A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Review


Title: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Series: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #1
Publisher: Electric Monkey
Publication Date: 02 May 2019
Source: Penguin Random House South Africa
Format: Paperback
Pages: 433 
Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. 

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep pip from the truth?

Book Review:
Pre-Reading Thoughts:

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder made waves from the minute it made its debut in stores. This YA thriller was talked about for a majority of the year which instantly put it on my must-read list not only because it was super popular but also because promised a thriller that would have you on the edge of your seat. It is safe to say that I cannot wait to sink into a comfy chair and get to reading this one. 

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book. Just a quick disclaimer for those reading this review, I have received this book for free. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own. 

Writing Thoughts:

The book is on the lengthy side but the use of mixed media helps to lighten the load. The mixed media pieces are well placed and eliminate the dips that the story might have along the way. The writing was, personally, light when it came to descriptions. I found that any descriptions mentioned didn't stick in my head and I often found myself forgetting what people looked like and what the town looked like. However, I did like the attention paid to the repetition of facts. The reader has it easy when it comes to recalling certain events in the case regarding Andie Bell's murder. 

Plot Thoughts:

The plot was well planned and excellently executed. I loved the beginning and the build-up to the end where the true events are revealed. I loved how Pip's thought process was revealed throughout the book. Her opinions on the case were never unclear and her motivations for accusing someone were convincing and I often found myself agreeing with her list of suspects. There is a romance thrown in but it never overshadows the main plotline. Personally, I don't see a reason for it in this book but perhaps this relationship will be explored in the second book. 

Character Thoughts:

Pip is, without a doubt, an adept investigator. Whilst she as quick to jump to conclusions, I was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't quick to jump to accusations. Whilst the project did take over her life, she wasn't subject to what I feel like most YA protagonists would fall trope to. However, as much as I loved Pip, I did feel as though the other characters were sort of left in the dust. They felt lacking in dimension. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, it is easy to see why so many people really loved this book. The mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat. I maybe guessed the killer but I was also quick to second guess myself. The multi-media aspect really adds another dimension to the story. The frequency at which theses pages appear, makes the entire reading process go by a lot quicker. The plot was well executed and I found that it was one of those books that was easy to come back to as it has a memorable plot. The characters, for the most part, were underdeveloped with the exception of Pip who I found to be well rounded and the perfect narrator for this story. With all that said, I am really excited to read the sequel to this book and see how the story continues to progress forward. Holly Jackson is definitely a YA author I will be following from now on. Thank you so much to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book. 

Yours in Reading,
Melleny


 

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