Pip discovers Max Hastings’ crimes while investigating Andie Bell’s case. In A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Henry Ashton plays Max.
Max Hastings was one of Sal’s best friends. As he comes from a wealthy family, albeit an unhappy one, he often avoids facing the consequences of his actions.
As Pip delves deeper into the mystery of Andie’s murder, she uncovers many secrets, including Max’s hidden crimes.
Betraying Sal
While returning from a party with his friends, Max, driving under the influence, causes an accident. Instead of contacting the police, he decides to leave the injured person to die.
Knowing that Dan, a policeman, previously had an illicit relationship with Andie, Max threatens Dan to cover up the accident.
Max then coerces his friends, including Naomi, into keeping the hit-and-run a secret. Although they get away with it, Naomi is burdened by the guilt of their actions.
Their mistake comes back to haunt them when Andie disappears and the police start looking for her. Sal was with Max and his friends on the day Andie disappeared.
Max believes that Sal could not have killed Andie and is ready to provide an alibi for him. However, Elliot, fearing he will be suspected of causing Andie’s disappearance, decides to frame Sal.
Elliot has read Naomi’s diaries and knows about the hit-and-run. He sends a note to Max, threatening to report the accident if Max and his friends provide an alibi for Sal.
Max deletes all photographs from that night that include Sal and instructs the others to lie to the police, claiming that Sal was not with them when Andie disappeared.
However, Max misses one photograph taken by Sal that could prove his innocence. Naomi notices but does not tell Max, hoping to have the courage to reveal the truth someday.
Max’s crime against Becca
It is later revealed that, apart from lying to the police about Sal not being with them, Max committed a crime that set off the chain of events leading to Andie’s death.
Max bought a date rape drug from Andie and used it to sexually assault her sister, Becca. Andie could not accompany her sister to report the crime without exposing her drug dealing.
This led to a fight between Becca and Andie that resulted in Andie’s death and Sal being accused of her murder. Becca never went to the police, and Max’s crime remained hidden for years.
Even years later, Max does not regret his actions. In fact, he tries to discredit Becca after her role in Andie’s murder comes out. However, Pip, who knows the entire truth, vows not to rest until she brings Max to justice.
Also Read: Andie Bell: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder character explained