Literature & Fiction
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Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Novella
You're invited to the murder mystery party of the year! Fans of the hit series A Good Girl's Guide to Murder will love Pip's final detective case in this mystery novella from #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Jackson.
Six suspects. Three hours. One murder…
Pip is not in the mood for her friend's murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920's fancy dress and pretending that their town is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.
But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn't the only case on her mind …
Six suspects. Three hours. One murder…
Pip is not in the mood for her friend's murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920's fancy dress and pretending that their town is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.
But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn't the only case on her mind …
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Holly Jackson's A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER series:
"The perfect nail-biting mystery." -Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Holly Jackson plays off of our collective true crime obsession brilliantly." -PopSugar
"Gripping."-E! News Online
"If you love true crime, murder mysteries, and unstoppable young women, this is the perfect easy-read thriller." -Business Insider
"A knockout series." -The Nerd Daily
"An instant shocker that will leave you on the edge of your seat." -Los Angeles Times High School Insider
"The perfect nail-biting mystery." -Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Holly Jackson plays off of our collective true crime obsession brilliantly." -PopSugar
"Gripping."-E! News Online
"If you love true crime, murder mysteries, and unstoppable young women, this is the perfect easy-read thriller." -Business Insider
"A knockout series." -The Nerd Daily
"An instant shocker that will leave you on the edge of your seat." -Los Angeles Times High School Insider
Readers Top Reviews
MaddieRae YocumMonik
Kill Joy follows Pip who attends her friends 1920's murder mystery party. Pip finds herself drawn to the make believe case and is determined to solve it. I loved the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series. I would highly suggest those if you have not read them. So I was super excited to read this novella. I will say you do not have to read that series to read this one. Because it is a side story to the books. However, I am not sure if this book takes place before, during, or after the events in the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series. But that did not take away from the story. If you are looking for a good murder mystery story to read I would suggest this one. If you have read the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series you will love this one. It was also a really easy and fast read. Thank you Holly Jackson, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC of this.
Charli Gamble
I’m back with my third review of a Holly Jackson book. This time it’s for Kill Joy, the prequel novella to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a big fan of Holly Jackson’s books. So suffice it to say, yes, I liked this one a lot. So let’s get into the review. Kill Joy – Characters There are several characters in Kill Joy – seven characters that we’ll be dealing with for the majority of the story. Pip Pip is our main character. She’s one of those super serious, super studious girls that if you ask her what her idea of fun is, she’ll tell you doing her homework or planning out a project. She’s that annoying girl who has to be right all the time, but yet you still manage to like her. I like Pip – she’s obnoxious, but she’s also a cool character. Connor Connor is kind of hard to get a read on. The problem is that he’s in character for most of the book, so you don’t get too much of an idea of what he’s normally like. But for what I was able to see of him in this novella, he’s an OK kid. Jamie Jamie is Connor’s older brother. Again, he spends the majority of the novella in character for the murder mystery party, so you don’t get too much of a read on him either. But he wasn’t an unlikable character by any means. Lauren Lauren was kind of annoying. We got to see more of her out of character than we did Connor or Jamie. She’s the kind of girl who has to be glued to her phone and in contact with her boyfriend constantly. She kind of grated on my nerves because I don’t have patience for that kind of girl. Cara Pip’s best friend. You get some glimpses of her out of character. From what I can tell, she puts up with Pip because she simply knows how Pip is. Then again, that’s kind of the feeling you get from all of Pip’s friends. Cara can be a smart-ass, which is nice to see and balances Pip out. Zach Zach is another character who spends most of the novella in character. You get a few shots of him out of character and you realize he’s just that good friend/neighbor that everyone is just used to having around. He’s part of the friend group because why wouldn’t he be? He’s a pretty cool guy. Ant Ant is the character that annoyed me the most. He couldn’t keep his mouth shut – he makes a couple of annoying outbursts that just grated on my nerves. He’s the friend in the group that makes you wonder why they’re willing to hang out with him as obnoxious as he is. Not a big fan of him. Kill Joy – Atmosphere For a mystery/thriller type book, Kill Joy didn’t really have too much of the spooky, creepy vibe to it. For the most part you’re just in the dining room of someone’s house with the exception of when they get up to look for something or investigate something. Some people might not think it’s a great atmosphere, but for this novella...
Cris DCharli GambleM
This is the prequel to Holly Jackson famous series. You can read the rest of the series without reading this and you will be fine, but this is introduces you to the gang.
JackieCris DCharli G
It could have been anyone of them... Pippa is on her way to her friend's birthday party and it's safe to say she is less than thrilled about it. She loves her friends, but she has no interest in participating in a 1920's themed murder mystery. She'd much rather be home figuring out what she should do for her Senior project next school year. Much to her surprise, she is engulfed in this game of intrigue and deception, vying to be the one who solves this case. Will Pippa crack the code before anyone else? I absolutely loved the "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" series and recommend it to anyone who loves YA thrillers. I was ecstatic to find out this prequel existed during my post-series depression, thinking I'd never have more of the wonderful Pippa Fitz-Amobi. This was such a fun read. I loved learning more about Pip and her friends, while also getting more insight of where it all began. I'm glad I read it after completing the series, it doesn't contain spoilers for what's ahead, however I feel like I may have looked at some things differently if I had read this first. I can't recommend this series enough and look forward to see what Holly Jackson gifts us with in the future!
Mitchell MJackieCris
I bought this as a present for my wife. She really enjoys this author and series. She says that this was a quick read and a fitting prequel.
Short Excerpt Teaser
One
A smear of red across her thumb pressed into the hollows and spirals of her skin. Pip studied it like a maze. It could be blood, if she squinted. It wasn't, but she could trick her eyes if she wanted to. It was Ruby Woo, the red lipstick her mom had insisted she wear to "complete the 1920s look." Pip kept forgetting about it and accidentally touching her mouth: another smudge there on her little finger. Bloodstains everywhere, standing out against her pale skin.
They pulled up outside the Reynoldses' house. Pip had always thought the house looked like a face, the windows staring down at her.
"We're here, pickle," her dad said needlessly from the front of the car. He turned to her, a wide smile on his face, creasing his black skin and the gray-flecked beard he was "trying out for summer," much to her mom's dismay. "Have fun. I'm sure it'll be a night to die for."
Pip groaned. How long had he been planning to say that? Zach, beside her, gave a polite laugh. Zach was her neighbor; the Chens lived four doors down from the Amobis, so Pip and Zach were always in and out of each other's cars, getting rides to and back together. Pip had her own car now, since she'd turned seventeen, but it was in the shop this weekend. Almost like her dad had planned it so they'd have to suffer through his terrible murder-based jokes.
"Any more?" Pip said, wrapping the black feather boa around her arms, making them look even whiter. She opened the door, pausing to roll her eyes at him.
"Oh, if looks could kill," her dad said with a little too much flair.
There was always one more. "OK, goodbye, Dad," she said, stepping out, Zach mirroring her on the other side, thanking Mr. Amobi for the lift.
"Have fun," Pip's dad called. "You both look dressed to kill!"
And another. Annoyingly, Pip couldn't help but laugh at that one.
"Oh, and, Pip," her dad said, dropping the act, "Cara's dad is giving you a lift back. If you get home before Mom and I are back from the movie, will you let the dog out?"
"Yes, yes." She waved him off, walking up to the front door side by side with Zach. He looked slightly ridiculous, in a red blazer with navy stripes, crisp white pants, and a black bow tie, with a straw boater hat covering his straight dark hair. His little name badge read Ralph Remy.
"Ready, Ralph?" she asked, pressing the doorbell. And then again. She was impatient to get this over and done with. Sure, she hadn't seen her friends all together in weeks, and maybe this would be fun. But she had work waiting for her at home, and fun, after all, was just a waste of time. Still, she could pretend well enough, and pretending wasn't lying.
"After you, Celia Bourne." Zach smiled, and she could tell he was excited. Maybe she'd have to pretend a little better, arranging a grin on her face too.
It was Connor who opened the door, except he didn't exactly look like Connor Reynolds anymore. He'd put some kind of colored wax in his normally dark blond hair. It was now gray, and pasted neatly back from his face. There were brown wiggly face-paint lines around his eyes: a poor attempt at wrinkles. He was wearing a black tuxedo--it had to have been borrowed from his dad--and a matching white waistcoat and bow tie, with a napkin folded over one arm.
"Good evening." Connor bowed low, some of his gray hair unsticking and flopping forward with him. "Welcome back to Remy Manor. I'm the butler, Humphrey Todd," he said, emphasis on the "hump."
There was a squeal as Lauren appeared in the hallway behind Connor. She was wearing a red flapper dress, the tassels on the hem skimming her knees. A bell-shaped hat hid most of her ginger hair, and there was a string of pearls wrapped around her neck, knocking against her Lizzie Remy badge. "Is that my husband?" she said excitedly, bounding forward and dragging poor Zach into the house after her.
"I see everyone's already far too excited," Pip said, following Connor down the hall.
"Ah, well, it's good you've arrived to bring us all back down," he teased her.
She widened her grin and pretended even harder.
"Your parents home?" she asked.
"No, they're away for the weekend. And Jamie's out. House to ourselves."
Connor's brother, Jamie, was six years older than them, but he'd been living at home ever since he dropped out of college. Pip remembered back when it happened, how thick the tension had been in the Reynoldses' house, how they'd all learned to tiptoe around it. Now it was one of those not-talked-about topics.
They arrived in the kitchen, where Lauren had towed Zach and was now handing him a drink. Cara and Ant were there too, with matching glasses of red wi...
A smear of red across her thumb pressed into the hollows and spirals of her skin. Pip studied it like a maze. It could be blood, if she squinted. It wasn't, but she could trick her eyes if she wanted to. It was Ruby Woo, the red lipstick her mom had insisted she wear to "complete the 1920s look." Pip kept forgetting about it and accidentally touching her mouth: another smudge there on her little finger. Bloodstains everywhere, standing out against her pale skin.
They pulled up outside the Reynoldses' house. Pip had always thought the house looked like a face, the windows staring down at her.
"We're here, pickle," her dad said needlessly from the front of the car. He turned to her, a wide smile on his face, creasing his black skin and the gray-flecked beard he was "trying out for summer," much to her mom's dismay. "Have fun. I'm sure it'll be a night to die for."
Pip groaned. How long had he been planning to say that? Zach, beside her, gave a polite laugh. Zach was her neighbor; the Chens lived four doors down from the Amobis, so Pip and Zach were always in and out of each other's cars, getting rides to and back together. Pip had her own car now, since she'd turned seventeen, but it was in the shop this weekend. Almost like her dad had planned it so they'd have to suffer through his terrible murder-based jokes.
"Any more?" Pip said, wrapping the black feather boa around her arms, making them look even whiter. She opened the door, pausing to roll her eyes at him.
"Oh, if looks could kill," her dad said with a little too much flair.
There was always one more. "OK, goodbye, Dad," she said, stepping out, Zach mirroring her on the other side, thanking Mr. Amobi for the lift.
"Have fun," Pip's dad called. "You both look dressed to kill!"
And another. Annoyingly, Pip couldn't help but laugh at that one.
"Oh, and, Pip," her dad said, dropping the act, "Cara's dad is giving you a lift back. If you get home before Mom and I are back from the movie, will you let the dog out?"
"Yes, yes." She waved him off, walking up to the front door side by side with Zach. He looked slightly ridiculous, in a red blazer with navy stripes, crisp white pants, and a black bow tie, with a straw boater hat covering his straight dark hair. His little name badge read Ralph Remy.
"Ready, Ralph?" she asked, pressing the doorbell. And then again. She was impatient to get this over and done with. Sure, she hadn't seen her friends all together in weeks, and maybe this would be fun. But she had work waiting for her at home, and fun, after all, was just a waste of time. Still, she could pretend well enough, and pretending wasn't lying.
"After you, Celia Bourne." Zach smiled, and she could tell he was excited. Maybe she'd have to pretend a little better, arranging a grin on her face too.
It was Connor who opened the door, except he didn't exactly look like Connor Reynolds anymore. He'd put some kind of colored wax in his normally dark blond hair. It was now gray, and pasted neatly back from his face. There were brown wiggly face-paint lines around his eyes: a poor attempt at wrinkles. He was wearing a black tuxedo--it had to have been borrowed from his dad--and a matching white waistcoat and bow tie, with a napkin folded over one arm.
"Good evening." Connor bowed low, some of his gray hair unsticking and flopping forward with him. "Welcome back to Remy Manor. I'm the butler, Humphrey Todd," he said, emphasis on the "hump."
There was a squeal as Lauren appeared in the hallway behind Connor. She was wearing a red flapper dress, the tassels on the hem skimming her knees. A bell-shaped hat hid most of her ginger hair, and there was a string of pearls wrapped around her neck, knocking against her Lizzie Remy badge. "Is that my husband?" she said excitedly, bounding forward and dragging poor Zach into the house after her.
"I see everyone's already far too excited," Pip said, following Connor down the hall.
"Ah, well, it's good you've arrived to bring us all back down," he teased her.
She widened her grin and pretended even harder.
"Your parents home?" she asked.
"No, they're away for the weekend. And Jamie's out. House to ourselves."
Connor's brother, Jamie, was six years older than them, but he'd been living at home ever since he dropped out of college. Pip remembered back when it happened, how thick the tension had been in the Reynoldses' house, how they'd all learned to tiptoe around it. Now it was one of those not-talked-about topics.
They arrived in the kitchen, where Lauren had towed Zach and was now handing him a drink. Cara and Ant were there too, with matching glasses of red wi...
