Book Review

Good Girl, Bad Blood By Holly Jackson

Book Cover Design for ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’

Author: Holly Jackson
Released Date: April 30th 2020
Publisher: Electric Monkey
Pages: 432
Genre: Young Adult Crime Fiction
Format: Paperback Book

Synopsis

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?

If you haven’t ready my review on ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ Click here!

I bought Good Girl, Bad Blood (GGBB) a couple of weeks ago and didn’t pick it up until yesterday. I desperately wanted to read it, the thought of finishing it too quickly was stopping me from picking it up. But that is exactly what I did. I took just over a day because I was too enticed to put it down. If you haven’t read my review on Holly Jackson’s first book in the series ‘A Good Girls Guide To Murder’ (AGGGTM), go ahead and read that first!

Why I Love This Book!

“I can’t tell you what decision to make”

At the beginning of the book, we get a very simple recap from Pip of the events that transpired in the last book. It seems like more of a conclusion to the first book than a starting point for the second. AGGGTM is instantly fresh in your mind again and as your reading, you’re not subconsciously trying to remember what has happened, keeping you fully absorbed to the story at hand.

Time to grab the tissues because you are going to cry. Well, at least I did. Towards the beginning of the book unveils a very emotional memorial of Sal Singh and Andie Bell. The overlap of crimes is perfectly shown here. The ending of one is the start of another. Letting the reader know that trouble always finds Pip and this book isn’t any different.

One thing I especially love in this book is the Podcast. The idea of Pip turning her school project into a crime podcast, for everyone to hear the twisted tale of Andie Bell, is an exciting and simple way to make us feel and react as we would to any real crime case. It’s very refreshing to read the interview-style text, alongside crime scene photographs throughout the book. It moves away from the fact that a 17-year-old girl is solving the case, and therefore a bond is created with the reader for us to read on allowing her to solve the case, that she desperately desires to do.

The Crime

”I said I would never do this again, never play the detective, never again lose myself to the world of small-town secrets. It wasn’t me, not any more. I would have stuck to it too; I know I would’ve. But something’s happened and now I have to break that promise. Someone has gone missing. Someone I know.”

It’s with no surprise that in this book there are more complications in Pip’s life, preventing her from finding her best friend’s brother. Jamie Reynolds. As remarkable as Pip is at investigation, the want and need in her voice/actions to stay away from the obsession that consumes her in AGGGTM.

Of course, she couldn’t stay away. None of her school work or numerous sponsorships being offered to her is academically challenging enough to keep her satisfied. There were a few parts in the story that I foresaw, but I was instantly left in bewilderment as Jackson proved me wrong on my many theories. The way she highlights certain characters and evidence to make us question which ones are relevant to the story are done exceptionally well.

As well as the missing case of Jamie Reynolds, we also get to see the trial of Max Hastings play out. Letting us know the events from the prequel are far from over.

The Characters

“Words spliced, growing across the gaps like vines as her eyes unfocused until her handwriting was just one writhing blur. Pip was looking at the page, but she wasn’t really there. It was like that now; giant holes in her attention that she slipped right into.

Pip is a very strong-willed female character. She is the definition of a great female protagonist. And as much as everyone loves her in the first book, we see her character change due to the fame of her detective work. We start to see her faults, and how she begins to embrace these imperfections.

I would have liked to see more of Ravi. I feel he only begins to open up towards the end of AGGGTM, and now he has been pushed back as a side character. Stopping us from finding out more about him and his relationship with Pip. However, what we do see of Ravi I absolutely adore. He is the main source to deliver the information of the Max Hastings trial, to the podcast and therefore to the reader. Hopefully, we will see a lot more of Ravi in the rest of the series and see how his relationship with Pip evolves.

Connor Reynolds, one of Pip’s best friends, is featured a lot more in GGBB. To some extent, he becomes Pip’s sidekick by helping to solve the case. But quickly loses himself in the emotions of his brother being missing. Connor and his Mum, Johanna, play a big role when it comes to finding Jamie. They both manage to find the will-power to carry on looking for their missing family member, despite all the obstacles in their way.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of the first one. You can clearly see the thought and planning that Jackson goes through when it comes to writing both books in the series. I have to applaud her for throwing the reader off with many suspicious characters and events that happen from start to finish. It’s not an ending you see coming, making it a fantastic read for anyone who loves a bit of mystery to their books.

Rating 5/5

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Buy the book here!

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Author

clarkellie08@gmail.com
Manchester blogger with a passion for reading, writing and travelling. I always have a book or a cup of tea in my hand.

Comments

26 May 2020 at 6:13 pm

This sounds like a cleverly planned out book! Thanks for the review!



27 May 2020 at 7:29 am

I have always loved reading but never found the time, I have really enjoyed getting back in to it over lockdown. I have read some new genre’s that I wouldn’t have considered before.

I am normally a romance kinda girl but this sounds really good, and as I have just finished a book, I might check this out.



    Elliemai08
    27 May 2020 at 7:39 am

    That’s great that you’ve managed to get back into reading! 🙂 it’s an easy read and was the perfect book to get me out of a reading slump. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did!



27 May 2020 at 11:22 am

I didn’t expect this to be a cry-worthy book but now I want to read it, haha! Lovely review, I’m glad this got you out of the slump 🙂

Anika | chaptersofmay.com



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