A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2
Good Girl, Bad Blood
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Twenty-One
Overview
Online speculation weighs on Connor as friends falter in support. Tom Nowak privately tells Pip he saw Jamie around 10:50 p.m. entering a blue-door house on Cross Lane, matching Natalie da Silva’s home. This contradicts Natalie’s claim Jamie never arrived, creating a critical break in the timeline and a new suspect inconsistency.
Summary
In the school cafeteria, Pip notices Connor withdrawn and not eating, weighed down by cruel online speculation about Jamie’s fate. Cara quietly supports Connor, while Ant and Lauren remain dismissive and preoccupied, frustrating Pip.
Tom Nowak approaches and asks to speak with Pip privately, drawing Ant’s hostility. Outside, Tom explains he saw Jamie after the calamity party, around 10:50 p.m., on Cross Lane.
Pressed for details, Tom describes Jamie’s clothes and direction, then says he watched Jamie enter a house halfway up the lane. After initial uncertainty, Tom recalls the blue front door and other features that match Natalie da Silva’s home.
This account conflicts with Natalie’s statement that Jamie never showed up. Recognizing the significance—a direct contradiction in the timeline—Pip asks Tom to repeat his account in a recorded interview, setting up a new investigative lead focused on Natalie.
Who Appears
- Pip Fitz-AmobiObserves Connor’s distress, confronts Ant’s hostility, and records a crucial new lead from Tom about Jamie’s movements.
- Tom NowakProvides key information, claiming he saw Jamie enter a blue-door house on Cross Lane around 10:50 p.m.
- Connor ReynoldsJamie’s brother; struggles with online speculation and grief during lunch.
- Cara WardSupports Connor with quiet kindness, signaling concern and fatigue.
- AntDismissive and hostile toward Tom; inattentive to Connor’s situation.
- Lauren GibsonGossips with Ant and mocks Tom’s approach; offers no support to Connor.