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Who Killed One the Gun?
Who! Is! The! Villain!
Third-rate gumshoe One the Gun and his trusty sidekick Two the True Blue are hired to track down the killer of Five the No Longer Alive. But while he grills suspects and hunts for clues, One the Gun starts to notice that today is exactly like yesterday—in fact, maybe actually is yesterday—and he’s also pretty sure that at the very end of yesterday he was shot to death. Time continues to loop back on itself, and one murder case becomes two as the private eye races against the clock to discover his own killer before the day that was yesterday turns over to become tomorrow. Gigi Little’s noir-soaked and delightfully surreal debut pays homage to the old-time radio classics of the forties and fifties while investigating themes of greed, sexism, and the consequences of unchecked power.
Third-rate gumshoe One the Gun and his trusty sidekick Two the True Blue are hired to track down the killer of Five the No Longer Alive. But while he grills suspects and hunts for clues, One the Gun starts to notice that today is exactly like yesterday—in fact, maybe actually is yesterday—and he’s also pretty sure that at the very end of yesterday he was shot to death. Time continues to loop back on itself, and one murder case becomes two as the private eye races against the clock to discover his own killer before the day that was yesterday turns over to become tomorrow. Gigi Little’s noir-soaked and delightfully surreal debut pays homage to the old-time radio classics of the forties and fifties while investigating themes of greed, sexism, and the consequences of unchecked power.
306 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 19, 2026
Who Killed One the Gun? is a wonderful little story that perfectly melds “noir detective mystery” and “stuck in a time loop” - a combination that we probably didn’t even know we needed until we got it. Even beyond that, we’re thrown into a quirky world where people are but numbers - names like One the Gun, Two the True Blue, Five the No Longer Alive (the deceased, obviously) - as our gumshoe, the eponymous One the Gun, works on trying to solve who murdered the No Longer Alive.
Of course, it isn’t all that easy - the story starts with him being murdered, only to wake up the next morning and slowly realize that he is not just experiencing déjà vu but is in fact living the same day over again. The “why” isn’t really explored here - it isn’t the point. The point is that he needs to figure out who the killer is, both for the crime he is investigating and for the death that awaits him at the end of the day. He’s just started investigating the case and doesn’t really seem to have much to go on, so he’s still a bit confused about which of the suspects that he interviews in the morning would have a reason to kill him that night. That first repeat day ends, and the loop starts over again. And again. And again. In the process, he does eventually end up meeting someone else who also seems to be living life in this time loop, giving him someone to discuss things with as they remember things between loops, whereas everyone else just seems to be starting over every day. The investigation, of course, slowly progresses with each passing day (it is a mystery, after all).
More interesting, to some point, is how we see the progression of our characters with each “new” day. True to the noir genre, our gumshoe isn’t an infallible detective who is gonna Sherlock his way into the answer immediately. He takes multiple missteps, he has to interview the same people over and over again to try and catch what he’s missing, and, mostly importantly, he starts to reveal some of his major flaws/undoings. He’s not perfect, he’s not even entirely good (even if we give him a pass for the breaking-and-entering he does multiple times without much consternation because “the day will reset”) - and, as the day repeats multiple times, we see this become more and more clear. Sure, we could blame the “repeating the same day over and over again messes with your psyche,” but, is that really all it is? Or is there something truly guilty within all of us? It is a slightly unsettling factoid that is explored, more so when he meets the other repeating character, but the interplay between them also shows us cracks in this façade of his (if we’re willing to pay attention), even as she tries to get him to confront this fact and be the better person; of course, with the focus on the endpoint of such a story (whodunnit?), it might be easier to overlook (just as he overlooks the numerous times she tries to make him promise to be better). Right up until you can’t anymore, because the story has been telling you all along where it is going.
The other thing Little does well here is forego true explanation of what caused the time loop and why they are stuck in it. It doesn’t really matter, to some extent - while it does let him investigate the crime until he has an answer, it also lets the “true self” that he has hidden deep down come out, and that almost seems to be the bigger story here. Also fascinating is this idea that the first time they lived this day is the true progression of events, with any alterations to those actions made in the repeat days sort of being against time itself. The more they progress, the more they diverge from the actions, the more time pushes back - their bodies WANT to move in the direction of that first day, and these other actions tire them out and eventually they aren’t able to fight time itself. So many of these “time loop” stories almost seem to give the characters almost free reign to do whatever they want, so the idea that changing your actions becomes tiring or that time will fight back and sort of pull you into the “true” actions of that first day is clever. It gives a bit more power to time, but also indirectly puts a sort of kibbosh on the idea of this time loop going on forever. Eventually, time will figure itself out.
The mystery here wasn’t bad, and it is almost easier to follow the characters when they are numbered instead of given names (which can sometimes become more similar to each other). Knowing all your main characters in numerical order is definitely simpler to follow. While there are a couple of twists thrown in, and while our gumshoe does of course figure things out, the way the story embraces the flawed character idea and goes for a noir ending is really well done; in fact, the “morality” part of this story I think is what really makes this story stand out and makes you think about the preconceived notions you (and he) have going in. The way I thought about One the Gun changed slightly as the story progressed, which I think was the point (though, looking back, there were clear signs from the start - it is just something we’re like shown so much in society that we almost ignore it - the whole “be the hero, get the girl” thing) - and by the time that last loop comes around, you realize that he’s completely missed everything she’s been telling him this whole time, and that final straw has been broken.
It almost hurts, really, how excited she is about the “present” he gifts her at her party, because she sees it as “he’s my friend, he gave me a gift,” but we know the true backstory of the item (and what is going on in his head at that moment). Yeah, that stings a bit - and maybe really drives home the fact that our self-proclaimed "third-rate” detective really is, in fact, just third rate.
Of course, it isn’t all that easy - the story starts with him being murdered, only to wake up the next morning and slowly realize that he is not just experiencing déjà vu but is in fact living the same day over again. The “why” isn’t really explored here - it isn’t the point. The point is that he needs to figure out who the killer is, both for the crime he is investigating and for the death that awaits him at the end of the day. He’s just started investigating the case and doesn’t really seem to have much to go on, so he’s still a bit confused about which of the suspects that he interviews in the morning would have a reason to kill him that night. That first repeat day ends, and the loop starts over again. And again. And again. In the process, he does eventually end up meeting someone else who also seems to be living life in this time loop, giving him someone to discuss things with as they remember things between loops, whereas everyone else just seems to be starting over every day. The investigation, of course, slowly progresses with each passing day (it is a mystery, after all).
More interesting, to some point, is how we see the progression of our characters with each “new” day. True to the noir genre, our gumshoe isn’t an infallible detective who is gonna Sherlock his way into the answer immediately. He takes multiple missteps, he has to interview the same people over and over again to try and catch what he’s missing, and, mostly importantly, he starts to reveal some of his major flaws/undoings. He’s not perfect, he’s not even entirely good (even if we give him a pass for the breaking-and-entering he does multiple times without much consternation because “the day will reset”) - and, as the day repeats multiple times, we see this become more and more clear. Sure, we could blame the “repeating the same day over and over again messes with your psyche,” but, is that really all it is? Or is there something truly guilty within all of us? It is a slightly unsettling factoid that is explored, more so when he meets the other repeating character, but the interplay between them also shows us cracks in this façade of his (if we’re willing to pay attention), even as she tries to get him to confront this fact and be the better person; of course, with the focus on the endpoint of such a story (whodunnit?), it might be easier to overlook (just as he overlooks the numerous times she tries to make him promise to be better). Right up until you can’t anymore, because the story has been telling you all along where it is going.
The other thing Little does well here is forego true explanation of what caused the time loop and why they are stuck in it. It doesn’t really matter, to some extent - while it does let him investigate the crime until he has an answer, it also lets the “true self” that he has hidden deep down come out, and that almost seems to be the bigger story here. Also fascinating is this idea that the first time they lived this day is the true progression of events, with any alterations to those actions made in the repeat days sort of being against time itself. The more they progress, the more they diverge from the actions, the more time pushes back - their bodies WANT to move in the direction of that first day, and these other actions tire them out and eventually they aren’t able to fight time itself. So many of these “time loop” stories almost seem to give the characters almost free reign to do whatever they want, so the idea that changing your actions becomes tiring or that time will fight back and sort of pull you into the “true” actions of that first day is clever. It gives a bit more power to time, but also indirectly puts a sort of kibbosh on the idea of this time loop going on forever. Eventually, time will figure itself out.
The mystery here wasn’t bad, and it is almost easier to follow the characters when they are numbered instead of given names (which can sometimes become more similar to each other). Knowing all your main characters in numerical order is definitely simpler to follow. While there are a couple of twists thrown in, and while our gumshoe does of course figure things out, the way the story embraces the flawed character idea and goes for a noir ending is really well done; in fact, the “morality” part of this story I think is what really makes this story stand out and makes you think about the preconceived notions you (and he) have going in. The way I thought about One the Gun changed slightly as the story progressed, which I think was the point (though, looking back, there were clear signs from the start - it is just something we’re like shown so much in society that we almost ignore it - the whole “be the hero, get the girl” thing) - and by the time that last loop comes around, you realize that he’s completely missed everything she’s been telling him this whole time, and that final straw has been broken.
It almost hurts, really, how excited she is about the “present” he gifts her at her party, because she sees it as “he’s my friend, he gave me a gift,” but we know the true backstory of the item (and what is going on in his head at that moment). Yeah, that stings a bit - and maybe really drives home the fact that our self-proclaimed "third-rate” detective really is, in fact, just third rate.
February 8, 2026
Who Killed One the Gun? is a cozy noir. Third-rate PI One the Gun is one minute from dead. Just as he realizes his time is up, he wakes up back in his head. Two the True Blue is by his side, but the question remains who made One die. Now as the day runs on repeat, One must find his killer or die in defeat.
Bottom line: Who Killed One the Gun? is for you if you like your noir more witty than gritty
As with all great noir, language is a star of this show. The cadence and word choice paint pictures you can hear as you tag along with One the Gun in the investigation that led up to his murder. Because of the lyrical language, WHO KILLED ONE THE GUN is a fast and entertaining read. Standing out are the colorful metaphors that make no sense and yet you know exactly what they mean.
Part of the fanciful language are the names. One the Gun, Two the True Blue, Five the No Longer Alive, Six the Kicks, Ten the When. Each tag is a peak into who the characters are. But those tags can change as the characters reinvent themselves. As someone who often has trouble keeping character names straight, I loved Little’s naming convention as I always knew who was doing what.
The case One the Gun is working is the death of Five the No Longer Alive. A minor heavy, he runs The Dive Inn, a former seafood restaurant turned bar with off-the-books cards in the back. His suspects are the wife, Six the Kicks, a preacher with a gambling habit, Seven the Heaven, the former restaurant owner turned bartender, Eight the First Mate, and the doorman aka bouncer, Four the Door. Somewhere in the conversations with each of these suspects, One the Gun thinks he must have heard something that led to someone shooting and killing him in the basement of his office building. If he could only figure out what that “something” was, maybe he could survive and break the loop.
One the Gun, as our detective, is a flawed hero who we watch struggling with the loop he finds himself in—as I’m sure we all would. His help includes Two the True Blue, the secretary he relies on and has fallen for, and Ten the When. The only other person in the loop, the waitress at the diner will also die when the loop ends and she’s determined to make her life useful, if only for the day.
The logic of Five the No Longer Alive’s case is reasonable. I was left with a few questions but they are not central to the story. The ending went in a direction I absolutely did not expect. I appreciated Little did not take the predictable road and suspect readers will have varied opinions. My own opinion? It wrapped up the loose strings, but didn’t seem fair to One. I have thought about the end often since finishing the book … and that says a lot.
Bottom line: Who Killed One the Gun? is for you if you like your noir more witty than gritty
As with all great noir, language is a star of this show. The cadence and word choice paint pictures you can hear as you tag along with One the Gun in the investigation that led up to his murder. Because of the lyrical language, WHO KILLED ONE THE GUN is a fast and entertaining read. Standing out are the colorful metaphors that make no sense and yet you know exactly what they mean.
Part of the fanciful language are the names. One the Gun, Two the True Blue, Five the No Longer Alive, Six the Kicks, Ten the When. Each tag is a peak into who the characters are. But those tags can change as the characters reinvent themselves. As someone who often has trouble keeping character names straight, I loved Little’s naming convention as I always knew who was doing what.
The case One the Gun is working is the death of Five the No Longer Alive. A minor heavy, he runs The Dive Inn, a former seafood restaurant turned bar with off-the-books cards in the back. His suspects are the wife, Six the Kicks, a preacher with a gambling habit, Seven the Heaven, the former restaurant owner turned bartender, Eight the First Mate, and the doorman aka bouncer, Four the Door. Somewhere in the conversations with each of these suspects, One the Gun thinks he must have heard something that led to someone shooting and killing him in the basement of his office building. If he could only figure out what that “something” was, maybe he could survive and break the loop.
One the Gun, as our detective, is a flawed hero who we watch struggling with the loop he finds himself in—as I’m sure we all would. His help includes Two the True Blue, the secretary he relies on and has fallen for, and Ten the When. The only other person in the loop, the waitress at the diner will also die when the loop ends and she’s determined to make her life useful, if only for the day.
The logic of Five the No Longer Alive’s case is reasonable. I was left with a few questions but they are not central to the story. The ending went in a direction I absolutely did not expect. I appreciated Little did not take the predictable road and suspect readers will have varied opinions. My own opinion? It wrapped up the loose strings, but didn’t seem fair to One. I have thought about the end often since finishing the book … and that says a lot.
November 25, 2025
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2025/11/24/4-...
Who Killed One the Gun? by Gigi Little is a cozy noir reminiscent to me of characters from two television shows: Columbo, a homicide detective, and Rockford, a private investigator.
The premise of the story is different from anything I have read before, since One the Gun, a private investigator, is trying to solve a murder case, except he keeps having the feeling of déjà vu and knows what’s going to happen before it does. Everything he’s living through has already happened the day before or earlier, and there’s a significant reason for that since he’s dead, too! The characters are numbered with a rhyming description instead of a name, and many of the chapters are lengthy.
The characters were sometimes confusing, but each had a role. As One the Gun tries to figure out whodunnit, he is always surprised that the events and details had already happened the day before. He’s often confused about the facts and what transpired since today was really yesterday in his eyes, and so is the reader, sometimes bewildered. The time loops made it repetitive, since he’s gathering clues and red herrings, interviewing witnesses, and sifting through motives, and he’s already done so. Since he’s racing against the clock to solve the crimes, even as he oftentimes commits crimes to do so, it’s significant that a clock is on the cover.
With a few twists and turns, some confusion, and even conflict, we’re taken on a merry chase as One tries to find out who murdered Five as well as him. We get to know the characters a little at a time as multiple storylines unfold.
There are many interactions among the characters, which add unexpected layers to the story. One thinks he solves who killed Five, but it isn’t confirmed. There are multiple surprises at the end, including One figuring out who killed him and a “trial” of his misdeeds. The story did end abruptly. The Book Club Questions made you think.
Who Killed One the Gun? is filled with crimes and death, but the time loops make yesterday today.
https://novelsalive.com/2025/11/24/4-...
Who Killed One the Gun? by Gigi Little is a cozy noir reminiscent to me of characters from two television shows: Columbo, a homicide detective, and Rockford, a private investigator.
The premise of the story is different from anything I have read before, since One the Gun, a private investigator, is trying to solve a murder case, except he keeps having the feeling of déjà vu and knows what’s going to happen before it does. Everything he’s living through has already happened the day before or earlier, and there’s a significant reason for that since he’s dead, too! The characters are numbered with a rhyming description instead of a name, and many of the chapters are lengthy.
The characters were sometimes confusing, but each had a role. As One the Gun tries to figure out whodunnit, he is always surprised that the events and details had already happened the day before. He’s often confused about the facts and what transpired since today was really yesterday in his eyes, and so is the reader, sometimes bewildered. The time loops made it repetitive, since he’s gathering clues and red herrings, interviewing witnesses, and sifting through motives, and he’s already done so. Since he’s racing against the clock to solve the crimes, even as he oftentimes commits crimes to do so, it’s significant that a clock is on the cover.
With a few twists and turns, some confusion, and even conflict, we’re taken on a merry chase as One tries to find out who murdered Five as well as him. We get to know the characters a little at a time as multiple storylines unfold.
There are many interactions among the characters, which add unexpected layers to the story. One thinks he solves who killed Five, but it isn’t confirmed. There are multiple surprises at the end, including One figuring out who killed him and a “trial” of his misdeeds. The story did end abruptly. The Book Club Questions made you think.
Who Killed One the Gun? is filled with crimes and death, but the time loops make yesterday today.
February 5, 2026
Okay, it's a noir-ish murder mystery, only, well.
The first weird thing is that "One the Gun" is the name of the detective. No, really. His secretary is named Two the True Blue; her beau (yes, she calls him that) is Three the Goatee, and so on. The club owner whose killer he's after is Five the No Longer Alive. The main suspects are Five's widow, Six the Kicks; the bartender, Eight the First Mate (it's a nautical-themed bar); the doorman at the club, Four the Door; and the priest, Seven the Heaven.
The second weird thing is that One is also searching for his own killer. See, the book begins with him being killed. The next thing he knows, he's in his office, discussing the plans for the day with Two, with a terrible sense of deja vu, which persists as the day goes on. He interviews suspects, uncovers very little that might properly be called a clue, and, at the end of the day, dies.
Only to find himself in his office, talking to Two about his plans for the day. And that's the third weird thing: it's a kind of Groundhog Day setup, where he lives the same day over and over. He's free to act otherwise, though there's a kind of inertia that drags him back to the script (as it were) for the original day.
Because he remembers the previous version of the day, he can gather further clues and evidence based on what he already knows, confront suspects with things they don't know he knows (because they, or someone else, has told him in previous iterations), commit crimes that will have no consequences in the next iteration...
And there's one more twist: eventually he learns that one other person is having the same recurring day, and can gather knowledge and learn more and more. I won't spoil who it is, except to say, no, it isn't the killer of either One or Five.
There's a humor to this that extends beyond the mandatory noir wisecracking. I can't put my finger on and explain quite what it is, but it had me laughing out loud at several points.
Seven out of ten beads fallen off officer's uniforms.
The first weird thing is that "One the Gun" is the name of the detective. No, really. His secretary is named Two the True Blue; her beau (yes, she calls him that) is Three the Goatee, and so on. The club owner whose killer he's after is Five the No Longer Alive. The main suspects are Five's widow, Six the Kicks; the bartender, Eight the First Mate (it's a nautical-themed bar); the doorman at the club, Four the Door; and the priest, Seven the Heaven.
The second weird thing is that One is also searching for his own killer. See, the book begins with him being killed. The next thing he knows, he's in his office, discussing the plans for the day with Two, with a terrible sense of deja vu, which persists as the day goes on. He interviews suspects, uncovers very little that might properly be called a clue, and, at the end of the day, dies.
Only to find himself in his office, talking to Two about his plans for the day. And that's the third weird thing: it's a kind of Groundhog Day setup, where he lives the same day over and over. He's free to act otherwise, though there's a kind of inertia that drags him back to the script (as it were) for the original day.
Because he remembers the previous version of the day, he can gather further clues and evidence based on what he already knows, confront suspects with things they don't know he knows (because they, or someone else, has told him in previous iterations), commit crimes that will have no consequences in the next iteration...
And there's one more twist: eventually he learns that one other person is having the same recurring day, and can gather knowledge and learn more and more. I won't spoil who it is, except to say, no, it isn't the killer of either One or Five.
There's a humor to this that extends beyond the mandatory noir wisecracking. I can't put my finger on and explain quite what it is, but it had me laughing out loud at several points.
Seven out of ten beads fallen off officer's uniforms.
November 26, 2025
This is one quirky mystery. The plot of repetitive days reminds me of the movie, Groundhog Day. Solving a murder is the frame upon which this novel hangs. The sleuth, One the Gun, can learn from his actions on the previous (same) day and advance his investigation. He is an odd character and easily gets sidetracked by his unrequited feelings toward his assistant.
Little is a word smith. Coming up with all the numerical names is amazing. She is just clever too, such as describing a dame with a striped dress and a checkered past. The period setting is good with an emphasis on music and radio drama of the time. The plot is a bit repetitive but but that is to be expected with much of the same action day after day. There is a twist at the end that was surprising but also pointed out a subtle theme. Living the same day over and over provides moral opportunities. Would one become a better person or not? Would one take advantage of all actions being wiped out with the start of the (same) day again or not?
I enjoyed this quirky mystery, mostly because of the imaginative writing from Little. The characters also have some interesting philosophical discussions about life. Since this is a debut, it will be interesting to see what creative literature Little produces in the future.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Little is a word smith. Coming up with all the numerical names is amazing. She is just clever too, such as describing a dame with a striped dress and a checkered past. The period setting is good with an emphasis on music and radio drama of the time. The plot is a bit repetitive but but that is to be expected with much of the same action day after day. There is a twist at the end that was surprising but also pointed out a subtle theme. Living the same day over and over provides moral opportunities. Would one become a better person or not? Would one take advantage of all actions being wiped out with the start of the (same) day again or not?
I enjoyed this quirky mystery, mostly because of the imaginative writing from Little. The characters also have some interesting philosophical discussions about life. Since this is a debut, it will be interesting to see what creative literature Little produces in the future.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
April 25, 2026
An absorbing mix of noir detective fiction and reliving the same day SF. One the Gun goes through the same day trying to figure out who killed the owner of the Dive Inn lounge while also trying not to get killed again at midnight. He relives the same day (two days after the murder) and goes about asking different questions and looking into different suspects and their motives and alibis each new day.
Like a good whodunit, the clues are all there for the reader and Gun to finally put together as the impetus of Time makes it harder and harder to go against the script that was set out on the very first day. The ending was wholly unexpected, but logical; the identity of Gun's killer should have been foreseen, but came as a surprise.
With all the number first names and the rhyming last names of any character seen or mentioned throughout the course of the book, I was reminded that this could easily have been a Jasper Fforde book. However, Little gives a different slant on things. She also makes the reader think about how they might spend the same day over and over and over and over...
Like a good whodunit, the clues are all there for the reader and Gun to finally put together as the impetus of Time makes it harder and harder to go against the script that was set out on the very first day. The ending was wholly unexpected, but logical; the identity of Gun's killer should have been foreseen, but came as a surprise.
With all the number first names and the rhyming last names of any character seen or mentioned throughout the course of the book, I was reminded that this could easily have been a Jasper Fforde book. However, Little gives a different slant on things. She also makes the reader think about how they might spend the same day over and over and over and over...
September 22, 2025
This book is a delight: clever, funny, and imaginative. What seems at first a light, frothy radio-drama noir pastiche with a Groundhog Day twist turns into a meditation on what actually makes someone a villain or a good guy.
The story is set in a world like ours, but not quite. People are named with a number and a rhyme: private detective One the Gun, his lovely, capable assistant Two the True Blue, the murder victim Five the No Longer Alive, etc. It’s no spoiler to mention that at the beginning of the story, One the Gun has been murdered. Then he suddenly finds himself on the previous day, working to solve Five’s murder, and now, his own. As he lives the same day over and over, he gets to try many different methods of investigation, as well as experiment with what he can get away with if the day is just going to start over.
The repeats, twists, and noir tropes are inventively woven together into an entertaining and suspenseful story with one more twist at the end that I did not see coming.
The story is set in a world like ours, but not quite. People are named with a number and a rhyme: private detective One the Gun, his lovely, capable assistant Two the True Blue, the murder victim Five the No Longer Alive, etc. It’s no spoiler to mention that at the beginning of the story, One the Gun has been murdered. Then he suddenly finds himself on the previous day, working to solve Five’s murder, and now, his own. As he lives the same day over and over, he gets to try many different methods of investigation, as well as experiment with what he can get away with if the day is just going to start over.
The repeats, twists, and noir tropes are inventively woven together into an entertaining and suspenseful story with one more twist at the end that I did not see coming.
November 28, 2025
Who Killed One The Gun? By Gigi Little is a noir that takes us along on One the Gun's journey to find out whodunit. One the Gun is our MMC and a PI, along with him on this cast of crazy characters are Two the True Blue(his woman) and the killer named Five the No Longer Alive. This book is unique in the sense there is a time loop that follows One the Gun throughout the book and has the reader and One wondering if the days are exactly the same and why? The story is engaging especially if you enjoy noir type mysteries and that kind of writing style. I loved the book overall, as one of my favorite movies from the early 90's when I was growing up was called Groundhog Day, where the MC was reliving the same day over and over again. That is my favorite part of this book, where One the Gun is supposed to learn from what happens in the previous day's time loop and fix it for the next day. I highly recommend this one to fans of mysteries and noirs and hope to see more One The Gun in future books!
February 8, 2026
Gigi Little’s Who Killed One the Gun? is a deliciously warped love letter to classic noir that refuses to behave like one. What begins as a familiar hard boiled setup a shabby private eye, a dead client, a city thick with lies quickly fractures into something stranger and more daring. The time loop device is not a gimmick but the beating heart of the novel, turning detective fiction inside out and asking whether identity and guilt can survive when yesterday keeps devouring tomorrow.
I was struck by the precision of Little’s voice: sardonic, rhythmic, steeped in the cadence of old radio dramas yet sharply aware of modern anxieties. Beneath the playful surface hums a serious interrogation of power, sexism, and the machinery of greed that noir has always hinted at but rarely confronted so directly. The novel is funny, unsettling, and unexpectedly poignant a puzzle that keeps rearranging itself even after the final page. A remarkable debut that proves the genre still has new tricks up its sleeve.
I was struck by the precision of Little’s voice: sardonic, rhythmic, steeped in the cadence of old radio dramas yet sharply aware of modern anxieties. Beneath the playful surface hums a serious interrogation of power, sexism, and the machinery of greed that noir has always hinted at but rarely confronted so directly. The novel is funny, unsettling, and unexpectedly poignant a puzzle that keeps rearranging itself even after the final page. A remarkable debut that proves the genre still has new tricks up its sleeve.
November 14, 2025
This was like nothing else I’ve ever read before! It was noir, which honestly I had to look up. It is associated with classic Hollywood crime dramas from the 1940s and 1950s, so I am back into another popped collar and fedora private investigator crime novel.
But imagine it like the movie Ground Hog’s Day, so it is the same day over and over, trying to identify the clues that will point out the whodunnit and who shot One the Gun dead at the end of day.
I will say this was a very creative idea, the characters had such wild names, I imagine they were very fun to come up with. I’ve never read a book where no real names were used, everyone was a nickname.
The book was twelve chapters long, representing the clock ticking by each day, that said the chapters are longer so this isn’t a one more chapter at 11pm read.
With the nicknames and repeated scenes, it felt like trying to figure out a riddle, and I did not guess right!
But imagine it like the movie Ground Hog’s Day, so it is the same day over and over, trying to identify the clues that will point out the whodunnit and who shot One the Gun dead at the end of day.
I will say this was a very creative idea, the characters had such wild names, I imagine they were very fun to come up with. I’ve never read a book where no real names were used, everyone was a nickname.
The book was twelve chapters long, representing the clock ticking by each day, that said the chapters are longer so this isn’t a one more chapter at 11pm read.
With the nicknames and repeated scenes, it felt like trying to figure out a riddle, and I did not guess right!
November 7, 2025
Who Killed One The Gun? defies genre. Gigi Little’s funny, smart, thoughtful, playful debut uses the conventions of detective noir intertwined with old time radio tropes to take us on a delightful and thought-provoking romp through a repeating time loop. One the Gun is intent on solving two murders, his own and that of Five the No Longer Alive, all the while angling to snag the attentions of the woman he pines for, Two the True Blue. It’s a mystery, it’s a morality tale, and it raises questions of responsibility, accountability, integrity, and how we would conduct ourselves if our actions appeared to have no consequences. The writing is superb; the plot builds in ever surprising ways and propels us to a surprising and satisfying ending. This is a dazzling debut.
December 4, 2025
One the Gun is a Humphry Bogart gumshoe who has a thing for his secretary and is racing against time before his is up in this brilliant, unusual mystery. I love the fun names (One the Gun, Two the True Blue, Five the No Longer Alive, etc.) and the time loops. Gigi Little stacks up the clues in the old-timey language of gangster films while poor One eats the same lunch and walks the same path day after day. All he knows (and we know) is that he gets shot in the end. His friend, the waitress, knows that she’s on a similar path but wants Gun to make meaning in the time he has left. #WhoKilledOneTheGun #MustRead #MysteryNovel #partnersincrimetours
September 21, 2025
A bit too cutesy for my taste, but I haven't seen the book since one of them disappeared it several weeks ago. Prior to that a friend spent the whole of his visit reading it. So let's extrapolate it to a 4*.
I won the paperback uncorrected proof in a LibraryThing Giveaway from Forest Avenue Press (Publisher) (User: laurahstanfill).
#WhoKilledOneTheGun by #GigiLittle @forestavenuepress Pub Date 10/07/2025
#detectivefiction #timeloop #witty #noir #fastpaced #mystery #snarky
I won the paperback uncorrected proof in a LibraryThing Giveaway from Forest Avenue Press (Publisher) (User: laurahstanfill).
#WhoKilledOneTheGun by #GigiLittle @forestavenuepress Pub Date 10/07/2025
#detectivefiction #timeloop #witty #noir #fastpaced #mystery #snarky
November 15, 2025
This book! Or more like, this hall of mirrors! What an absolute funhouse of a read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel that pushes the edges of genre as boldly as Little’s Who Killed One the Gun. It’s noir, yes, but also something so wholly, singularly its own. How she pulled off all the folding, spiraling twists and turns of this book is beyond me—but as a happy reader, I’m so glad she did. Highly recommend!
April 15, 2026
Call it behind the scenes noir. A whacko plot told with the full authority of a master storyteller. I kept thinking in my reading of this how poor this novel could have been were in the hands of anyone else other than the divine Gigi Little, who's loopy prose honors noir traditions, making fun of it, but still holding the overall genre with high esteem. A must read for anyone enjoying a taut, hilarious thriller that questions its reason for existence.
January 11, 2026
Time looping noir detective? Yes, please! I really enjoyed the set-up for this novel, the sense of humor, and the conclusion to the various mysteries. At some points, the naming conceits and slang did drag a little, but the payoff was worth it in the end. I recommend this one for readers in the mood for a little whimsy.
February 11, 2026
What’s not to love?!!
Suspense, check!
Witty Wordplay, check!
Crisp Writing, check!
A nod to Noir, check!
Fascinating characters, check!
Clever structure, check!
A rollicking good time!
Fans of Ken Grimwood’s “Replay” and Stuart Turton’s “The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” should check this out for a fresh, funny take on the mystery genre set in a repeating world!
Suspense, check!
Witty Wordplay, check!
Crisp Writing, check!
A nod to Noir, check!
Fascinating characters, check!
Clever structure, check!
A rollicking good time!
Fans of Ken Grimwood’s “Replay” and Stuart Turton’s “The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” should check this out for a fresh, funny take on the mystery genre set in a repeating world!
April 17, 2026
This was so clever, and it delivered ... until it bogged itself down. It's hard to write a same-day-over-and-over-again time-repeating book without getting repetitive and boring. The author lasted a long time, but then.... The introduction of When the Ten was delightful (changing out the red dress), and I'm glad she had her ending.
September 24, 2025
Fun. Loved the time countdown.
November 6, 2025
What a fun ride this book is! Mystery, time loop adventure, genre bending, and filled with heart!
October 30, 2025
It took me a bit to settle into this story. One the Gun was an off-putting character to me from the start. He was an entitled misogynist, a creep, and a coward. He was also a goofy, second-rate detective investigating a tropey sort of mystery who was also constantly mocking that sort of story, which, in the beginning, when that was all there was, was annoying to have thrown in my face all the time. However, the story gained considerable depth in later loops, especially with the introduction of the other point-of-view character. She provided a nice breather from One the Gun’s perspective. She was more introspective, but also less self-absorbed, and I was moved by her tragedy. At the same time, One the Gun did start developing in an interesting way, as the time loop simultaneously gave him more freedom and power, while pulling the noose tighter around his neck, making him more desperate. His ending was not what I was expecting, certainly not the generic redemption arc it could have been.
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