Cover of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

by Holly Jackson


Genre
Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Crime
Year
2021
Pages
401
Contents

Fifteen

Overview

Pip unexpectedly encounters Becca Bell and pushes her investigation into more sensitive territory by asking about Andie’s money and her relationship with Jason Bell. Becca confirms Andie did not receive a regular allowance, making Andie’s hidden cash more suspicious, but shuts down when Pip mentions possible tension with Jason.

The exchange highlights the emotional cost of Pip’s project for Andie’s surviving family and shows Pip crossing boundaries despite knowing the harm it may cause. Becca’s refusal leaves Pip with a partial clue and a stronger sense that the Bell family’s past still contains painful secrets.

Summary

Pip takes her younger brother Josh and the family dog Barney to a cafe to buy sandwiches while her family assembles garden furniture at home. After buying lunch from Jackie, Pip notices Becca Bell sitting alone with a coffee, looking increasingly like her dead sister Andie.

Although Pip knows approaching Becca is intrusive and risks upsetting Andie’s family, Pip’s curiosity overpowers her caution. Pip sends Josh outside with Barney and her phone, then introduces herself to Becca as a Kilton Grammar student working on a project about Andie.

Becca already knows about Pip’s project because she is seeing, or almost seeing, Stanley Forbes, and she has recently started an internship at the Kilton Mail. Pip explains that she wants to be an investigative journalist and asks whether Becca would answer questions about Andie.

Pip asks whether Andie and Becca received an allowance as teenagers. Becca says they did not really get regular money; their parents simply bought them things when needed. This answer deepens the mystery around Andie’s hidden cash. When Pip asks whether there was tension between Andie and Jason Bell, Becca becomes visibly upset.

Becca stops the conversation and says she does not think revisiting Andie’s past is healthy for herself or her mother. She asks Pip to leave the family out of the project because they have finally found a new normal. Pip apologizes, and Becca leaves, while Josh bluntly observes that Becca did not seem to like Pip.

Who Appears

  • Pip
    Approaches Becca despite misgivings and gains a clue about Andie’s lack of allowance.
  • Becca Bell
    Andie’s sister; confirms no regular allowance, then rejects questions to protect her family’s peace.
  • Josh
    Pip’s younger brother; waits outside with Barney and notices Becca’s dislike of Pip.
  • Barney
    Family dog accompanying Pip and Josh on the cafe errand.
  • Jackie
    Cafe worker who sells Pip sandwiches and asks her to pass a message to her mother.
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