A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3
As Good As Dead
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Twenty-Two
Overview
Pip and Ravi read Andie’s unsent email and realize DT didn’t kill Andie; her desperate attempts to escape him triggered the chain that led to her death. They focus on Daniel da Silva as DT, aligning Green Scene ties and Becca’s memories. Pip interviews retired DCI Nolan, who mentions a newly trained Amersham officer obsessing over the case, bolstering Daniel as a prime suspect.
Summary
Ravi and Pip process Andie Bell’s unsent email, grieving as it reframes everything: DT terrorized Andie, but her efforts to flee set off events that led to her death. Pip recalls Elliot Ward’s remark that Andie needed to escape Little Kilton, recognizing missed signs.
They analyze clues in Andie’s draft: DT was known to the Bell family and connected to Green Scene, sometimes dining with them, and was “practically one of” the police. Pip remembers Becca saying Daniel da Silva was close to Jason Bell, worked at Green Scene, often visited, and later became a police officer. Daniel emerges as their leading DT suspect.
Pip plans to wait for another DT call so CallTrapper can reveal a number, then take evidence to DI Hawkins or go public. She links the entire cascade—from Howie and Max, to Elliot and Becca, to Charlie, Jamie, and Stanley—back to DT as the originating force.
In a recorded interview, retired DCI David Nolan defends Billy Karras’s confession and cites Green Scene ties: matching blue rope and duct tape, plus dump sites connected to the company. He dismisses pre-abduction contact like dead birds and prank calls as unrelated, and claims trophies were likely discarded when pressure rose.
Crucially, Nolan reveals they flagged a newly trained Thames Valley officer, based in Amersham, who asked too many questions about DT before Billy’s arrest—an “insertion” red flag. Pip presses whether this officer was Daniel da Silva, reinforcing her growing conviction that Daniel is DT.
Who Appears
- Pip Fitz-AmobiProcesses Andie’s email, connects clues to suspect Daniel da Silva, plans to trap DT’s number, interviews retired DCI Nolan.
- Ravi SinghReactively grieves Andie’s revelations, collaborates with Pip to parse details and focus suspicion on Daniel da Silva.
- DCI David Nolan (retired)Defends Billy Karras’s confession; details Green Scene evidence; mentions a prying Amersham rookie officer, bolstering Pip’s theory.
- Andie BellPosthumous voice via unsent email; reveals knowledge of DT and fear, reshaping the origin of subsequent tragedies.
- Daniel da SilvaFormer Green Scene employee turned police officer; frequently visited the Bells; emerges as prime DT suspect.
- Elliot WardReferenced; his past remark about Andie’s need to escape helps Pip reinterpret signs.