This Place Kills Me
| This Place Kills Me | |
|---|---|
| Date | August 19, 2025 |
| Page count | 272 pages |
| Publisher | Abrams Fanfare |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Mariko Tamaki |
| Artist | Nicole Goux |
| ISBN | 9781419768460 |
This Place Kills Me is a 2025 noir graphic novel written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Nicole Goux. It received positive reception and won two Eisner Awards in 2026.
Plot
Set in the 1980s, the book covers a murder mystery. Following a cast party, popular girl Elizabeth Wood at Wilberton Academy is found dead. Not accepting the police's claim she died by suicide, fellow student Abby Kita, who was also the last person to see Elizabeth alive, tries to uncover the secrets behind Elizabeth's death while dealing with memories of her own traumatic past.[1][2][3]
Reception
The book received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.[1][4][3] Publishers Weekly described the book as "twisty and captivating".[3] Reviewers noted the color scheme, with use of contrasting gray and pink tones.[2][3]
Sean Dillon of The Beat gave a positive review to the book, noting the use of noir and LGBTQ themes.[2]
The Hub, a blog for the American Library Association, stated that "the story unfolds with tension and a cinematic flair", additionally praising Goux's art as "capturing both the haunting beauty of Wilberton and the creeping dread that something is very wrong beneath the surface"[5]
| Year | Award/Honor | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens | Won | [6] |
| Eisner Award for Best Writer | Won | [6] | |
| Harvey Award for Best Young Adult Book | TBA | [7] | |
| Great Graphic Novels for Teens | Included | [8] | |
| 2025 | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year | Included | [9] |
| Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year - Young Adult | Included | [10] |
References
- 1 2 THIS PLACE KILLS ME | Kirkus Reviews.
- 1 2 3 Dillon, Sean (2025-08-14). "Graphic Novel Review: THIS PLACE KILLS ME is a fantastic work of YA noir". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- 1 2 3 4 "This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Mariko, Tamaki. "This Place Kills Me". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Milburn, Rachel (2025-09-25). "Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2026) Featured Review: This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, Illustrated by Nicole Go". The Hub. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 "Canadian writer Mariko Tamaki wins two awards at 2026 Eisner Awards, the 'Oscars' for comic books". CBC News.
- ↑ "Harvey Awards Unveil 2026 Nominees". www.harveyawards.com. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Milburn, Rachel (2026-02-12). "2026 Great Graphic Novels for Teens". The Hub. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Tran, Jasmine Amiri, Angie Jameson, Rosemary Kiladitis, Andrea Lipinski, Allison. "Best Graphic Novels 2025 | SLJ Best Books". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Best Books 2025: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.