Reviews

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Only show reviews with written explanations

its_maite's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

mirawhatever's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

mrsxtremist's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a 4 star read for me.

This was a buddy read with @readbymisty and it was a fun little thriller to help kick off the 2024 reading year. This is a simple “who dun it” that is centered around Pippa, a high school senior trying to clear the name of her old friend.

The pacing was fast, keeping you engaged in the story. The twists also helped to keep your attention and make you wonder what actually happened to Andy Bell.

I did have to remind myself at times that Pippa is in high school. At times all I could think is BE SAFER BE SMARTER! She had that “I’m Invincible” attitude that young people sometimes have. Unfortunately, at times in the book she learns she really isn’t as untouchable as she thinks.

I wanted to see more of her and Ravi’s relationship.

All in all I really enjoyed the book and it was a super fun book to buddy read and discuss.

lindserature's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Five years ago, there was a murder in town. Andie Bell, a beautiful local teen, disappeared with only her blood found in the trunk of her abandoned car. All signs pointed to her boyfriend, Sal, who died of suicide a few days later. Case closed, right?

Wrong. High school senior Pip has always seen something fishy in this case, and has chosen to focus on it for her senior capstone project. With the help of Sal’s brother Ravi, she navigates the details of the case, putting herself and the people around her in danger, to clear the name of someone she believes to be an innocent man.

I thought this book was so well done. It’s YA, which isn’t always my jam, but it doesn’t feel overly YA; it values the reader’s intelligence and perception. The mystery is interesting, and there are regular relevant throughout to keep the reader invested and keep the story from getting stale. There’s good sass and humor, as well as heavier topics. The found evidence and interviews are a nice touch, and the twists just keep coming. A fun, quick novel that teens and adults will both love. Four stars.

rfkarski's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

zbmorgan's review against another edition

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5.0

This 21st century teen mystery is somewhere between an edgy Nancy Drew and a less class divisive Veronica Mars. I didn’t know which of the stars suspects (and there are MANY) actually committed the crime, but I also love that justice is done in the end, with just enough loose ends that I’ll be reading more. Fantastic.