TV Show Review - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Mystery
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2024
Starring: Emma Myers, Asha Banks, Zain Iqbal, Anna Maxwell-Martin, Yali Topal Margalith, Raiko Gohara, Jude Morgan-Collie, Yasmin Al-Kudhairi, Mathew Baynton, Gary Beadle, Henry Ashton, Jackson Bews, Kamari Loyd, Carla Woodcock, India Lillie Davies, Rahul Pattni

Description: Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers) is unsure whether schoolgirl Andie bell was killed by her boyfriend Sal Singh five years ago. How far will they go to protect Pip from learning the truth if Sal turns out not to be the murderer?

Review: As a fan of the book (its entire series) it’s extra exciting to see all the characters come to life and see the story played out on the screen. But it’s also a bit scary, because you want it to be good. And even though I really like what they did, it does have its flaws.

When I read this series, I immediately fell in love with Pip. She is one of my favorite female leads in a book series ever. Emma Myers had big shoes to fill. And I think she did a great job. Pip looked different then I pictured her while reading, but Myers understood the task and delivered a great performance. She is a good choice for Pip.

For the most part, the series stays true to the book, but there are a lot of things very different. And this is always the case with book to film/ series adaptations. You can’t simply use everything.

I loved the town. Little Kilton looked amazing and I really enjoyed the setting. It had the same feels as the book. And, like stated before, Emma Myers was a good choice. Her friend group doesn’t get that much attention though. Aside from Cara, we don’t really get to know them. Ravi, played by Zain Iqbal, was also a good choice. Love his portrayal of Ravi. And he worked well together with Myers. I also think the choice of Henry Ashton to play Max Hastings was perfect. Although, I don’t like how they executed this storyline. It was much more satisfying in the book.

One plot point that wasn’t in the book, involving Pip’s stepdad, didn’t really need to be in the series either. It was unnecessary and didn’t fit. They could have left that part out. And the biggest change, that I did not like, was part of the ending. And I need to get into spoilers, to further explain this.

WARNING!!! SPOILERS COMING UP!!!

When Pip thinks Elliot Ward is hiding Andie in his old house, she finds another girl that Elliot has been holding captive. Elliot has an affair with Andie and when he pushed her, Andie hits her head. She walks away injured, but wasn’t killed by Elliot. This is both in the book and the show. But here is where it’s different. In the book, Elliot goes looking for her and he finds a girl wandering the street. It’s not Andie but Elliot convinces himself it is and he keeps her locked up in the attic. The girl also eventually believes her name is Andie. In the series, Elliot knows it’s not Andie and so does the girl. Which makes it strange.

END OF SPOILERS!!!

I did enjoy the series, with some minor issues here and there I liked the viewing experience. And I do hope the will make more seasons, including the other books (also the prequel please) in the series. If you haven’t read the books and aren’t attached to the story and characters yet, it’s a super enjoyable murder mystery set in a small town, just the way I like it.

Book Review - Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

Title: Kill Joy
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (# 0.5)
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not in the mood for ther friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920s fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.
 
But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind.
 
Find out where it all began for Pip.
 
Review: The “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” trilogy is a favorite series of mine, even though I’m not much of a series reader. “Kill Joy” is a prequel to this book series, telling the story of how Pip got her love for crime solving, finding out she is actually really good at it.
 
Pip is invited to a murder mystery party, which is set in the 1920s and revolves around the rich man Reginald Remy. Each of her friends have been given a role and one of them is a killer.
 
I cannot get enough Pip, I love her. Picking up this prequel felt like a no-brainer and I read it almost in one sitting. Because this story is set before the original trilogy, we will not be reading about Pip solving a real crime, but a fictional one. But that doesn’t make it less fun. You’re still invested and really want to know who did it. As Pip gets clues to her role and her friend’s characters as well, we tag along in this fun whodunnit. Like Pip, you’re totally immersed in the game.
 
“Kill Joy” is a fun and original idea for a prequel to such a popular series. And to find out how Pip got to be who she eventually became in “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. It doesn’t have as much tension and excitement as the other books, because the stakes are not as high, but still “Kill Joy” is such an enjoyable read.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

Title: As Good As Dead
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (# 3)
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle... and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears...
 
Review: “As Good As Dead” is the third and final book in the “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series by Holly Jackson. So far, I have loved this series. I was really excited to finally read this last one. And it did not disappoint.
 
Pip Fitz-Amobi is used to online threats by now, but there is one that she can’t let go: who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears? And the threats are not just online, Pip has a stalker, but of course the police doesn’t take it seriously. So Pip does what Pip does best: she is investigating herself. As she seems to be solving cases more often then the police do. She finds a link between the stalker and a local serial killer, who is behind bars. And Pip suspects that again, the wrong person is being accused of the crime.
 
It's a Young Adult series, very popular, but also very dark. And this is the darkest one yet. It is again a whodunit, but there is a big twist at the halfway point of the book that really blew my mind and turned it upside down. It takes a completely different path, but in this case it was surprisingly good and does not follow the same path as many whodunit’s do. This is the least popular book of the three, and I think that dark twist is the reason for many. If I would have to rank the books, this would also be my number three, but mostly because I missed the mixed media element. It’s still present, don’t get me wrong, but less then the other two. That’s the only reason I didn’t give it a perfect score.
 
The book again deals with themes like friendship, justice, murder, social media, crime. But again, Jackson made everything a lot darker this time. It sometimes doesn’t even feel like a YA novel anymore. But I liked that about this book, while I can understand that fans of the series might see this as a downside. For me it felt like a logical step, because you want to avoid repetition.
 
As for that midway twist, it left me staring at the pages for a moment. I did not expect that at all, but I absolutely loved it. This book eventually plays with morals, what’s the right thing to do, did the character do the right thing? Most choices are controversial, but make this book so much better.
 
“As Good As Dead” is also the biggest book in the series, but you don’t feel it for a second. You just fly through it, it’s an intense ride of emotions. I think Holly Jackson wrote a fantastic trilogy. I’m not a series reader, but I haven’t been this invested in a book series since “The Hunger Games”. Well done Holly Jackson!
 
Rating: 4, 5/ 5

Book Review - Good Girl, Bad Blood

Title: Good Girl, Bad Blood
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (#2)
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: Pip 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, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

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.
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, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.
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?
 
Review: “Good Girl, Bad Blood” is the sequel to “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. In this second volume, Pip and Ravi have set up a podcast called “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. In it, they discuss what happened and how they solved Andie’s  murder. They also closely follow the trial that is underway against Max Hastings, the boy who raped several girls. Pip vowed not to play detective anymore. Solving Andie’s murder cost her dearly. But when one of her best friends, Connor, shows up at her door saying his brother Jamie is missing, Pip can’t help but help her friend. She gets out to find out what happened to Jamie. But the more she discovers, the more questions arise about his disappearance.   
 
This book cannot be read separately from the first book, you have to have read that before starting “Good Girl, Bad Blood”. For example, the trial of Max Hastings plays a big role and events from part one are often referred back to. What this book does do very cleverly is give a brief summary of everything that happened in the first book. This is very nice to refresh your memory a bit, if it’s been a while since you read the first book. I read it last year and it was my second favorite that I read that year. And I already know that this is also going to be one my top list of this year.  
 
Jamie’s disappearance is incredibly mysterious and the more Pip discovers, the more questions are added. And you never expect what eventually is revealed. And you’re not sure about all of it for a very long time. You just want to keep reading this book, even if you get 10 more questions for every answer. With that, Pip is one of the best female characters I have read in a long time.
 
Until the very end, author Holly Jackson manages to keep the reader on their toes and it is almost impossible to predict how things will turn out. I’m an avid thriller reader, but even I didn’t predict any of it. I’m not a big series reader, but I haven’t been this invested in a book series since “The Hunger Games”. And I can’t wait to continue reading these books.
 
Holly Jackson has a very pleasant writing style. The book is very easy to read and  even with 400+ pages, I flew through it, which is perfect for a slow reader like me. The story never has a dull moment in it and, like the first book, I really loved the concept of this. With not only standard storytelling, but also journal entries, transcripts from Pip’s podcast, interviews, news paper clippings. It makes the book super interesting. And you get a glimpse of what goes on in Pip’s head.
 
The unfolding of the mystery is extremely well put together. I really can’t say one bad thing about this book, you really need to read this series!
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Top 10: Favorite Books of 2022

2022 was the year I finally got out of my reading slump. For not having read for quite some time, I finally discovered what I really want to read, explored new genres and authors. I had a great reading year. My goal was 20 books, I ended up reading 33, which is a big deal for me. Here are my favorite books I read this year.

10. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
A book I would have never picked up if I hadn’t read so many great things about it on social media. It’s a memoir from Jennette McCurdy, who got fame because of her role as Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon show “iCarly”. She tells the story of how she never wanted to become an actress, but was forced into it by her mother who wanted nothing more than for Jennette to be famous. It’s an honest, raw and heartbreaking story. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

9. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
I started this series this year and “The Man Who Died Twice” is the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series. We follow a group of septuagenarians who live in an elderly community and have a murder club, where they try to solve cold cases. When people actually get murdered around them, they try to solve it. The characters are so great, I would love to be part of this group. This is a highly enjoyable whodunit and a perfect sequel. Check out my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

8. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
This is the book that got me out of my reading slump. A book I received in a blind book box. Mariana Andros visits her niece Zoe after her friend Tara has gone missing. Zoe goes to Cambridge University and soon Mariane starts suspecting one of Zoe’s professors: Edward Fosca. He is a professor of Greek Tragedy and a very popular man. He even has a group of loyal female followers who themselves the Maidens. I loved the dark academia vibe and the constant tension between Mariana and Fosca. A rock solid mystery thriller. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

7. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
This was one of the surprises this year. I got this in a blind book box and I was so surprised in how good this book was and how much I ended up loving it. It’s about Jake Bonner, a teacher of creative writing and a failed writer. When one of his students shares a plot he’s been writing and Jake later learns he dies, Jake decides to use the plot himself and write a book. It turns out to be a best-selling novel, but someone has found out that the plot this book is based on, isn’t his. The book isn’t the most eventful one I read, but somehow it intrigued me. There is this constant oppressive feeling and Jake’s fear throughout the book kept me invested. There are also chapter where you actually read parts of Jake Bonner’s book. I found this really clever. I was super impressed by Jean Hanff Korelitz’ writing and can’t wait to read more of her work. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

6. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
The second book by Alice Feeney that I read and I loved it. Adam and Amelia are taking a trip to Scotland, were they will be spending the weekend together. Adam is a workaholic screenwriter who suffers from face blindness. While on their vacation, Adam and Amelia realize something is not right. The story is told from three different perspectives: Adam, Amelia and a woman named Robin. There are also chapters that are letters written to Adam by his wife, commemorating several anniversaries of their marriage. This was such a good thriller, so well-crafted. The plot twists were amazing. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

5. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
This was my introduction to Riley Sager. A book that kept me on the edge of my seat at all times. Life hasn’t been particularly kind to Jules Larsen. She was fired, dumped by her boyfriend, no place to live and broke. She stumbles upon an ad for a house sitter, in the Bartholomew building, where the rich and famous live. The amazing salary would solve all of Jules’ problems. And even though it all sounds to good to be true, Jules grabs the opportunity. But strange things are happening in the Bartholomew. The story alternates timelines and when the book started, I was immediately sucked in. And the ending had me speechless, so unexpected and original. Sager became a favorite auto-buy author for me this year. My FULL REVIEW IS HERE.
 

4. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
This book is an enchanting and heartwarming novel that shows that there are always other possibilities. An ode to life. In “Midnight Library” we meet Nora who is overwhelmed by the feeling that she has made wrong choices in her life, disappointing everyone. when she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place between life and death she gets the chance to see the many ways her life could have turned out differently. Every book she opens takes her to another life. You can read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

3. His & Hers by Alice Feeney
This was the first Alice Feeney book I read and I was blown away by “His & Hers”. A woman is murdered in a parking lot. Journalist Anna Andrews is reluctant when she has to report on this police investigation. Detective Jack Harper suspects Anna’s involvement in the case, but eventually becomes a suspect himself. One of them is not telling the truth. Each chapter brought new information and I loved how the book was told from three different perspectives: his, hers and the murderer’s. And the end was so good, never saw it coming. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

2. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This is the first in a series and a debut novel for Holly Jackson. I’m not very good at keeping up with series, but this one I will definitely continue reading. Because I absolutely loved reading this book. It follows the story of Pippa, a student who decided to write her final essay on a murder that happened in her hometown five years ago, where Andie bell was murdered and Sal Singh was arrested for it. Pip doesn’t believe that Sal did it and wants to find out what actually happened all those years ago. The format of this book was so unique and it really was a page-turner. You can read my FULL REVIEWHERE.
 

1.  The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
I would have never picked up this book if it wasn’t recommended to me, because the synopsis didn’t appeal to me at first. Let alone thinking this would eventually become my favorite of the year and even a new all-time favorite. It follows Linus Baker, who is a social worker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He is given the special assignment of investigating whether six magically gifted at-risk youngsters living in an orphanage on a small island may pose too great a danger to society. This book was such a warm hug, I loved every minute of it and all the characters were so loveable. And aren’t these the best books, when you don’t even expect to like it as much as you did? I am so glad I decided to pick it up. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.  
 
Honorable mentions: Pop Goes the Weasel by M.J. Arlidge, The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, Home Before Dark by Riley Sager, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, The One by John Marrs

Book Review - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder # 1
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: The case is closed. Fiver 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 sure. When she chooses the case as a 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?
 
Review: Everyone in Little Kilton knows the story: the beautiful and popular graduate student Andie bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, after which he committed suicide.
 
Even five years later, Pippa Fitz-Amobi still sees the impact the case has on the town. Pip has always wondered exactly what happened. When she chooses the case as her topic for her final school project, secrets soon surface that someone would have preferred to keep hidden. It seems like that person is working against Pip and she starts to believe more and more that she was right about the fact that Sal didn’t kill Andie.
 
The book starts out like most: a introduction to the characters, the situation is outlined, you learn about the case of Andie Bell and Sal Singh. It’s a nice build-up. The film alternates in ways to get you invested in the story and investigation. Besides the normal storyline, we get to see journal entries for Pip’s log, where she writes down her thoughts on the matter, what she has found out, who she suspects to know more about the case. There are also transcripts of interviews she has with people about Andie and Sal. We also gets some text messages, e-mails and copies of documents. I really loved this format, it kept the story even more interesting and shed a light on the case in many different ways. And it was enjoyable to be a part of Pip’s thoughts.
 
The book has well-developed characters. They all feel very real and believable. The story itself is suspenseful and has many layers of mystery. The many plot twists make for an even better reading experience. And overall “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” is a very creative mystery thriller.  It’s the first in a series (and a debut novel as well, which is amazing) and I most definitely will continue in this series.
 
Rating: 5/ 5