Good Girl, Bad Blood: My Take on Pippa Fitz-Amobi (Contains Spoilers)
Before I begin with a synopsis of the novel, I’d like to mention one thing: I will do my best to avoid spoilers. If I do mention a spoiler (which will occur about a couple of times), there will be an italicized, bolded, and underlined word that says “SPOILERS.” Also, just like last time, there are some issues with formatting (especially with block quotes) and spacing because my computer is super weird. So sorry!
Holly Jackson’s Good Girl, Bad Blood, the second book in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, continues the story of Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a high school senior in Fairview, Connecticut. After solving the Andie Bell and Sal Singh murder case last year with her boyfriend, Ravi Singh (Sal’s younger brother), she released a true-crime podcast titled “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.” However, that investigation almost cost Pip’s life, which prompts her to vow never to become a detective ever again. Now, as the town gathers for a memorial marking the sixth anniversary of Andie and Sal’s deaths, something happens–something terrible. Jamie Reynolds, Connor Reynolds's older brother, goes missing that night. When Pip learns that the police won’t intervene, her close friendship with Connor (a person she’s been friends with since they were kids) drives her to break her promise and search for Jamie herself, using her podcast to share leads she’s come across with the rest of the world. This time, everyone’s watching, and the saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” resonates more than ever (Jackson).
Well, why am I writing about Good Girl, Bad Blood in the first place? To put it short and sweet, I find Pippa Fitz-Amobi extremely fascinating, more than one could expect. Beyond the impressive fact that Pip solved a murder case at just 17, a large chunk of this fascination comes from the way Jackson brings Pip to life through her writing. For example, Jackson writes, “Pip hadn’t told her parents yet. She knew she’d have to, later…Pip knew it would be a battle. Her mom would remind her how dangerously obsessed she got last time–as if she needed any reminding–and tell her she should be studying instead” (59). At some point, everyone tries to avoid confrontation with their parents—at least I do. Jackson incorporates these relatable moments to make Pip feel like a real person, even though she technically isn’t. Due to these descriptions, I can easily imagine Pip in similar situations I’ve experienced when I’ve tried to deflect those necessary but annoying lectures from my parents. I related to Pip, and that connection was the first step that made me eager to know more about her.
Additionally, Jackson includes snapshots of Pip’s actual digital notes about the case throughout the entire novel, documenting any leads, her personal feelings, and possible suspects. I loved reading those pages, mainly because they made Pip feel like an actual detective. On pages 151-153, Pip jots down (SPOILERS):
THE MISSING KNIFE:
Might be irrelevant. I’m desperately hoping it is, otherwise this case has taken a sinister turn I don’t want to go down. But the timing does feel significant: that both Jamie and a knife from the Reynoldses’ house go missing in the same week…
OPEN LEADS:
More photos/videos from calamity party being sent in–go through them.
Hillary F. Weiseman. The only Hillary F. Weiseman I can find is the 84-year-old who died in Fairview in 2008…Why was Jamie writing her name down within the last week and a half? What’s the connection?
(Jackson)
Overall, Pip’s digital notes highlight her thorough investigative approach and also showcase her ability to weigh the significance of clues like the missing knife while expressing her emotional concerns. When exploring leads, such as the name Hillary F. Weiseman, she carefully questions connections rather than jumping to conclusions. This approach allows readers to follow her thought process, making her discoveries down the line feel credible and reasonable. Therefore, Jackson brings Pip to life by portraying her as a character whose behavior mirrors that of a real-life detective.
Based on the details written above, Pip seems like a smart, mature, and rational 17-year-old who puts great effort and craftsmanship into matters she cares about. But, is she always? For me, the other chunk of what makes Pip’s character so fascinating and complex is how Jackson weaves in moments of rebellion that sharply contrast with her typical behavior. As the reader, I could never truly know what Pip was going to do next.
Here’s some context before I share an excerpt from the novel. (SPOILERS FOR A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder AND Good Girl, Bad Blood) In the first book of the series, it’s revealed that Max Hastings, one of Sal’s best friends, sexually assaulted Andie’s little sister, Becca Bell. This happened at a calamity party (high school house party), and the drugs Max used to assault her were dealt by Andie (unfortunately). Once Max is charged with multiple counts of sexual assault toward the end of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood begins to reference the trials he faces.
However, when Pip discovers that he was actually declared not guilty by the jury, she does something shocking (SPOILERS). On pages 311-312, it states:
She crossed to the left side of [Max Hastings’s] house, to the window there. She readied her arm and the hammer, held it back. Then she swung with full force into the window…She tightened her grip on the hammer, glass crunching under her feet as she approached the next window. Pulled back and smashed it, the sound of the tinkling glass lost beneath the rain…And painted across the front, in the same forest-green shade as the Amobis’ new shed, were the words:
Immediately after I realized Pip had smashed Max’s windows to pieces, my jaw dropped. I suddenly put the book down and stared at my beige wall for about a minute. I couldn’t believe Pip vandalized someone’s home, even if it was entirely justified. Due to her previous demeanor, my predictions consisted of Pip approaching the situation with a legal mindset. I honestly thought she would attempt to find a new piece of evidence and reopen the case to convict Max. Thus, I never truly knew Pip or how complex she was, which only deepened my fascination with her character.
In sum, Good Girl, Bad Blood intricately explores Pippa Fitz-Amobi’s complex character, blending relatable moments with her investigative journey. Even after finishing the novel, I still think about Pip sometimes. I’m so intrigued with her persona, and I hope one day you will be too.
Works Cited:
Jackson, Holly. Good Girl, Bad Blood. Ember, 2021.
Pinterest. https://pin.it/67XNZYAhr. Accessed 10 October 2024..jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment