A Good Girl’s Guide to the Killing Show vs. Books: The Biggest Difference

A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing left an impression on its Netflix original – but how does the TV adaptation compare to the original book series?

The six-part adaptation is based on the novel of the same name Holly Jackson. A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing lives next to a young man named Pip (Emma Myers) committed to solving a case where a local schoolgirl was found murdered by her boyfriend before he killed himself. Pip’s interest in true crime guides him – as does his murderous brother.

While the TV show sticks closely to the storylines presented in the books, there have been a few changes that range from the subtle to the more noticeable.

Social media played a big role, when Facebook changed to Instagram on the screen. Pip’s dog Barnie changed from a golden retriever to a white English sheepdog in the show, and the nicknames Pip’s stepfather gave him were changed from “Pickle” and “Pipsicle” in the book to “Chicken” in the show.

Keep scrolling to find out the biggest differences happening on Netflix A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing compared to the book series:

The Depths of Pip’s Investigation

The benefit of telling a mystery on a page means more time to make mistakes and dig deeper to find answers. A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing you still have Pip reaching the same conclusions on screen, but at times, it’s noticeable how certain answers find their way to him.

In the first book, however, Pip interviewed people more than once before compiling the information. The location is ultimately the same, but the journey on the screen looks very different to those who are familiar with it A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing.

Pip and Andie’s Close Connection

A key change in the show was to have Pip invest heavily in Andie’s (India Lillie Davies) to disappear because they crossed paths in the past. When Pip was young, he saw Andie in distress before her disappearance and was even asked to keep the missing girl’s location a secret. Pip, however, told Sal (Rahul Pattni) as soon as Andie went, which made her feel guilty and even more determined to clear Sal’s name.

The book ends up being simple by making Pip think that Sal is innocent because of how kind he was to her.

It gives great insight into Andie and Sal’s Story

Jackson did not explore Andie and Sal’s connection much in the book series, while the TV show used flashback scenes to make the audience care more about their relationship.

Blink-and-You-Miss-It Switch

Fans of the books remember Elliot Ward (Mathew Baynton) as a history teacher, so the transition to English professor seemed natural. Some viewers suggested that the exchange could have been a tribute to Baynton’s character in Ghosts, a poet.

The Power of Friendship

Pip’s inner circle featured Ant Lowe in the book, while the series introduced her simply as Lauren (Yali Topol Margalith) new boyfriend — for now. Andie was close with Emma (Georgia Arron) and Chloe in the book, but the show chose to make Nat (Jessica Webber) one of his best friends instead. The shakeup turns out to be a good plan that gets Andie to sell Nat out and hurt her badly, leading to Nat becoming a suspect in her disappearance.

To make an update

While the book presents disaster teams as a key setting for the big reveal, the TV version of A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing instead he resorted to illegal raves and secret parties in underground caves in the woods.

The Final Showdown

A final warning about A Good Girl’s Guide to Killing spoilers ahead. The big reveal is that Andie’s sister Becca (Carla Woodcock) is responsible for his death on page and screen. However, Becca confesses to Pip in the letter before drugging her. Pip then runs away, but Becca catches him and tries to choke him before changing his mind. Pip and Ravi’s father (Zain Iqbal) finally show up and help after the results.

The Netflix version has many of the same beats, but Becca offers to take Pip to where she hid Andie’s body (in a septic tank in an underground tunnel). Becca tries to get rid of Pip the same way but is threatened by Ravi and Cara (Asha Banks) to follow them.