Warning: Spoilers for A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
This article contains brief mentions of sexual assault.
The black ribbons in Netflix’sA Good Girl’s Guide To Murderhide a special meaning in the series. The show is a long-awaited adaptation of Holly Jackson’s book about a girl named Pippa Fitz-Amobi, who tries to solve Andie Bell’s death despite the case being closed.A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderhas big changes from its bookcounterpart, ranging from barely noticeable to a critical plot shift.One of the changes involves the calamity partyand the path Pippa and her friends take to get there. In the book, one of Pippa’s friends has a popular friend who secures invitations for them.
However, it is more complicated in the show, involving black ribbons, code words, and undercover work. The black ribbons, in particular, play a significant role as they also appear again inGood Girl’s Guide To Murder’sending. Pippa and her friends successfully make it to the calamity in episode 3. However,the black ribbons entirely disappear from the narrative, indicating several possibilities regarding the show’s themes and future.
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Recently released on Netflix, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a British book-to-TV adaptation following a teen detective’s search for the truth.
The Black Ribbons Reveal The Secret Calamity Locations In A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
Pippa Uses Her Investigative Skills To Solve The Secretive Calamity Invitations
InA Good Girl’s Guide To Murderepisode 3, Pippa, Cara, and Lauren must figure out how to get an invitation to the upcoming calamity party, a noticeable change from the book, but nothing that severely affects the overall narrative. Instead of their friend having a popular connection, Pippa, Cara, and Lauren spend time in the library, scrolling through Instagram for clues. During this investigation on social media, they discovered thatthe black ribbons posted on Instagram indicate how to find the locationof the calamity party.
Afterward, Pippa tricks a popular student into lending her his phone so she can scour his direct messages on Instagram to determine where and when the calamity will be. Pippa tricked this student by pretending she was helping him gain traction on social media. This minor storyline is an excellent way of demonstrating Pippa’s resourcefulness and investigative skills. In an interview withDeadline, author Holly Jackson explained that becausethe third episode was initially short, production had to figure out how to lengthen it. They decided to turn the lead-up to the calamity party into a problem-solving plot for Pippa.
The Black Ribbons Symbolize The Mourning Over Andie & Sal’s Deaths
The Symbolism Of Black Ribbons Ties To The Overall Storyline
The black ribbons perfectly highlight some themes inA Good Girl’s Guide To Murder. Black ribbons often symbolize grief and mourning, whichdirectly ties into Andie and Sal’s deaths. The show significantly changed their relationship by making Andie and Sal genuinely love each other, which makesA Good Girl’s Guide To Murdermuch sadder than the bookfrom this angle. It is an excellent narrative decision, considering the town unfairly accused Sal of murdering Andie, even though it turns out he was innocent and someone had murdered him.
The black ribbons reflect Pippa, Cara, and Lauren walking into a dark atmosphere because of what occurs at calamity parties.
The black ribbons can also have a darker meaning, directly correlating to the calamity parties.A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderreveals the horrifying events that occur at these underground gatherings, including sexual assault, violence, substance abuse, and the selling of drugs. The black ribbons reflect Pippa, Cara, and Lauren walking into a dark atmosphere because of what occurs at calamity parties. Theyforeshadow the danger Pippa is induring the calamity party, being alone with Howie and then almost being sexually assaulted herself.
What The Final Shot Of The Black Ribbons Mean For A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Season 2
There Will Be More To Pippa Fitz-Amobi’s Story
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderseason 1 ends with Pippa and Ravi sharing a kiss, followed by a shot of the black ribbons hanging in the woods. The camera lingers on the ribbons for a few moments before cutting out. This creative decision reflects on what will happen to Pippa next.A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderby Holly Jackson is the first book in a trilogy,suggesting that the show will be renewed for a second season, continuing Pippa’s story.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderis available to watch on Netflix as of August 19, 2025, but it was available on BBC iPlayer in the UK on August 02, 2025.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murderseason 1 ends with several unanswered questions, including some that the show does not answer as quickly as the book. Therefore, lingering on the black ribbons for a few moments signifies that things are not over for Pippa or her investigative career just yet. In the second and third installments of the trilogy, Pippa investigates more disappearances and deaths in her local town. IfA Good Girl’s Guide To Murderis renewed and the show continues to follow the books,Pippa will endure more darkness and death before her story is over.
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.
