If you’ve already spiraled through the chaotic world of Pip Fitz-Amobi in the main trilogy, you probably found yourself staring at the cover of Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder novella wondering if it’s just a cash grab. It’s thin. It’s a prequel. Usually, those are just fluff. But honestly? This 100-page bite of fiction by Holly Jackson is kinda essential if you want to understand why Pip became the obsessive, justice-driven person we meet in the first book.
It’s set before the events of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Pip is still just a student with a penchant for over-researching things, invited to a 1920s-themed murder mystery party.
She doesn't want to go.
She’d rather be studying. But she goes, and what follows isn't just a game of Cluedo; it’s the origin story of a detective.
What Actually Happens in the Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Novella?
The premise is straightforward. It’s Connor Kenney’s birthday. The group gathers at his house for a murder mystery game called "A Killer Among Us." Pip is assigned the role of Celia Bourne. The setting is the fictional town of Joy Falls Island in 1924.
While everyone else is just there for the snacks and the costume changes, Pip... well, Pip takes it too far.
She treats the fictional murder of Reginald Remy with the same intensity she eventually brings to the real-life disappearance of Andie Bell. She has her legal pads. She has her pens. She has that slightly terrifying glint in her eye that her friends have grown to fear and respect.
Holly Jackson uses this party to show us the raw mechanics of Pip’s brain. You’ve got characters like Zach, Cara, and Naomi just trying to have a good time, while Pip is deconstructing alibis for a victim that doesn't even exist. It’s funny, sure. But it’s also a little bit of a warning sign about her personality.
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The Connection to Little Kilton
Even though this is a self-contained story, it’s dripping with the atmosphere of Little Kilton. You see the social dynamics of the group before the events of the first book shattered them. There’s a lightness here that is completely absent by the time you get to As Good As Dead.
If you read the trilogy first, reading this novella feels like looking at a "before" photo of a disaster site. You know what's coming for these kids. You know that the innocent mystery Pip is solving here is the last time she’ll ever get to treat a "crime" as a hobby.
Why the Murder Mystery Game Matters
Most prequels feel like they’re filling in gaps nobody asked about. Kill Joy is different because it focuses on the internal shift. At the start of the night, Pip is focused on her project. By the end, the high of the "solve" has fundamentally changed her.
The mystery itself is actually solvable for the reader. Jackson doesn't cheat. The clues about the island, the 1920s timeline, and the guest list are all there.
Wait.
The most important part isn't the solution. It’s the moment Pip realizes she’s good at this. She’s better than everyone else. She sees the patterns they miss. This realization is what gives her the audacity to look at the Sal Singh case—a closed case that the entire town had accepted—and say, "No, I think you’re all wrong."
The "Aha!" Moment
There is a specific scene where Pip is interrogating her friends. She isn't Celia Bourne anymore. She’s Pip. She’s relentless. Jackson writes this with a frantic energy that makes the short page count fly by. It's about 100 to 120 pages depending on your edition, and you can easily finish it in the time it takes to drink a large coffee.
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The Pacing is Weird, But it Works
Usually, a novella feels rushed. This one feels... focused.
Because the entire story takes place over a few hours in one house, the "locked room" vibe is incredibly strong. It’s a microcosm of the series. You have the limited cast, the suspicious motives, and the one person who refuses to let a lie stand.
Some fans argue that you should read Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder novella first.
I disagree.
Read it after the first book, or even after the whole trilogy. The tragedy of Pip’s character arc hits much harder when you see her at her most "innocent" after you’ve already seen her at her darkest. It’s like watching a prequel to a horror movie where you see the protagonist happy and smiling, knowing they’re about to walk into a basement they’ll never truly leave.
Real Talk: Is it "Required" Reading?
Strictly speaking? No. You can understand the main plot of the trilogy without ever touching this book.
But if you care about the why of the series, it’s a must. It bridges the gap between Pip the Overachieving Student and Pip the Investigator. It also introduces the idea that Pip is someone who can’t turn her brain off. That’s her superpower, but as the later books show, it’s also her curse.
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- Word Count: Short. Roughly 12,000 to 15,000 words.
- Tone: Playful but foreshadowing.
- Availability: Often found as a World Book Day title or a standalone paperback.
Common Misconceptions About Kill Joy
People think this is a "real" murder. It’s not. It’s a game. If you go in expecting a body on the floor in the first chapter, you’re going to be disappointed.
Others think it’s just for kids. While the series is YA, the psychological profiling Pip does—even in a game—is surprisingly sophisticated. Holly Jackson doesn't talk down to her audience. She assumes you’re smart enough to keep up with Pip’s rapid-fire deductions.
Also, don't expect Sal or Ravi to be major players here. This is Pip’s origin story. It’s about her friends from school, the ones who eventually become secondary to her life as she gets deeper into the Andie Bell case.
What to Do After Reading
If you’ve just finished Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder novella and you're craving more of that specific British YA mystery vibe, you have options.
First, obviously, start the main trilogy if you haven't. If you have, go back and re-read the first chapter of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. You will notice the immediate shift in Pip’s internal monologue. The "fun" of the game in the novella is replaced by a grim, life-or-death necessity in the main series.
Check Out These Specific Details
Pay attention to the way Pip handles the "evidence" in the novella. She uses a physical map of the island. Later, in her real investigations, she uses a "murder wall." The seeds of her methodology are planted right here.
Also, look at how the other characters react to her. They’re already slightly exhausted by her intensity. That’s a recurring theme throughout the entire series—Pip’s brilliance often alienates the people she loves.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Compare the Editions: Some versions of the novella include bonus content or Q&As with Holly Jackson. If you’re a collector, the UK World Book Day edition is the "classic" version, but the US paperback often matches the cover art of the main trilogy better.
- Timeline Check: Place this exactly six months before the start of the first book. Read the first book's prologue immediately after finishing this to see the contrast.
- Watch the Show: If you’re a fan of the books, the BBC/Netflix adaptation is out. Compare Emma Myers' portrayal of Pip with the version of the character you see in the novella. Does she capture that "pre-trauma" spark?
- Host Your Own: The mystery game in the book is actually quite well-structured. You can find similar 1920s "boxed" murder mystery games online to see if you can solve them faster than Pip did.
Basically, don't skip this one. It’s short, it’s sharp, and it’s the perfect appetizer—or dessert—to the most successful YA mystery series of the last decade. It’s the moment the spark caught the tinder. It’s where the "Good Girl" decided that finding the truth was more important than following the rules.