A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

*spoiler-free*

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson focuses on schoolgirl Pippa Fitz-Amobi who has decided to write her EPQ on a murder that took place in her town. 5 years ago, Sal Singh allegedly murdered schoolgirl Andie Bell and everyone believed that to be the case. As Pip begins to investigate the case, she quickly discovers inaccuracies, lies, and secrets, and the truth starts to uncover.

I’m very late to the trend with this book as I’ve seen this be a popular book choice online the last few years, and it is now a series. From the offset, Pip gave me Nancy Drew vibes and I liked how it was modern day by including the EPQ aspect. This was a project I also did at school, and whilst I did not spend as much time on it as Pip did, it was interesting to see this investigation originated and how it progressed.

What makes this different to your average murder mystery is the use of screenshots, interviews, logs, and references throughout the book, so it is not all text. It broke up the book well and made the pacing of the book flow. Whilst this is a book that is aimed at young teenagers/adults, due to the nature of the language and tone, it is still an enjoyable read if you are older than this. Sometimes I did find Pip’s character a little cringe, but due to her age, it wasn’t something that spoilt the book.

One of the highlights of this book is the emotional rollercoaster you experience as the reader. There are constant twists and turns that lead Pip down a new avenue, and it’s satisfying to read when all the pieces slowly start to come together. There were plot twists right until the end of the book, making it an addictive read. Due to the nature of the story, there are a lot of characters mentioned which can sometimes be hard to follow and remember all the connections, but Jackson’s writing helps remind the reader quickly who the characters are.

Ravi was also a really good character with good depth that worked well with Pip and her investigations. Overall, this was a good murder mystery and I’ve already added the rest of the series to my wishlist. It was satisfying for all the questions and loose ends to be wrapped up in this book and so I’m looking forward to reading more about Pip and Ravi and their adventures.

4/5 stars