A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is Holly Jackson’s debut novel and the first book in her hit mystery trilogy. The YA crime thriller was an instant bestseller, and each entry in the series performed just as well.
With thrilling mysteries, a healthy amount of teenage angst, and suspenseful cliffhangers, this series captivated audiences of all ages. There are three books and a novella in the series, and it is best to read them in order. Ahead of the TV adaptation making its way to screens soon, here’s the complete A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series in order.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019)
The first book in the series was released in 2019 and introduced readers to 17-year-old amateur sleuth, Pip Fitz-Amobi. Five years prior, a popular girl in her small town, Andie, was murdered. The case was closed as a murder-suicide when Andie’s boyfriend, Sal, took his life, but Pip is convinced that there is more to the case than meets the eye. With the help of Sal’s brother Ravi, she begins to re-investigate Andie’s death, but the deeper she goes, the more secrets she uncovers.
Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
The second book in the series picks up after the events of book one. After successfully uncovering the truth about Andie’s death, Pip created a podcast titled A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and decided to retire from her sleuthing.
However, trouble comes to her doorstep when a friend asks her to investigate the seeming disappearance of his brother. Despite her initial resistance, Pip takes on the case and once again finds herself uncovering secrets about her town many would rather stay hidden.
As Good as Dead (2021)
Pip’s life ramps up to an extreme in this final entry as her crime-solving fame leads to a stalker setting their sights on her. Things get worse when Pip notices that her stalker seems very similar to a serial killer who was arrested years ago.
Unable to ignore the idea that the wrong person might be behind bars and traumatized after the events of her last case, Pip decides to take on one last case. With her life on the line this time, the third book sees Pip discovering yet more dark secrets hidden in her small town.
Kill Joy (2022)
In this prequel novella, we see Pip’s backstory and how she got interested in crime and being a detective. Set in a 1920s-themed murder mystery party, the novella follows Pip before the events of any of the books. She’s initially disinterested in the game but slowly gets intrigued by the suspense and thrills of solving the case and finding the killer. Kill Joy is a great look into how Pip became the character we know and love from the main series and an entertaining, short read.