A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, written by Holly Jackson, is the first in a three-part series that proves to be a thrilling novel that’s hard to put down. The story follows main characters Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi and Ravi Singh. In order to clear the name of Ravi’s brother Sal (known as the “Fairview monster”) for the disappearance of Andie Bell five years earlier, the duo set out to discover what really happened.
This novel is set in the town of Fairview, Connecticut, giving us the classic small town mystery trope. The case of the Andie Bell disappearance has been closed for years, with the police having no interest in reopening it, as the evidence against her boyfriend Sal Singh seems irrefutable. Andie is gone and Sal is found dead with Andie’s phone in his pocket — along with her blood in the back of his truck and under his nails. The makings of a guilty man.
When Pip has to choose her senior capstone project, she takes on the brave act of re-examining the case, because in her gut she can feel that something is not quite right. Jackson does an exquisite job of unravelling the secrets of the small town with a tempting plot, making the book take on an intriguing and fast pace. Her characterization is also excellent, with fully fleshed-out characters that have natural development as the novel progresses. Particularly fascinating to me, is how Jackson is not only able to create an engrossing mystery, but also a heartwarming romance between Pip and Ravi. As they work together to clear his brother’s name, they also find themselves enjoying each other’s company.
The way Jackson creates thrilling twists and turns is particularly commendable. The exhilaration I felt as the mystery and clues unfolded kept me up until two o’clock in the morning, just so I could get to the end. Jackson writes from Pip’s point-of-view, allowing me a deeper connection with the novel, as I’m around the same age as the protagonist.
If you’re considering giving this book a try, go for it! This book is not just a good guide, it’s an amazing one! Although this book is aimed at the Young Adult (YA) genre audience, I still believe this book is worth a read for even the most avid of mystery/crime novel seekers. The way Jackson creates this entangled chaos is complex and intricate and it never feels like you are steps ahead of Pip while she is on the case. Due to the sheer amount of tom-foolerly that A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder creates, it sets the worldbuilding and characters up for a series, as Holly Jackson has written two sequels — which I, for one, will definitely be binging.
Gianna Dinwoodie is currently working towards her BA in Political Science and hopes to pursue a minor in Journalism. When she is not seen writing mountains of essays for her classes, she enjoys poetry and literature of any sort. Especially of the horror or psychological thriller genre! Don't ask her to watch a horror movie though, she'll probably cry...
