Summary: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder follows British teen Pippa Fitz-Amobi who’s decided to do her senior capstone project on a local murder case that was closed 5 years ago. Five years ago, high schooler Andie Bell went missing and her boyfriend Sal Singh sent his father a text admitting to the crime, after which he was found in what seemed like an apparent suicide. But Pip doesn’t buy it. With the help of Sal’s younger brother, Ravi, she investigates the events surrounding Andie’s disappearance and Sal’s murder. But the culprit won’t let her find the truth so easily. Can Pippa hack the crime?
The Good
This was SO MUCH FUN! I listened to the audiobook (which was full-cast audio), and it felt more like a podcast than an audiobook. Pip is super smart, and I loved how she walks readers through her thought process for picking suspects or taking them off her list. I also loved her friendship with Ravi and the way it evolves over time — without the story being focused on their romance.
Probably because I’m Nigerian, I was delighted by the relationship between Pip and her Nigerian stepdad. Her whole family has a great dynamic, and I loved the home scenes a lot. Pip also has a great friendship with Cora and her sister Naomi.
My favorite thing about this book, though, is the mystery itself. I wouldn’t call myself a mystery expert, but I believe that a good mystery should be easy to follow but difficult to figure out like this book is. This one crosses into thriller territory with a bit of edge, the fact that it’s a murder mystery, and the high-stakes nature of it. You’ll also be pleased that the language is shockingly clean — something many YA thrillers can’t seem to achieve.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a thrilling clean teen murder mystery with a clever, likeable protagonist. Fans of true crime podcasts like Serial will love this book with a similar plot — especially if you listen to the audiobook. Other bonuses are that it’s set in the UK, has a sub-sub-plot romance, and features charming family dynamics. I really enjoyed this one, and it lived up to the hype.
Star Rating
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