Book Review: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Book 1 of AGGGTM series)

by The Book Pup on May 27, 2026

Summary:

Pip Fitz-Amobi is doing a school project on a closed murder case—but she doesn't believe the official story. Five years ago, Andie Bell was murdered, and everyone thinks her boyfriend Sal did it before killing himself. But Pip isn't convinced.

As she digs deeper into the case, interviewing witnesses and uncovering new evidence, she realizes that someone in her town is hiding dangerous secrets. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become.

For readers who love true crime, amateur sleuths, and mysteries that keep you guessing until the very end.

My Review

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is FANTASTIC and I loved it so much! 🦊📚 This is easily a 4.5-star read for me, and honestly, I might round it up to 5 stars because it was THAT good. ✨💕

Let me start with what absolutely HOOKED me: this book is SO INTRIGUING! 🦉🔍 From the first chapter, I was completely invested in Pip's investigation. Holly Jackson knows how to craft a mystery that keeps you guessing, and I was captivated the entire way through. 🌲💫

Pip is an AMAZING main character! 🐱💚 She's smart, determined, resourceful, and realistically flawed. Watching her methodically work through the case, interview suspects, and piece together clues was so satisfying. She feels like a real teenager doing real detective work, not some perfect Mary Sue who magically solves everything. 🦋✨

The way the story unfolds is brilliant! 🌙📖 There are SO MANY suspects and plot twists that kept me second-guessing myself. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Jackson would throw in another revelation that made me question everything. The mystery is genuinely well-constructed and fair—all the clues are there if you're paying attention! 🐺🎭

I LOVED the pages showing sketches, plans, and Pip's research work! 📝💕 Those visual elements—the interviews, the case notes, the maps, the timelines—added so much to the reading experience! It made you feel like you were investigating alongside Pip, looking at her actual case files. Such a creative and immersive touch! 🦌🌸

The romance is mild but very satisfying! 💚🦊 This is the PERFECT amount of romance for a thriller/mystery. It's there, it's sweet, it develops naturally, but it never overtakes the main plot. Any more romance would have felt forced and distracted from the investigation. As it is? Chef's kiss! The balance is exactly right. 🌲✨

Jackson's pacing is excellent throughout. 🦉💨 The investigation moves forward steadily, revelations are spaced well, and the tension builds gradually until the explosive finale. I never felt bored or like things were dragging. 📚🔥

Now, here's my dilemma about the rating: 🐱💭

I don't know if it's fair to keep this from being a 5-star read. My hesitation comes from comparing it to my other 5-star books, which are mostly fantasy (like The Cruel Prince trilogy 👑, Down Comes the Night 🌙, etc.). Those books were LIFE-CHANGING for me in a way that this one wasn't quite. 🦋💫

But here's the thing: that might be an unfair comparison! 🦊🌿 This is a thriller/mystery, not a fantasy. Comparing them is like comparing oranges to apples—they're completely different genres trying to do completely different things! 🍊🍎

AGGGTM succeeds brilliantly at what IT'S trying to do. It's a gripping mystery with excellent pacing, a great protagonist, satisfying twists, and perfect romance balance. Should I dock it a half star just because it didn't give me the same emotional experience as a fantasy romance? That doesn't seem fair! 🌸💭

So I might round this up to 5 stars. 🐾💕 It deserves it for being an exceptional thriller that got me HOOKED on the genre!

Speaking of which: I recently finished Five Survive by Holly Jackson (check out my review on the blog! 🦉📚) and it was amazing as well! Jackson is what got me so into thrillers. 🌲✨ Her writing is sharp, her mysteries are clever, and she knows how to create that perfect mix of intrigue and character development. Cheers! 🦋💚

If you love true crime, mysteries, or just really good storytelling, you NEED to read this book! 🦊📖 It's accessible, engaging, and the perfect gateway into thriller territory. I cannot recommend it enough! 🌙💫

4.5 5/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 (💕✨)

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Who I think this book is for: True crime fans 🔍🦉, readers who love amateur detective stories 🐱💚, anyone who enjoys mysteries with multiple suspects and plot twists 🎭🌲, people looking for a gateway into thrillers 🦋, and readers who appreciate mild romance that doesn't overtake the plot 💕🦊

Not recommended for: Readers who need heavy romance 💔, people who dislike true crime content 🌙, anyone looking for fast-paced action thrillers (this is methodical investigation) 🐺

Cheers, and happy reading! 🐾🦊💚

The Book Pup

P.S. Holly Jackson is officially one of my favorite thriller authors! Can't wait to read more of her work! 🦉✨🌲