On Aug. 1, a number of new series’ made their debut on Netflix, including the 2019 bestselling book adaptation of “A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder,” written by Holly Jackson. It is one of many shows that center around a teenage girl and a mystery or tragedy that occurs in her town. Other similar premises are found in shows such as the hit series “Pretty Little Liars” and the many variations of the show.
The book follows 17-year-old Pippa (Pip) Fitz Amobi. The premise of the story starts five years prior, following the death of local teenage girl Andie Bell, and her boyfriend/main suspect, Sal Singh. For her senior year, Pip has to pick a topic to do a project over, and she chooses to solve the Andie Bell case. Pip’s initial decision is based on the fact that she thinks Sal is not guilty. She later finds an unlikely ally in Sal’s younger brother, Ravi Singh, and the two embark on the journey to clear Sal’s name and uncover Andie’s true killer.
The show is set around the same premise, with Emma Myers (Wednesday) portraying the teenage detective, and Zain Iqbal as Ravi, the Watson to Pip’s Sherlock. Although the casting was fine, there were some changes to the show compared to the book, slightly changing the course of the show.
One of the most significant changes to the live adaptation is the setting of the novel, originally placed in the United States. In the show, however, the story takes place in a small town named Little Kilton, located in Buckinghamshire, an area of the UK. This change came from the fact that the creator, Holly Jackson is originally from the UK. This changes some major plot points of the story, such as the setting of the climax and character relationships.
The producers and actors did stay true to the story. The chemistry between Myers and Iqbal is undeniable, and the building of their relationship honors what goes on in the book. All actors involved in the creation of the show managed to fit and adapt the characters to the different situations that weren’t in the book, managing to keep to the original vision without straying too far from what would’ve happened.
The show began filming in late June of 2023, finishing up three months later in late September. Now that it’s out on Netflix, there have been many talks and debates on whether there will be a second season of the series. A potential second season would be inspired by the second book written by Holly Jackson, “Good Girl, Bad Blood,” and even the third and final book of the series, “As Good as Dead.” There is nothing confirmed as of now, but based on the success and support the show has gained, there may be an announcement within the next year or so.
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ is now available on Netflix.
