Summary
The adaptation ofA Good Girl’s Guide To Murderwas finally released on Netflix a month after its distribution in the UK, and the book-to-screen changes are staggering.A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderis a special case becausethe book has two versions—the US version, which takes place in Connecticut, and the UK version, which takes place in Little Kilton, just like the show. However, the adaptation’s actual changes are far more significant, including eliminating characters and changing personalities—eventhe ending forA Good Girl’s Guide To Murdersomewhat differs from its book counterpart.
Some of these modifications are good, such as the removal of Stanley Forbes, but not all of them are. Additionally, many of the changes that are not so great are remedied byA Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’s terrific cast of characters. While some fans might find the alterations controversial, the adaptation stillserves as a reminder of why the book is so good to begin with. That said, there are certainly examples of more faithful literary retellings.
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Instagram Is The Main Platform Pippa Uses, Not Facebook
Although it is not a very significant change, theshow takes place in a timeline different from the book. On the show, Andie Bell’s death occurs in 2019, and the story picks up in 2024, five years later. The book’s timeline is seven years earlier—Andie Bell died in 2012, and the story was in 2017.
The timeline change is most noticeable during17-year-old Pippa’sinvestigation. In the show, she uses Instagram to look for clues on social media. However, in the book, Facebook is the platform everyone uses – primarily because of the time period.
14The Show Teases What Happens To Andie At The Very Beginning
The opening scene in AGood Girl’s Guide To Murderinvolves Andie on the night she dies. Andie walks down the street, and just before she walks into the forest, she turns her head, showing a nasty gash. However, in the book, Andie’s head injury is undiscovered until Pippa learns the truth from Elliot.
The show took a bolder route by revealing Andie’s head injuryearly on. This decision takes some of the mystery away, but it poses some new questions. It’s not clear, for instance, why she is stumbling around with a severe head injury, nor how Andie Bell got injured in the first place.
13Secret Older Guy Is Pippa’s First Real Suspect
Jason Bell And Naomi Ward Make Her List, But They Are Not Significant
In the bookA Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, Pippa has a significant list of suspects that she thoroughly investigates, beginning with Andie’s father, Jason Bell. Naomi Ward is also one of Pippa’s biggest suspects before she includes others, such as Nat Da Silva, Dan Sa Silva, Howie, and Secret Older Guy.
While the show provides a brief glimpse of Pippa’s persons of interest list,Pippa’s first real suspect is Secret Older Guy. Jason and Naomi appear on the list, but Pippa does not seriously consider anyone until she learns about Secret Older Guy. This paints both Secret Older Guy, and the other characters, in a very different light.
12Pippa Meets Howie At The Calamity
Howie Only Appears Briefly In The Show, And It Is At The Calamity Party
In the book, the drug dealer, Howie, who partnered with Andie, has a much more significant role than he does in the show. Howie does not even appear at the calamity in the book. Pippa only learns of his existence at the party and meets him later.
In the show, Howie’s drug den is conveniently in the same caves as the calamity, so Pippa immediately meets him. She asks him questions about Andie Bell, but other than the reveal of her burner phone and the kind of drugs Andie sold,Howie is less important to the overall narrative.
11Pippa Learns The Truth About Andie’s And Sal’s Deaths Differently
A Different Sequence Of Events Leads Pippa To The Killers
In the book, Pippa only discovers a scratched-out phone number in Andie’s diary. When she discovers Naomi’s burner phone matches most of the scratched-out phone number, Pippa figures out the rest of the digits and determines that Elliot is Secret Older Guy. When Pippa goes to confront Elliot, she ropes in Ravi in case something were to go wrong. In the show, Pippa finds Secret Older Guy’s phone number from the hotel guestbook, and when Naomi calls her from the same phone number, Pippa wastes no time andconfronts Elliot without telling anyone. This difference creates a very different tone for the confrontation.
Once Elliot is arrested, Pippa cannot stop thinking about his genuine shock over Pippa believing he killed Barney, which leads Pippa to study her murder board one last time.Pippa figures out by herselfthat Max sexually assaulted Becca with drugs that he bought from Andie. In the show, Pippa realizes Elliot could not have killed Barney after finding a photo of him and his daughters in a different location on the same day Barney died. Pippa also learns about Becca’s assault from Becca’s old best friend, Jesse, which leads Pippa to discover the truth.
10Sal’s Alibi Is Hinted At In The First Episode
Naomi Briefly Tells Pippa About Sal’s Alibi In Episode 1
Sal’s alibi being legitimate is a twist that occurs halfway through the book. There is no indication his alibi was real until Pippa figures it out by sneaking onto Naomi’s laptop to find an incriminating photo on Max’s Facebook profile. However, Naomi tries to confess to Pippa in the first episode that Sal’s alibi is legitimate.
Although Elliot interrupts their conversation,Naomi still reveals enough to eliminate Sal’s alibi’s twistentirely. It is no longer a shock when Pippa discovers the truth in the fourth episode, removing a dramatic moment from the original story.
9Pippa And Ravi Are Caught During Their Break-In At The Bell House
Pippa Goes In Alone And Dan Da Silva Sees Pippa And Ravi Running Away
Pippa and Ravi’s break-in at the Bell House also has different outcomesin the show and the book. In the book, Pip and Ravi sneak in together, and while Becca returns to the house, she leaves shortly after. However, Pippa breaks in alone in the show, while Ravi decides to be on the lookout.
When he notices Becca coming back, Ravi bolts upstairs, and they hide in the closet. When they attempt to flee, they realize the police officer, Dan Da Silva, is with Becca in the house. Pippa and Ravi bolt toward Pippa’s car, but not before Dan discovers them.
8The Hotel Scene Is More Exciting On The Show
Pippa And Ravi Pull Off A Mischievous Scheme And Grow Closer
Pippa and Ravi’s hotel visit isa more positive change in the show. In the book, they find an elderly lady with Alzheimer’s at the desk, leading to another dead end. However, Pippa connects the dots between Max’s picture of Andie and the hotel floor.
The show included Pippa’s discovery and made the outing more exciting. The hotel manager does not allow Pip and Ravi to see the guestbook, so they create a diversion to steal it. They manage to escape, but Pip and Ravi have an excellent time together and grow closer because of it.
7Nat Da Silva Is One Of Andie Bell’s Best Friends
Nat And Andie Were Bitter Enemies In The Book
One of the most shocking changes inA Good Girl’s Guide To Murderis Nat Da Silva’s role. In the book,Nat and Andie are bitter enemies. Andie felt threatened by Nat, so she ruined Nat’s life by sending a topless video of Nat to the whole school, completely humiliating her.
In the show, Nat is one of Andie’s best friends, and although they fight, they genuinely love each other. Nat’s topless video still exists, but it is unknown who leaked the footage. Pip and Ravi briefly suspect Andie, but Nat shoots down the theory – a major difference between the stories.
6Andie and Sal’s Relationship Is Much More Serious On The Show
Andie And Sal Are In Love And Devoted To Each Other
Andie Bell and Sal Singh’s relationship was extremely superficial in the book. It is quite clear they only dated each other because they found each other attractive. Andie even cheated on Sal.The show’s narrative, by contrast, reveals that Andie and Sal were secretly in loveand planned to run away together.
Sal is just as furious about Andie selling drugs, but given that Andie did it to make money for their escape, Sal forgives her. Andie never cheated on Sal; their love was genuine. This narrative decision certainly makes Andie and Sal’s outcome much more tragic.
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