Published: 30th April 2020 (print)/9th September 2021 (audio) 
Publisher: Electric Monkey/Harper Collins
Pages: 417/11 hrs and 45 mins
Narrator: Jot Davies, Clare Corbett, Kristin Atherton, Luke Poli, Maryam Grace, Richard Hughes
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4.75 Stars
Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective any more. With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time EVERYONE is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?
The storyline of the second Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book takes place not long after the events in the first. Having come off the notoriety of her first investigation, Pip is trying to settle back down to real life again as promised but soon becomes involved in a missing persons case and so much more. The angle Jackson takes to justify Pip’s involvement this time round is valid. Jamie is missing, the police are otherwise engaged, and Pip’s ongoing curiosity and the pleas of her friend are hard to ignore.
Jackson weaves in the aftermath of book one as Pip recaps her first investigation formally to a wider audience. This also leads her into her second in a natural way. The characters who are impacted in the first book get to continue their story which is satisfying. It isn’t forgotten and the effect on the whole community is still there.
The story builds from a slow start into a gripping conclusion. There is a lot of mystery to work with and while it takes time to get going, there is still a finger on the pulse. The ending stayed with me much longer than the rest of the book, but that wasn’t because the rest of the book was bad. The slow start builds and builds, a complicated network of crimes and new development take you down various paths into a new uncovered piece of information. The connecting plot points play out well, stung along to one new discovery then another. The sordid world of various crimes growing with each chapter.
There is a wonderful exploration about the complexity of human beings. How circumstances can change someone, how trying to do the right thing isn’t always enough. It is a different approach compared to book one where there is a sole cold case to work through. Now, a real time missing person lends itself to more fervent behaviours, more panic as one thing leads to another, and a real time reaction of the public.
The story explores morally what is right, about who is really a bad person, and who is in the right, if anyone. What justifications are there for anything anybody does? It’s also incredibly sad, realising how unforgiving people can be. The right to be judge, jury, and executioner. Mob mentality, small town judgement, and people’s expectations are on show in full force and as intricate the story is, the simplicity of it is heartbreaking.
The ending was amazing, not only in the twist which, looking back, was laid out wonderfully, but also the outcome of the big finale. I’m impressed Jackson went in that direction, especially as it substantially darkens the series, and makes it more real for Pip. The whole book felt more real. Even with the completely possible events in book one, somehow this was more believable.
Once again I loved the formatting of the book. The inclusion of the podcast adds another element which is ideal for the audiobook. Having transcripts in the book is great but having them acted out in the different ways is a nice advantage for an audiobook to have. Usually things are slightly lacking from the physical copy – pictures, emojis and what have you.
The narrators did a fantastic job and Pip comes to life once more with Atherton at the helm. Her fear, her frustrations, and her passion are evident, and her youth and uncertainty are there as well. All the narrators did a great job with their characters, it didn’t feel like a radio drama, but at the same time having a whole cast of characters with their own voices made it feel like a full story.
This is an interesting second book, obviously there is more to come because the aftermath of this book is going to have ramifications both to Pip personally and the wider community. It’s already going down a dark path so it will be interesting to see what comes next.
You can purchase Good Girl, Bad Blood via the following
Wordery | Angus and Robinson | Blackwell’s
Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not in the mood for her friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920’s fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.
What happens when a group of teenagers is stranded indefinitely in a shopping centre, alone? With all the stuff they could possibly want … and a baby? Is it paradise – or hell?
