A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, #1)

by Holly Jackson

The New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller that everyone is talking about. Now a major BBC series!

‘A taut, compulsively readable, elegantly plotted thriller', Guardian

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 crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final 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 … ?

Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, Gone Girl, We Were Liars and Riverdale

Holly Jackson started writing stories from a young age, completing her first (poor) attempt at a novel aged fifteen. She lives in London and aside from reading and writing, she enjoys playing video games and watching true crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is her first novel. You can follow Holly on Twitter and Instagram @HoJay92

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Sal was kind and sweet, and Pip never believed that he could kill Andie. Therefore, she set out to prove his innocence, but as she dug deeper and deeper, she got closer and closer to not only exonerating Sal, but discovering the true killer's identity. The closer she got, the more dangerous it became. Would she uncover the killer or would she become his next victim?

It's been a while since I read a good YA mystery, and this, my friends, was a great YA mystery. It had twists and turns galore, and I loved the way Jackson laid out the story for me. It gripped me from page one, and kept me fully engrossed until the very end. I was eager gather clues, and found myself asking question after question, as we got deeper into the case.

The actual telling of this story was fantastic. There was the regular narrative, but there were also transcribed interviews, graphics, news clippings, and journal entries. Pip's journal entries were particularly impactful for me, because they let me into her head as she puzzled through all the pieces she was picking up as she searched for the truth, and I liked being led through her process.

There was lots of sleuthing, subterfuge, and even some precarious situations along the way, but peppered throughout were some really average teen moments, which is why I think this book was so successful for me. Yes, there was a clear focus on the mystery at hand, but I liked getting to know Pip, Pip's family and friends. I was a fan of the connection she made with Ravi, Sal's younger brother, and this allowed me to see Pip as a whole person.

Jackson did a great job scattering the clues. Leading me down this path and that path until the killer's identity was fully revealed. I wouldn't say I saw it coming. I suspected certain parts of it, but not all of it, and I love when an author can keep me guessing.

This was a wild ride, and I was glad I got to take it with such a character as amazing as Pip. I found this to be a stupendous debut, and I am really looking forward to catching up with Pip and Ravi in the sequel.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 3 February, 2020: Reviewed