A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2
Good Girl, Bad Blood
by Holly Jackson
Contents
SUNDAY 16 DAYS LATER: Forty-Two
Overview
Sixteen days after the fire, Pip arranges and attends Stanley Forbes’s burial, having chosen his coffin, grave, and epitaph. Police decline to attend, and a protest group interrupts the service, branding Stanley a killer. Overwhelmed, Pip confronts them in anger before her father restrains her, exposing her grief and the town’s division.
Summary
Sixteen days after the events at Sycamore Farm, Pip attends a small funeral for Stanley Forbes, dressed in black and clinging to Ravi’s hand. With no family to claim him and friends gone after the revelations, Pip arranged everything: a pine coffin, burial instead of cremation, and a headstone bearing the name Stanley Forbes and the epitaph “You Were Better.” Jamie Reynolds weeps, and a handful of close friends and Pip’s family stand by.
Detective Hawkins has emailed that police attendance would be “too political,” leaving the group to mourn alone. As Father Renton leads the service, Pip prepares to speak, intending to honor Stanley’s final moments and his attempt to protect her as the house burned.
Before Pip can finish, shouts of “Murderer!” approach. A group of about fifteen protesters—familiar townspeople among them—arrive with signs condemning Stanley and praising Charlie Green. The intrusion rattles Pip; her father moves to intercept while Cara and Jamie encourage her to continue.
The taunts escalate—“Burn in hell,” “Scum”—until Pip breaks, sprinting at the protesters. She knocks down signs, screams that Stanley is dead and was their friend, and snaps a placard in fury. The crowd retreats as Pip’s father restrains her from behind, pulling her away.
Breathing hard and shaking, Pip looks skyward through tears, her grief and rage laid bare. The service and confrontation underline the town’s hostility toward Stanley’s memory, the absence of institutional support, and the isolating burden Pip carries after the case.
Who Appears
- Pippa "Pip" Fitz-AmobiArranges Stanley’s funeral, attempts a eulogy, then confronts protesting mourners in anger before her father restrains her.
- Ravi SinghSupports Pip at the graveside, holding her hand and urging her to continue speaking.
- Victor Fitz-Amobi (Pip’s dad)Tries to parley with protesters, then restrains Pip when she charges at them.
- Leanne Fitz-Amobi (Pip’s mum)Attends the funeral, calls after Pip as tensions erupt.
- Jamie ReynoldsWeeps openly at the funeral, supports Pip with a nod as she speaks.
- Cara WardStands with Pip and offers an encouraging smile during the service.
- Naomi WardAttends in support of Pip and the small group of mourners.
- Connor ReynoldsAttends the burial, present beside Jamie in ill-fitting black suits.
- Father RentonPriest officiating the service and inviting Pip to speak.
- Detective HawkinsEmails that police attendance would be ‘too political,’ leaving the funeral unsupported.
- LeslieLocal shopkeeper among protesters; pushed by Pip as confrontation escalates.
- Mary ScytheKilton Mail reporter protesting; Pip seizes and snaps her sign.
- Mr LoweAnt’s father in the protest group, recoils as Pip advances.
- Stanley ForbesDeceased; the burial honors his chosen name and Pip’s belief he tried to be better.