Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a popular YA murder mystery about Pippa, or “Pip” for short – a teenage armchair detective who makes the town’s well-known murder case the subject of her senior capstone project. A few years prior in 2015, it was determined that Sal Singh murdered his beautiful girlfriend Andie Bell, and killed himself shortly after. And despite the glaring evidence that Sal is guilty, Pippa is just not convinced. As Pippa investigates the murder, she forms a bond with Sal’s brother Ravi, and the two make it their mission to uncover the truth of what really happened to Sal Singh and Andie Bell 5 years ago, and no stone is left unturned. What they learn during their investigation shocks them to their cores, and will shock you, the reader, as well.
This is an addictive and perfectly paced murder mystery, with new information and new leads arising at every turn. The story focuses almost entirely on the mystery at hand. Pippa is fiercely determined to prove Sal’s innocence and will do whatever it takes to get there. She’s the kind of lead character that really keeps the story moving forward with her ceaseless curiosity. Not once was I bored.
The format is also engaging, as the narrative is interspersed with interviews and journal entries for her project. I loved reading Pippa’s reflections on events as they happen, as they sort of wrap up and remind you of any new discoveries so you don’t feel like you’ve missed anything. Sometimes fast-paced mysteries can be hard to keep up with, but A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder does a great job of keeping you up to speed.
Pippa’s main method of investigating involves interviewing people from Sal’s and Andie’s pasts. Pippa isn’t afraid to ask tough questions, and people are a little too cooperative about answering. It’s hard to believe that people would be so trusting and forthcoming so quickly, and so willing to divulge so much info to someone they hardly know. The instant gratification as a reader is both satisfying and frustrating, as learning new information so easily eliminates a lot of that tension that makes reading mysteries so fun.
It’s also a little hard to believe that a high school teacher would approve a local murder as the subject of a student’s project, especially a murder that happened so recently. It’s still a fresh wound for the town, and for those whose lives were turned upside down by it. And sometimes Pip’s methods are deceitful, invasive, and flat out dangerous. I found myself shaking my head at a lot of her actions, but I also appreciated her fearlessness as it brings us closer and closer to solving the mystery. So if you can get past these frustrating aspects of the story and see them as a means to an end, then you will be thoroughly entertained.
There’s a large cast of characters to keep up with and quite a few suspects. I loved reading about Pippa’s interactions with her family, and with her dad who calls her “pickle”, as they are small reminders of the fact that Pippa is actually just a regular kid and not some super grown up detective lady. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Ravi and Pippa, and between Pippa and her friend Cara. It’s comforting to know that Pippa is not completely alone in her crime-solving endeavors.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is a solid YA murder mystery. It’s gripping, it’s fast-paced, and it’s jam-packed with twists and turns. When the mystery is finally revealed, you may find yourself rolling your eyes and scratching your head. I can see this ending being unsatisfying for many readers. But regardless of whether you like the ending or not, the journey towards getting there is a fun one!
Pawsitive Reads 