Spoiler free review of A Good Girls Guide to Murder and Good Girl Bad Blood books by English Author Holly Jackson. These book reviews follow from my reading them because they’ve been recommended as perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, which I am obsessed with. I love a good YA and murder mystery, so I had to read these – based on an A grade student uncovering the secrets of a closed murder case and a disappearance.
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A Good Girls Guide to Murder Review
The first instalment of the two, released in 2019, A Good Girls Guide to Murder has been described as being perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, Gone Girl, We Were Liars and Riverdale. I’ve read the first three of these and I liked them all, so I knew I’d love this.
A Good Girls Guide to Murder Blurb
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 crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final 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 . . . ?
This book is set in a small town in England, where everyone seems to know everyone. I love the characters in this book, the main character Pip and her family and friends. The author, Holly, includes characters of all backgrounds including LGBTQ and BAME. Pip is a very clever A grade student who makes it her mission to uncover the closed case of the murder of Andie Bell. The way her mind works and she discovers all the secrets that lead her to the answers, is really interesting and intriguing to watch unfold.
My thoughts
It kept me hooked all the way through and towards the end I was gripped and couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. Just when you think it’s been solved, there’s another twist and then another.
A Good Girls Guide to Murder is well written and you really care about the characters. I enjoy Holly’s writing style and I recommend it to anyone who loves a YA murder mystery. You can get it on Amazon in the 2 for £7 offer, here*.
Good Girl Bad Blood Review
This is the second in the series, released in 2020. The story follows the same characters, with Pip continuing as the main. When a family friend goes missing, a disappearance case unfolds in the same small town, so Pip makes it her mission to solve it before it’s too late.
Good Girl Bad Blood Blurb
Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective anymore. With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time EVERYONE is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?
My thoughts
Good Girl Bad Blood is not quite as enjoyable as the first one, as there’s no character building so you don’t quite feel the same way about the characters as in the previous book. The difference with Good Girl Bad Blood is that the events unfold in real time and they happen as you read. The story line is very clever and well written, and just when you think you know what might happen, it takes you by surprise.
It wasn’t as non-put-down-able as the first one but I was eager to finish it to find out what happened. The end took quite a dark turn compared to the first, one I wasn’t expecting as I didn’t think it would be as dark as it was, so just be prepared for that!
Good Girl Bad Blood is still a very good read, and if you plan to read them both, read one after the other so you can remember who all the characters are! You can get it from Amazon, here*.
You might also like: One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next Book Review
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