“The case is closed. Five 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 so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for their 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?”
What is the book about?
Five years ago, teenager Andie Bell disappeared and was presumed dead and allegedly murdered by Sal Singh. Everyone in town, including the police, are confident that he did it and in their minds there is no ‘allegedly’ – Sal Singh was the murderer, which he clearly stated in his last message, where he confessed to the murder before killing himself. However, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure and her gut is telling her that Sal didn’t do it and the real killer is still running free in their small town. So, when she has to decide on a topic for her EPQ (the project completed alongside A-Levels), she realises that this is the perfect opportunity to discover the truth of what happened that night 5 years ago. As she starts to uncover more secrets than she could have ever thought Little Kilton could hold, it is made clear that there is someone in town who is desperate to keep these secrets hidden and that they may stop at nothing to stop Pip from uncovering the truth. The real killer may actually be out there, roaming the same streets as Pip and watching her every move and it may be possible that Pip has taken on more than she can handle. Will she get to the truth before the killer gets to her?
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
When I first heard of these books about a year ago I knew that I needed to have them and, after several months of sitting on my book wish-list, I finally decided it was time to purchase them and add them to the many unread books still on my shelf. This probably wasn’t not the best decision I could have made money and space wise, however, when I finally decided to pick up the book only a couple days ago, I knew that reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was going to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Once I finally started reading I found that the book was impossible to put down. After reading only a couple of chapters I was fully engrossed in the book and I actually finished in only a day. It was intriguing and full of mystery from the very beginning and, even though I had known from before even reading it, it was an incredible book and I loved it from the second I held in in my hands.
Who was your favourite character and why?
This decision wasn’t as difficult as it usually is for me and I was actually able to choose my favourite character in less than a minute. My favourite character in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is definitely Pippa Fitz-Amobi. I really liked her for many reasons. One reason was because Pip was so intelligent and actually reminded me a lot of myself. She was very studious, did her homework right away and was always working independently in her room. She wasn’t like other teens and didn’t really like going to parties, just like me. These weren’t the only similarities between Pip and me, her parents also acted similarly with her as mine act with me – they’d tell her to study less and go out to parties or spend time with friends, unlike how all other parents act with their normal kids. Another reason was because she was so fearless. She was so confident in herself and was able to pursue her investigation without worrying too much about the risks that came with uncovering new secrets. However, although she appeared fearless, she wasn’t without any fears and common sense. She knew that there was a huge risk of her or her family being hurt and when the time came she put her foot down and stopped the investigation because she didn’t want to let anyone get hurt. Pip was a great character and I loved that she was the main character because she made the book that much better.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Making this decision was a lot harder than choosing my favourite character, however I was about to decide my favourite part of the book. My favourite part of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was when the pieces finally came together near the end of the book. I loved following Pip’s investigation and I found it so much fun trying to piece together the clues, as I always love to do. However, the best part of the book was when the clues that I had initially missed started to actually make sense and all the pieces fell into place, pointing to the real killer and the truth finally made sense. I loved being able to finally discover the truth and it was my favourite part because, as I felt like I was part of the story and the investigation, it felt great to finally solve the mystery of who was actually to blame for the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was an absolutely amazing read and I loved every second of it. One thing that I loved about the book was how easy I found reading it. I literally finished the whole thing in one sitting and got from front to back so quickly. It flowed so well and I found that I was completely immersed in the world that Holly Jackson created when she wrote the book. I completely forgot that I was reading and was able to fully allow myself to experience the book as if I was one of the main characters, helping Pip uncover the truth. I love this feeling because it makes me feel like anything is possible because someone words on paper have been able to transport me to another world, just like magic. Another thing that I really loved about the book was that it was one of the first books I have ever read that was actually set in England. This made the book and the characters so much more relatable. I usually find it so hard to understand the school system in America (where books tend to be set) and I always have to look up which out of Junior Year or Sophomore Year comes after Freshman Year (and I still don’t know). However, in this case Pip and her friends were in sixth form doing their A-Levels in their last year of school (AKA Year 13), which I found very easy to understand and relate to as I am only a year below. I loved this and it was so entertaining how often they drank tea, as all British people do. One last thing that I really loved about the book was that, although it was written in the third person, there were sections of Pip’s EPQ also included in the book, which were written in the first person as a bit of a diary showing Pip’s inner thoughts and her research. I loved this because it really helped me feel involved in the investigation and I love being able to feel as though I am part of the story. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was an incredible book and I think it is definitely making it into my favourite books list. I just can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Would you recommend this book?
I would 10000000% recommend reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, especially for over 14 year olds who are a fan of a well-written murder mystery novel. It is perfect for mystery, crime, drama and thriller lovers.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A thrilling, secret filled murder mystery novel that is impossible to put down.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
No comments:
Post a Comment