This article contains discussion of rape and sexual assault.
Warning: SPOILERS ahead for A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Summary
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murderis now streaming on Netflix, and the series adapts Holly Jackson’s best-selling YA book well. Of course, like any adaptation,A Good Girl’s Guide to Murdermakes key changesto the source material. And the way its ending handles one of its characters — Max Hastings — is different from the book. While I was initially disappointed that Max doesn’t meet the same fate in the Netflix show,this book change gives me hope for the possibility ofA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseason 2.
GivenA Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’s “fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score— and the book’s popularity —I can definitely see Netflix green-lighting more episodes. It will likely be a while before we know if we can expect more fromEmma Myers’ murder mystery show. However, the finale’s biggest Max change makes a case for it. Andie Bell and Salil Singh’s murders may be solved, but there are still open ends from season 1. Plus, Jackson published two sequels toA Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,so there’s more source material to pull from.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Ending Explained
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder revolves around the disappearance of Andie Bell, and the Netflix show’s ending reveals what happened to her.
I’m So Disappointed A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Changed Max Hastings' Ending
He Doesn’t Face Consequences For His Crimes
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murderkeeps most of the book’s major plot points, but it does make changes while getting to the big reveals. It also alters the source material’s ending, even if Mr. Ward and Becca are still responsible for Andie’s and Sal’s deaths. Both of these characters are held accountable for their crimes thanks to Pip, butMax Hastings gets away with his wrongdoing in Netflix’s adaptation. Although the book sees Max charged for sexual assault,A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’s TV show doesn’t deliver the same justice.
Although the book sees Max charged for sexual assault,A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’s TV show doesn’t deliver the same justice.
I was initially disappointed by this change, asMax deserves comeuppance as much as Elliot and Becca. He drugs and rapes Becca at a calamity party, a development that leads directly into her confrontation with Andie. There’s little doubt that Max is doing the same to other girls, and I’m at least glad that Pip vows to get them justice. I would have liked to see Max concludeA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderbehind bars, but his final confrontation with Pip gives me hope that there’s one benefit to his altered book ending.
The Netflix Show’s Biggest Max Hastings Change Does Have 1 Benefit
Pip Could Take Him Down In A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Season 2
Although Max doesn’t face consequences for his crimes inA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseason 1,Pip’s encounter with him in the finale makes me think she’ll take him down in season 2. The fact thatA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderleaves this one storyline open suggests it could continue beyond Andie’s and Sal’s cases. While the Netflix series doesn’t leave much more on the table, Max’s lack of punishment could factor into another outing.
It makes sense forA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseason 2 to focus heavily on Max, as he reappears in both of Jackson’s sequels. The second installment,As Good as Dead, finds him in court after his arrest in book one. The Netflix adaptation may lump together Max’s arrest and trial, perhaps making the whole thing more dramatic in season 2. Doing so could also make his eventual demise more satisfying for viewers. I can’t stomach Max getting away with his crimes, but I like the idea of highlighting them separately.
How A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Season 2 Could See Pip Getting Justice
It’s unclear whetherA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseason 2 will happen, and if so, how exactly it will follow season 1. But as Pippa’s project doesn’t get as much attention in the show — there’s no press conference, for one thing — this publicity could get pushed to the next outing. When Pippa does finally get the chance to discuss her investigation, she can out Max as the rapist he is. Unfortunately, she’ll also need proof. And their final scene together makes me think she’ll be looking into him further inA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderseason 2.
Good Girl, Bad Bloodfocuses on another disappearance entirely, but Max still has a role in the sequel. The Netflix adaptation can increase his involvement in this case, too, especially if it wants to make a big deal about Pip exposing him. Only time will tell howA Good Girl’s Guide to Murderties up this loose end. I’m just hoping it gets the opportunity to, as Max doesn’t deserve to walk away from Pip’s first investigation without consequences.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Cast
Pip Fitz-Amobi, a determined young investigator, is set on uncovering the truth behind schoolgirl Andie Bell’s murder five years prior. Sal Singh, Andie’s boyfriend, confessed before his own death, but Pip doesn’t believe he’s guilty. Teaming up with Sal’s brother Ravi, she dives into a web of secrets to find the real killer.
