Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Author: Holly Jackson

Published: 2 May 2019 and 4 February 2020

Pages: 390

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

“Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.”

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review:

I didn’t expect to love A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder as much as I do! From page one, it is near impossible to not be drawn in to Pippa’s world – a quiet, small town rocked by a murder-suicide from a few years ago. Pippa is determined, witty and enjoyable to read about as she teams up with the alleged murderer’s brother Ravi in a risky attempt to prove that Sal was never a killer.

This book has it all, in my opinion – several clever twists, well-written and developed characters, and A MURDER BOARD.

Trial and Error was such an underrated show….

The attention to detail in the story is nearly impeccable. Jackson did her research and it shows. I felt my heart racing through the majority of the book, constantly wondering if Pippa and Ravi would succeed or if they would end up dead like Sal or missing like Andie.

I also thought Pippa and Ravi were great characters who grew throughout the story. They must navigate complication emotions that come with investigating a murder, while dealing with everything else in their lives. They both are passionate and determined to do what is right, but they both sometimes forget to look out for themselves and end up in situations that are much more dangerous than the bargained for.

The addition of interviews and project logs to the story-telling, really elevated the plot. It was like having a little more insider information, that both clarified and complicated the investigation – making me feel like I was working right along side Pippa. I really loved this and I applaud Jackson for utilizing this method of story telling.

I was on the edge of my seat with all the twists and turns, and I’m proud to say I got the ending half right! There were still a few things towards the end that I’m unsure about, but other than those spoilers it was a nearly flawless execution of a murder mystery. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something new.

Jackson makes solving a murder mystery sound pretty fun, but she didn’t shy away from tackling the issues that come along with it. Like how so many lives are impacted by the crime and those who were involved – directly and indirectly. She explores how families are shunned, how they suffer, and sometimes even fall apart because of these horrific instances. While it is not an easy subject to tackle, she does it very well, leaving readers feeling quite bitter-sweet by the end.

Still not convinced you should read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder? Check out Stephen’s amazing review of the book here! You’ll definitely want to pick it up after reading what he has to say!

Have you read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder? Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.

Happy reading!