"A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" by Holly Jackson, A Book Report by Shanna Nayely Duay

 "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," written by Holly Jackson, is a gripping young adult thriller that takes high school drama to a whole new level. This book is told through the perspective of Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a high school senior whose curiosity about her small-town murder leads her down a rabbit hole she probably would never see coming.

The story kicks off with the suspicious death of Andie Bell, a seemingly perfect student. The interesting plotline of this book that sets it apart from other crime novels is Pip's decision to dig into the closed case, challenging its official ruling of suicide. The narrative is told through a mix of traditional storytelling and modern elements like diary entries, text messages, and transcripts, making the investigation feel like a real-life high school drama. I especially liked these little details as they kept me intrigued and made the read feel much more casual.

The small-town setting intensifies the suspense as secrets are unveiled, exposing the dark side of the seemingly perfect community. The characters are well-crafted, each harboring their own motives and secrets, painting a vivid picture of the complexities of high school relationships. The pacing of this book is really well crafted, with each chapter adding to the suspense. I rarely felt bored while reading which I find happening with many books. As you piece together the clues of the puzzle and things begin falling into place, unexpected twists will keep you on your toes, questioning your assumptions until the very end.

Jackson skillfully tells the story in a way that keeps readers guessing with each twist and turn. 

After reading this book, I felt pretty satisfied with its ending and thought that the relationship developed between the main character Pip, and Sal’s older brother, Ravi (Sal being the accused murderer of Andie Bell) was pretty cute. I liked the storytelling of the author and would definitely read more books from her in the future. 

I especially like the way Holly Jackson uses the themes of friendship and trust in this book, and how she mixed in the social taboos of societal expectations on today’s youth. I don’t want to spoil much about the book as I would definitely recommend it as a great Y/A read, so you’ll just have to read and find out for yourself. Amidst the murder mystery, Pip goes through significant character development, transforming from a curious investigator into a resilient and strong young woman.

9/10!