A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

By Holly Jackson

THE MUST-READ MULTIMILLION BESTSELLING MYSTERY SERIES • This is the story about an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect. Coming to Netflix soon!

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.


And don't miss the sequel, Good Girl, Bad Blood!

"The perfect nail-biting mystery." —Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984896384

Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson is the international bestselling author of the YA crime series: A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER, which has sold millions of copies and adapted into a major television show.  Don’t miss her bestselling standalone novel FIVE SURVIVE and look out for THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE, coming soon! Follow Holly on TikTok @hojax92 and Instagram @HoJay92

Reviews for A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

[jclavet17 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Super fun and fast read. Loved the characters and the storytelling.

[deslivres5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cool whodunit framed as a capstone project of Pip, a high school senior.Pip wants to re-investigate a murder/suicide which took place 5 years ago in her small town.Seems a bit preposterous as a capstone topic, but just go with it.Lots of red herrings thrown in to really keep things interesting!Pip is very smart one minute and then turns around and takes too many naive risks. She makes deals/keeps secrets when it suits her, which I found a bit disingenuous. But overall, I enjoyed the chase and the outcome.

[rosands-494665 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great Mystery. Lots of twists and turns.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pip decides her capstone project is going to be to prove Sal innocent of the murder that everyone assumed he commitment after his girlfriend disappeared and he turned up dead by suicide. This is Pip's investigative notes and her narrative of what is happening in her life as she digs deeper and deeper, disturbing people who would rather the truth stay hidden. Pip is clever and at times careless about putting herself in danger. Luckily she connects with Sal's brother who has her back in a number of ways throughout the book. Twists and turns and sketchy characters about as Pip discovers more and more about golden girl Andie. An addictive page turner.

[sarah220-732610 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The mystery is very good. I guessed parts of the solution but not all of it and some of it I figured out right before it was revealed. It reminded me a bit of Serial (the podcast) as the MC tries to solve a murder from 5 years earlier that the community at large (and the police) think is already solved. Pippa (Pip) doesn't believe the murderer (who committed suicide out of guilt so is not around to defend himself) actually did it and she turns her investigation into her Senior Capstone project. The narrative alternates between 3rd person omniscient following Pip and 1st person from Pip's perspective as she's writing up her log entries for the project. She still does a couple "amateur" moves like going to suspects' houses to interview them alone but overall she's very clever and determined and I was rooting for her to figure it out and stay safe.

[vanessa_menez-453497 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just loved this! It was way beyond my expectations. I was hooked on from the first page till the end.

[melissa_o-399736 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story full of page-turning suspense. I read this in one setting because I just had to know what happened. Definitely kept my attention and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

[simplykelina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This audiobook was phenomenal. There is a full cast of narrators. Phone calls took place as real phone calls. It just really brought this story to life. If you love podcasts, you will love this on audio.I flew through this one and did not want to put it down. It was so good. I loved following along with the clues and interviews to come to my own conclusions around what happened. This is told in three parts. Part one was so good and engaging. I would have given part one five stars. It was where most of the interviews occurred which I really liked. Part two did slow down a little. I do think this would have even better if it was maybe around fifty some pages less. There was a lot of repeating information around the suspects that did get a little repetitive.I did not love the ending and why everything happened the way it did. However; overall, I did enjoy this one more than I was expecting and highly recommend it on audio.

[gennac-606910 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okay, this was 100% unputdownable. I think, at the tender age of 28 (nearly 29), I’ve reached my Nancy Drew phase? YA crime fiction/mysteries/thrillers are my new jam, and Jackson’s debut was an absolute smash for me. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was sharp, quickly paced, and engaging, while the plot was both smart and fun to read. There was a hint of romance that was very sweet yet managed to not be a detraction from the primary story in any way. Clever, sleuthy, and a damn good time. Cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

[purple_pisces22 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. There were times I was able to suspend my beliefs long enough to really get into the story, but the back of my mind kept screaming “In what world does it really work like this with a teenage girl and the cops?”
The idea is interesting. I’m just not sure it worked for me.

[fionaanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ultimately, this felt too convoluted for my tastes.

[kanwal_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first read of Holly Jackson books and I am hooked. Although, it's a classic "who dunnit" type of story, her style of narrating it is so refreshing!! I cannot wait to start "Good Girl, Bad Blood".

[susan.macura · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a young adult book where Pip, the main character, decides to solve a cold case murder for a school project. Along the way, she encounters many diversions and difficulties, but along with the brother of one of those murdered, ultimately makes some horrible discoveries about a number of people in her small town. It was an entertaining read.

[seasonsoflove_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so good. Just so so good.The protagonist is Pip, who, for her final school project, has chosen to reexamine an infamous cold case that happened in her hometown. While everyone around her believes what the official police investigation stated-that Sal Singh killed his girlfriend Andie Bell and then killed himself-Pip believes there's something more there. As she digs deeper into the secrets and lies, Pip discovers that someone doesn't want her to keep looking-and that finding answers could be more dangerous then she ever imagined.This book has everything I love-a twisty mystery, secrets from the past, a romance I rooted for from the start, unique characters, a strong female narrator, use of unique formats, suspense, and surprises. The comparisons to Serial (Season 1) and Making a Murderer (both of which I also loved) are spot on, but this is also a book that more than stands on its own.A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is one of my favorite reads of the year. Get your hands on a copy as soon as possible and make it one of yours as well!

[shellypya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Everyone in Fairview knows the story. Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town. But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer? Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger. This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pippa Fitz-Amobi has decided to look into a five-year-old crime for her Senior Capstone project. Everyone knows that Sal Singh killed Andie Bell and then killed himself. Seems simple, but...Andie's body has never been found and Sal wasn't the kind of young man you'd think of as a murderer. Pip knew Sal and always found him to be a kind, quiet young man. As soon as she starts looking into the past, she finds questions that weren't answered to her satisfaction. As she interviews people who were part of the investigation, she finds lies and cover-ups. Even her best friend's older sister Naomi who was one of Sal's friends seems to be keeping secrets.She goes to interview Sal's younger brother Ravi who is completely convinced that his brother wasn't a killer and he becomes her partner in the investigation. She doesn't have as much luck when she tries to interview Andie's younger sister.The investigation becomes something of an obsession for Pip as she uncovers more and more and keeps finding new suspects and new avenues to investigate. But the investigation gets really close to home and someone desperately wants Pip to stop investigating. This was an excellent, fast-paced story filled with twists and turns. The characters, especially Pip, were well-drawn and interesting people. The plot kept up a fast pace and the ending came as quite a surprise.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The plot was gripping and had me hooked from the first page. I had a number of theories throughout the story and while I was partially right, I definitely didn't solve the crime completely. I also enjoyed the various formats the author chose including interview transcripts, diary entries, maps, diagrams and suspect lists.Pip was a terrific character. She was an intelligent, feisty young lady who wasn't afraid to stand up against injustices. She did annoy me at times, but I liked that she was determined to find the truth regardless of the cost."A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" was an engaging YA mystery from a debut author. Well done, Ms Jackson.

[tuusannuuska-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a pretty good YA mystery. I have a hard time taking books with self-appointed sleuths no matter the age range, but even more so when they are 16-year-olds. I did like the depictions of the main character's family life, as well as her friendship with Ravi.

There were moments where I felt like screaming at the main character for the choices she made, and some plot points were left afloat in a very lazy way (basically just shrugged off at the end as unnecessary to the central mystery). Maybe they'll be explored more in the sequels, but the way they were dropped here bothered me.

The structure and format of the book were interesting, but not necessary.

[micareads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pippa Fitz-Amobi has to find an interesting topic for her Senior Capstone and she decides to take a closer look at a local murder, the killing of Andie Bell who is believed to be murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh. As Pippa talks to people who knew the couple, she realizes that things are not as they appear. When Pip enlists the help of the alleged murderer's brother, they start to realize that not only was Sal innocent but he was also a murder victim.

This was a well-done YA mystery that I was able to read in one day. I loved the ebb and flow of the story and the way the author had you guessing who the murderer was only to find out you were wrong. I appreciated being kept on the edge of my seat. I have been looking for a new series to read and I believe I've found it.

[tomdonaghey · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019) (Girl’s Guide #1) by Holly Jackson. This is a young adult book. I have to remind myself of this fact because as an adult I found the entire thing implausible, the characters too simplistic, and the rationals unbelievable. And then I find out this is just the first in a series of stories and I despair for our youth. Please, if you think you liked this story because of the great plot and dynamic characters, try picking up a book by any suspense/mystery/crime author on the bestseller lists and find out what real writing is about.First comes Pippa, our main character. Like so many “young detectives” she sets herself on a path that invariably leads her into immense levels of danger, she manages to manipulate the people around and makes astonishing leaps of deduction due to the looks given by people she with whom she is talking.The case is a five year-old murder (Andie)/suicide (Sal). We say murder but there is no body. We say suicide because it appears the young male teen took his life and left a somewhat ambiguous note behind. Pippa decides to investigate this case because the “suicider” was nice to her once. And besides, everyone knows the Police are not good with solving crimes.She manages to talk with everyone who was at the party where the teen girl disappeared, and where Sal had also been. The book reads as if this were a PARTY!!!, with a ton of kids, drinking and images from every depiction of a party from every teen party movie. It is not that. Instead is a handful of friends.And the Police take every word they say as written in stone. Really? Teens telling the cops about a party they had where two of the kids wind up dead, possibly?So Pippa proceeds to break several laws including breaking and entering, she hacks into her friends Facebook accounts, she starts doing covert trailing of a drug dealer and several other things that could land her in jail or get her killed.But she is doing a Senior Project so whatever she does is for the greater good. Of her final grade. It is hard to know which is more important to her.Every person she talks with is more than willing to tell her everything they know, but if she thinks they are withholding information, it is off to her illegal bag of tricks to get blackmail info on them.And this is the “God Girl” of the title?And how does this whole thing end? Built on a series of coincidence, stolen pictures and coerced confessions, plus a liberal addition of many people simply talking about a hideous episode from five years in the past that they all would rather just leave in the past, Pippa draws a startling conclusion from a glance at a passing car. What is nice is Pippa supplies us with a running list of suspects at the end of most chapters. Along the way almost every character is named to this list. Except Pippa’s own mother, who isn’t named anywhere in the book despite all the other adults featured have their names included. Mother issues for someone?It is a bit of irony that the town is named Fairview when they treat Sal’s family with such disrespect and bias. Accordingly, because of Sal’s apparent suicide, there was no trial and he was simply called murderer because, well it was easier than actually finding out what happened. To sum this book up is a two fold thing. First, this book was not meant for an adult audience, no matter the age. As far as a teen approaching this, you might find it very good if you haven’t invested in more mature literature. I would suggest Enola Holmes or The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, or any of the books in those series.

[blbooks-14314 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First sentence: Pip knew where they lived. Everyone in Fairview knew where they lived. Their home was like the town's own haunted house; people's footsteps quickened as they walked by, and their words strangled and died in their throats.Premise/plot: Pippa "Pip" Fitz-Amobi is a senior on a mission. Her senior project is to research a missing person's case--a suspected case of murder. If the alleged murderer hadn't been found dead in the woods, well, he might have been convicted of murder despite the fact that there was no body. Andie Bell is the missing person. Sal Singh is the alleged murderer. Pip thinks that Sal is innocent and she teams up with the alleged killer's brother, Ravi, to help her make sense of this case. The longer her suspect list gets, the more threats she receives. Will she survive long enough to break the case?My thoughts: This one felt so familiar to me. There's no proof whatsoever that I actually read this one years ago--when it came out. But it was almost how spooky how familiar the story, the characters, the crime even. So strange. I don't think it's a case of an author writing in super predictable ways. Though I have read several YA books where the main character is investigating an old case from the community. So maybe I've just read a few too many this year. I liked this one.

[riida_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has all the trappings of a YA murder mystery...but it turned out to be so much more sophisticated. Sure, there were moments of levity that were welcome breaks from the surprisingly dark plot (i think this should come with some trigger warnings), and I really enjoyed the protagonists' humor...but this was a really complicated cold-case murder mystery, a very well crafted puzzle, with satisfying twists and ending. The titular good girl makes for a brilliant detective too. By the end I was exhausted and heavily invested and very much looking forward to the second book in the series.

[ahef1963 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable YA book about an academically-focused teen who has decided to re-investigate the murder of a teenage girl for her senior project. What she finds puts so many people in danger, herself included (of course). It was definitely a quick read; I whipped through it in a day.

[funstm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this. I thought I would - I'm really enjoying all the true crime inspired cold case type mysteries lately. And it was good. Pippa was smart and determined and I enjoyed her quirky pun filled sense of humour. She was mostly safety conscious until towards the end when she started to make some really dumb decisions (breaking and entering, following suspects at night alone, blackmailing the possibly dangerous drug dealer, etc). I liked the progression of the investigation and how Pippa worked to uncover the evidence. Particularly at the start when she was busy compiling the details from the news reports. I also really liked the focus on how the media and the town at large condemned Sal without ever looking at the facts and regardless of the lack of conviction - or charges for the matter. Especially their condemnation of Ravi and his family. The mystery itself was interesting and I was drawn into the drama and speculation of who was guilty and what happened.I loved her relationship with Ravi. The romance was incidental rather than a main plot line. Pip and Ravi were mainly friends for the majority of the book and whatever happens between them in terms of defining their relationship happens off screen. It was a refreshing change of pace for a young adult read. It wasn't perfect but it was pretty good. I'll definitely be picking up the next one in the series. Solid 4 stars.

[randymorgan-144387 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pip is a high school senior working on her capstone project. She has decided to conduct her own investigation into the disappearance of Andie Bell. Everyone in town believes Andie was killed by her boyfriend, Sal. What will Pip uncover? A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a young adult mystery. The full cast audio helps immensely, especially with all the interviews that Pip does. As most mysteries go, this one starts with a slow collection of data and a big unveiling at the end. It was a truly unexpected outcome.