Look Twice Upon Her Death by John Vance

The murder of a student attending a prestigious women’s college in Atlanta implicates her boyfriend, a Chinese-American who has been deeply affected by the rash of anti-Asian sentiment in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Allie Blakemore, one of the victim’s professors, is the daughter of a noted Ivy-League Professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences, who taught her much about criminal investigations. Prompted by her friend—an Atlanta detective working on the case–Allie uses her background and academic training to assist in solving the murder.
But Allie’s time is also devoted to dealing with her former love-interest, who refuses to accept the termination of their relationship without seeking revenge, and to her beginning a new romantic liaison with a thoughtful and charming fellow history professor. Allie’s intelligence, imagination, resilience, persistence, and wit will all be challenged and exercised in this spirited and intriguing murder mystery.