Published: 18 February 2021 (print)/04 March 2021 (audio) 
Publisher: Electric Monkey/Electric Monkey
Pages: 160/2 hrs and 59 mins
Narrator: Kristin Atherton, Richard Hughes
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars
But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind…
Find out where it all began for Pip in this prequel to the best-selling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood.
This prequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a captivating read. It’s definitely one I would suggest reading after you’ve finished book one, there isn’t spoilers per se, but there is a lot dependent on knowing what happens in book one that makes it more impactful. I thought it was much better to read an origin type story knowing the end with an understanding of who these characters were. Especially since they can be fleshed out much better in the novel length format.
Having said that, it’s a fantastic story on its own; Pip’s deductive mind, the great costumes, and the roles everyone plays while still being themselves all make this short novella a thrilling story. Jackson keeps the tantalising mystery alive and delivers thrills to the reader with unexpected events and surprises and a night that doesn’t entirely go to plan.
Jackson’s use of language and Pip’s imagination lead you to into theories of your own about whether they might be there only for a fictional murder or if something more nefarious is going on. Being a #0.5 prequel you have a little knowledge that nothing major will happen, but that doesn’t mean you are safe either. It is easy to become caught up in the hints of mysterious footsteps, shadows in corners, missing party members, as well as the unknown factor about what is on other people’s character cards.
There are hints to the first book, reminding us that this is a town with a real murder, and it shows how fresh it was on Pip’s mins when her project starts not long after these events. But at the same time it remains its own fun story about a fun evening between friends and a great story on its own.
It introduces us to the characters, the town, and a new side of Pip. I love how we get to see the small spark of Pip’s deduction skills and having read the main book first see how far she can go when given a real mystery to dig her nails into.
I adored the ending. I was fascinated at Jackson’s approach to the murder mystery and old style Poirot type investigations. The various levels of commitment from each person, as well as the switch between being in character and being themselves adds another level because while it is played like a real murder, it is still a group of teenagers playing a game.
It is a great book to read if you have read A Good Girl’s Guide and it’s a great introduction if you haven’t. There’s a great sense of Pip’s character if you know how she works through the main book, and it’s a wonderful lead in to see the friends and some of the main players in the bigger story.
You can purchase Kill Joy via the following
Wordery | Angus and Robinson | Blackwell’s
Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
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