Author Nicolas Didomizio
Publisher Poisoned Pen Press
DOP April 28, 2026
Nicolas Didomizio does it again. As a longtime fan of his work, A Murder Most Camp feels like a natural, and very welcome, addition to his growing catalogue. This time, Didomizio leans into the murder mystery genre while still delivering everything readers love about his writing: chaotic characters, biting humor, and unapologetic camp.
From the opening pages, it’s clear that A Murder Most Camp is a book that understands its audience. It plays confidently to Didomizio’s strengths while pushing into new territory, blending queer romance, satire, and mystery into a story that’s endlessly entertaining.
One of the things Nicolas Didomizio does best is crafting rich ensemble casts, and A Murder Most Camp is no exception. Every character feels intentional, flawed, and delightfully messy. Watching a spoiled rich kid get thrown headfirst into squalor may be a familiar trope, but here it feels perfectly calibrated to the story being told.
Themes of entitlement, unrequited lust, and self-sabotage add emotional depth, preventing the characters from becoming caricatures, even when the book leans hard into absurdity. The result is a cast that feels both exaggerated and surprisingly human, grounding the camp in genuine emotion.
The pop culture references throughout A Murder Most Camp are sharp, timely, and deeply satisfying without ever feeling forced. The romantic tension bubbles at just the right temperature, genuinely steamy, but never excessive. And the camp, both literal summer-camp chaos and the gloriously queer variety, is dialed up to exactly the right level.
This is a queer murder mystery that knows what it is and fully commits. The tone is funny, dramatic, self-aware, and confident, creating a reading experience that feels effortless rather than performative.
While some plot elements may feel familiar to seasoned mystery readers, Didomizio’s storytelling makes that almost irrelevant. The pacing is tight, the voice is strong, and the overall experience is so fun that being surprised at every turn simply isn’t the point.
This is the kind of book you race through because you’re enjoying yourself—not because you’re trying to solve the mystery as efficiently as possible. The joy comes from the journey, the characters, and the tone as much as the final reveal.
A Murder Most Camp is campy, confident, and completely charming. Fans of queer fiction, LGBTQ+ mysteries, and character-driven storytelling will find a lot to love here. Nicolas Didomizio continues to prove that he’s a writer who understands both his genre and his audience and isn’t afraid to have fun while delivering a deeply satisfying story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC copy.
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