Is Netflix's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder based on a book? (5 things to know)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is about to hit Netflix, but is this new thriller based on a novel? Find out that and more here!

Usually, Netflix originals are just that, created by the streaming service and premiering for users. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is different as it was produced by the BBC and already aired in the UK. It will premiere on Netflix on August 1 to expand its international audience, which seems to be drawn to its plot.

What is A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder about? 

The show centers around Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers), a teenager living in the fictional  British town of Little Kilton, Buckinghamshire, who's obsessed with true crime stories. She starts looking into the murder of popular student Andrea "Andie" Bell five years earlier, which rocked the entire community. It seemed an open-and-shut case as the accused killer, Sali "Sal" Singh, committed suicide.

At first, Pip's video project, which she does for a class test, seems to be just about the case as reported. But as she delves deeper, Pip becomes convinced Sal was innocent and the true killer is still out there. She thus carries out an investigation, facing resistance from the townspeople who want to move on from all this. Pip also has to deal with the actual killer coming after her to silence her search. 

The show looks to have a dark edge, using true crime motifs and Myers seems set to step into a leading role. 

Who stars in A Good Girls’ Guide To Murder?

The big star of the cast is Emma Meyers as Pip. The actress is best known for her turn as werewolf Enid on Netflix’s hit Wednesday and seems set to step into the main role here. The rest of the cast are mostly unknowns in the United States but ready to make a name for themselves with this show. 

• Emma Myers as Pippa (Pip) Fitz-Amobi
• Kitty Anderson as Young Pip
• Zain Iqbal as Ravi Singh
• Asha Banks as Cara Ward
• Raiko Gohara as Zach Chen
• Jude Morgan-Collie as Connor Reynolds
• Yali Topol Margalith as Lauren Gibson
• Yasmin Al-Khudhairi as Naomi Ward
• Henry Ashton as Max Hastings
• Carla Woodcock as Becca Bell
• Mathew Baynton as Elliot Ward
• Gary Beadle as Victor Amobi
• Anna Maxwell Martin as Leanne Amobi
• India Lillie Davies as Andie Bell
• Rahul Pattni as Sal Singh
• Georgia Arron as Emma Hutton
• Orla Hill as Ruby Foxcroft
• Mitu Panicucci as Stella Chapman
• Annabel Mullion as Rosie Hastings
• Adam Astill as Toby Hastings
• Matthew Khan as Dylan
• Matt Chambers as Jason Bell
• Jackson Bews as Daniel da Silva

What book is A Good Girls' Guide to Murder based on?

As it happens, the series is based on Holly Jackson's 2019 novel of the same name, which was a great bestseller. It's adapted by Poppy Cogan with Jackson herself praising the show to Netflix Tundum.

"I hope viewers will love discovering (or rediscovering) all the secrets and lies of our small English town — Little Kilton. Viewers can expect laugh-out-loud moments from all the teenage antics, but also all the pulse-pounding twists you’d find in the darkest of thrillers. Heartbreak, tears, gasps, swooning at all the PipRavi moments brought to life, watching behind a cushion, cursing my name … be prepared for it all when A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder hits your screens later this year.”"

Thus the show has Jackson's stamp of approval, which is a good sign book fans will enjoy it.

Is A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder a limited series?

The six-episode series is so far seemingly set to only be a limited series adapting the book with the finale bringing the main story to a conclusion. 

The good news for fans is that Jackson wrote two sequels, Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good As Dead with Pip creating a podcast as she looks into other crimes supposedly long solved but she suspects the truth is out there. She also wrote a prequel novella Kill Joy showing a young Pip's first murder investigation.

Thus, if the first season of Murder works, Netflix and the BBC have plenty of material for a second season. Right now, fans have to wait for the first season to debut and show how well the series does capturing the very popular novel.

When does A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder premiere?

All six episodes will drop on Netflix on August 1st for a quick binge. With its fun story and compelling lead actress, this may end up becoming Netflix’s newest young adult adaptation sensation. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder premieres on Netflix on Aug. 1.