Good Girl, Bad Blood Book Review: Detective Pip is Back on Uncovering the Town's Murder Mystery

Good Girl, Bad Blood is a mystery thriller fiction novel written by Holly Jackson and published in 2020. It is a sequel to her famous young adult crime fiction novel, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

It follows Pip's journey as she decides to stop playing detective and put an end to her successful crime podcast. However, when her friend's brother, Jamie Reynolds, goes missing, she finds herself in a predicament to take action since the police refuse to find Jamie because he's an adult. As teen detective Pip gets back to her game, she begins to uncover the truth behind Jamie's disappearance and more of the town's secrets. And this time she's not alone; she's with the people following her podcast.

Author

Holly Jackson is a British author who wrote A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Series from a native-born American's perspective. She is a famous young adult mystery writer who debuted with the said series' first book, which received great recognition. It is followed by the second book, Good Girl, Bad Blood, which is the subject of this review. Then came the As Good As Dead novel and the prequel novella, Kill Joy.

Apart from her AGGTM series, you can also read her first standalone novel, Five Survive, published last year. To know more about Holly and her work, you can look her up on her Instagram page, @hojay92.

Theme

This novel tells about crime, mystery, the power of the media, and the possible outcomes of delving into dark secrets. It specifically explores themes of personal trauma, the consequences of past actions, the dangers of online manipulation, and the blurred lines between justice and revenge.

Pip's utilization of social media and her true crime podcast allows her to tap into a vast network of potential sources and witnesses. She recognizes the power of social media to gather information and engage a large audience in her investigations. By leveraging her podcast's listenership, she aims to uncover crucial clues that could aid in finding Jamie.

The narrative underscores the potential of social media as a valuable tool for investigation and information gathering while also highlighting the risks, ethical dilemmas, and consequences that come with such widespread exposure and accessibility.

Characters

Pippa Fitz-Amobi

Pip, an 18-year-old high school senior in Fairview, Connecticut, gains internet fame through her successful podcast solving murders and aiding in the capture of a serial rapist. However, the aftermath of her investigations left her grappling with conflicting emotions and trauma.

One driving factor behind Pip's podcast is her desire to prove herself to others and be perceived as a "good girl," as evident in the name of her podcast. This yearning for social approval creates an internal conflict within Pip. While she has a strong inclination to uncover the truth and solve mysteries, she struggles with the ethical implications of exposing people's secrets in the process.

Throughout the story, Pip's character development involves shedding the need for social approval and persisting in her search for answers, even in the face of criticism and judgment.

Ravi Singh

Ravi is Pip's boyfriend and the younger brother of Sal Singh, who was involved in a murder case in the first book, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Pip approached him intending to help prove his brother's innocence. Soon after that, they became good friends, and eventually more than that. Together, they found out who the real culprits were for the murder.

In the second book, Good Girl, Bad Blood, Ravi supports Pip during the trial against Max Hastings and later joins her in the search for Jamie Reynolds.

Jamie Reynolds

Jamie is the older brother of Connor, who's friends with Pip. He suddenly disappears on the night of the memorial service for Sal Singh and Andie Bell, forcing Pip to get back into investigating and face dangerous matters. It turns out that he's being lured by a catfish into killing someone.

Stanley Forbes

Stanley is a newspaper volunteer who wants to live a simple and quiet life despite being the son of a notorious serial killer in town. However, he becomes the object of revenge by the brother of one of his father's victims-a case that ties to Jamie's disappearance.

Charlie Green

Charlie is the brother of one of the victims of the tragic death at the hands of Stanley's father. Hiding behind the name Layla, he catfishes young men in the town and lures them into killing Stanley, just like what happened to Jamie.

Plot

Pip has decided to leave behind her true crime podcasting after the toll it took on her during her previous investigations. She attends a memorial service for two deceased students, Andie Bell and Sal Singh, and encounters Jamie Reynolds, the older brother of her friend Connor. When Jamie goes missing and the police refuse to take action, Pip feels compelled to step in and help find him.

With the assistance of her boyfriend Ravi, Pip begins investigating leads and enlists the community's help by asking for photos and videos from the night of the memorial. Through her investigation, she discovers that Jamie is being manipulated by a girl named Layla, who is actually an internet catfish targeting young men in the town.

As Pip digs deeper, she uncovers Layla's plan to use Jamie to kill Stanley Forbes, a newspaper volunteer who is the son of a notorious serial killer. Despite Stanley's attempts to reform and live a quiet life, he becomes the target of revenge from the brother of one of his father's victims. Masquerading as Layla, a neighbor named Charlie Green manipulates Pip to lead him to Stanley, resulting in Charlie killing him.

Pip is left questioning her own role in the events and the extent to which she would go to achieve justice.

Writing Style

The novel adopts a limited third-person perspective, focusing on the experiences and thoughts of Pip. This narrative choice allows readers to gain deep insight into Pip's thoughts, feelings, and observations as she delves into the investigation.

It also incorporates a range of visual and written materials to enhance the true-crime aspect of the story. These include transcriptions of witness interviews, missing posters, relevant maps, and Pip's own case notes. By including these additional elements, the novel creates a multi-dimensional experience for readers, immersing them in the investigation alongside Pip.

Hot Scene

This line from this book has a huge impact on the readers, not just because of its emotional juice that highlights that specific scene and the characters that center it. But it also serves as a lesson and an eye-opener for the readers, who resonate with the same experience.

"I think we all get to decide what good and bad and right and wrong mean to us, not what we're told to accept. You did nothing wrong. Don't beat yourself up for other people's mistakes."

Another example is how the story teaches the readers to be careful about the people around us, especially those we meet online. This lesson can be depicted in this single line:

"Some people are pretty good at hiding who they are."

Final Thoughts

Good Girl, Bad Blood is a total page-turner and one of the best murder mystery novels you'll ever read! Holly amazingly keeps the readers guessing with the story's incredible chain of twists and turns that work perfectly with plot development. This novel also offers a great deal of well-crafted suspense that you'll get to witness as the storyline moves simultaneously at a careful yet very fast pace, making you excited and engaged at the edge of your seat.

Fans of mystery-thriller stories will absolutely love how the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly before their eyes as they read through the novel. Also, what's stunning about this piece is the brave and grounded take on the real issues and connections that balance out the novel's fictional elements. So, what's stopping you from checking out yet another Holly Jackson masterpiece? Add Good Girl, Bad Blood to your reading list, and don't hesitate to get on with it!

FAQs

Q: What is the Good Girl, Bad Blood novel all about?

A: Good Girl, Bad Blood is about Pip Fitz-Amobi's journey to uncover the truth behind Jamie Reynolds's disappearance after vowing to stop playing detective.

Q: Is the novel Good Girl, Bad Blood a sequel?

A: Yes, Good Girl, Bad Blood is a sequel to the novel A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

Q: Who is the author of the book Good Girl, Bad Blood?

A: Holly Jackson is a British author who wrote Good Girl, Bad Blood.