A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Karen McManus’s One of Us Is Lying and Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious are YA mysteries that take place in high school environments and feature themes and narrative devices similar to those in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Have you read either of these titles? How are they similar to and different from Holly Jackson’s novel?

2. What did you think of Pip as a main character? What are her strengths and weaknesses as a person? How much empathy did you feel for her as you were reading? How did your feelings change over the course of the novel?

3. Were you surprised by the novel’s ending? When you think back over the story, do you think Jackson planted all of the clues you needed to solve the mystery, or was there really no way to see the ending coming?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. What ethical questions surround Pip’s choice of a topic for her capstone project? Do you agree with her reasoning for her choice? Do you think the adults in her life react to her project in appropriate ways?