A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is one of the most addictive YA crime thriller series out there — perfect for fans of true crime, cold cases, and a teenage super sleuth who refuses to give up.
Holly Jackson's series started as a BookTok phenomenon and grew into an international bestseller, now also adapted into a TV series. If you haven't read it yet, this is the complete guide. If you have already read it, keep reading because there's good news about the series.
What is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder about?
Everyone believes Sal Singh murdered his girlfriend Andie Bell and then committed suicide. The case is closed. But Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure.
When she chooses the case for her senior project, she starts uncovering secrets someone in town is desperate to keep hidden. And if the real killer is still at large — how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
Pip is seventeen, determined, and refuses to settle for "case closed." Her investigation — which begins as a school project and grows into a true obsession — is precisely the combination of true crime energy, plot twists, and an unpredictable ending that makes the series so addictive.
The complete A Good Girl's Guide to Murder reading order
The series consists of three main books and a novella. Always read in the order below.
Novella: Kill Joy (prequel)
Kill Joy is a prequel novella set before the events of Book 1. You meet Pip as a younger girl at a Murder Mystery birthday party — and discover how her passion for mysteries began.
Optional but fun: You can read Kill Joy before or after Book 1. Most readers recommend reading it after Book 1 for more emotional context.
Part 1: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Guide for a Good Murderer)
The mandatory starting point. Pip reopens a cold case that rocked the town five years ago — and discovers that someone is desperate to keep its secrets hidden.
This is the book that makes the series. The true crime podcast structure — with Pip documenting her investigation — feels fresh. The plot twists are truly unexpected. And the ending leaves you speechless.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder won the British Book Awards' Children's Book of the Year in 2020.
Start here. Never skip.
Part 2: Good Girl, Bad Blood
Pip Fitz-Amobi is no longer a detective. Her true crime podcast about the murder case she solved a year ago went viral, yet Pip claims her sleuthing days are behind her. She has to break that promise when an acquaintance goes missing.
Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, but the police are doing nothing. During her search, she uncovers more and more dark secrets of her town. And this time, everyone is listening via her podcast.
Part 3: As Good As Dead
The finale of Pip's trilogy — and the darkest part of the three. The truth Pip has uncovered has consequences that extend further than she expected. The ending of As Good As Dead is one of the most debated finales on BookTok.
Read this after Part 2 and expect an emotionally heavy but satisfying ending.
Standalone: Five Survive
Holly Jackson's first standalone thriller — no Pip, but the same breathtaking energy. Eight friends in an RV, in the middle of nowhere, when a gunshot pierces the tires. Someone in the group is a traitor — but who?
Five Survive was an instant #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller.
Perfect for: readers who have finished the Pip series but want more Holly Jackson.
The reading order at a glance
| Order | Title | Dutch Title |
|---|---|---|
| Prequel (optional) | Kill Joy | Kill Joy |
| Part 1 | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder | Een gids voor een brave moordenaar |
| Part 2 | Good Girl, Bad Blood | Goed meisje, slecht bloed |
| Part 3 | As Good As Dead | Net zo goed als dood |
| Standalone | Five Survive | Five Survive |
The TV series: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder on BBC and Netflix
Holly Jackson is the international bestselling author of the YA crime series A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which has sold millions of copies and has been adapted into a major television series.
The series originally aired on BBC3 in the UK and later appeared on Netflix. Emma Myers — known for her role as Enid in Wednesday — stars as Pip Fitz-Amobi.
Emma Myers is an excellent choice for Pip: she has the determination, intelligence, and social awkwardness that make the character so beloved by BookTok readers.
Should I read the books in order?
Yes — absolutely. The three books follow Pip's growth as an amateur detective, and the emotional impact of Part 3 only works if you've experienced the build-up from Parts 1 and 2. The plot twists in each book build on what has been revealed before.
Always read Book 1 first — never start with a later installment.
Why A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is so popular on BookTok
The series has a specific energy that is rare in YA thrillers: it feels real. Pip's investigative methods — her spreadsheets, her interviews, her podcast — give the series a true crime feel that perfectly aligns with Gen Z's documentary culture.
The plot twists are also genuinely unexpected. Holly Jackson doesn't give hints that you could have seen coming in hindsight. She builds her mysteries in a way that even the most seasoned thriller readers are surprised.
And then there's Pip herself — a protagonist you admire but who also makes mistakes, goes too far, and has to bear the consequences of her obsession. She's not a perfect hero. She's human. And that's what makes the series so good.
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Our Blind Date Book (Thriller) is perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder — choose the genre, the rest is a surprise.
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What to read after A Good Girl's Guide to Murder?
For more Holly Jackson:
Five Survive — her standalone thriller with the same breathtaking energy but a completely new story.
For more YA thrillers:
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus has the same school setting and group-of-suspects energy. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart has similar plot twists.
For more true crime energy:
Verity by Colleen Hoover has the unreliable narrator energy of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but for adult readers.
Complete your A Good Girl's Guide to Murder reading set
🖤 The perfect thriller reading set:
✔ Blind Date Book (Thriller) — for your next unexpected thriller
✔ Book Review Notepad — record your theories and plot twist reactions
✔ Reading Log (€1.99) — keep track of all Pip books
✔ Glass Can — for your iced coffee or matcha during the most exciting chapters
✔ Bookmark of choice — to mark your most shocking pages
🚚 We ship worldwide
We ship all our bookish accessories to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and all other EU countries. We also ship to the United Kingdom, America, and more countries worldwide.
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Happy reading — and don't forget: the case is never truly closed! 🖤📚
Frequently asked questions about A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
How many books are in the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series?
The series consists of three main books — A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood, and As Good As Dead — plus the prequel novella Kill Joy and the standalone thriller Five Survive.
Do I have to read A Good Girl's Guide to Murder in order?
Yes. Always start with Part 1. The plot twists and emotional build-up only work if you've read the previous books.
Where can I watch the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series?
The television series is available on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Emma Myers plays the lead role of Pip Fitz-Amobi.
Is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder available in Dutch?
Yes — the books have been translated into Dutch and published by Volt. The Dutch titles are Een gids voor een brave moordenaar, Goed meisje, slecht bloed and Net zo goed als dood.
What age is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder suitable for?
The series is suitable for readers aged 12 and up. The tone is suspenseful but not extremely dark — perfect for young thriller fans and adult readers who enjoy YA crime.
What is Five Survive?
Five Survive is Holly Jackson's standalone thriller — no Pip, but the same breathtaking energy. Eight friends in an RV are trapped by someone who wants one of them to reveal a secret.