Overview
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is a bestselling young adult mystery that’s gained lots of popularity with teen readers. The book has a podcast-style storytelling vibe as the protagonist, Pip, tries to solve the murder that happened in her small English town. Pip is smart and curious, and the plot is full of edge-of-your-seat twists and turns.
But this popular thriller has content that parents should be aware of before they allow their kids to read it. Here’s a breakdown of the first book in the series, A Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Harmful Content ❗️
This book includes mature and adult themes that may be difficult for some kids to understand or too intense for sensitive readers. As the name implies, the story centers on an unsolved murder, which already makes for a darker and more mature book. Along with that, the book includes sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, emotionally manipulative relationships, and more. However, it was intended to be a young adult book, so the writing is geared toward a younger audience and is more appropriate than your average murder mystery or true crime podcast.
Language
Language includes many profanities such as F-bombs, “b*tch,” “a**hole,” and more.
Sex
The plot includes romance and flirting between characters, but no explicitly sexual scenes. Underage sex is discussed but not described in detail. Parents should know that sexual assault is a part of the plot in more than one instance. Again, these crimes are not detailed, but they are important parts of the story.
Violence
The book includes two murders, one of which is described in more detail than the other. However, generally speaking, the violence in the book is not overly graphic. Given that it’s a young adult novel, the more intense scenes are handled tactfully, but still put the reader in suspense as any good mystery novel would.
Positive Value 💫
The main character, Pip, is a vibrant, opinionated, and curious young girl, making for a strong female role model for teens. Her character, and the story as a whole, empowers the message of truth, justice, and moral courage. Pip is told time and time again to drop the case and not cause problems. But knowing there were still unanswered questions, she kept going with her resourcefulness and smarts until the case was solved. She’s also a valuable example to young people of the importance of critical thinking and research to find the truth.
So, should my kid read it?
We suggest this book for kids around 14 and up, as long as you feel they are mature enough to handle the more mature aspects of the story.
