Sensationalism

The problem of sensationalism when it comes to reporting on murder is a crucial thematic element of the novel. Ravi and Pip first address the question together when they are deliberating what she should title her podcast about the Andie Bell case. Pip wants to go with something accurate and precise, such as “An Examination into a Miscarriage of Justice,” but Ravi laughs at her title and tells her it does not have enough pizzaz: “You need to draw people in, intrigue them. Have a word like ‘kill’ or ‘dead’ in there” (5). Pip objects to this idea because she believes it is sensationalism. Ravi counters: “And that’s exactly what you want, for people to actually listen” (5). Pip ends up naming her podcast A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which is the title of the first novel, and one that undeniably sensationalizes murder while drawing...