Are you or were you a fan of the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew series? Do you like suspenseful or mystery books? How about thriller books? If you answered “yes” to any of the previous questions, I already know this book is just for you. Situated in the small town of Fairview, Connecticut, this story is centered around our main character, Pippa Fitz-Amobi, or Pip for short, trying to confirm her doubt/suspicions about a murder case that everyone else (well, almost everyone else) in her town believes has already been solved.
Now, before we dive in, I’d like to warn you, reader, that this book is only suitable for readers who are young adults or older, due to some content that may be found to be disturbing. But having that out of the way, let’s get into the positives of this book.
One of the strongest things going for this book was the characters, especially Pippa herself, a very likeable high school senior who is also very witty and smart. Pippa really comes off as a true sleuth in this novel, which also helps to make it more exciting. And while the plot of the story isn’t necessarily something out-of-this-world –a character having doubt about the true culprit of a murder– the way it is developed and presented in the novel is remarkable. The transitions between events in the book are extremely smooth, there’s just the right amount of a dramatic touch to areas where it’s necessary, and a sufficient amount of detail is present throughout.
Next, like in any good mystery novel, this one has a variety of suspects who could be the murderer, which keeps you guessing. But added onto this is the fact that the suspects are also connected, as suggested by the cover of the book. As a reader, I really got the sense that the author really thought this one through; it was pretty creative and smart overall. In addition, while reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I kind of got a better sense of what it’s like to be a true detective; perhaps an interest in this type of profession will be sparked in you after you read this book.
Rarely am I not able to find some kind of element I feel to be lacking with a novel, but it was honestly hard to find one for this one. If I had to say one thing, though, perhaps I would ask you to be patient with the few beginning chapters of the book, as it may come across as not as engaging. But you will be rewarded, I promise, in terms of action. Something not completely out of place for this kind of book but also slightly surprising was the development of a romance in it, so if you’re into that kind of thing, this book would also be for you. And apparently, there’s even a sequel titled Good Girl, Bad Blood in which Pippa digs into another mystery, so if you enjoy this one, you can move right onto the next! I know that’s what I’ll be doing over the holidays 🙂 (By the way, did you notice the alliteration in the title?)
Review By ~ Andrew
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