Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

By Holly Jackson

Priyal's Library

Published in

Hooked on Books

3 min readMar 30, 2024

Thriller | Suspense | Young Adult

“Women can be just as dangerous as men.”
― Holly Jackson, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

My Rating — 9/10 🌟

The Premise —

This book is the first of it’s three part series. I believe they are not really meant to be read in the particular order, but I always think it is advisable. Holly did a fantastic job on this book. It was refreshing to read a good thriller. The book is about a girl named Pippa Fitz-Amobi who is a straight A student and is writing a case study on a murder case that happened five years ago. The story works around quite a few people. Pippa, famously known as Pip partners with Ravi Singh, brother of the ‘allegeded’ murderer Salil Singh. As they start investigating, they start of unravel deep dark secrets of the town and people around them.

Book Description —

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?

My Thoughts —

I have a knack for diving into an investigation the moment characters and evidence come to light. It’s safe to say my initial gut feeling was spot on, but the twist at the end caught me off guard! I never saw it coming!

As for Pip’s personal stake in this case, I’m still not entirely sure, but the story itself was masterfully crafted. The seamless connections between the evidence will make you feel like you’re on the brink of cracking the case.

What really impressed me about this book was its pace. It keeps you hooked without drowning you in unnecessary details, yet still manages to stir up enough emotion to keep you invested until the very end. Holly skillfully strikes that delicate balance. Overall, it was an exhilarating read, and I highly recommend giving it a shot. It’s perfect for shaking off a reading slump or for anyone looking to dive back into the enchanting world of books.

Spoiler —

The demise of Barney seems perplexing to me. It appears as though it was intended to ignite a fervor within the protagonist, pushing her to hunt down the killer. However, she seemed to possess that drive already.

Another aspect that gnaws at me is the duality of kindness within the character. It’s a strange notion to consider, but her kindness proved to be both a virtue and a flaw. One might hesitate to champion Sal’s innocence while neglecting to aid another individual who fell victim to a hit-and-run incident. Likewise, it’s challenging to fathom forgiving the perpetrator who took the life of one’s cherished pet. Yet, I can empathize with her perspective and rationale.

Furthermore, Pippa’s decision to venture into Mr. Ward’s hideout alone baffles me. It begs the question: what was the purpose? She could have easily obtained the confession alongside Ravi, eliminating any unnecessary risk. While nothing dire transpired, it’s a lesson learned from countless thriller and crime novels: caution is paramount when delving into murder investigations.