A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

Introduction

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was written by Holly Jackson and published on May 2nd, 2019, by Electric Monkey publishing company. This book is the first of a trilogy in the young adult mystery genre. When I first started this blog (an entire year ago, wow), I sent out a request for recommendations, and this was the first one I received. I immediately got the impression that it would be similar to One of Us is Lying, which I love, so I was all in. This book is absolutely going to earn a spot next to my favorite mysteries because I thought this book was great, and I would recommend it to fans of the mystery genre. For those who haven’t had the chance to read this one yet, the Spoiler-Free Thoughts section will give a general overview of my opinions. Those who have read it and want some deeper insights, know that the Thoughts section does contain spoilers. If you have opinions of your own that you would like to share, the comment sections on this post and my social media posts are open. All I ask is that everyone respects the opinions of others.

If you would like to stay updated on Holly Jackson and her upcoming projects, you can follow her on social media @hojay92.

Plot

Five years ago, Salil Singh was accused of murdering Andrea Bell before taking his own life. Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so certain of Sal’s guilt, and she’s determined to uncover the truth.

Spoiler-Free Thoughts

The speed of the plot was refreshing and cutting the fluff information both through that and the style made for a very quick and easy read for me. I found myself lost in the world Jackson created and about as invested as Pippa was in figuring out what really happened the night Andie died. I felt Jackson did a good job of keeping the mass of information organized for us and for her characters. There were many different people of interest for Pippa, and I am a bit disappointed in myself that I didn’t figure out who the true villain was until about the same time she did. Not because of anything Jackson did wrong - she did a great job with the red herrings and false leads - but because I thought I had read enough mysteries to not be fooled the way I was. I felt the strongest theme of this book was the media’s portrayal of people in situations like these, and the public’s reaction to those characterizations. Certain people are made into martyrs, others are considered monsters, regardless of whether or not that’s a fair or accurate assessment. Add to that the racist undertones also expressed by the others in this book towards the Singh family, and you get a disappointingly accurate presentation of the small-town mindset.

I love the character development in this book. Pippa’s actions right off the bat make it clear that while she may be considered a “good girl,” she’s not afraid to bend the rules to solve this case. She’s a great student, always ahead of the game, and there’s very little she wouldn’t do to figure out what happened to Andie. This immediate characterization serves as a good foundation for the rest of the book, her interactions with others, and her general drive. It makes her a compelling character. Her friendship with Ravi is one that develops throughout the entirety of the book, and it does so in a way that feels very organic. I liked that Jackson didn’t feel the need to rush the trust or friendship between them. Ravi himself, while not being the comedic relief in this book, does bring a lot of levity to contrast Pippa’s no-nonsense attitude. The family dynamics presented feel natural as well, and while it’s definitely on the cheesy side, I love the banter and terrible puns. They’re not unlike interactions I’ve had at my own home.

Finally on to the style, which was arguably my favorite aspect of this book. The story is told through various different media. There are police reports, interviews, graphs, maps, and logs in addition to the normal storytelling. I really enjoyed this because there was no “fluff” in those alternative portions, which not only set up a great foundation for both the plot and Pip as a character, but also made it easier to hone in on what was important. This is especially critical as the plot thickens and becomes more complex. Sometimes, it’s easy to lose plot points and notable names, but Jackson makes it easy to remember with mind maps of the people of interest and annotated maps of the town. It was such a unique and organized way to tell the story, which simultaneously fits right in with Pip’s character. I genuinely loved it, and I’m incredibly excited to re-read this book to pick up on the small clues I missed the first time around.

The pacing was fast, which I generally prefer, and jumped right into establishing the main characters and the end goal. The characters were funny, clever, well-developed, and well-balanced. The style was interesting and organized, which ultimately kept me engaged. Because of all of this, I am giving this book a 9/10.

Thoughts

The constant back and forth on who was or wasn’t a person of interest alongside new additions to the list every few chapters kept the story interesting, especially in seeing how Pip and Ravi’s minds work together to rule people out. Both are very clever and observant. I like to keep track of my personal theories as the book progresses, and I agreed that Andie’s dad was suspicious while speculating that Mr. Ward was Secret Older Guy. Unfortunately I, like Pip, was gently steered away from that as a possibility and actually suspected Naomi for a while. She was probably the most suspicious to me throughout the book, along with Max, so I did not see Mr. Ward coming until right before Pip did, and I didn’t see Becca coming at all until Pip decided to pay her a visit. I read a lot of mysteries, so when I find one able to fool me - as this one did - I tend to enjoy it more.

I adored that the first thing Pippa did in this book was break the number one rule she was given for her project. She was told to tread likely and not involve either family, and she goes immediately to Ravi to ask for his help. It sets her up as almost rebellious, which adds an interesting layer to the “goody-two-shoes” lens she seems to be viewed through by her friends and family. I do think that the “good girl” title could mean a few things. Yes, she’s generally a rule-follower, but she strays further and further from that as the book progresses and she gets slowly consumed by the case. I think it could also refer to the goodness of her character. She cares deeply about the ones she loves, and she was absolutely crushed by Barney’s death (was that really necessary?), so she did everything in her power to protect those she could, such as Cara and Naomi. She even tried to protect Becca until the very end.

My favorite character dynamic was between Pippa and Ravi. They had a very balanced relationship, and they made great friends. I really enjoyed that their relationship was not rushed in this book, and that there was only a budding romance at the very end. Not only does it leave room for growth in the following installments, but it also ensures that the focal point of the story isn’t lost. One of my favorite parts of the book was when she tried to stop and push Ravi away for their safety, and he came back the very next day. They didn’t even have a heated argument, and the entire situation lasted for less than a chapter before it was resolved. I’ve said before that the miscommunication trope is one of my least favorites, and this book barely entertains it, which I was personally amazed by.