Good Girl, Bad Blood: Get ready to play detective

The second instalment of the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is as thrilling, if not more, than the first. This book dives deeper into the Little Kilton, picking up on the nest eggs the author, Holly Jackson, had left in the first book. This book follows a similar format to the first, integrating the evidence, interviews and recordings that you'd expect from a real investigation with the narration which I love because it adds a sense of authenticity and materiality to the investigation.

Jackson does not disappoint in this book. Second books in a series have the tendency to be a bit meh. But this instalment ramps up the tension and overshadows it's predecessor. Believe me, this isn't your simple whodunit of the Scooby-doo variety. This book has you guessing until the explosive end. Jackson is a master at tension. For every mystery-lover out there, you cannot miss this series. The final installment, As Good As Dead, is coming out in September, so catch up while you can. This series is perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying or Pretty Little Liars.

To give you a quick summary:

Jamie is missing. Her best friend's brother. Pip promised herself she wouldn't go back to playing detective, but the choice has been made for her. Except this case is live and on air. The whole world is listening to Pip's movements, and with every captive audience, they can be a help, or a hindrance. Time is running out to find Jamie. Stepping back into the role of detective means shaking loose the secrets of those close to her, and unravelling the truth about herself.

I'm trying so very hard to not give any spoilers away, but what you can expect from this book is a whole load more of Pip obsessing, creepy and shocking villains, and heart-pounding, sweat-inducing suspense. Another point to add, which is very important for me, is that this series features a range of diverse characters. The diversity isn't loud or obnoxious, but comfortable. It's nice to see different names and British ethnicities being normalised. All I can say to Jackson is, keep it up.

If that hasn't convinced you to pick up a copy, I don't know what will.