Probably one of my vaguer reviews, but how can you review a mystery without giving too much of the game away? I believe this is the first mystery I’ve actually ever read, and it has definitely made me want to read more. Following a hilarious and charismatic teenage girl as she solves the cases that the police couldn’t all the while getting into Cambridge University should be a good time in anyone’s book.
Our story begins with our lead character Pip choosing to investigate the unsolved case of Andie Bell's disappearance for her end of school project, a case that closed five years ago. Although he was never charged with the crime, Sal Singh - Andie's deceased boyfriend - was considered by most to be Andie's killer. For five years the Singh family have been tormented and abused due to Sal's perceived guilt, but Pip does not believe he is guilty - and she's going to prove it. Follow Pip as she unravels the mysterious life of Andie Bell, as well as several well kept secrets from her little town with the help of Sal's younger brother Ravi.
The first aspect that I love is that the book is set in England - which I find so refreshing as a Brit, because most of the books I read are set in the USA (not that that's a bad thing). The main reason that I love the setting so much is due to the humour and language in the book - which is very British and (to me) absolutely hilarious. Holly Jackson keeps a great pace throughout the book, it's an easy page turner and I absolutely hated putting it down. My last note on the books writing is a tip-of-the-hat to the suspense and mystery that is threaded throughout the plot. As someone that very much grew up with murder mysteries on the TV, multiple nights a week, not to tut my own horn, but I am quite good at picking out the solution to the mystery. While I did have my theories on the stories plot, and the end villain, I didn't get it 100% and I immensely enjoyed the twists and turns that make the mystery all that much harder to solve.
In terms of characters, I think it's only safe to discuss our two leads - Pip and Ravi. I absolutely adore the character of Pip; she is relatable, lovable and you absolutely root for her throughout the book. The balance between developing her character, but not allowing her to take over the book is beautifully done. You get to know Pip with her quirks (which feel well suited to her and not forced) and the level of intelligence from the main character is refreshing. In many books you can find yourself wondering 'why didn't you ask that?' or 'how did you miss that?' but not with Pip, she is right there with you and you don't get frustrated with her at all. Now, on to her partner in detective work - Ravi. Can I just take a minute to commend Holly Jackson on creating a good guy as our male lead? Seemingly, you can't get away from flawed male individuals that treat their other leads horribly. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against books that choose that plot point - there are many that I enjoy, but it's good to have variety you know? Ravi is just such a good guy, he's hilarious and bounces off of Pip incredibly well. They are a really good match and I can't wait to read about their developing relationship in the second book.
We've talked about the: writing, pacing, the plot and the only characters I can discuss without risking giving away plot details. The last area of discussion I want to talk about is the most important aspect of the whole book, and that is portrayal of racism. The story tackles the important topic of racism within the media, and I believe it does it incredibly well. I haven't read many books that don't shy away from topics such as racism, and I commend Holly Jackson on tackling the subject head on. Racism in the media is very much an issue still today and it absolutely shouldn't be and hopefully, with increased awareness and more discussion, it won't be a problem in the future.
While A Good Girl's Guide To Murder is an entertaining read, and definitely one of the best books I have read probably ever, it is also an incredibly important book to read - and I 100% recommend that everyone should pick it up.
Thanks for reading,
Rhi
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