Is Child Brunswick A Real Person? A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder S2’s True Crime Connections, Explained

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The character Child Brunswick in the Netflix series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder feels authentic, and that’s intentional – the show draws inspiration from real true crime cases. After initially investigating the murder of Andie Bell, the series now focuses on the disappearance of Jamie Reynolds. By the end of season two, Pip discovers that Layla Mead used Jamie to locate “Child Brunswick,” the son of notorious serial killer Scott Brunswick.

Scott made his son assist in picking out children he intended to kill. Jack chose a child in public and tricked them into going with him. However, the child, Brunswick, deeply resented his abusive father and ultimately testified against him in court. Brunswick was sent to a juvenile detention facility, successfully completed rehabilitation, and was later released with a new identity.

What’s truly unsettling about the character Child Brunswick is how believable he seems. Many serial killers use tricks to attract victims – pretending to need help with their children, claiming a family emergency, or reporting a lost pet, for example. But the parallels between Child Brunswick and real-life crime cases aren’t just accidental.

I recently read an interview with Holly Jackson where she talked about how true crime influenced her books. Apparently, while the first book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, borrowed bits and pieces from various cases, Good Girl Bad Blood is much more directly inspired by real events. She specifically said the central mystery, including the character Child Brunswick, came straight from two actual criminal cases, which is why both the book and the Netflix adaptation feel so connected to true crime.

Holly Jackson Hasn’t Revealed Which 2 Specific UK Cases Inspired Child Brunswick

Holly Jackson intentionally didn’t reveal the real-life cases that inspired her book, Good Girl Bad Blood, during an interview before its release, wanting to avoid spoilers. She did mention that one case was a well-known event from the 1990s in the UK and another came from the They Walk Among Us – UK True Crime podcast. Since the book’s publication, Jackson has continued to keep the inspiration behind the character Child Brunswick a secret, never publicly identifying the specific cases she used.

It’s frustrating because I’m a big fan of these books and true crime, and I’m really curious about the real cases that inspired them. But it’s also good that the author hasn’t revealed those cases. It’s more considerate to the victims and their families to keep fiction separate from reality, especially since these crimes happened relatively recently. Knowing their trauma was used as inspiration for entertainment could be very painful for living family members.

The secrecy around the novel Good Girl Bad Blood has unexpectedly become part of the fun. Holly Jackson didn’t necessarily plan this, but by keeping details of the crimes hidden, she’s encouraged readers to become like the characters in her book and try to solve the mystery themselves. Fans have already started sharing theories on Reddit about who might be the real-life inspiration for Child Brunswick.

Holly Jackson’s True Crime Obsession Led To Every Book In A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder

Holly Jackson hasn’t said whether a specific person inspired her characters, Good Girl and Child Brunswick. However, she’s often mentioned that her fascination with true crime is what sparked the idea for the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series.

After her first book was nominated for the Branford Boase Award in 2020, the author and her editor were interviewed. When asked about her inspiration for writing a murder mystery, she explained that she had become fascinated with true crime and wanted to capture the feeling of being an amateur detective in her book. She shared a similar sentiment with A Short Book Lover in 2020.

I get most of my ideas for these books from true crime. I’m a big fan – true crime podcasts take up almost all the space on my phone, and I listen to at least one every day.

In 2024, Jodie Jackson shared that true crime is a significant part of her daily life, telling the BBC she always listens to true crime podcasts while doing everyday tasks like walking her dog or washing dishes. She also notes the importance of remembering these stories involve real people and their trauma. Because of this deep connection, her Netflix series, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, will likely always be seen as part of the true crime genre, as it’s woven into the very fabric of the story.

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2026-05-27 14:38