Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this advanced copy

This story was shaping up to be an interesting take on true-crime games with amputee representation and how grief can affect relationships if the person grieving is stuck in an isolation loop. And then the killer turned out to be an disabled elderly woman with a speech impediment and a love of dolls. Literally wiping out the compliments I had in one swift swoop. The art style was nice though, It reminded me of the classic comics I read growing up but with a style to character faces that reminded me of Loishh's art!

Very fun and exciting thriller. Great story, beautiful art and lovely conversations. This is a must read for everyone that likes the genre.

I didn't quite know what to expect with this one but I really enjoyed it! The author's note at the beginning says that she went into writing the story with just the idea of a murder-mystery subscription box and it became a story about friendship and grief.

And Cuartero-Briggs story really does well with it's depiction of changing friendships and their complications. The story starts post-conflict, with the lead character, Jill, re-engaging with her friend group a year after her mom went missing. She's repressed any hope and grief and just wants things to get back to how they were, some semblance of 'normal'. Her friends, Ginger, Cher, O'Brien, and Clyde also are all experiencing their own grief or conflict in some way, to varying degrees of severity.

Because this is mostly Jill's story though, we don't get too in-depth into the other characters, except for maybe Clyde, the new girl and semi-antagonist. Throughout the book Clyde and Jill butt heads and snipe, due to lack of communication and misunderstandings. Working together on the case continues to raise emotions as well, as it stirs up painful memories for both girls. The relationship between the two of them is the one I'm most interested in seeing more of, though I think it was wrapped up nicely by the end.

As to the actual murder-mystery - there is indeed a couple murders and mysteries, but they mostly take second fiddle to the relationship drama and character growth. I don't mind this, tbh, and actually like it in a comic most of the time, but this one felt a sudden jolt, with the story just ending and the motive laying unanswered. And of course - it's left with a door to more issues or another volume, with the reveal at the end and the mystery of Jill's mom still out there. I wanted to take a star for the lack of motive reveal but that felt extreme for what's really a drop in the bucket in a mostly fulfilling story.

The art, by Roberta Ingranata is good too. I love her background design, it's detailed in such a way that makes the book feel quite lively. Night scenes are especially well done, with great use of shadow and shading, just very cool, dynamic stuff.

I really, really enjoyed this and am looking forward to more (hopefully)!

I mostly enjoyed this graphic novel, but there were several elements I didn't. The dialogue is so bad! It's like how bad some of the dialogue was in Life is Strange dialed up to a 10. These characters are meant to be teenagers in high school, yet they don't talk like any teenager I've ever heard speak. The mystery of the case was sort of interesting. I liked how it has a deep connection to what I assume with be the series' overarching plot. The plot of this volume was a bit unevenly paced. The reveal of the "true killer" in the end was honestly ridiculous. It wasn't even scary, it just made me go "THAT'S the killer? What the everloving f/ck". It was honestly a face-palm moment for me. The art style is okay, but it does the thing a lot of American-style comics do. Where I can't tell if the characters are meant to be teenagers or not, because they're drawn like they're in their late twenties.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

As a fan of true crime shows, I was immediately engrossed with this graphic novel. The stunning art complemented perfectly the struggled that the main character is going through, the trauma she’s trying to overcome and the rekindled and new friendships with the other girls.
Following this group of teenage girls investigating, I found all the hallmarks I expected, from the idiotic police officers, to the suspense and classic plot twists, as well as great LGBTQ+ representation.
The only thing that I could not enjoy was the sometimes cringey dialogues, whether with the mix of languages of the expressions used by Jill and the other teenagers.
Despite that issue, I can’t wait for the second volume and hopefully some more answers as to the disappearance of Jill’s mother.

I’ve really been enjoying all the graphic novels I’ve read this year and Oni Press has really been on form so had to ask for this as soon as I saw it.

Jills mum is a detective in a small town and she’s gone missing and Jill has been away from her friends for a year and pushed them away and now is trying to get all that back.

Unfortunately a package arrives that Jill thinks is for her as she signed up for a murder mystery package to be one of the group, but it’s not quite the package they were expecting and this takes them down a rabbit hole of a real unsolved murder as the package was meant for Jill’s mum.

Quite a hilarious bit about not understanding the language being used by her peers from being away for a year in there.

Full of twists and turns, red herrings, false trails, and really well observed behaviour in the friendship group. Secrets and regrets fill this book from start to finish.

This is all magnificently supported by a very dynamic and colourful art style, making the world that the story is set in all the more believable.

Looking forward to this world continuing, just wait for the last panel 😉

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in November. I got through this so fast, the intrigue starts so quick and it gets you hooked for more. Can't wait till volume 2.

Jill and the killers is a teen detective mystery with great art, fun characters, and a great story.

Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I might be a little bias but I had to check this out bc of the name. It was cute fun and adventurous
I highly enjoyed it

Thank you Netgalley and Oni Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Jill and the Killers” is an engaging graphic novel reminiscent of TV crime dramas by Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, beautifully illustrated by Roberta Ingranata. The story follows Jill Estrada, a teenager grappling with the mysterious disappearance of her mother while trying to navigate the complexities of returning to school and reconnecting with her friends.

The plot centers around a game called "Box Killers," a subscription service that delivers monthly "unsolved cases" tailored to its subscribers. Jill, hoping to repair her fractured friendships, joins her friends in solving the game’s mysteries. However, they soon realize that the clues provided in the game are connected to actual disappearances in their town. As the line between game and reality blurs, Jill and her friends must work together to uncover the truth before another person goes missing. The story reminded me of a TV crime pilot episode, and I can definitely see this being a series you can binge in one night.

The artwork is one of the standout features of this graphic novel. Ingranata's illustrations are visually stunning, with a glossy style that brings each character to life. The facial expressions are particularly noteworthy (though there were facial expressions at times that looked a little odd), capturing a range of emotions that add depth to the storytelling. The backgrounds are particularly noteworthy as they are just filled with life and have all these little details that are fun to take notice of as you’re reading. I also really liked the LGBTQIA+ representation in the story with diverse characters and relationships that are woven seamlessly into the story, which I think many readers will like, especially younger readers who may relate to the characters.

The story reminded me of a modern teenage Nancy Drew mystery, filled with suspense and unexpected twists as well as some cliches, such as the stupidity of the police in a small town, which is an extremely common trope in crime TV. The blend of mystery, family drama, and teenage friendship creates a compelling story that keeps you engaged, especially with the background of Jill’s mother’s disappearance. The exploration of trauma, particularly Jill's struggle with her mother's disappearance, adds emotional depth to the plot, making it more than just a simple crime-solving adventure.

However, the dialogue in Jill and the Killers is a mixed bag. While I did really appreciate the quirky humor (I actually found myself laughing at loud at times), some of the dialogue was cringeworthy and out of place. The language choice can sometimes detract from the overall storytelling experience, making certain parts difficult to get through.

Despite these shortcomings, Jill and the Killers is an enjoyable read with a well-paced storyline and plenty of intrigue. The book does an excellent job of wrapping up its main plot while leaving enough open-ended questions to set up for future installments, hinting at more mysteries for Jill and her friends to solve. This first volume lays a strong foundation for what should be an exciting and binge-worthy series.

The artwork for this collection of comics is stunning and I love the LGBTQIA+ rep, but the dialogue was so cringey.

I got about halfway through then had to skip to the end to find out what happened because cringing so much was almost painful.

5 stars for the artwork, representation and overall story. 1 star for the silly swear words- "mother ducker" is not a swear I ever want to read again, nor "crap factory". This type of writing just doesn't work for me.

I loved this. The characters are perfectly drawn, believably real teenagers presented in a glossy style. The story line mystery draws you in. It’s like a modern Teenage Nancy Drew with friends mystery crime series. Jill Estrada is trying to recover from her mum’s disappearance or possible death. Returning to school she finds her friends are now into solving true crimes. Buying a subscription game offering the chance to solve a crime is the start of something bigger than Jill could imagine. At the end of this complete story, the reader is given an idea that there are lots more crimes to solve for Jill and her friends to solve, and maybe an answer to what has happened to Jill’s mother. Having read this first volume this is one series of comics I want to read to the end. Thank you to ONI Press and NetGalley for the comic ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.