Review | A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder might just be the best YA murder mystery that I’ve ever read. I love true crime documentaries, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder reminded me of one in all the best ways: an enthralling case, complete with hand-drawn maps and newspaper cutouts in the evidence logs. It felt like I was solving the mystery alongside Pippa, and I wish I had read it alongside the audiobook for a fully immersive experience.

Our sleuth, Pippa, was an absolute delight. She’s intelligent and ambitious, to the point of choosing to relitigate a murder case for her senior capstone project. Pippa also has a very strong sense of justice, which is evident in a standout scene where she calls out racial bias in how media covers these types of cases. I loved seeing her strong relationships with family and friends, and while I did like the love interest, I appreciated how the romance was subtle; the main focus, rightfully, was on the case.

The case, itself, was filled with twists and turns. I did predict some parts of it, but the ending went in a different direction than I had anticipated. Everything seemed to wrap up nicely enough, so I’m very curious how to see what the sequel will explore!