Review by Frank Plowright

While the first Lady Killer was beautifully drawn by Joëlle Jones, its blending of 1960s sitcom pastiche with the world of the professional killer didn’t quite hit the spot as intended, lacking the background history to give the present some weight. However, this second outing has a plot to match the superlative art.

Having extricated herself from her problems, Josie Schuller is now a freelance killer, but the switch to self-employment requires she also handle the clean-up, which is not her skill set. That problem seems solved when an elderly assassin offers his services in partnership. It soon becomes apparent, though, that he’s an intrusive presence, and there’s the additional mystery of who’s leaving her notes.

With Josie and her very individual housewife/assassin combination now established, the lack of a background isn’t as nagging, but it’s satisfyingly presented anyway, and Jones ups the credibility of the supporting cast. Someone previously just serving as comedy relief is given extra weight, and the real life 1940s exploits of Dr Marcel Petiot are used to bolster another character as Jones works her way to a well conceived ethical conundrum. Just how much of her trade is Josie fulfilling a basic need? Also notable is Josie relating the absolutes of her trade as per the sample art, and how that later recurs.

As before, the art is beautiful and stylish, Jones delivering the period perfectly and pouring detail into the fashions, furnishings and cars. Her work is complemented by Michelle Madson’s colouring, creating an appealing world reflecting the bright promise of the early 1960s and the Florida sunshine.

Almost everything about Lady Killer 2 combines for an enjoyably successful period crime drama working its way toward what was inevitably going to happen at some stage. However, without any continuation the tacked on final page is wasted.

This was later combined with the first volume as the hardcover Lady Killer Library Edition.