Holly Jackson
Delacorte, 2019
387 pages
Grades 9-Up
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series
Connecticut high school senior, Pippa, is determined to get into Columbia and that means that she must have a stunning capstone project. She decides to research the murder of Andie Bell, a popular high school senior who was killed by her boyfriend five years previous. The convicted killer, Sal Singh, committed suicide days after Andie's disappearance, but Pippa is not convinced that he did the deed. For one thing, Pippa knew him as a family friend and he was just too decent a person. She starts her investigation with Sal's younger brother Ravi, who also is convinced of his brother's innocence and joins Pippa in her investigation. Pippa contacts many people connected with Andie Bell and discovers that the dead girl had secrets. Several suspects emerge, yet just when Pippa thinks she has figured it out, another piece of evidence points to someone new. As she pries deeper, Pippa receives threatening notes, eventually fearing for her own safety. How far is she willing to go to get to the truth? And what really happened to Andie Bell?
Who doesn't love a good murder mystery? A long-time resident on the bestseller list, this series starter reflects the current teenage mystery trend. We can't keep our four copies on the shelf and, in fact, every copy of all three books in the series are currently checked out. This mystery does not disappoint. There are red-herrings, danger, and surprises around every turn. The circumstances behind the murder are scandalous enough to delight teen readers and keep them turning pages. I did not figure out the scenario behind the murder, but it was gettable and the ending satisfies. I found it unnecessary that the original British book was edited and changed for an American audience. Today's kids are used to Harry Potter and can handle British phraseology. Keeping the main character's name as Pippa clues in the reader that it is a British book and some of the terms remain, making the Connecticut settling a little jarring. That said, teenagers probably won't care. They will love the quickly moving plot and the tenacity of the main character. The book feels a bit long, but reads quickly, as some of the content is in transcript form. The middle schoolers in my library are clambering for this book, but be aware that there are some mature situations involving sexual encounters and drugs, though it never gets too graphic.
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