A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder | By Holly Jackson

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review | YA Thriller

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
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.       (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narrative and Plot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are willing to suspend your disbelief about how much traction a teenager’s high school project might get, this is a near-perfect YA thriller. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is precise and filled with twists and turns. Every single scene is placed carefully as to garner your attention enough, but not enough to spoil the plot.

The pacing was perfect. With every chapter, the plot thickens and what started as a straightforward crime of passion gets twisted and ugly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters and Conflicts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pip is your protagonist and Ravi who is her partner in crime investigation. Pip is established as a type A personality with great attention to detail. As a reader, you really need to let go of the circumstances under which Pip is investigating the case to get into the story. Ravi’s goals are understandable and together they made a good team.

Besides them, there are a whole log of characters, persons of interest and enablers and victims who were all well-written and layered. Each one of them was distinct and served their purpose.

Pip too had an arc through the investigation where she finally learns that things aren’t always exactly black and white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is one of the best YA thrillers I’ve read since Sadie by Courtney Summers. It has the whole true crime podcast vibe with all the interviews and testimonies throughout the investigation. Personally, I would recommend the audiobook to get the complete scope of entertainment.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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