THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • 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 … 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
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When I saw this book is the paper the title inspired me. I’ve always been a fan of high school movies and this book is exactly that but also twisted and completely unpredictable and just an amazing book and a must-read.
I’m not typically a mystery reader. Usually, I’m like—meh, I don’t care who did it. Because mysteries, in general, tend to be a lot more plot-focused than character-focused, and I’m just a character-hungry reader. However, this YA mystery, had a great balance of both character and plot. Plus, I love true crime podcasts, and this definitely seemed inspired by season one of the podcast Serial.
I didn’t guess the ending, and I was interested in knowing who did it, but I also loved the characters (there’s also a touch of romance.) I actually enjoyed them so much that I went through the trouble of ordering a UK copy of book two from Book Depository because I don’t want to wait for the U.S. version to release lol. So, if that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.
I’m going to start by saying, I listened to this audiobook which may have brought down my rating a little. I can’t be sure. All I know is that the first quarter of chapters are full of phone call style interviews that completely took me out of the story and annoyed me. I only kept reading past that part because I was buddy reading with a friend and she insisted. About the halfway mark it finally seemed to hit its stride and I was glad I kept going at that point. The story itself is very interesting. I mean, how many books are about a teen girl investigating a murder/suicide these days? Nancy Drew notwithstanding I haven’t seen many. There were enough twists, turns and liars to keep the plot rolling but ultimately I found the ending predictable. This was an ok read for me. I liked that there were
Diverse characters within the story and that the main character was determined but without losing likability and that she was not doing stupid, senseless things just to keep the plot moving. If you like YA thrillers, have at it.
I loved the key characters and their chemistry working together to solve a closed case. This story had so many twists and turns. It was a quick and entertaining read! It kept my guessing about the real truth right up until the end!
Wow! What a read !
Holly Jackson pulls you in from page one and never lets go, the pace never lets up as you quickly turn the pages!
I don’t usually read YA books , wouldn’t even classify A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder as anything but a thriller, a mystery and murder with a great cover!
I cant wait for book 2 ; first in line I will be !
What a debut book. ! It will stay with me for a long time !
Wow, thank you NetGalley. I really enjoyed this one! I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder in ONE. DAY. That has to show you how captivating this book is. I got all wrapped up in trying to solve the murder, right along side Pip. This story gave me really big Sadie vibes. Pip starts investigating the alleged murder of Andie Bell by Sal Singh. She knew Sal growing up and it always bothered her that he was found guilty by her town, but never by any court. She teams up with his brother, Ravi, to find out the truth of what happened on Friday, April 18, 2014. This book had me guessing until the very end. There are so many twists and turns, you will be staring at the red string murder board, in your head, trying to solve the mystery along side Pip.
If you would like to see my full blog post, including my notes, quotes & items you should have while reading A Good Girls Guide to Murder, go to http://www.BookishStateofMind.com
So so clever.
As soon as I saw the title to Holly Jackson’s debut, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I knew I wanted to read it. And that was before I read the synopsis and before I started seeing everyone raving about it on social media! And I have to say that it’s very good for a debut novel and first in a series.
I really enjoyed all the extras that Jackson added to the story like interviews, maps, text messages, etc… It added an interesting layer to the novel that made you feel like you were included in solving the mystery, like you were a detective following the clues.
Jackson also did a fantastic job with character development. These felt like kids I was friends with in high school, or at least I knew in passing. It was a bit strange how Jackson kept switching back and forth from first to third person. I really can’t see any reason that this was necessary and at times it was a bit jarring and threw me out of the story for a couple of paragraphs. I found myself going back a bit to see if I had missed something.
And I always appreciate a story that lulls me a bit into thinking I’m so smart and know what is going on. I did know some things that were coming, but then, Bam!, Jackson would throw a twist that added more depth to the story. There was one reveal towards the end that I thought was a bit out there and was expecting it to go a different way. I think if it had gone the way I was thinking, it would have been more believable. But since it’s a work of fiction, the writer can do whatever she pleases.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder would make a great beach read and I am looking forward to the second book in the series, Good Girl, Bad Blood.
Great read! Totally different perspective on a cold-case murder plot. Held my
interest from beginning to super-satisfying end. Highly recommend.
I loved this one. Pip decides to re-investigate a local murder as her school project, five years after the culprit committed suicide. She partners up with the alleged murderer’s brother and starts poking around but somebody, perhaps the real culprit, isn’t happy with her efforts as she uncovers a web of local secrets and several plausible murderers.
Very well constructed plot, believable characters, and I was rooting for her throughout. Top quality thriller. Read late into the night. Delighted my daughter chose this for my birthday.
One of the best thrillers I’ve read! I devoured this book in one day and couldn’t put it down. The writing makes you feel like you’re right there along with Pippa as she investigates a 5 year old murder for a class project.
The only issue I had with it was the verbal variations as it was clearly written with British terms, but I’ve gotten used to most of the differences from previous books.
This was a roller coaster ride that I never wanted to end, with plot twists you won’t see coming, which is a rarity for me anymore, so I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately bought the books in hardback so my co-worker could borrow them, mainly so I’d have someone else to discuss my theories with!
I usually don’t read thrillers because I am more into fantasy and dystopian books, but this was just amazing!! Great characters, all with different personalities and backgrounds. The way Holly Jackson wrote the book made me sit up hour after hour at night, reading (and that does not happen often). I just had to get my questions answered! I just thought “just one more page, then I will go to sleep”.
So if you haven’t, please, please read this!
PS This is way better than One of us is lying
4.5
I really enjoyed this story. It’s amazing how different things can appear from the way they really are… There were a number of unfortunate occurrences throughout, but it is a well written, riveting book nonetheless.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson was an absolute treat to read! From the writing style, storyline, to the characters and themes, this book kept me engaged from beginning to end. If you’re in the mood for an excellent YA murder mystery, I highly recommend it!
Loved it. She is doing a senior year project about a girl who disappeared and her boyfriend who appeared to commit suicide. He was then blamed for killing her. She sets out with his brother to clear his name. Lots of twists and turns
Wow. This book is so clever! And scary! Fair warning, don’t read this at night. About a girl who decides to do her capstone project on a murder that happened in her town because she thinks the so-called murderer was innocent. I loved the main character because she’s strong, capable, and intelligent. I couldn’t stop reading it! I loved that all the clues were presented for the reader to figure things out. So many twists and turns. This was a joy to read!
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.
I really loved this book. Definitely a favorite!
One “tell” as to whether or not I like a book is how disappointed I am to find out that it’s the author’s only novel. Case in point: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. What an outstanding debut! From the excellent cover, interior graphics and design, to the intricate plot, this is a real gem. Fans of One of Us is Lying will devour Jackson’s well-placed clues and foreshadowing in this tense, YA whodunit. A few small drawbacks include one typo, and one glaring error–irrelevant to the plot but it should have been caught: The protagonist’s little brother dons his “Harry-Potterish” Halloween costume, then goes trick-or-treating one sentence later as a Ghost-buster. In addition, the British use of, “on the Monday” this happened, and “on the Thursday” that happened is jarring for U.S. readers. Those small nitpicks aside, this book is an exciting, fun, well-written mystery. I can’t wait for Holly Jackson’s next book, and hope it’s a sequel to this one.
I loved the key characters and their chemistry working together to solve a closed case. This story had so many twists and turns. It was a quick and entertaining read! It kept my guessing about the real truth right up until the end!