Markio Tamaki writes that this book is heavily influenced by her experience going to an all-girls school in the 1980's, and the reader certainly feels that. With the suicide/murder mystery and school outsider themes, I was also getting "Heathers" vibes ,which I enjoyed.

The art in this is amazing, and the shading is standout! The ARC I received was only in black and white, but previews show the final result will be in shades of salmon pinks and steel blues - which I'm sure is the exact color scheme of a sweater I owned in the early 90s. No doubt the full color will be stunning.

However, I feel like the story is a little lacking and tries to pack and balance a lot of different story elements into only 272 pages: Abby's backstory, her budding friendship with her roommate, the conspiracy taking place, the harassment Abby faces. We get enough to build context, but nothing feels fleshed out. As such, I don't feel a sense of suspense or peril. I would have loved for this book to be 50 pages longer to see how Tamaki and Goux could have built up the atmosphere a little more.
That being said, the story does tie itself up in a way that makes sense, albeit it does so quite quickly.

A good pick up for your YA shelves for fans of atmosphere, coming of age stories, and great art.

Content Warnings: Cursing, Homophobia, Bullying, Murder, Drug Abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Alcohol Use

This is a YA murder mystery graphic novel that tackles the dark side of elite adolescence at Wilberton Academy. The grungy artwork, layered mystery, and mature themes create an intriguing experience. As a note before we start, I’d suggest looking up some trigger warnings if you are sensitive to homophobia, drug use, sexual power dynamics, and likely others, however the author forewarns readers prior to the start to give context of the historical relevance in the 90s.

Set among the elite members of the Wilberton Theatrical Society, the story pivots around Elizabeth Woodward’s eerie death. Abby Kita, the new student, suspects foul play when the school writes it off as suicide. The narrative excels at inviting the reader to play detective, and the solution to the mystery was solvable based on the clues we received which was rewarding.

The graphic style is distinctly cool, very much reminding me of the 90s grunge scene which is very fitting for our main character. The artwork is rich with subtle visual clues that enable us to piece together the mystery through nuanced imagery.

While I did enjoy the read, I do think the pacing was a bit uneven. I feel like the beginning and flashbacks were a bit slow to come and the ending and resolution was way too quick. Additionally, this is the type of story where I don’t think you are really drawn to or “like” any of the characters, but are still interested in seeing where this story ends up.

Ultimately, I did enjoy this read and the mystery. If you appreciate queer stories with a bit of mystery and a bit of grunge, I would definitely suggest this read.

There’s something about this story—the isolation broken only by tragedy, the absolute senselessness of the death, the abuse of power by those who should protect—that lingers. I’ve read it three times and I’m about to start again.

Homophobia is rampant. Keep in mind it’s the eighties; they’re teaching Oscar Wilde and talking about homosexuality as a medical condition. Abby’s experience isn’t a pleasant one, but the storytelling and character growth is mesmerizing even if the mystery is tragically, frustratingly obvious to an adult reader.

Thank you to Netgalley and Abrams Fanfare for providing me with an arc of this graphic novel.

*** Spoilers Ahead***

Abby is ostracized at her all girl boarding school due to rumors about her sexuality. When she discovers a member of the theatre society dead and the school claims it was a suicide, she takes it upon herself to find out what really happened.

This book was very emotional and could potentially be very upsetting to people struggling with bullying, their sexuality, or being groomed/preyed upon by an older adult in a position of power over them. I thought these themes were handled well, although I do wish Mr. Wilson ended up being punished for his crimes, rather than the girls continuing to lie for him. In this way, it was a very realistic portrayal of abuse and the justice system. I enjoyed Abby and Claire becoming friends and the mystery kept me guessing. I would definitely recommend this book, although I would warn any potential readers about possible triggers. It was excellently done and I enjoyed the accompanying artwork.

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the e-ARC of This Place Kills Me!
3 / 5 ⭐
This Place Kills Me is a sapphic murder mystery set in an all girls boarding school. It tried to tackle heavy themes like homophobia, grooming, and victimization, but it fell flat for me.

I absolutely loved this!! Abby is a very compelling main character and felt like a very good narrator for this story!

It reminds me a lot of the Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray, which is one of my favorite series! I love the mystery aspects of it! I also love that it's set in the 80s!

I really liked the art! I thought that the character design was good, although sometimes I did get confused which blonde girl was which.

I would have liked to see more of Abby's past but I think for the constraints of a graphic novel, it would be hard to show without making it too long!

overall I really enjoyed this and think this is a perfect book for anyone looking for a quick little mystery!

I received this for my daughter that loves reading graphic novels. She really liked the storyline, she read it in one sitting. She enjoyed the characters stories as well. She said she would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys graphic novels

It's an engaging read, especially for fans of murder mysteries. What makes it especially impactful is Abby Kita’s journey toward self-acceptance. She begins as a timid, awkward teen dealing with rejection and past trauma but grows into a confident, courageous character who stands up for herself and uncovers the truth. The book features a strong queer protagonist whose story highlights the importance of identity, resilience, and self-acceptance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

Period-typical homophobia with a side of Encyclopedia Brown-esque detective work. I know I sound like a broken record but it was predictabllllleee as heck, the antagonists were easy to see through from the get-go, so no surprises to see here. It was nice to see Claire's character growth, and is a good, solid overview of how easy it is for people to shun and belittle people they don't understand.

I think it would've been more visually compelling in colour -- i may give it another go once the colour version is published!

Lovely art for a grim story. Main character Abby Kita is closed off and puts up with a lot from her judgmental classmates. I really sympathized with Abby and was invested in learning more about her backstory. I wasn't sure how the mystery would wrap up, and while some of what I expected did occur I also thought there were a few details that got left as loose ends. Though the plot works well for not revealing too much of the mystery right away and has an effective reveal, I also feel like the story could have been slightly more fleshed out. I really enjoyed the illustration style and eerie atmosphere, and look forward to seeing how it comes across in full color.

If I keep comparing every book by Tamaki to "Laura Dean..." I will drive myself crazy. So I'm not. (But LDKBUWM is still one of my favorites.)

The plot here was okay, but the vibe was well-done. I liked that these kids were a bit inept at investigation while still being smart enough to solve things. I found come parts to be a little rushed and unclear, hence my rating, but this was a pulpy 80s murder mystery with some interesting undertones. Also, Claire is a silly goose.

In general, I'm a fan of Tamaki's messy and sometimes unlikeable characters, and she never makes things too simple or tidy. For some YA dark academia mystery, with a stark visual style reminiscent of early cinema, this worked well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"This Place Kills Me" is a young adult graphic novel by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux. At a private boarding school, one of the theater teens is found dead. Police consider it a suicide. Abby, a recent transfer, was the last to speak to the teen and doesn't think it was suicide, so she starts digging. This queer mystery is a page-turner. Beautiful art and a compelling story about high school drama and secrets, this is a must-buy for YA graphic novel collections.

I LOVED this. A quick dark academia queer graphic novel with gorgeous illustrations, and a murder mystery...absolutely perfect.

A darkly intriguing story about outsiderhood and secrets, perfect for fans of karen mcmanus. I loved the characters and the mystery, though the ending did feel a bit rushed.

This was a great YA murder mystery graphic novel set in an all-girls boarding school in the 80s that has one outcast lesbian investigating what happened to a fellow classmate and the star of the school's latest production of Romeo and Juliet, who turns up dead in the woods with drugs in her system.

There's lots of homophobia, bullying and sexual misconduct in this story and I liked how the B&W illustrations leant a serious vibe to the book but I also kind of wish it had been in color too. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and am hopeful there might be more Abby Kita mystery stories coming in the future!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! Perfect for fans of Veronica Mars or the Good girls guide to murder books.

Abby Kita is sent to Wilberton Academy, an all-girl private school, for mysterious reasons. Of course she doesn’t fit in. She has trouble with her roommate and members of the Wilberton Theatrical Society have it out for her. When Elizabeth Woodward is found dead in the woods, Abby was the last one known to have talked to her.
The mystery was satisfying but some of the answers were not. Probably because they were too realistic. They bullying was very realistic, too.


Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for this DRC.
#ThisPlaceKillsMe #NetGalley

I will read everything she makes because she knows how to craft such delicately complicated relationships in a space with no air left to take a breath, but you hardly even realize and you never mind

This could've benefited from being a little bit longer to give the multiple storylines more time to sink in, but I still felt this was intelligently woven together and, of course, I'll never get enough of the art style

This was a really engrossing graphic novel, I liked the school setting and that there was a bit of mystery to it. I will say that some of the themes here are definitely for more mature readers, so be aware of that.

An all girls boarding school with an eclusive elite theater group.... that is rocked by the murder of their leading actress and its up to the new transfer student who was the last person to see her alive to delve deeper into the supposed suicide because she knows there's something more going on. This is a unique queer murder mystery that definitely has you curious about what is happening. The art was really well done and the mystery kind of felt like your typical all girls school mystery but I liked that the main character was queer. The story deals with a lot of heavy topics from homophobia to sexual assault and drug use. Definitely check the trigger warnings before going into this if you are under 16 years old.

Release Date: August 19, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids | Abrams Fanfare for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*