This book is just SO MUCH fun. It's hilarious, which I'm not sure a murder mystery should be?? :D The chapter titles are just fantastic, and the humour throughout while juvenile at times really worked well.

Another queer YA thriller that knocked it out the park for me - why aren't these something I get to read every week?!

The murder club felt fun, and even when I was like, the police probably aren't too serious about you, I could really feel why Gigi felt they were and something had to be done. The levels of peril worked well, and when I got to the ending, I thought it was the right amount of "silly teenager"ness to work for the tone of the book.

The relationships were great too, from family to friends to potential romance. Gigi's level of obliviousness was fun to experience. And the IBS rep? I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it, and while the humour in places was definitely a little silly with it, it felt normal, because if you can't laugh at something like that what can you laugh at?

Basically all around good fun, full of laughs and a decent mystery. 4 stars.

This was a fun read, not just for the multitude of cat puns (yay, word play) or the unexpected frankness about some of Gigi's body functions, but also for what felt like realistic expectations of how high school students might actually be able to navigate investigating a suspicious death from an extracurricular activity to actual sleuthing.

After finding her favourite teacher d3ad in his classroom, Gigi and her friends in the school’s mystery club come together to uncover the truth behind his suspicious death.

I haven’t read a YA mystery/thriller in a hot sec and I’ve forgotten how fun they are! Gigi is feisty, trained in jiu jitsu, and pretty much always ready to fight (aka vi0lent). Her personality is tough but deep down she’s a cinnamon roll who has a questionably large amount of stuffed animals which I love.

Entangled with this murder is a cheating scandal involving an anonymous “big willy” (aka the person sending threatening texts about not digging too deep in the mystery + the person at the heart of the cheating scandal). Despite the funny code name and for being a YA read, this book had a dark edge — lots of twists and some pretty concerning incidents. Still, there was a good balance of family moments, fun cat puns, and queerness. We learn about Gigi’s non binary mom, their jiu jitsu studio, and Gigi’s love struggles. Gigi also has IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and sheds light on her everyday experiences.

Although I would’ve enjoyed seeing more moments with Gigi’s friends, I had fun following Gigi as she balances murder with highschool, crushes, and her IBS overall.

Thanks Harper360YA and NetGalley for the arc!

Winans gets another hit with One Killer Problem—another funny, authentic, page-turning read. I loved the cast of characters, the representation, and the plot twists and turns!

Why did we not have a mystery club when I was in high school? I thought that this was a fun book. One of the things that I enjoyed was that our main character's parents were involved in their lives. The representation in this book was also fantastic. I cannot wait for some of my teen patrons to pick this book up!

A funny, queer murder mystery with hella camp. Like even the chapter titles had me cracking up at times. Gigi is funny as hell! I loved all of the little Scooby gang mystery group kids they all had their moments. If you like funny camp horror ala stuff like Scream Queens then you’ll like this.

ONE KILLER PROBLEM is the second YA mystery I’ve read from Justine Pucella Winans and, while I personally didn’t love it as much as I did BIANCA TORRE IS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING, I think it’s a solid story that cements Winans as a go-to author and one to keep an eye on.
The mystery was solid and the investigation a lot of fun, perfectly balanced between detective thrills and high school hijinks for YA readers. It’s light and pun-filled, but with a real heart at the core of Gigi’s character – her relationships with others and feelings of inadequacy.
In ONE KILLER PROBLEM, Winan’s has created a truly unique protagonist in Gigi Ricci. She’s messy and not always likeable, but ultimately a real charmer.
As I said, I don’t think it’s quite up to the calibre of BIANCA TORRE IS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING but if you enjoyed that one, or are looking for a pacy YA murder mystery, ONE KILLER PROBLEM is well worth a read.

This book was such a fun read, the Muder Club felt like a Scooby Doo mystery and was just as funny and enjoyable. It was so funny, so quirky and distinctive. I enjoyed the characters and found them funny and very much like many of the students I see every day. The mystery itself was fun not great or super complex, but like I say the book read like a new Scooby Doo Gang but maybe it will have a cat mascot if it contineues. I would definitely read more. I enjoye it and found it engaging and I think others would too.

Thanks to Net Galley for the Ebook ARC to read and review.

I ADORED this one! This is a perfect read for anyone who loves mystery, queer rep, or disability rep. Main character Gigi's voice is engaging and carries the reader through the story with big laughs and big feelings at the same time. The pacing is just right, moving quickly to keep those pages turning while also giving a cozy vibe. The IBS rep in this is great, and Gigi's poop jokes are hilarious and relatable. There's also just so much queer rep that it will feel delightfully familiar to queer readers. This is a great summer read--quick and comfy and satisfying. I'll be recommending this to teen readers at my library for sure!

This was such a fun and well-plotted YA mystery with plenty of dark humour and a nice meta examination of the mystery structure. It had some great twists and turns & the characterisation was fabulous – I loved how queer it was and how developed the characters were by the end.

Thank you to the publisher for the earc!

At this point I don’t think anyone is surprised that it’s once again a YA crime book. What can I say, I found my very specific genre that I love.

One Killer Problem starts with the death of a math teacher. The police think it was an accident, but Gigi and her friends are sure that it was a murder. So they start to investigate and soon have to realize that many things happen in the school that they didn’t know about.

I loved the whole investigation, even though sometimes I still can’t believe 16-17 year old kids are solving crimes without letting any adult and/or police know. It was interesting to see how they started it, considering they had very little to start on. They had a lot of suspects, but halfway through the book I had an idea who could be the killer. Still the big reveal was surprising even to me, because there were a few things I had no clue about! <spoiler>Although I can’t believe they completely forgot about the phone. The very same one Mari just taped to the bottom of the desk a few hours ago. I think they are lucky the police didn’t search the room thoughtfully otherwise they would have a lot to explain.</spoiler>

The story was amazing, many times I laughed out loud, because it was hilarious. I think Gigi is the definition of bisexual disaster, but it just made me love her character even more. Her mom is a martial artist, so Gigi learnt a lot from them, so she can defend herself when it’s necessary (or even when it’s unnecessary, she might have some anger issues). It was the first book I read with a main character with IBS, and I loved this representation.

The book has a very queer cast of characters, to the point I don’t even remember any straight character. Sean and Mari were so good friends to Gigi, her family was seriously awesome. There was only one character who I didn’t like, but I guess we can love everyone, so that’s fine.

If you want a quick and funny YA mystery with lots of cat puns, queer characters, and just an overall hilarious story highly recommend it!

“I’m kind of an asshole. I get angry easily. I’m more of a little shit than serious. I’m the kind of person who will punch first and ask questions later. I know what I am, and I know what I’m not.”

UFC-loving bisexual mess Gigi Ricci never planned on joining the smallest club at her high school, Mystery and Thriller Literary Scholars (more affectionately known as “Mystery Club”). However, when her best friend, Sean, and her crush, Mari, need to recruit ten members and a faculty advisor to keep their beloved club operational, Gigi reluctantly signs on. She never expects to have to put in much work, much less solve a real mystery. After a suspicious death on school grounds is quickly labeled as an accident, though, Gigi finds herself splitting time between practicing jiu jitsu and hunting down a killer. As Gigi navigates both a complex murder investigation and messy relationships within a large, queer friend group, she begins to question whether the murderer could be one of the people closest to her.

Finally, a queer book where queerness is not treated as the central “issue” of the text! One of my favorite aspects was Gigi’s nonbinary parent. Nonbinary fictional characters tend to be Gen Z, supporting the false notion that being nonbinary is a “new fad.” The author effectively demonstrates how non-binary gender identities can be normalized for people of any age. Despite my appreciation for the representation in the book, it had several flaws that detracted from my overall enjoyment. Some conversations felt repetitive, like they were rehashing conflicts that had already been resolved. Overall, I just didn’t feel that invested into many of the relationships because I was not able to invest in the individuals. Too many characters were introduced way too quickly, and, as a result, very few characters feel sufficiently fleshed out. Imagine my disappointment when the character I felt most curious about turned out to be the murder victim! The protagonist felt more nuanced and had a very distinctive voice, but I would not describe her as likable, despite how almost every character fawns over her at one point or another. While this was not my favorite read of all time, it has several characteristics that will appeal to a contemporary high school audience. If you love cat puns, queer characters trying to figure themselves out, and pop culture references from The Godfather to Taylor Swift, this might be the mystery for you!

Don't read this book if you hate fun, because this murder mystery will make you crack up no matter what. I loved this author's debut YA thriller, and this one is at least as much fun, with a witty writing style full of puns (and funny chapter headings!) and a main character who thinks she's unloveable but you will prove her wrong by loving her regardless. I loved the friendships and family in this book (the MC has a non-binary parent!), and the romance was adorable because of how oblivious the main character was for most of the book.

Gigi seems to always be getting in trouble. She feels like the only teacher that really understands her is her math teacher, Mr. Ford. When she stumbles upon Mr. ford’s dead body, the authorities assume it’s an accident. Gigi and her friends are not convinced and under the guise of their Mystery (literature) club, they set out to investigate.

I loved this one!!! Gigi was such a great protagonist - there were some laugh out loud moments for me because of her sarcasm and sense of humor. I also love how queer this book! So much representation. The mystery was good, there were stakes for the characters, and it was just a quick delightful read! At the end, it kind of sets up where a second book could happen with these characters and I really hope so!!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A whip-smart murder mystery with a joyous cast of teenagers and adults alike!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a light murder-mystery rather than one that is classified as heavy. There is tons of humour and the writing flows easily and effortlessly.

I was definitely in the mood for something funny and this definitely fit the mood. It is very much in the YA sphere, so if you're feeling like you aren't in the mood or into YA it may be too much on that edge for you, but I thoroughly enjoyed this little murder mystery laced with humor as well as real and relatable characters and issues. I found this to be a fast read, easily paced and the humor just kept is going, making it so fun and enjoyable.

Justine really just keeps delivering! One Killer Problem was funny, heartwarming, and a super fun mystery, and I had a great time following along. I’m horrible at guessing murderers, so the reveal was very shocking to me! Overall, a delightful read.

A darkly funny and thoroughly queer mystery thriller with a touch of camp, for fans of Kara Thomas and Kit Frick by way of Only Murders in the Building.

This was so fun and so gay and I loved it so much. Very well done!

I cannot stress enough how amazing this book is. The plot, the pacing, the CHARACTERS
Especially the MC <3

It was a thrilling but still cozy murder mystery, with really wholesome queer representation and the bestest found family! Also, the main sapphic romance had me internally screaming, they were the cutest 🥲

Also, +100 for the plushies in this book 😭

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Gianna “Gigi” Ricci is a girl from the poor side of her Cleveland-area suburb. She’s a bisexual high school junior, as well as being a jiu-jitsu blue belt, having trained at her former MMA-fighter mother’s knee from childhood. Gigi’s mom is non-binary and her older brother Luca, a senior at their high school, is a gay theater nerd. Gigi’s pretty much only friends with nerds, has antisocial tendencies, and inflammatory bowel syndrome, which further complicates her life. She’s been suspended for fighting twice, and recently was almost suspended for breaking the nose of a homophobic student who bullied her and Luca. Luca’s bestie, Mari, is lesbian, and Gigi has had a crush on her a long time. Mari and Gigi’s bestie, Sean, are the only members of the Mystery and Thrillers Literary Scholars Club at their high school, which is in danger of disbanding due to lack of membership.

Gigi’s been getting tutored in math with her favorite teacher, Mr. Ford. He’s a straight shooter and loves MMA, so they have an unexpected kinship. Mari asks Gigi to be a part of the Mystery Club to boost their numbers, and gets Mr. Ford to sign on as a club sponsor. Unfortunately, when Gigi stops by Mr. Ford’s class after her latest detention, she finds him dead on the floor–with Mari and Sean showing up immediately, because they were tipped off by an email from “Miss Mystery.”

Meanwhile, Gigi’s not convinced Mr. Ford’s death was entirely accidental. He supposedly fell while hanging a math cat-pun poster, but that’s totally out of character for the snarky man. Why was he meeting someone about “Big Willy”–the elusive campus person students pay for essays and other schoolwork? And then, there are the awful threats the Club members are receiving from an anonymous emailer. No one is off limits, including Luca and new members of the club. Gigi’s ready to kick ass and give names to the cops, but in the meantime, she’s also recognizing that some of the people in her life have different motives for their supposed actions. Like Cedar, a rich friend of Luca’s, who seems to be into Mari, but is she actually hitting on Gigi? Cedar’s tech skills prove paramount, and Gigi’s acid tongue causes a reckoning that opens new doors.

Holy cow! I have found the fun, YA, queer, mystery book (series?) my teen self needed….decades later. I was just turning page after page, loving Gigi from the beginning. She’s a take-no-crap kind of person that wants life to be better than it is. She has a huge chip on her shoulder, and acknowledges that. Her morality isn’t in question, which allows her impulsive and impetuous actions to be admirable, instead of condemnable. She loved Mr. Ford as a person, as a teacher, and she wants justice for him and his widow. She wants to protect her brother and his friends as best she can, even if it means forays into the boys’ locker room where she might witness exposed peen. She will 110% throat-punch an attacker, especially if one of her club members is in the crosshairs. She’s gritty and not the brightest at school, but clever and intuitive in a way that harkens back to cozy mystery sleuths of the ages. I adored her honesty, her sassiness, her brashness, her teen angst, and all the insecurities that made her Gigi. I even identified with her IBS–and the fears she has related to that chronic disease.

It’s maybe hinted that there will be more stories with this queer cast, and I’m absolutely down for more of these books. I found the mystery compelling and the way it all rolled out to be both plausible and fun–even with the violent scenes. I identified the killer early on, but the twists and turns made for a good chase, and kept me guessing. While I had the killer picked, it was so awesome that the eventual motive wasn’t as clichéd as I had initially envisioned. It was a fun romp–despite one murder, a stabbing, and an almost-murder–of Gigi.

If you like YA adventure/mystery/romance, this book should get on your TBR list ASAP.