Status
Checked out
Due 27-05-2022
Call number
Genres
Publication
Electric Monkey (2019), 448 pages
Description
Suspense. Thriller. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD�?� Everyone is talking about this addictive must-read mystery with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect. 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 autho… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
For her A level journalism assignment, Pippa Fitz-Amobi decides to review the disappearance five years ago of Andie Bell, a girl from her school in the small Buckinghamshire town of Kilton. Andie had never been found, and in the immediate aftermath of her disappearance, suspicion had fallen upon
Everyone, that is, except Pippa. Though a few years younger than them, she knew both Sal and Andie, and refuses to believe that Sal might have been responsible. This prompts her to undertake an investigation, reviewing the available evidence and going through all the available facts with a fine toothcomb, helped by some of her schoolfriends, and Ravi, Sal’s brother.
I found it a very appealing book. Although it is apparently aimed primarily at a young adult audience, I felt it stood up in its own right, and didn’t hold back from addressing serious issues, including drug abuse and the use of Rohypnol. While reading it I was struck several times by echoes of the first ‘Serial’ podcast, and found the format very engaging, with its mix of straight narrative and extracts from Pippa’s notes and transcripts of her interviews.
There is always a risk with this sort of book that the protagonist comes across as too self-righteous and always correct. Ms Jackson deftly dodges that bullet: Pip is a highly engaging, character, but far from faultless.
All in all, I found this very entertaining, and I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
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her boyfriend Sal. Emotions ran high while the search for Andie continued, culminating in Sal being found dead in local woods, with a general presumption that this was suicide provoked by his guilt over Andie’s fate. In the intervening period Sal’s family, who still live in the area, have been ostracised within the town. Five years on, the story remains a subject of immense sensitivity around the town, and everyone seems to accept the ‘official’ version, that Sal killed Andie, and hid her body so effectively that it has never been recovered. Everyone, that is, except Pippa. Though a few years younger than them, she knew both Sal and Andie, and refuses to believe that Sal might have been responsible. This prompts her to undertake an investigation, reviewing the available evidence and going through all the available facts with a fine toothcomb, helped by some of her schoolfriends, and Ravi, Sal’s brother.
I found it a very appealing book. Although it is apparently aimed primarily at a young adult audience, I felt it stood up in its own right, and didn’t hold back from addressing serious issues, including drug abuse and the use of Rohypnol. While reading it I was struck several times by echoes of the first ‘Serial’ podcast, and found the format very engaging, with its mix of straight narrative and extracts from Pippa’s notes and transcripts of her interviews.
There is always a risk with this sort of book that the protagonist comes across as too self-righteous and always correct. Ms Jackson deftly dodges that bullet: Pip is a highly engaging, character, but far from faultless.
All in all, I found this very entertaining, and I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
This is the first book in a YA mystery series. I enjoyed it but I'm not sure I'll read or listen to any more. Probably a good bet for a teen who likes mysteries though.
Pippa is in high school and she has to do a project for her final year. She decides to investigate a murder case from five years
Apparently the version I listened to was Americanized from the original which was set in England near London. I really wish publishers wouldn't do that. Surely readers are astute enough to figure out any British sayings that might pop up.
Pippa is in high school and she has to do a project for her final year. She decides to investigate a murder case from five years
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ago that supposedly was solved when the boy, Salil Singh, who was dating the victim, Andie Bell, committed suicide. But Pippa isn't convinced that Sal committed murder and that he probably was killed himself because he knew something. She enlists Sal's younger brother, Ravi, to help her and between the two of them they uncover details about Andie, such as her selling drugs, particularly date rape drugs. As they pursue this line of inquiry someone starts to threaten Pippa making her pretty sure that her suspicion that the real killer is still out there is correct. Apparently the version I listened to was Americanized from the original which was set in England near London. I really wish publishers wouldn't do that. Surely readers are astute enough to figure out any British sayings that might pop up.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
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
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.
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
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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.
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LibraryThing member ShellyPYA
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
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
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people in her small town. It was an entertaining read. Show Less
LibraryThing member CarrieWuj
3.5 YA The new Nancy Drew (especially if the old one is truly dead!) for the new millennium. Pippa Fitz -Amobi, a smart, motivated, high achiever in Fairview, CT must complete a Senior Capstone Project for her high school graduation and chooses to re-visit the town's unsolved mystery: the
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disappearance of another senior girl, Andie Bell, 5 years earlier. Although the case is closed - and Sal Singh, her boyfriend, posthumously charged with murder, Andie's body has never been found. Pippa believes there is more to the case and believes Sal, who once showed her kindness and was a upstanding young man in town, is innocent. One of the first places Pippa starts her investigation is with Ravi Singh, Sal's younger brother. Of course he too believes Sal was innocent, is haunted by his "suicide" and supposed confession and is willing to help Pippa. She is part tech genius, (when it matters), part forensic analyst, part social psychologist as she starts digging around into various angles that make the local police look awfully incompetent. She uncovers lots of seedy secrets about Andie and an underbelly of Fairview, including things that impact her close friends and family. To say she is driven is an understatement, and of course, she puts herself in all sorts of dangerous situations, including confronting the killer. It's all a bit of a stretch, but pretty fun to witness the pieces slot into place with lots of red herrings along the way. She emerges battered but victorious, with Sal vindicated - clearly a victim of prejudice -, the murder solved, her college future secured, romance with Ravi, and undoubtedly a good grade on her Capstone project. And a new book series ahead of her, with many unsavory Fairview characters to choose from. Show Less
LibraryThing member SimplyKelina
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
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.
I flew through this one and did not want to put it down. It was so good. I loved following along
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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.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: I got this book through Amazon Vine to review. This is the first book in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy.
Story (4/5): This was fine, I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It's a good mystery and I liked how the story was presented both as a selection of
Characters (3/5): I liked Pip, she is intelligent and determined to solve a puzzle that has long haunted her small town. However, her behavior gets increasingly reckless throughout the story and it conflicted with her intelligent persona. I also really thought she should have trusted her parents more and gotten their help early on; she has a great family life and some of her reckless actions really hurt her family. The rest of the characters are so-so, I didn’t really engage with any of them that well. I did get a bit tired of the constant..”Oh, look at what dark secret this character has now!!!” vibe. Especially when all the “dark secrets” were pretty predictable.
Setting (3/5): This takes place in a fairly typical small town setting which I enjoyed. The setting wasn’t really a big driver for the story, aside from the fact that it was “small town”.
Writing Style (4/5): This book alternates between the story with Pip trying to figure things out and entries in her Capstone journal where she dictates interviews. It was fine but I have read a lot of books done in an interview style format that were done a lot better than this one. It’s well written and easy to follow. I was disappointed that my initial guess about who the culprits involved were was completely right. This is one of those mysteries where there is a “who dunnit” list. I always feel like these get very slow in the middle when the protagonist is going back and forth and reviewing the facts over and over….this book was no exception to that “middle drag” syndrome.
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was a fine read but I didn’t love it. I don't plan on reading the second book since I just didn't enjoy the characters or writing style enough to continue with the series. It is decently written though, so if you really enjoy murder mysteries I would recommend giving this a try.
Story (4/5): This was fine, I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It's a good mystery and I liked how the story was presented both as a selection of
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interviews and a story. I was kind of disappointed that the mystery ended up kind of how I expected it would; I expected it to be a bit harder to guess what was going to happen.Characters (3/5): I liked Pip, she is intelligent and determined to solve a puzzle that has long haunted her small town. However, her behavior gets increasingly reckless throughout the story and it conflicted with her intelligent persona. I also really thought she should have trusted her parents more and gotten their help early on; she has a great family life and some of her reckless actions really hurt her family. The rest of the characters are so-so, I didn’t really engage with any of them that well. I did get a bit tired of the constant..”Oh, look at what dark secret this character has now!!!” vibe. Especially when all the “dark secrets” were pretty predictable.
Setting (3/5): This takes place in a fairly typical small town setting which I enjoyed. The setting wasn’t really a big driver for the story, aside from the fact that it was “small town”.
Writing Style (4/5): This book alternates between the story with Pip trying to figure things out and entries in her Capstone journal where she dictates interviews. It was fine but I have read a lot of books done in an interview style format that were done a lot better than this one. It’s well written and easy to follow. I was disappointed that my initial guess about who the culprits involved were was completely right. This is one of those mysteries where there is a “who dunnit” list. I always feel like these get very slow in the middle when the protagonist is going back and forth and reviewing the facts over and over….this book was no exception to that “middle drag” syndrome.
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was a fine read but I didn’t love it. I don't plan on reading the second book since I just didn't enjoy the characters or writing style enough to continue with the series. It is decently written though, so if you really enjoy murder mysteries I would recommend giving this a try.
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LibraryThing member GennaC
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sarah220
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
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
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!
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
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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!
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LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
I just loved this! It was way beyond my expectations. I was hooked on from the first page till the end.
LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
Okay, this was fun! I added this book to my Book of the Month box just as soon as I saw it being offered as an option. I was so excited to read it but I put it on the shelf and let it sit for over a year. That was a mistake because this was a fantastic read and I am so glad that I finally got
Pippa, or Pip, has started her senior project and it is a doozy. She has decided to tackle the mystery of the murder of a teen girl several years ago. Everyone knows that Andie Bell was killed by Sal Singh, everyone except for Pip. Pip is convinced that what everything thinks happened is absolutely wrong and she teams up with Sal’s brother, Ravi, to find out what did happen that night. Pip starts looking at everything that happened in detail, interviewing people who were there, and looking for inconsistencies. I loved the format of the book and really enjoyed taking a peek at all of Pip’s notes, interviews, emails, and other assorted evidence.
This was a very good mystery. I was pretty sure from the start that Sal had not been guilty of murder but I had no idea what had really happened to Andie. There were characters that trusted and others that I didn’t. There were a lot of twists that I did not see coming. Not at all. Things do get pretty intense at times and I worried about some of the things that Pip was doing more than once. I think that I was just as taken by the mystery as I was Pip and the other characters.
I would recommend this book to others. This was one of those books where the pages just seemed to fly by because I was enjoying the story so much. Pip and all of her friends were fun to spend time with and I cannot wait to read the next installment in the series.
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around to picking it up.Pippa, or Pip, has started her senior project and it is a doozy. She has decided to tackle the mystery of the murder of a teen girl several years ago. Everyone knows that Andie Bell was killed by Sal Singh, everyone except for Pip. Pip is convinced that what everything thinks happened is absolutely wrong and she teams up with Sal’s brother, Ravi, to find out what did happen that night. Pip starts looking at everything that happened in detail, interviewing people who were there, and looking for inconsistencies. I loved the format of the book and really enjoyed taking a peek at all of Pip’s notes, interviews, emails, and other assorted evidence.
This was a very good mystery. I was pretty sure from the start that Sal had not been guilty of murder but I had no idea what had really happened to Andie. There were characters that trusted and others that I didn’t. There were a lot of twists that I did not see coming. Not at all. Things do get pretty intense at times and I worried about some of the things that Pip was doing more than once. I think that I was just as taken by the mystery as I was Pip and the other characters.
I would recommend this book to others. This was one of those books where the pages just seemed to fly by because I was enjoying the story so much. Pip and all of her friends were fun to spend time with and I cannot wait to read the next installment in the series.
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LibraryThing member Kanwal
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".
LibraryThing member ftbooklover
For her senior high school project, Pippa Fitz-Amobi has chosen to write about the story that has hung over the town of Fairview for the last five years, the murder/suicide of high school students Andie Bell and Sal Singh. When she was younger, Pip knew Sal as a friendly, helpful high school
In A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, the clues are presented in the form of interviews and notes, making the police investigation into the case seem terribly incomplete. As more and more suspects are revealed it becomes clear that Pip's sleuthing is making several people nervous and putting her in more danger than she ever could have imagined. My only minor complaint is that Pip's reasons for playing detective make her seem a bit detached since she has no real personal connection to the case. Overall, however, an extremely well-thought out and engaging young adult mystery well worth the read.
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student and could never picture him as a murderer who committed suicide. When she begins to pull together pieces of evidence related to the crime, she becomes more convinced than ever that Sal is innocent and that the case was closed too quickly after his apparent suicide. Pip enlists the help of Ravi, Sal's brother, in an attempt to solve the case, and as the two of them uncover more and more information, Pip starts to receive threats telling her to leave the case alone.In A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, the clues are presented in the form of interviews and notes, making the police investigation into the case seem terribly incomplete. As more and more suspects are revealed it becomes clear that Pip's sleuthing is making several people nervous and putting her in more danger than she ever could have imagined. My only minor complaint is that Pip's reasons for playing detective make her seem a bit detached since she has no real personal connection to the case. Overall, however, an extremely well-thought out and engaging young adult mystery well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member fionaanne
Ultimately, this felt too convoluted for my tastes.
LibraryThing member Melissa_O
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.
LibraryThing member Luminous-Path
Remind me the next time I'm tempted to pick up YA that I don't really like YA, okay? Great audio production. Decent story. Gotta crow that I called it the first time we met them. Don't think that by giving this two stars that it's a bad book. It's not a great book for ME. Also too inspired by
The romance is sweet and subtle. The writing flows well and the plot is well constructed aside from the major issues above and aside from the incredibly whackadoodle Flowers in the Attic aspect, which doesn't fit the character at all.
Read this if you like Serial or if you like YA mysteries. You'll love it.
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Serial, overflowing with white savior syndrome though in its defense it is sometimes self aware, and chock full of Overly Precocious Teen Who Gets A Case of the Stupids in the Climax and Who By the Way is Also Too Stupid to Involve Her Parents When It's Well Past Time to Call in the Adults And Who Seems to Have a Constant Coin of Compulsion (thanks, Ninth House!) Which Makes Everyone Happy to Spill the Beans to Her. The romance is sweet and subtle. The writing flows well and the plot is well constructed aside from the major issues above and aside from the incredibly whackadoodle Flowers in the Attic aspect, which doesn't fit the character at all.
Read this if you like Serial or if you like YA mysteries. You'll love it.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson starts out when a high school senior and aspiring journalist, Pippa, decides that her Senior Capstone project will be to investigate the disappearance of high school student Andie Bell. It has been presumed that she was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal
This YA teen crime thriller is both fast paced, intricate and addictive. At first I did think that Pippa was a little to good to be true, very mature for her age and she seemed to know exactly how to progress her theories about the crime, but eventually, she shows that she is indeed an impulsive teen who sometimes acts before she thinks. I was a little hesitant about reading a YA crime thriller, but this book totally worked for me. I liked the main characters and I thought the plot was intelligent and there were a few twists that certainly held my attention.
The book is written with journal-like entries, charts, text screenshots and interview recordings and this unique format brought a sense of reality to the story. For me, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was a book that I found hard to put down, I was constantly wanting to read “just a few pages more” as Pippa stumbled ever closer to the truth.
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Singh, but her body has never been located. At the time, the evidence and witness accounts all pointed to Sal but before he could be formally charged, he was found dead, an apparent suicide. But Pippa, who knew Sal, remembers him as a kind and gentle boy, and could not imagine him lashing out at Andie in any manner. She connects with Sal’s younger brother, Ravi, and the two embark on a quest to clear Sal. They do not realize that by digging into the evidence and re-interviewing the witnesses, they are exposing secrets that others want to stay hidden and putting themselves in danger.This YA teen crime thriller is both fast paced, intricate and addictive. At first I did think that Pippa was a little to good to be true, very mature for her age and she seemed to know exactly how to progress her theories about the crime, but eventually, she shows that she is indeed an impulsive teen who sometimes acts before she thinks. I was a little hesitant about reading a YA crime thriller, but this book totally worked for me. I liked the main characters and I thought the plot was intelligent and there were a few twists that certainly held my attention.
The book is written with journal-like entries, charts, text screenshots and interview recordings and this unique format brought a sense of reality to the story. For me, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was a book that I found hard to put down, I was constantly wanting to read “just a few pages more” as Pippa stumbled ever closer to the truth.
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LibraryThing member eesti23
"But sometimes remembering isn’t for yourself; sometimes you do it just to make someone else smile."
"He smiled, put his hands on the back of her neck, fingers in her hair, and leaned in to press his forehead against hers. He’d told her before that he did it to take away half her sadness, half
Okay, I know A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is YA, but what teacher would green light that project? Not to mention all her reports, which I am guessing were turned in weekly, clearly showed that she did not follow rules one: don't talk to the families. That's exactly the first thing she did! It was sad whenthe dog died and I liked Ravi and the Ravi/Pippa combo. It wasn't a totally obvious storyline and it was a decent read overall, but it did remind me a bit of Pretty Little Liars. I don't need to read the other books in the series.
This was my pick for The StoryGraph's Onboarding Reading Challenge 2022, prompt three, Read a book from your 7th most-read genre in your All Time stats. My 7th most-read genre was Mystery.
"He smiled, put his hands on the back of her neck, fingers in her hair, and leaned in to press his forehead against hers. He’d told her before that he did it to take away half her sadness, half
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her headache, half her nerves before her Columbia interview. Because half less of a bad thing meant there was room for half good."Okay, I know A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is YA, but what teacher would green light that project? Not to mention all her reports, which I am guessing were turned in weekly, clearly showed that she did not follow rules one: don't talk to the families. That's exactly the first thing she did! It was sad when
This was my pick for The StoryGraph's Onboarding Reading Challenge 2022, prompt three, Read a book from your 7th most-read genre in your All Time stats. My 7th most-read genre was Mystery.
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LibraryThing member purple_pisces22
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
The idea is interesting. I’m just
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not sure it worked for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member ewyatt
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member RandyMorgan
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
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a young adult mystery. The
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member Familiar_Diversions
Five years ago, pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell disappeared. A short while later, his alibi in tatters, Sal Singh, her boyfriend, confessed to killing her and then killed himself. Although it was never proven in a court of law, everyone in town accepted that Sal was the
Everyone except Pip. Now that she's a high school senior herself, Pip plans to use her senior capstone project to investigate the truth behind Andie's disappearance and apparent murder. The Sal she knew was a nice guy - she's never been able to accept that he might have killed his girlfriend, and it's always bothered her that the entire town so readily accepted this narrative. She convinces Ravi, Sal's brother, to help her, and the two of them begin picking at the various threads of the original investigation, trying to find things that the police missed.
A star student hoping to get into a good college almost certainly wouldn't have picked a senior capstone project with a high probability of getting disqualified (Pip was told flat out that any ethical violations would get her disqualified). But the author needed a reason why Pip would be able to devote this much time and effort to a single thing - if you can accept that, the investigation in general was pretty interesting. I enjoyed the way Pip dug into her topic and tried to find various holes or inconsistencies. At least until the end, the way everything was laid out (including things like Pip's map, her attempts at a timeline, etc.) made it feel like readers could follow along and try to solve the mystery with her.
Pip was so focused on her investigation that it was, unfortunately, easy to forget that she had family or friends. Anytime any of them had on-page appearances, it was a bit of a surprise. I had particular difficulty remembering the names of Pip's friends. Maybe that's part of the reason why Pip herself never really grew on me as a character. I enjoyed her investigation, while she was just the way that investigation was communicated to readers.
And about that investigation...for someone who was supposedly so smart, Pip made some truly boneheaded decisions at times. The ones that stuck out to me the most were the ones that literally put her in danger. I get that she wanted more information than the police would likely give her later on, but confronting a likely murderer all on her own was really, really stupid, especially considering that her investigation had already led to more death.
While I generally liked this book, I haven't decided yet whether I'll continue on with the series. As far as I'm concerned, this book works fine as a standalone.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
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murderer.Everyone except Pip. Now that she's a high school senior herself, Pip plans to use her senior capstone project to investigate the truth behind Andie's disappearance and apparent murder. The Sal she knew was a nice guy - she's never been able to accept that he might have killed his girlfriend, and it's always bothered her that the entire town so readily accepted this narrative. She convinces Ravi, Sal's brother, to help her, and the two of them begin picking at the various threads of the original investigation, trying to find things that the police missed.
A star student hoping to get into a good college almost certainly wouldn't have picked a senior capstone project with a high probability of getting disqualified (Pip was told flat out that any ethical violations would get her disqualified). But the author needed a reason why Pip would be able to devote this much time and effort to a single thing - if you can accept that, the investigation in general was pretty interesting. I enjoyed the way Pip dug into her topic and tried to find various holes or inconsistencies. At least until the end, the way everything was laid out (including things like Pip's map, her attempts at a timeline, etc.) made it feel like readers could follow along and try to solve the mystery with her.
Pip was so focused on her investigation that it was, unfortunately, easy to forget that she had family or friends. Anytime any of them had on-page appearances, it was a bit of a surprise. I had particular difficulty remembering the names of Pip's friends. Maybe that's part of the reason why Pip herself never really grew on me as a character. I enjoyed her investigation, while she was just the way that investigation was communicated to readers.
And about that investigation...for someone who was supposedly so smart, Pip made some truly boneheaded decisions at times. The ones that stuck out to me the most were the ones that literally put her in danger. I get that she wanted more information than the police would likely give her later on, but confronting a likely murderer all on her own was really, really stupid, especially considering that her investigation had already led to more death.
While I generally liked this book, I haven't decided yet whether I'll continue on with the series. As far as I'm concerned, this book works fine as a standalone.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
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Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (First runner-up — 2022)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2022)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2023)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 9-12 — 2022)
Nevada Young Readers' Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2023)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2022)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended — 2022)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2020)
The British Book Industry Awards (Children’s Fiction — 2020)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2022)
NCSLMA Battle of the Books (High School — 2023)
Golden Archer Award (Nominee — 2023)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2022)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Branford Boase Award (Longlist — 2020)
Waterstones Children's Book Prize (Shortlist — Older Readers — 2020)
YA Book Prize (Shortlist — 2020)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2022)
Sakura Medal (High School — 2021)
Surrey Teens Read (Winner — 2022)
Grampian Children’s Book Award (Shortlist — 2020)
This Mystery is Amazing! (#2 — 2022)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2022)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2021)
Idaho Battle of the Books (High School — 2024)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Top Ten — 2021)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2021)
Project LIT Book Selection (Young Adult — 2023)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-05-02
Physical description
448 p.; 7.8 inches
ISBN
1405293187 / 9781405293181
Other editions
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