A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder deviates from the usual high school narrative that viewers have grown accustomed to. Stress about college, prom, or even relationships does not take center stage in the six-part series. Instead, the show, which first premiered on the BBC before making its way to Netflix, centers on murder, mystery, and the traumatic effect that the death of someone can have on a community. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder‘s star, Pippa Fitz-Amobi, played by talented Wednesday star Emma Myers, is not concerned with any of the problems one would expect a high school teenager to have. Instead, Pip’s only goal is to unravel the mystery surrounding a murder that shook her community of Little Kilton.
The series is an adaptation of the first novel in an award-winning trilogy authored by Holly Jackson. The plot of the TV series more or less follows in the footsteps of the source text, centering on the murder of Andie Bell, with the alleged murderer being her boyfriend, Salil Singh. However, like any adaptation, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder also exercises its own creative freedom, setting it apart from the novel and giving it its own identity. If the reception of the series is anything to go by, the changes have been well received by viewers, with the show claiming the coveted number one spot on Netflix’s Global Top 10 list and boasting a score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. Yet, it is undeniable that the changes made to the source text have had an impact on A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, with some changes affecting the story more than others.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
- Genre
- Mystery
- Number of Seasons
- 1
- Debut Date
- August 1, 2024
- Directors
- Tom Vaughan , Dolly Wells
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Changes Andie Bell’s Character
One of the biggest changes A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder makes from the source text has to do with the character of Andie Bell. The plot of the story revolves around Andie’s murder, and her boyfriend at the time, Salil, is named her murderer, resulting in the Singh family name being dragged through the mud. In the series, Andie is portrayed as the sweetheart of Little Kilton. Andie is loyal to her friends, has a great circle, and, despite the shocking revelation at the end of the series, has a good relationship with her sister, Becca. The series does attach some flaws to Andie’s character, such as her dating Elliot and selling drugs. However, the show also somewhat justifies Andie’s shortcomings; she stops dating Elliot when she finds Sal and only sells drugs to escape her abusive father.
However, book-Andie stands in stark contrast to the character’s portrayal in the series. In the novel, Andie is more self-centered and does not treat her friends well. She is jealous, deceitful, and a bully, opting to do whatever she can to ensure she constantly remains the center of attention. For instance, unlike what is depicted in the series, Nat is never a friend of Andie’s. Instead, the pair have a bitter relationship, with Andie having released Nat’s nude pictures in high school, earning her the nickname ‘Nude-Gate Nat.’
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Even though book-Andie was not the best of people, Andie’s death still rattles her community. Her actions towards others are not viewed as justification for her death. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder‘s decision to change Andie’s character, casting her as someone kind and loving, makes the character’s death even more impactful. The death of the town’s sweetheart, as Andie appears to be in the series, leaves Little Kilton grieving even five years after her passing. The more sympathetic portrayal of the character also makes the revelation of her relationship with Elliot and the fact that she sold drugs all the more shocking. While book-Andie’s traits may have made her relationship with a teacher and drug dealing more expected, the golden girl depiction in the series makes these acts baffling, driving the message that not everyone is who they appear to be.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Tones Down Pip’s Sleuthing Skills
Although Pip embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery surrounding Andie’s murder in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, even making it her EPQ, a reader of the source text will soon find that the series has seemingly downplayed Pip’s detective skills. Book-Pip’s investigation is more intense and thorough, with Pip intently chasing down every lead she can get her hands on. She interviews multiple people, gathering as much information as she can. Everything Pip uncovers regarding Andie’s murder is a result of her hard work and unwavering determination to find answers to lingering questions that have haunted her community since Andie’s death.
In the series, the credit for the answers Pip finds are not solely hers. She is helped by multiple people along the way and, at times, appears to stumble onto answers by chance. For example, early on in the series, Naomi hints to Pip that Sal had an alibi for the time of Andie’s death, and it is Jesse who tells Pip about Becca’s assault. Although Pip ultimately solves Andie’s murder and establishes Sal’s innocence in the process, the series’ decision to downplay Pip’s sleuthing skills takes away from the character. However, considering the time and length constraints that come with adapting a novel into a series or film, it is perhaps justified that the series has opted to steer away from delving deep into the details of Pip’s investigation.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Changes Location and Time
A fact that will jump out at readers, especially those based in the US, is the fact that A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has appeared to change the setting of the story. This is because Holly Jackson’s novel had two versions, one set and published in the US and another set and published in the UK. Given this, US readers may have been expecting Pip’s murder investigation to take place in the town of Fairview, Connecticut, and been somewhat mystified when the series opened in a charming, quaint English town. However, given that the rights for the series were first bought by the BBC, it is reasonable that the show was set in the UK.
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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder also changes the timeline of the story, although it does not have a significant impact on the overall narrative. The novel is set seven years earlier than the series, with Andie having died in 2014 and the story beginning in 2017. However, the series picks up in 2024, with Andie dying five years prior, in 2019. The jump in the timeline has resulted in several minute changes in aspects that are time-sensitive. For instance, Pip’s primary social media go-to in investigating Andie’s death in the series is Facebook. In contrast, Pip’s preferred social media channel is Instagram in the series.
Like any adaptation, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has made several changes while bringing Holly Jackson’s work to screens. However, all changes most likely had the author’s seal of approval, given that Jackson was an executive producer on the show. The show’s deviation from the source text has allowed the series to stand in its own right and offered reader-turned-viewers something new and different from the novel. While some changes have affected A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder‘s storyline more than others, the success of the series makes it evident that viewers are more than happy with what they have been offered. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is now available on Netflix.
