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The Key Differences Between the Book and TV Show Adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

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Aug 05, 2024 / 3223 Views

Evan Walker

The highly anticipated young adult crime thriller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is now streaming on BBC iPlayer and will hit Netflix screens on August 1st. Based on Holly Jackson’s popular YA novel, the six-episode TV show aims to capture the essence of the first book of the trilogy. Here are the key differences between the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book vs. the TV show.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder follows high school student Pip Fitz-Amobi, played by EMMA Myers, as she takes on the challenge of solving the murder of fellow student Andie Bell, portrayed by India Lillie Davies. The crime occurred five years prior to the events of the novel, leaving the residents of Little Kilton traumatised. These same residents, along with the police, believe that Andie’s boyfriend Sal Singh (played by Rahul Pattni) was responsible. Their proof: After confessing via a sketchy text, Sal died by suicide. However, Pip isn’t convinced of his guilt, and teams up with Sal’s brother Ravi, played by Zain Iqbal, to uncover the real culprit.

While the TV show mostly follows the book’s storyline, there are a few notable changes. For instance, the use of Facebook has been swapped out for Instagram to keep up with current trends. Additionally, Pip’s Pet dog Barnie, a golden retriever in the book, is instead portrayed by a white English sheep dog in the show. These minor changes don’t significantly impact the viewing experience. However, there are some more prominent differences in the BBC TV show compared to the book version of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. We uncover them below.

Note: The story contains spoilers for both the book and the show.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book vs TV show: What are the major differences?

Pip’s stepdad does not call her ‘Chicken”

In the show, Pip’s stepfather affectionately calls her “Chicken,” which seems a bit odd for an amateur detective who is brave, intuitive, and brilliant. This term of endearment doesn’t fit her personality. In the book, he calls her “Pickle” and “Pipsicle,” which both rhyme with her name and make more sense. Even though it’s a minor change, it’s kind of bothersome.

Pip’s investigation goes much deeper

Given that the showrunners tried to squeeze a 433-page book into a six-episode series, it’s understandable that certain parts would be left out. The BBC show had a significantly faster pace than its literary counterpart. On screen, Pip’s inquiry feels a little rushed at times. She either stumbles on evidence or simply has it carefully handed to her. In the books, her investigation is much more profound; she interviews many people several times and digs deeply into their past. This increases the suspense, leading the reader to suspect several characters as Pip’s investigation deepens.

The TV show accelerates this process, causing some nuances to be lost in translation. But it’s understandable, given that reading a book and watching a show convey two separate emotions. Some of Pip’s breakthroughs are shown in the series, and she ultimately comes to the same conclusions but in different ways.

No Stanley Forbes

In the book series, Stanley Forbes is a journalist who has a minor role in the first book but plays a much bigger part in the later ones. He covers the Andie Bell murder case as it unfolds. However, in the TV show, we don’t see Stanley Forbes or any journalist at all. The show creators will likely introduce the character if the series gets renewed for a second season.

Pip does not see Andie and Sal before Andie’s disappearance

In the book, Pip knew Sal and believed in his innocence because he was always kind and nice to her. This drove her to prove he didn’t commit the crime. In the show, however, a younger Pip sees Andie crying at school before she disappears. Andie signals Pip to keep her location a secret, but almost immediately, Sal asks if she’s seen Andie, and Pip points him in Andie’s direction. Although Pip believes Sal is innocent, she feels guilty for not keeping Andie’s secret, which becomes another reason she’s so determined to clear Sal’s name.

Nat da Silva is Andie’s best friend

In the TV series, Nat da Silva is one of Andie’s best friends, who Andie betrays by leaking nude pictures of her on social media. In the books, Andie’s best friends are EMMA and Chloe. While Chloe appears in the show, EMMA is omitted. In the book, Nat is also known for her criminal record and for being one of Max Hastings’ sexual assault victims.

The showrunners’ decision to make Nat a close friend of Andie’s in the show, deepens the cut of her betrayal and adds more credibility to her as a suspect.

Andie and Sal’s story

In the book, we don’t get scenes of Andie and Sal together. But, in the show, there are many flashback scenes featuring Andie and Sal that provide a better understanding of their relationship as a couple.

Ant Lowe is Pip’s friend

In the book, Ant Lowe is a part of Pip’s friend group but in the series, Lowe is introduced as Lauren’s new boyfriend which seems like a positive change for the next chapter of the story.

Watch the show here

(Main and featured image: IMDb)