The premise of Jill and the Killers was surely interesting. Murder mysteries are definitely a thing that I like and catch my attention immediately. The way it was all introduced was also rather interestig: a murder box that should come in but is mistaken with a real box of clues for two disappearances. before the real one arrives;
I also liked to see Jill battling with the fact that her friend group is not the same as it was before, trying to fit in it, but sensing that things are not the same as it was.
However my biggest problem was the facial expressions of the characters. For some reason, it felt like the emotions drawn were not the same as the one perceived in the text, and I remember seeing a part where Jill was supposed to be annoyed, but her face was completly neutral.
It also felt like everything was going a bit fast and I have to admit that at times I felt a bit lost.

I love teen murder mysteries and this one is a really fun read, with a few flaws.

Jill is returning to school after the disappearance of her mom. Jill desperately wants things back to the way things were before, but a new student prevents that from happening. While the overall story and mystery are pretty good, the pacing is breakneck, even by comic standards. Things that should be a bigger deal are brushed away quickly and conflict is resolved without much struggle. This is really evident with Jill's character. She is traumatized but doesn't seem to be in therapy, instead taking it out on her friends, especially the new girl (who is another issue in herself). Pacing and character issues aside, the art is amazing and the overall story is intriguing. The ending of the mystery was a bit of a let down, and, while I am looking forward to more, the set up for sequels was wild considering how against solving mysteries Jill's dad was.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

This was a very interesting story. I love a girl detective and it was fun that Jill had a whole gang of girl detectives! What was a little confusing was the stuff surrounding Jill's mom. Why was Jill so afraid of the water if her mom hadn't actually drowned/the police car hadn't gone over the embankment? The whole thing leading up to the reveal made it sound like her dad was dealing with grief in different way, trying to deny that his wife was actually dead and then you find out it's Jill who is trying to accept she's dead because she can't handle the emotions that come with the thought that her mom left her and her dad on purpose. Did Jill just assume that her mom had drowned? Or was that fear just to bring us to that climax where she has to help Ginger not drown. The ending of the story was pretty rushed. It felt like there were full sections missing about what happens with Mrs. Cunningham and like if O-Brien is in the hospital. It didn't even show how Jill's coach felt about his (mom? Aunt? grandma? I don't remember) being the killer. The ending with al the boxes in the attic was odd too. I know you have to keep the story going somehow but having the dad say "Hey if we solve these cases, maybe we can find your mom" like... that doesn't seem to have any correlation to me. Anyways, I did enjoy the characters and the story. I like how the group worked together.

I really enjoyed reading this! The story was interesting and well thought out.

The characters are all unique and have their own personalities and styles.

I loved the artsyle and feel like it really fits with the tone of the story.

I would definitely read more of this series!

Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for providing me with this arc

Jill and the Killers is about a girl named Jill who returns to school after a year-long absence due to her mother's disappearance after a tragic accident. Upon returning to school, she finds that all her old friends have moved on. Desperate to find some common ground with them again, she feighs interest in murder documentaries and crime podcasts and offers to buy the next Cloozy (a detective subscription box for $200!!) that sends you a mystery for you to solve, except the box gets mixed up, and they end up trying to solve an actual double homicide case.

The premise of this story is interesting, and it's what made me pick this book up, but I'm extremely disappointed in it. The ⭐️⭐️ is for the artwork and idea of it, but this comic leaves much to be desired. The only saving grace for me was the beautiful artwork and the plot twist at the end.

What really bugged me early on in the story was the vocabulary and speech used between some of the students in the high school. It was gibberish, generation z/alpha ridiculousness. This is a prime example of the younger generations needing to spend more time in class and less time on social media. The abbreviations and slang are ruining the English language. It's sad to see this in an actual published work.

I didn't find the characters all that lovable. For one thing, Jill is extremely nonchalant for someone who thinks her mother drowned to death.

<i>Ginger: Are you sure you're alright? After everything?"

Jill: Duh, why wouldn't I be?"</i>

Does that sound like normal behavior??? It comes across as uncaring and heartless. No teenager who's lost their mother to a mysterious car accident/drowning would ever behave that way and act like their death didn't matter. SHE TOOK A YEAR OFF FROM SCHOOL!!! It doesn't make sense!!

And MRS. CUNNINGHAM!! I had a really difficult time understanding 99.9% of everything she said. All the words are misspelled and make it appear as though she is talking with no teeth or with a severe lisp. Just because she is a little old lady doesn't excuse you from using proper grammar. Every word out of her mouth was misspelled and hard to follow.

Some of the scenes transition effortlessly, but there is one in particular where Jill crashes her friend/enemie's car when trying to avoid the police and she screams for her mom and then says <i>"Where are you,mom?"</i> and she's alone??? I get it, she's probably wishing her mom was there, but it doesn't come off as a grief-ridden moment, and it makes the reader question why she's bringing it up at that moment in the first place when she spent the whole book yelling at anyone who will listen that her mom is dead.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley. Content warning for violence and PTSD.)

Jill Estrada seemingly dropped off the face of the earth when her mom disappeared - or at least that's what it seemed like to her friends. Now a year has passed, and Jill has finally convinced her dad to let her return to school. Trouble is, her friend group has kind of moved on: they've got new slang (is any of that really real? asking as an adult); a mysterious, witchy new friend; and a new obsession - Box Killers, a podcast-slash-IRL game that invites subscribers to solve cold cases.

Desperate to get back in her friends' good graces, Jill buys a subscription - but what arrives is a little too real and custom-tailored to be legit. Before long, Jill and her friends are right in the middle of an honest-to-goodness cold case ... one that heats up with the disappearance of one of their own.

JILL AND THE KILLERS has the bones of a good story, but didn't quite do it for me. For starters, the villain? Kind of silly. Especially the reveal. The clown getup is over the top and unnecessary.

Also, I was hella confused about the plot line with Jill's mom, Juliet. A detective (the town's only competent one, apparently), she disappeared without a trace, save for her abandoned patrol car. Jill's dad holds out hope that she's still alive, but Jill insists that she's dead - otherwise, she certainly would have found her way back home by now, right?

From the story's beginning, Jill is haunted by nightmares and images of a car submerged in water - either she's trapped, or trying in vain to rescue someone who is. As a former competitive swimmer, this fear of the water has caused Jill no small amount of distress. The way the story unravels - we don't learn the details about Juliet until much later - I assumed that Jill and Juliet were in a car accident, and Jill was unable to save her mom. And then with the introduction of Ginger, who's an amputee, I thought that maybe Ginger lost her leg in an accident for which Jill feels responsible. But nope, none of this is true. Honestly, I'm still not sure what the nightmares about drowning are supposed to mean, other than that they're a manifestation of Jill's grief and PTSD. At best it feels like a rather confusing way to convey both.

Review to come in November on blog/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

While I did like some parts, I just wasn't always a fan of the MC, Jill. Who apparently expected that everyone just put down their lives while her life was in chaos after the disappearance of her mom. She even got pissed (and stalkerish) when she found out there was a new friend in the group, oh and her ex was dating her. She apparently thought that she could just step into things and everyone would be back to normal. Nope. That is not how that works. Maybe after a few weeks, but this seemed to have been months, maybe even a year? It is not very clear to me. After a while she did get better, but there were moments that I just wanted to throttle her.

The murder/mystery parts were well written and I love that the writer didn't shy away from body parts, plus I love how it isn't just one murder, but many. How our team, despite it getting quite scary, didn't stop, they wanted to figure things out, rescue a friend, and more.
But at times I didn't like how it didn't connect together. How new revelations were just revealed while we were just talking about something. Like with the lights flickering, how the heck do you not check what is going on until right before the deadline?

I love the idea of mystery boxes (and what they entail), but who the heck has 200 dollars a month for one mystery box? What the actual fuck? I would have accepted 50 or 70, but 200??

I love finding out a bit more about the mom and get some clues on what could have happened. Plus, those boxes addressed to her. I am very curious what happened to Jill's mom, is she alive? Is she dead? What was she investigating?

The art was quite good, not always, but quite a lot of times I enjoyed the style + the character designs were fun.

All in all, while I had some issues with Jill (the MC) and some of the stuff felt a bit disconnected, in overall I am happy I read this and I would definitely want to give the next volume a shot as well.

A great comic, really well paced. Story was really gripping, I love a murder mystery in a small town, and things set in high schools. Great representation of friends and family too. Fantastic!! Hope there's more in this series.

It took me quite a while to get into this story. I felt that there were many things that bothered me or that the characters simply did not interest me at all. But luckily I continued and when I finished I wanted to keep reading because clearly this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Jill and the Killers has a very nice premise, although I couldn't connect it much with what happens (partly yes, but not as much as I thought it would be related). Beyond this detail, it was an entertaining read that keeps you very alert from the middle onwards.

How will this story continue? I already want to know!

Thank you Oni ​​Press for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"I'll and the Killers" by Olivia Cuartero-Briggs is a gripping exploration of identity and resilience, woven through a narrative that balances dark themes with moments of sharp humor. The story follows its protagonists as they navigate a world filled with both internal and external challenges, drawing readers into a vivid landscape of emotional turmoil and growth. Cuartero-Briggs’ writing is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the nuances of the characters' experiences with authenticity. The interplay between the struggles faced and the relationships formed adds depth, making it a compelling read. Overall, it’s a poignant reflection on the complexities of life and the strength found in vulnerability. Highly recommended for those who appreciate character-driven stories with a touch of raw honesty.

I didn't love the characters and the story felt pretty rushed so I'm feeling kind of average overall about this one

The plot was a bit too rushed and the characters weren’t overly likeable, but overall I did have a good time reading this novel and might continue reading (possible?) sequels.

True crime, teen angst and banter? What more could I ask for? Loved this from start to finish.

If you’re looking for something comedic and mysterious in graphic novel form, I’d highly recommend this!

This was so fun. I flew through this and really enjoyed the story. It was fast paced but didn’t rush and gave just enough to keep me hooked. I can’t wait to continue the story!

This was a bit of a mess in terms of execution, but the concept and the art were really good and compelling. The set up of a group of friends investigating true crime incidents is not super unique, but the way the plot developed was still fun and a but engaging, though it does lack a strong ending. I'm also not sold on the fact that the ending seems lile a sequel hook, as I'm not sure how it wpyld hold up as a longer series.

Massive thanks to Netgalley and Oni Press for the digital copy.

I devoured this in one sitting, an absolute page turner. Creepy, heart-felt, mysterious, funny, and great characterization.

I'm so looking forward to reading future installments of this series. I cannot wait to see how the cliffhanger unfolds!

Fantastic read! I knocked this out in one sitting because I could not put it down.

Love the art style, especially the facial expressions. A+ story with multiple mysteries intertwined, family drama and exploration of trauma, and side plots centering sapphic romance and the strength of teenage BFFs.

I loved that the author gave us a clean conclusion to the primary story arc of this volume, while still leaving the door open for some of the longer arc mysteries to continue in the next edition. Very excited to see where this series goes and lamenting the fact I will have to wait a while to find out!

Special thanks to Oni Press for an ARC in exchange for review.

This was such a fun read. Defintely something I would typically pick up from my local comic book shop. JIll and the Killers really knows it's target audience. With true crime still being huge, this is the perfect story for any true crime fan.
The characters were diverse and easy to follow. Sometimes in comics it's easy to get lost with characters but I always felt like I knew what was going on.
The ending was quite a shock! I thought I had it figured out but it took a twist I did not see coming. The last couple of pages however, I felt like part of the story was missing. There was a weird gap with the conversation with Jill's dad. I kept scrolling back to see if I had missed a clue or something that led to the conversation.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The art in this is gorgeous, and I think the premise is very promising. The mystery’s reveal left me feeling pretty unsatisfied, though, and I kind of struggled to connect with the characters. The very end leaves for some exciting world expansion, which I would be interested in exploring.

I really like the idea of ​​subscribing to a murder mystery, it's a fun and unexplored way to tackle the detective genre, but I rather not find myself recieving a box like the one Jill got.

Clues are revieled one by one to keep your focused on the target, to stay ahead of the main characters. I fail every time. The side story about Jills missing mother is interesting and gives me several occations of speculation.

If there is a sequel I really want to read it because ending the story like this is cruel!