'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder' Review

Hello everyone,

I recently enjoyed reading "A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder" by Holly Jackson and was excited to find its adaptation on Netflix. The series was so engaging that I binge-watched the entire season in one day! It was undoubtedly an exceptional series. In this blog, I will explore the series and offer a comprehensive review of "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder."

For my book review blog on "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" by Holly Jackson, please click the link provided: (Book Review: "A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder")

Here is the trailer for the series "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder":

 

The series comprises three novels and a novella, which are ideally read sequentially. With the television adaptation on the horizon, here is the recommended reading order for the complete series:

1. "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" (2019), 
2. "Good Girl, Bad Blood" (2020), 
3. "As Good As Dead" (2021),  
4. the prequel novella "Kill Joy" (2022)

Just like most murder mysteries, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder follows a familiar story pattern. It's based on a book by Holly Jackson and is one of Netflix's newest hits. Like any good mystery, it starts with Emma Myers' character, Pip Fitz-Amobi, a young woman who decides to take a fresh look at an old murder that happened in her hometown of Little Kilton. As she digs deeper, she starts to question what people said happened back then. She uncovers hidden secrets and makes new discoveries that change what everyone thought they knew about the terrible crime. Yet, while Netflix's slow-burn adaptation concludes by introducing audiences to a culprit nobody in town suspected, the series adds a wrinkle to its familiar formula by also hiding the show's true villain in plain sight.

The series' central mystery revolves around the disappearance of Andie Bell (India Lillie Davies), a high school senior allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh (Rahul Pattni), before Sal killed himself out of guilt for his crime. Since Andie's body was never found and Pip knew Sal to be kind before his death, however, the series' main character refuses to believe this official story spread by the police, eventually teaming up with Sal's brother, Ravi (Zain Iqbal), to clear the Singh family name. Together he and Myers' character plunge deeper into the dark side of Little Kilton, uncovering a string of Andie's secret boyfriends, incriminating text messages, and damning online posts that ultimately lead the pair to discovering the series' true murderer.

Andie Bell and her Boyfriend Sal Singh: 

Who Really Killed Andie Bell in ‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’?

For those who like reading mystery stories, it might not be a shock that the police thought the wrong person killed Andie. Sal, Andie's friend, was first thought to be the killer. But after Sal's friends told Pippa that they were forced to lie to make Sal look bad, Pippa knew Sal was innocent. Pippa was brave and didn't give up on finding the real killer. She followed clues and evidence, which led her back to the house where Andie died.

The book ends with Pippa finding out that Andie's sister, Becca, was actually the killer. Becca was jealous of Andie and wanted to hurt her. Becca tried to throw Pippa down a deep well, just like she did to Andie. But luckily, Pippa's friends, Ravi and Cara, stopped Becca before she could kill Pippa. Pippa and her friends were able to stop Becca and bring her to justice. This showed that even though Becca was a bad person, she couldn't get away with her crimes.

Becca was angry at Andie for selling drugs to Max Hastings, a bad guy who hurt Becca. Becca wanted to hurt Andie for selling the drugs that made Max do bad things to Becca. Becca also killed Andie because Andie was going to run away with Sal. Becca didn't want to be alone with Max, so she killed Andie to keep her from leaving. Becca's actions were bad, but she was also a victim of Max's crime. The book shows us that sometimes people can do bad things because of bad things that happen to them.

‘A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ Really Suffers From the Sins of Its Fathers: 

In other mystery shows, the killer is usually the bad guy who wants to stop people from finding out the truth. Becca, however, is not the only bad guy in the show. Becca was also a victim, and she killed Andie because of bad things that happened to her. The adults in the show, like Jason Bell and Cara's dad, are also responsible for Andie's death. They were part of a secret plan that led to Andie's death. So, while Becca is the one who killed Andie, she is not the only one to blame. The adults in the show also share the blame for what happened.

Cara's dad, Elliot Ward, didn't kill himself because he was sad. He told Pippa that he killed Sal to hide his own crime. Elliot was having a bad relationship with Andie, his student. He also forced Andie's friends to lie to protect Sal, his daughter. Sal had been in a car accident and Elliot wanted to protect her. Andie asked Mr. Ward for money to run away with Sal, but Mr. Ward hit her head. This hurt Andie a lot, and it made it easy for Becca to kill her. Becca didn't know that Andie was already hurt, so she didn't know how easy it would be to kill her.

Andie and Becca's dad, Jason Bell, was not directly responsible for Andie's death, but he still played a big role in it. Jason was a very controlling father, and his daughters were afraid of him. Jesse, a friend of Pippa's, told Pippa that Jason was very strict with his daughters and wanted to protect them. But Jason's strictness made his daughters feel trapped and unhappy. Because of this, Becca was afraid of being left alone with Jason, and she killed Andie to stop her from leaving. Jason's actions created a bad home environment for his daughters, which led to Becca's crime.

The Ending of the series:

 

There are several key differences between Holly Jackson’s novel “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and its TV adaptation. Here are some of the most notable ones:

The Depth of Pip’s Investigation

The benefit of telling a mystery on the page means more time to make mistakes and dig deeper for answers. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder still has Pip reaching the same conclusions on screen, but at times, it is noticeable how certain answers coincidentally find their way to her.

In the first book, however, Pip interviewed people more than once before piecing details together. The destination is ultimately the same, but the onscreen journey looked quite different for those familiar with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

The Friendship Dynamics

Pip’s inner circle featured Ant Lowe in the book, while the series introduced him simply as Lauren’s (Yali Topol Margalith) new boyfriend — for now. Andie was close to Emma (Georgia Arron) and Chloe in the book, but the show opted to make Nat (Jessica Webber) one of her best friends instead. The shakeup seems to be a strategic move that makes Andie betraying Nat hurt more, which later leads to Nat becoming a suspect in her disappearance.

Conclusion

"A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" is a captivating mystery series that delves deep into the complexities of teenage life and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath seemingly ordinary surfaces. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and unexpected twists, it's a thrilling and thought-provoking read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

One of the series' greatest strengths is its ability to explore important themes beyond the central mystery. Friendship, loyalty, and the consequences of our actions are all explored with depth and nuance. The characters are relatable and well-rounded, making it easy for readers to connect with their struggles and triumphs.

The series also shines in its ability to subvert expectations. While the mystery is central to the story, it's the exploration of the characters and their motivations that truly make it stand out. The ending is satisfying and leaves a lasting impression, making it a series that readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

In conclusion, "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" is a must-read for fans of mystery, coming-of-age stories, and thought-provoking fiction. Its combination of thrilling mystery, relatable characters, and important themes make it a truly exceptional series that will leave a lasting impact on readers.