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Quick answer: If you loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, try Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson, One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Five Survive by Holly Jackson and A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro.
Pippa Fitz-Amobi is a high school senior who chooses a murder case as her final project: the death of Andie Bell, a classmate whose boyfriend was blamed years ago. With the help of her friend Ravi, Pip digs through interviews, alibis and secrets, and starts to suspect the wrong person was blamed. Holly Jackson’s debut became a global hit, and its blend of true-crime-style research and twisty plotting is hard to match. The picks below share its teen detectives, small-town secrets and shock endings. Most are YA mysteries for ages 14 and up.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Readers love A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder because Pip is such a determined detective. Holly Jackson makes the case feel real by including Pip’s project logs, interview transcripts and photos, so readers can solve the mystery alongside her, and the twists land just when you think you know the answer. Pip and Ravi’s friendship grows into one of the best slow burns in YA, and the series gets darker and more personal in each book. The BBC adaptation has also brought fresh readers to the series.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Girl, Bad Blood | Holly Jackson | YA mystery | Continuing the series |
| As Good as Dead | Holly Jackson | YA mystery | Finishing the trilogy |
| Five Survive | Holly Jackson | YA thriller | Standalone suspense |
| One of Us Is Lying | Karen M. McManus | YA mystery | School secrets and suspects |
| Truly Devious | Maureen Johnson | YA mystery | Cold cases at a school |
| The Inheritance Games | Jennifer Lynn Barnes | YA mystery | Puzzles and riddles |
| A Study in Charlotte | Brittany Cavallaro | YA mystery | Sherlock Holmes descendants |
| The Naturals | Jennifer Lynn Barnes | YA thriller | Teen profilers |
| Ace of Spades | Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé | YA thriller | Dark school secrets |
| Pretty Little Liars | Sara Shepard | YA mystery | Secrets and gossip |
| The Cheerleaders | Kara Thomas | YA mystery | Small-town cold cases |
| Sadie | Courtney Summers | YA thriller | Intense, unusual formats |
| We Were Liars | E. Lockhart | YA mystery | A shocking twist |
| And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie | Classic mystery | The original locked-room mystery |
| The Westing Game | Ellen Raskin | Middle grade mystery | A younger puzzle fan |
1. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
Pip takes on a new case when a local boy goes missing. It’s twisty and more personal.
2. As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson
The final book brings Pip face to face with a threat to her own life. It’s darker and intense.
3. Five Survive by Holly Jackson
Six teens on a road trip are held hostage by a sniper. It’s tense and claustrophobic.
4. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Five students enter detention and only four leave alive. Each has a secret. It’s fast and addictive.
5. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
A true-crime-loving teen goes to a school where a famous murder took place. It’s clever and atmospheric.
6. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A girl inherits a fortune from a stranger and must solve puzzles in his mansion.
7. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
The great-great-grandchildren of Holmes and Watson team up to solve a murder.
8. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A teen with a gift for reading people joins an FBI program to solve cold cases.
9. Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Two students are targeted by an anonymous texter who knows their secrets. It’s tense and timely.
10. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Four friends receive messages from a mysterious person who knows their secrets.
11. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Five years after five cheerleaders died, a girl digs into the old case. It’s dark and suspenseful.
12. Sadie by Courtney Summers
A girl hunts for the man who killed her sister, told with a podcast. It’s heavy and powerful. Content note: abuse.
13. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
A wealthy family’s summer island hides a secret. It’s lyrical, sad and famous for its ending.
14. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers on an island are killed one by one. It’s the best-selling mystery of all time.
15. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Sixteen heirs compete to solve the mystery of a millionaire’s death. It’s a classic.
How to Pick Your Next Teen Mystery After A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
- Want to continue? Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good as Dead.
- Want a standalone thriller? Five Survive.
- Want school mysteries? One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious.
- Want puzzles? The Inheritance Games.
- Want a classic? And Then There Were None.
- Check content notes. Later books and Sadie include heavy themes.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Series Order
The series is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good as Dead, followed by the prequel novella Kill Joy and the standalone Five Survive. The books deal with violence, abuse and trauma, and later books are noticeably darker than the first, so younger readers may want to stop after the first or second book. Holly Jackson also wrote Not Quite Dead Yet and The Reappearance of Rachel Price for slightly older readers.
Related: what age A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is appropriate for and best mystery books for book clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious are the closest matches.
Is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder for 12-year-olds?
It has violence and mature themes, so it’s usually recommended for ages 14 and up.
What order are the books?
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good as Dead, plus the prequel Kill Joy.