“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” Makes the Case for More YA Mysteries
A recent entrant in the Nancy Drew sleuthing category with a Brit-Gen Z, teenage twist; PLUS, other stuff I'm watching
It’s been a while since I binged a show. Part of this is the limitation of streamers. The week-to-week slug of waiting with bated breath for newly released episodes to drop is a constraint. And I like watching shows when they just come out, so generally there’s a wait, unless, it’s Netflix - the streamer made for the binge-rrr in all of us. That also means that Netflix has binge-worthy shows, and that’s never a given these days.
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Some spoilers for this show directly below. To skip to other shows, go here. If link isn’t working, click the header in this email and it will take you to the web version, where it will.
The Review
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder [Trailer] on Netflix, had me from the first episode. If you’re an armchair detective who fancies fictional crime stories and solving mysteries, it will grab you too.
Premise: Five years ago, popular high school party girl, Andie Bell, disappeared. Her studious and well-liked boyfriend, Sal Singh confessed to her murder, though her body was never found, and subsequently he committed suicide, allegedly because of his guilt over killing Andie. Fast forward to present day and precocious Senior (whatever the equivalent for last year is in British high school - is it A forms? I don’t know…), Pip Fitz-Amobi, decides she’s going to get to the bottom of Andie’s disappearance and prove Sal innocent as part of her EPQ - her college acceptance essay project.
Pip enlists Ravi, Sal’s younger brother, to help her in this quest. Along the way she is threatened repeatedly to back off the case by the person/people that actually made Andie disappear, with the stakes increasing. However, Andie is relentless in her pursuit of the truth and uncovers seedy secrets of the townsfolk, bringing more than Andie’s case to justice.
Things that Worked: Heroine, Pip Fitz-Amobi is easy to root for. As a recovering “good girl” myself, I especially enjoyed watching her moments of resisting some of the peer pressure elements while also leaning into less comfortable social situations for the sake of her pursuit of justice. Her Holmes-Watson relationship with Ravi, Sal’s brother, is adorable. Plus, her posse (Cara, Zach, Lauren, Connor) are also likable and believable, and their kinship is touching.
Good for watchers of: Brit Teen Dramas (Heartstoppers, Everywhere Now)
Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Relationship Infidelities, Dog death (this was hard)
Things I’ve Heard from the Peanut Gallery: “Did the director even read the book?” This series is an adaptation of the first book in Holly Jackson’s “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series and some critics have openly expressed, that it veers away from the integrity of the book and makes some odd choices in its change-ups. I waited to watch this series for my daughter to finish the book, and she noted that some of the changes weren’t working for her, but overall she enjoyed it.
Beth’s Guide to Murder
If you’re a literal person, like me, you may take the title to mean there’s an actual linear instruction manual or structure for how Pip is going about her investigation. Apart from the murder board, there’s no specific guide, so I’ve created one to guide you through watching such as a series, since as I have admitted to, I’m a recovering “good girl,” but secretly, still one.
Never trust an adult, especially someone else’s parent.
If you go to a teenage party, don’t say yes when someone you don’t know offers to get you a drink. Actually don’t say yes to any drink, even if your Aunt Martha offers it and it’s tea. And you’re both at her house and your parents are in the next room. Just get up and get out. Or say, “NO.”
Take your cell phone everywhere. You need to be trackable. Make sure it’s charged. Also, if you’re going into the woods, take a reliable human with you. Preferably, a guy you just met, who is the brother of the alleged perpetrator. Remember: He’s still less likely a person of interest than your friends or their parents.
Keep your dog with you at all times.
Kiss the guy who has believed in your cause and supported you in all the right ways. It’ll be worth it.
Other Shows I’m Watching
The Old Man (Season 2) on Hulu, a spy thriller is slugging along. The past few episodes have been more engaging and fast-paced than the first few. I think it’s because the show is getting back to its core strength - spies doing spy things like espionage (cloak and dagger stuff) and surveillance. Going after the “bad guys.” There has been less focus on emotional back stories catching up in the present. To this last comment, Alia Shawkat was superb in Search Party. I think her arc here is not working.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, catch up on Season 1 with [my post from 2022].
Only Murders in the Building (Season 4) on Hulu should teach a master class in the art of making a 10-episode season that doesn’t bloat in the middle. (Yes, I’m talking to you Bad Monkey.) Each episode is witty, inventive, and well done. This past week’s episode once again recycled the Perfect Strangers theme song and I’m so happy for it.
Grotesquerie on Hulu. It’s classic Ryan Murphy American Horror Story type fare - psychological horror and suspense, some gore, and mostly dare I say it, good storytelling about a flawed detective trying to keep her sh*t together. Oh and Travis Kelce is in it and he’s actually doing a convincing job as an actor And my Moonlight Murders lead, Leslie Manville is chilling in this. The nun, pictured below is incredible.
Disclaimer on Apple TV+ is famed film director’s Alfonso Cuarón's latest mind-bender, and boy, does it twist your noodle. Set in London and Italy, this series jumps through time like a caffeinated kangaroo, all centered around a young man's death from way back when. Maybe it was an accident, maybe not – that's part of the fun.
Cate Blanchett, once again, plays a woman who's killing it in her career (see: Tar) but has a juicy skeleton rattling in her closet. Remember, Notes on a Scandal? (Seriously, is this her brand now?) She's also narrating, because why not? Sacha Baron Cohen tags along as her hubby, probably wondering how he ended up in something this serious, but he gives American Crime Story villain vibes here.
Then there's Kevin Kline, looking like he's been through the wringer as a grieving dad and husband. His late wife, played by Lesley Manville (who's clearly having a banner year, or her best Brat girls Fall), wrote a revenge novel about their son's death. He’s trying to pick the pieces, best he can.
I'm on the fence about this show, but one thing's for sure – they should've called it "Disheveled" because Kline looks like he's been living in a wind tunnel. Seriously, someone get that man a comb and a nap.
Shows I Just Finished
Slow Horses on Apple TV+, the addictive spy thriller, ran its 6-episode season. It wasn’t its finest seans, but River survived and nothing bad happened to Standish. That’s all I care about. Low bar, yes, but this show has still got it.
Industry (Season 3) on Max, the Succession-energy show about a London financial services firm, is over for the season. Its finale was so good that it makes me wonder how it’ll keep going for another season with the same momentum, especially given all the loose ends have been tied. That said, the finale resisted the “happy ending” curse that many shows find themselves victim to. It gave us a realistic denouement and didn’t insult our intelligence. Rob emerged the victor - the true soul of the show.
Nobody Wants This. on Netflix, the controversial, highly debated Jewish rom-com featuring an interfaith love story between “shiksa” and “hot rabbi”. Along with my Pop Culturistas, we dissected every element of this fun, yet highly problematic show. Catch our series. 🔗 [Start here]
Pachinko (2 seasons on Apple TV+) [Trailer] follows a Korean woman's migration to Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The production is impressive, featuring trilingual dialogue in Korean, Japanese, and English, and spans 40 years and four generations of family history, highlighting the ongoing prejudice faced by Koreans in Japan. Probably the best series I’ve watched in a while. The second season was even stronger than the first, which I thought wouldn’t be possible.
If you liked Magpie Murders and are currently watching its sequel, Moonflower Murders, queue up Ridley on Masterpiece next.
Per Metacritic:
Ridley is not a show out to break new ground: this is television made unashamedly for the Vera fanbase, but done so with care and quality. The relatively downscale lead-in to the more ambitious "Endeavour," stars the unlikely Adrian Dunbar as the title character, who is more suggestive of the P.D.
This is fairly accurate as far as assessments go. I’ll elaborate on it by saying, “You know those nights you just want to get into your PJs early and tuck into a good mystery, care of your tablet? Comfort food for the soul, so to speak. This is that.”
BONUS BETH Film Stuff
This Sunday, we’re talking Punch Drunk Love in the Romance Film Club. The film is available on Kanopy, a free lending service with your library subscription. [Join Chat]
Synopsis: A very dark comedy about a socially awkward man (Adam Sandler) who is verbally abused by his sisters and easily taken advantage of, seeks romance. Emily Watson co-stars.
Please make sure to upgrade your membership, as the chat will only be available to paid subscribers.
Besides, upgrading allows me to spend more of my day creating these posts and consuming even more content.
A Song I’m Listening To
I’ve likely shared this one before. It’s the perfect mood music for this post. Lord Huron doesn’t disappoint.
Let’s Discuss
Tell me what you’re watching. Any of these shows?
Have you watched A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
Has Disclaimer gotcha yet?
Anyone else like Lord Huron? Any other good song recommendations by them?
A Girlfriend’a Guide… sounds intriguing. Thx for the reviews and wrap up.
Thanks for the warning about the dog death, I try to avoid that sort of thing and think poorly of shows/movies that include it. It’s just not something I enjoy watching.
I watched the first season of The Old Man and loved the first few episodes. To me the plot somewhat dragged toward the end and became a bit scattered. I’m still on the fence about season 2 but you writing that the show is improving has made me reconsider going back.
As for shows I am watching I’d say the one I am most invested in at the moment is Black Sails. I’m in the last season now and really enjoying it.