Last night at the Telegraph Club

Winner of numerous awards, including the prestigious National Book Award, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is both richly detailed historical fiction and a delicate and courageous coming-of-age novel about finding yourself.

In Last Night at the Telegraph Club , Lily Hu is seventeen and can't remember exactly when the question took root in her heart, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

The United States of 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially in Chinatown. Paranoia about the communist threat puts everyone in danger, including those of Chinese descent, like Lily. With the specter of deportation looming over their father—despite his hard work to obtain citizenship—Lily and Kath will have to risk everything for their love.

“Lo’s writing is so rich you can almost feel the glow of the neon lights radiating off the pages.” — Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal Blue

“Finally, the historical, intersectional, sapphic young adult romance so many readers have been waiting for.” — Kirkus Reviews

“ Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a work of historical fiction as meticulously researched as it is filled with raw, authentic emotion... Shout it from the highest hills: this is a beautiful, courageous story, and Lily is a heroine readers will love.” — BookPage

“Referencing cultural landmarks and places with Chinese-American historical significance, Lo deftly evokes 1950s San Francisco while transcending historicity through a heartfelt exploration of identity and love.” — Publishers Weekly

“A thrilling book where historical fiction meets romance... Immersive and creative, Lo immerses herself in her fictional world of adventure and adrenaline, following Lily Hu as she searches for the woman she loves.” — Gay Times

“This book shimmers with the thrills of youthful desire.” — Sarah Waters, author of At My Fingertips

“A journey of self-discovery as necessary as it is dangerous.” — PopSugar

“Malinda Lo is an icon.” — BuzzFeed

“A must-read love story... alternately heartbreaking and delightful.” — Booklist

“This immersive and powerful coming-of-age novel explores perceptions, expectations, and identity as it sweeps readers away to smoky lesbian nightclubs and 1950s culture.” — BCCB