

This was an incredibly suspenseful thriller that I couldn't put down. The series of events that leads Chaoyang and his friends to witness the murder and then all that come after it are incredibly fraught. This was a gripping and fast paced thriller that I would recommend to anyone as the plot, characters and pacing were perfect. A 5 star read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

This was a dark read that just when I thought the darkness was at maximum level it just kept getting darker. It was fast paced, twisty and unpredictable and kept me guessing. Just when I thought it was the best it could be, it got better. Honestly one of the best books I have read.

You can't choose your in-laws. One beautiful morning, Zhang Dongsheng pushes his wealthy in-laws off a mountain - the perfect crime. Or so he thinks. Even though the murders were as carefully choreographed as a play, he did not expect that three teenagers had caught him in the act. But Zhang Dongsheng seriously underestimated the smarts of those three kids. . . Dark, murky and violent, Bad Kids is the Chinese suspense thriller about the inner lives of teenagers that has taken China by storm.

“Bad Kids” by Zijen Chen is a fabulously dark suspense novel. When I initially read the synopsis for this book, I knew I wanted to read it and it did not disappoint. This book is not for the faint of heart, as it does venture deep in some places but I prefer my crime novels dark - the darker the better - so this book and I were perfectly matched. It’s the type of book that if you enjoy, it will sweep you up and carry you along for the ride. It was also nice to read a suspense novel set in China - a totally different and fresh change of scene. I was not aware of this author prior to reading this book but now that I am, I will be checking out his back catalogue.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

This went left pretty quickly and the twists kept getting darker and darker. Not for the faint of heart. A murderous society where everyone is on the take, and no one’s innocent. I enjoyed the book but it was a relief to walk away from the world of this narrative