Murder most fowl? In this sardonic and campy YA thriller, an anxious, introverted nonbinary teen birder somehow finds themself investigating a murder with their neighbor/fellow anime lover, all while falling for a cute girl from their birding group...and trying not to get killed next.
Sixteen-year-old Bianca Torre is an avid birder undergoing a gender identity crisis and grappling with an ever-growing list of fears. Some, like Fear #6: Initiating Conversation, keep them constrained, forcing them to watch birds from the telescope in their bedroom. And, occasionally, their neighbors. When their gaze wanders to one particular window across the street, Bianca witnesses a creepy plague-masked murderer take their neighbor's life. Worse, the death is ruled a suicide, forcing Bianca to make a choice--succumb to their long list of fears (including #3 Murder and #55 Breaking into a Dead Guy's Apartment), or investigate what happened.
Bianca enlists the help of their friend Anderson Coleman, but the two have more knowledge of anime than true crime. As Bianca and Anderson dig deeper into the murder with a little help from Bianca's crush and fellow birding aficionado, Elaine Yee (#13 Beautiful People, #11 Parents Discovering They're a Raging Lesbian), the trio uncover a conspiracy much larger--and weirder--than imagined. And when the killer catches wind of the investigation, suddenly Bianca's #1 fear of public speaking doesn't sound so bad compared to the threat of being silenced for good.
In this absurdist, darkly comical YA thriller that is a deceptively deep exploration of anxiety and identity, perhaps the real murder investigation is the friends we make along the way.
About the Author :
Justine Pucella Winans is a queer and nonbinary writer who resides in Los Angeles with their husband and cats. When not writing, they try their best at Brazilian jiu-jitsu, read an alarming amount of manga, and try to make pasta even a fourth as good as their nonna's. They are the author of Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything, and you can find them at justinepucellawinans.com.
Vico Ortiz is a proud Latine/x non-binary/gender-fluid actor, narrator, and activist born and raised in Puerto Rico. They received their education at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Their first breakthrough role was in the hit Amazon series Transparent, which paved the way to TV appearances in shows such as Vida, American Horror Story: 1984, and Lucifer. They received a 2021 Queerties Award nomination for their series regular role in the award-winning digital series These Thems.
Review :
"Vico Ortiz's acting talent comes through with flying colors...[and] deftly engages the listener with multiple distinct voices, capturing the age, personality, and full emotional range of each character. Their narration brings the story to life...Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
"Smart, witty, and daring, this debut is a fast-paced whodunit-conspiracy story with a strong subplot following Bianca's journey to better understand where they fit on the gender spectrum."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"Via Bianca's savvy teenage voice, punctuated by humor both whip-smart and absurdly campy, Winans portrays Bianca's gender exploration and timid steps toward bravery with as much heft as the narrative's deliberately plotted overarching mystery in this exuberant read."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"A Pop Rocks thriller that fizzles on your tongue and delivers enough cults, birdwatching, and nonbinary crimefighting to make an afternoon disappear in a flash."
-- "Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author"
