Similarities in Themes and Tropes
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder shares common threads with other stories. These include mysteries in small towns, protagonists with determination, and unreliable narrators with secrets. These elements create suspense and intrigue, captivating readers until the truth is revealed.
Small-Town Mysteries
The allure of a small-town mystery lies in its confined setting, where everyone knows everyone, and secrets are deeply buried beneath a veneer of normalcy. Just as in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, these settings become fertile ground for intrigue and suspicion. Each character becomes a potential suspect, and the protagonist’s investigation peels back layers of hidden truths.
The close-knit community, with its shared history and intertwined relationships, amplifies the impact of the crime. It makes the investigation personal for the protagonist. The limited number of suspects forces them to confront familiar faces and question long-held assumptions. The familiarity of the setting contrasts sharply with the darkness that festers beneath the surface, creating a sense of unease and suspense.
Protagonist’s Determination
A driving force in books similar to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the unwavering determination of the protagonist. Often, this character possesses a strong sense of justice and an insatiable curiosity. Whether driven by personal connection to the victim, a belief in someone’s innocence, or a burning desire for the truth, their resolve fuels the investigation.
They face obstacles and threats, but their determination never wavers. The protagonist’s tenacity is admirable as it pushes the boundaries of their comfort zone, challenging authority figures and risking their own safety in pursuit of answers. This unwavering commitment makes them relatable, creating a connection between readers and the story.
Unreliable Narrators and Hidden Secrets
The element of unreliable narrators and hidden secrets amplifies the suspense and intrigue in books like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. The reader must question the information presented and analyze the narrator’s motives. Characters conceal parts of themselves, creating an atmosphere of distrust.
These hidden secrets often connect to the central mystery, adding layers of complexity and driving the protagonist’s investigation. The truth is buried beneath layers of deceit and misdirection. The reader has to piece together fragments of information and clues, to discover the true nature of the characters and their connections to the crime.
Books with a Similar Investigative Focus
Many books share the investigative focus found in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. These stories often involve amateur sleuths unraveling complex mysteries. The protagonists work to uncover hidden truths.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
One of Us Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, is an excellent choice for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Four high school students become prime suspects after their classmate dies mysteriously during detention. Each student harbors secrets that could potentially link them to the crime, creating an intricate web of suspicion. The victim ran a gossip app exposing secrets of the school, giving many motive for murder. The main suspects include Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper. They must work together to prove their innocence and find the true killer. This book shares similarities with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson is a captivating young adult mystery, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It features a private school setting with an unsolved kidnapping. A teenage true-crime aficionado and new student is determined to crack the case. Stevie Bell, a true-crime enthusiast, attends Ellingham Academy, a private school in Vermont. She aims to solve the infamous “Truly Devious” case, an unsolved kidnapping and murder from decades past. As Stevie investigates, she uncovers dark secrets and hidden connections. Like Pip in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Stevie is determined to uncover the truth.
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson is a prequel novel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It shares a similar writing style and features the leading character, Pippa Fitz-Amobi. In this new adventure, Pippa gets an invitation to a murder mystery party. During the party, Pippa plays detective and tries to solve a fictional murder. Even though it’s just a game, Pippa approaches it with the same dedication and determination she displays in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Readers get to see Pippa’s investigative skills in action before the events of the first book. This showcases her passion for solving mysteries and unraveling secrets. This makes it a must-read for fans of the series.
Books Featuring Strong Female Leads
Many books feature strong female leads like Pippa. These characters demonstrate resilience, intelligence, and determination. They are key to solving mysteries and overcoming challenges, appealing to readers seeking empowerment.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
After her older sister Olga’s death, Julia feels pressure to be perfect like her sister. Looking through Olga’s room, Julia finds things that contradict her sister’s persona. Discovering Olga’s secret life, Julia thinks it’s connected to her death and starts digging into it.
Like Pippa, Julia is underestimated, but her determination is unwavering. While there are heartbreaking moments in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, the truth provides Julia clarity to move forward.
This narrative shares a similar premise to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, with a teenage girl seeking answers.
The Good Sister ⏤ Sally Hepworth
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is a perfect follow-up for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. This novel explores the theme of uncovering secrets from the past.
Fern Castle, who works in the local library, has dinner with her twin sister, Rose, three times a week, and hates crowds, bright lights and loud noises. Like Pippa in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the characters in The Good Sister are intriguing and the plot is full of suspense. This makes it a great read.
Books with Twisty Plotlines and Suspense
If you enjoy books with twists and turns that keep you guessing, explore these titles. They offer suspenseful narratives and unexpected revelations, similar to the gripping nature of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder;
Gone Girl
On Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary, she disappears, and all evidence points to her husband, Nick. He claims innocence but must uncover what happened before being arrested. Like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the crime scene in Gone Girl suggests an obvious suspect. However, a closer examination reveals a deeper story.
As Nick and Amy share their perspectives through diary entries, their conflicting accounts raise more questions. In this tale of deception, the truth becomes elusive, leaving readers questioning who to believe. This book has a similar crime scene to the book A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
All Your Twisted Secrets
Six students, selected for a scholarship, are invited to dine with the Mayor, but only some may survive. Arriving at the dinner, they find themselves locked in a room. They discover food, a poison-filled syringe, and a bomb with a note: choose someone to die or all perish.
The students—valedictorian, athlete, queen bee, music geek, loner, and stoner—frantically seek connections and escape routes. Much like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the chapters alternate between present and past, as the students try to survive. The students must figure out who wants them dead.
Books with Dark Secrets
Many books share the theme of hidden truths. These narratives delve into the clandestine aspects of characters’ lives. This builds suspense and challenges the reader to uncover the past alongside the protagonist.
The Paris Apartment
In The Paris Apartment, Jess seeks a fresh start away from a bad situation; She asks her half-brother, Ben, if she can stay with him in Paris, and he agrees. However, the night Jess arrives, Ben doesn’t answer or pick up the phone.
She sneaks into his apartment and finds him missing. When she still doesn’t hear from him the next day, Jess starts to worry because Ben would never just leave without a word. Ben’s neighbors aren’t much help and it’s quickly clear that they’re all hiding something.
It’s up to Jess to figure out what happened to her brother and which of these people had something to do with it.
Big Little Lies
When Jane and her son move to Pirriwee, she quickly makes friends with Madeline and Celeste. The three mums have children in the same class, and when another mum accuses Jane’s son of choking her daughter, Madeline and Celeste support Jane.
As the three mums become closer friends, they start to share dark secrets and realize they may have a stronger connection to each other from times before they all met. While life on the coast of Australia might appear blissful, there are so many lies that intertwine.
Big Little Lies will find a way of coming out, even if someone ends up dead, leaving readers questioning who to trust and what secrets will ultimately be revealed.
Books with Contemporary Settings
The Rosewood Hunt features contemporary themes, like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. High-stakes treasure hunts, uncovering family secrets, and testing the limits of trust and determination are key elements of the story.
The Rosewood Hunt
This book offers a thrilling mystery involving a high-stakes treasure hunt. The characters work to uncover family secrets and test the limits of trust. The determination in this novel is the driving force of the story.
The Rosewood Hunt and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder share similar features. Both stories are set in a contemporary time. The general themes of both novels are mystery and thrillers, perfect for young adults. The Rosewood Hunt is a fiction novel, like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. However, The Rosewood Hunt does not include an audiobook version.