Uncovering the Secrets of ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’
by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, streaming on Netflix, is a six-episode series about 17-year-old Pippa Fitz-Amobi, often referred to as Pip, who chooses her small town murder case to research for her Extended Project Qualification topic to apply to Cambridge University. For five years, it was believed that Sal Singh murdered his girlfriend, Andie Bell, and then proceeded to end his life shortly after. However, Pippa believes there is more to the story and teams up with Sal’s younger brother, Ravi, to look for clues and finally uncover the mysterious and dark secrets that their town holds.
As someone who read the entire book series and fell in love with the plot and character dynamic, I had high expectations for this show coming into it. Although there were some changes to the show and different parts altered or left out, the show itself, with its thrilling and twisting turn of events, was an enjoyable watch.
The characters of this show were casted and portrayed amazingly. Popular young actress Emma Myers was casted to play Pip, the secretive investigating high school student and main character of the show. Myers does a good job representing Pip, as her body language and tone of voice match exactly how I imagined Pip would act when reading the books. There is a slight absence of the pushy and answer-seeking aspect of her that was prevalent in the books, but Myers still grasps the essence of Pip. Pip’s partner-in-crime and love interest, Ravi Singh, is played by Zain Iqbal, who effectively depicts the same sarcastic and funny love interest that I adored in the books. Also, his interactions with Pip’s character are very amusing, and the slowburn chemistry and romantic tension between them is illustrated wonderfully.
The acting is excellent, but the suspenseful plot is the main factor that makes A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder an entertaining watch. The big mystery in the show is slowly solved by the main characters, giving a sense of thrill and uncertainty, and keeping you wanting more. The entire case is carefully explained when revealing the multiple secrets and mysteries the town holds, and comes together perfectly when I finally pieced together the full story and shocking plot twist. The production of some of the scenes are a little messy, with sudden jumps or skips in time that made the show look rushed at a few points. However, every show has room for improvement, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’s engaging plot and casting made up for any of its faults.
Grade: A-