About the Book:
Author: Holly Jackson
No. of Pages: 433
Genre: Mystery, Murder Mystery, YA, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Teen, Suspense.
Rating:
4.4/5 (Goodreads)
4.8/5 (Barnes & Noble)
The Blurb:
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 murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year 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?
It Is Extremely Engaging, Evocative And Will Leave You Elevated
These are probably more Es than necessary but that is to emphasize how fast-paced and captivating this novel really is. A “Good Girl’s Guide To Murder” is the definition of a page-turner. I have the attention span of a teaspoon, and I rarely ever get to finish books in one or two sittings. The fact that This book gripped me enough to do that says a lot about it. So if you are in a reading slump or if you are a crime-mystery fan, then this book is a treat for you.
“Nothing gets in between me and my homework, not even a little danger.”-
The Representation Is Refreshing
Holly Jackson shattered the stereotypical representation of not only black and brown people but also of step and half relatives. Pippa, our protagonist is surrounded by characters who love and support her unconditionally, including her step-father and half-brother. This is how we are introduced to them in the book:
“The giant Nigerian man was quite evidently her stepfather and Joshua her half-brother. But Pip didn’t like using those words, those cold technicalities…Victor and Josh weren’t just three-eighths hers, not just forty percent of her family, they were fully hers. Her dad and her annoying little brother.”
The Humor Will Leave You In Hysterics
When this book is not giving you unnerving tension and goosebumps, It makes you crack up and grin maniacally with its delicious wit, sarcasm, and humor. The comic relief is not just for its own sake, it is genuinely entertaining to read. Here are two snippets for you;
“Real men wear floral when trespassing”
“As if they think I don’t already know. I came out of the womb knowing how to do academic references.”
It Does Not Shy Away From Social And Political Issues
While many YA novels tend to avoid very controversial and sensitive social and political topics, The good girl’s guide to murder addresses various issues like racism in a very apt manner. It also satirizes the hypocrisy and double standards of society on many occasions throughout the book.
An innocent life was taken and everyone in this town turned it ugly in their mouths, turned him into a villain. But if a villain can be made, then they can be unmade.”
It now has two sequels (and a prequel!)
Question: What’s better than a really good murder mystery novel? Answer: A really good murder mystery novel with prequels/sequels. The sequels are respectively; Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020), and As Good As Dead (2021). There is also a bonus prequel to the debut novel called Kill Joy (2021).
