Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

I have found a favorite mystery book–series, to be exact. Thank you very much, Holly Jackson.

Seriously though, this book was amazing. (I’m really running out of words to describe books I love.) The hype it has is truly deserved.

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1
Page Count: 387 (paperback)

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

Content Warnings

murder – suicide – kidnapping – sexual assault (off-page) – drug use – animal death – death threats – bullying – parental abuse – racism

There are no spoilers in this review.

I could not put this book down. I would read it in large chunks, never wanting to stop. Almost every chapter or log entry revealed something new, and it made me want to keep reading.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder takes place in the fictional town of Fairview, Connecticut where, five years, high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. The town hasn’t been the same since. Pip, now a senior herself, decides to investigate the murder for her final senior project. And what she discovers leads to a trail of clues that might prove Sal innocent.

I have heard so many positive things about this book and it lived up to the hype perfectly. The investigation and mystery were complex and detailed, while having a bunch of twists along the way. I loved discovering clues to who the real killer was, along with Pip and the rest of the characters. I did not expect the killer to be who they were and for me at least, it definitely wasn’t predictable.

Pip is a fantastic protagonist. She’s smart and doesn’t let anyone tell her what she can or can’t to do. She’s brave too, if not a little impulsive. I loved reading her log entries and the narrating style she had in those parts. There was usually a big clue or realization at the end of them, which made them so interesting to read. At first, it was a little jarring to read the log entries in first person and the rest of the narration in third, since the switch happened so frequently. It took me a little bit of time to get used to it; I always excepted the regular narration to be in first person, but after a while, I got used to it.

“Pip wished she was strong enough, but she’d learned that she wasn’t invincible; she too could break.”

The interviews Pip had with the various characters were also super interesting! I loved the mixed media format that the book had.

Ravi was amazing. As the younger brother of Sal, his life has been flipped upside down. Though he’s seen as a bit of comic relief, he’s hurting a lot. With this investigation, he’s able to do something with that hurt–to try to do justice for Sal. I loved the representation for his character. He and his family are Indian and Jackson showed what they had to face as people of color in a majorly white town. On top of the racism, they were also shunned because of Sal, thus labeled as “that family that no one talks to.”

On a lighter note, I loved Pip and Ravi’s relationship and how it grew as the story progressed. Their interactions with each other were so sweet, especially when it was teasing or playful.

“I’m not sure I’m the good girl I once thought I was. I’ve lost her along the way.”

The fact that Pip’s stepfather was represented as kind and supportive was amazing! A lot of stepparents in literature are portrayed as mean and unrespectful to their stepkids. But in real life, most are like Pip’s, wanting what’s best for her and to keep her safe. There’s kind of a stereotype around stepparents and I’m glad Holly Jackson avoided it.

This is going to become one of my favorite mysteries series, I can tell. I’ve read Good Girl, Bad Blood and I’m waiting for my hold for As Good As Dead as I’m writing this, so hopefully it’ll be ready soon. I’ve heard it’s a great finale.

My Rating: 4.5/5 dragons

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Have you read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder? Is it on your TBR?
What are some mysteries you recommend?