Literature & Fiction
![Holly Jackson - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B07QKBC6JZ.jpg)
As Good as Dead: The Finale to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES WITH OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD • The highly anticipated finale to the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series, the instant bestsellers that read like your favorite true crime podcast or show. By the end of this mystery series, you'll never think of good girls the same way again...
Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She's used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can't help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you're the one who disappears?
Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.
Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself-or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle . . .and if she doesn't find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears. . .
Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She's used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can't help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you're the one who disappears?
Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.
Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself-or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle . . .and if she doesn't find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears. . .
Editorial Reviews
"Twisty, surprising, and absolutely enthralling from page one, there's no better way to end a series."--B&N Reads
"As Good As Dead is a phenomenal YA mystery that deserves to be one of the books of the year and provides a stellar finale to a knockout series."--The Nerd Daily
Praise for the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series
"The book pulled me into it so hard that I forgot everything going on around me, I just needed to solve the murder with Pip."-PopSugar
"This is a great, twisty read for fans of YA." -Book Riot
"A taut, compulsively readable, elegantly plotted thriller."-The Guardian
"The perfect nail-biting mystery." --Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A fun, gripping, and skillfully constructed novel of suspense. I loved Pip-her relatable quirks, her inventive investigative approach, and her willingness to step outside of her safe world in search of the truth." -Emily Arsenault, author of All the Pretty Things
"Dark, dangerous and intricately plotted-my heart literally pounded." -Laura Steven, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay
"So so clever." -Savannah Brown, author of The Truth About Keeping Secrets
"Well-executed…. A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense." -Kirkus Reviews
"Legions of fans of true crime podcasts may therefore flock to this one, and they're unlikely to be disappointed." -Bulletin
"Fans of true crime will be hooked by the hunt for a killer, but there's more to this Guide than just a whodunit. It's a story of families, community and the ways a crisis can turn them against one another in the blink of an eye." -BookPage
"As Good As Dead is a phenomenal YA mystery that deserves to be one of the books of the year and provides a stellar finale to a knockout series."--The Nerd Daily
Praise for the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series
"The book pulled me into it so hard that I forgot everything going on around me, I just needed to solve the murder with Pip."-PopSugar
"This is a great, twisty read for fans of YA." -Book Riot
"A taut, compulsively readable, elegantly plotted thriller."-The Guardian
"The perfect nail-biting mystery." --Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A fun, gripping, and skillfully constructed novel of suspense. I loved Pip-her relatable quirks, her inventive investigative approach, and her willingness to step outside of her safe world in search of the truth." -Emily Arsenault, author of All the Pretty Things
"Dark, dangerous and intricately plotted-my heart literally pounded." -Laura Steven, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay
"So so clever." -Savannah Brown, author of The Truth About Keeping Secrets
"Well-executed…. A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense." -Kirkus Reviews
"Legions of fans of true crime podcasts may therefore flock to this one, and they're unlikely to be disappointed." -Bulletin
"Fans of true crime will be hooked by the hunt for a killer, but there's more to this Guide than just a whodunit. It's a story of families, community and the ways a crisis can turn them against one another in the blink of an eye." -BookPage
Readers Top Reviews
Kat 2021
This book was engaging and I enjoyed it overall. As a huge fan of the series, it was fun to be back with familiar characters from the previous 2 novels and the sense of menace in the first half was creepy and gripping. But the qualities that made the first 2 novels stand out as 5 star reads I feel weren’t present in this book. The writing style was far less original with far fewer interesting verb choices and creative pieces of imagery. It bordered on repetitive as Pip struggled with PTSD through large sections of the book and made, at times, idiotic and reckless choices which weren’t in-keeping with her character from the previous novels. There was no real ‘whodunnit’ element to this book which is what I loved in the previous 2- there were 2 suspects and it was blisteringly obvious who the culprit was right from the start of Pip looking into the DT killer. The climax of the book occurred at the halfway point and therefore it was hard to stay invested with the minutiae of the subsequent actions. The relationship between Pip and Ravi was a highlight of the book and brought some much-needed relief from the dark subject material. I will be keen to read more from Jackson but would be happier if it was similar in format and style to the first 2 books.
This book was brilliant to read. It was exciting and full of plot twists! The relationships in the book are really nice, and the characters are unique and well developed. I pre ordered the kindle edition of this book, and the kindle edition is easy to read and good value for money. This book does have some swearing in it, so bear that in mind if you are buying this book for a younger audience. All in all, this book is a great read and has been well worth the wait!
EleanorDiniliz Mistr
As compelling as this book undoubtedly is, it feels like one at odds with the first. There has been a transition from YA Mystery to a dark, gritty muddle of complex ideas about truth and justice. Pip even acknowledges this in the novel as she thinks about talking to the girl she was in book one. This transmistion makes this book difficult to read - I was quite unprepared for the departure from the fun inquisitive nature of book one and two and the trauma filled voice of this novel. As earlier stated this novel is in no way bad or uninteresting, indeed it's message is both important and necessary, however I could not enjoy it. I found it too dark, too true perhaps and not in keeping with the read I personally expected. Give it a go if you like novels that are quite dark and trauma filled but if you prefer the lighter all's well that ends well vibe of book one then this is not for you
Erika
The first few chapters made me nervous. The story didn’t have the wow factor that I was expecting. Pip wasn’t the same strong, confident girl that I loved. She was battling PTSD from everything she’d been through in the previous books. Then the ah-ha moment happened. The storyline picked up and I couldn’t put it down. I had to see how it would turn out. Pip was still the mastermind that I wanted her to be. This final book in the series had me on the edge of my seat. The suspense element was amazing. I really loved this whole series.
Summer
An incredible end to an incredible series. I have given each book in this series 5 stars so far, and for a second, when I opened this one, I feared it would disappoint. Or worse- leave questions unanswered. But as Pip noticed herself, everything went full circle. Without spoiling it, I can say this book is the most clever of the three. Bringing back key characters from the first book, “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and tying everything together in a neat little package. The characters are just as dynamic, the emotions just as real, and the heart of this story beating as you read on, sucked into the small town of Fairview. I found myself worrying, at first, as this book takes on a darker tone than the other two- which can often be a bad thing if done incorrectly. Happily, I can report it got pulled off perfectly. Halfway through the book, everything is turned on its head, nothing is what it was and nothing will ever be the same again. Holly Jackson masters the art of subtle crime-weaving, of putting all the clues into place. There’s a level of uncertainty in thrillers, a questioning as you read and worry that you know exactly how it’s going to go. This novel does not go how you expect it to go, ending in an ambiguous way that leaves just enough room for personal imagination. While it’s sad to see Pip and Ravi go, it’s a good way to leave off with them. Will there ever be another set of books featuring them? I can only hope so. But if this is the last of His Pip and Her Ravi, then it’s a lovely farewell. Everything is settled, just enough to still have questions but also to let them be and say goodbye to Fairview. I don’t doubt that many people, as I did, will have read the whole trilogy back to back, and I can say this is my favorite of the three. I’d give it a 6 out of 5 if I could. Wildly intelligent, heartwarmingly familiar, and beautifully written. Fairview, and Pip, is not perfect- but that is what makes this a perfect book- and a perfect trilogy.
Short Excerpt Teaser
One
Dead-eyed. That's what they said, wasn't it? Lifeless, glassy, empty. Dead eyes were a constant companion now, following her around, never more than a blink away. They hid in the back of her mind and escorted her into her dreams. His dead eyes, the very moment they crossed over from living to not. She saw them in the quickest of glances and the deepest of shadows, and sometimes in the mirror too, wearing her own face.
And Pip saw them right now, staring straight through her. Dead eyes encased in the head of a dead pigeon sprawled on the front drive. Glassy and lifeless, except for the movement of her own reflection within them, bending to her knees and reaching out. Not to touch it, but to get just close enough.
"Ready to go, pickle?" Pip's dad said behind her. She flinched as he shut the front door with a sharp clack, the sound of a gun hiding in its reverberations. Pip's other companion.
"Y-yes," she said, straightening up and straightening out her voice. Breathe, just breathe through it. "Look." She pointed needlessly. "Dead pigeon."
He bent down for a look, his black skin creasing around his narrowed eyes, and his pristine three-piece suit creasing around his knees. And then the shift into a face she knew too well: he was about to say something witty and ridiculous, like--
"Pigeon pie for dinner?" he said. Yep, right on cue. Almost every other sentence from him was a joke now, like he was working that much harder to make her smile these days. Pip relented and gave him one.
"Only if it comes with a side of mashed rat-ato," she quipped, finally letting go of the pigeon's empty gaze, hoisting her bronze backpack onto one shoulder.
"Ha!" He clapped her on the back, beaming. "My morbid daughter." Another face shift as he realized what he'd said, and all the other meanings that swirled inside those three simple words. Pip couldn't escape death, even on this bright late-July morning in an unguarded moment with her dad. It seemed to be all she lived for now.
Her dad shook off the awkwardness, only ever a fleeting thing with him, and gestured to the car with his head. "Come on, you can't be late for this meeting."
"Yep," Pip said, opening the door and taking her seat, unsure of what else to say, her mind left behind as they drove away, back there with the pigeon.
It caught up with her as they pulled into the parking lot for the Fairview train station. It was busy, the sun glinting off the regimented lines of commuter cars.
Her dad sighed. "Ah, that fuckboy in the Porsche has taken my spot again." "Fuckboy": another term Pip immediately regretted teaching him.
The only free spaces were down at the far end, near the chain-link fence where the cameras didn't reach. Howie Bowers's old stomping ground. Money in one pocket, small paper bags in the other. And before Pip could help herself, the unclicking of her seat belt became the tapping of Stanley Forbes's shoes on the concrete behind her. It was night now, Howie not in prison but right there under the orange glow, downward shadows for eyes. Stanley reaches him, trading a handful of money for his life, for his secret. And as he turns to face Pip, dead-eyed, six holes split open inside him, spilling gore down his shirt and onto the concrete, and somehow it's on her hands. It's all over her hands and--
"Coming, pickle?" Her dad was holding the door open for her.
"Coming," she replied, wiping her hands against her smartest pants.
The train into Grand Central was packed, and she stood shoulder to shoulder with other passengers, awkward closed-mouth smiles substituting sorrys as they bumped into one another. There were too many hands on the metal pole, so Pip was holding on to her dad's bent arm instead, to keep her steady. If only it had worked.
She saw Charlie Green twice on the train. The first time in the back of a man's head, before he shifted to better read his newspaper. The second time, he was a man waiting on the platform, cradling a gun. But as he boarded their car, his face rearranged, lost all its resemblance to Charlie, and the gun was just an umbrella.
It had been three months and the police still hadn't found him. His wife, Flora, had turned herself in to a police station in Duluth, Minnesota four weeks ago; they had somehow gotten separated while on the run. She didn't know where her husband was, but the rumors circulating online were that he'd managed to make it across the border to Canada. Pip looked out for him anyway, not because she wanted him caught, but because she needed him found. And that difference was everything, why things could never go back to normal again.
Her dad caught he...
Dead-eyed. That's what they said, wasn't it? Lifeless, glassy, empty. Dead eyes were a constant companion now, following her around, never more than a blink away. They hid in the back of her mind and escorted her into her dreams. His dead eyes, the very moment they crossed over from living to not. She saw them in the quickest of glances and the deepest of shadows, and sometimes in the mirror too, wearing her own face.
And Pip saw them right now, staring straight through her. Dead eyes encased in the head of a dead pigeon sprawled on the front drive. Glassy and lifeless, except for the movement of her own reflection within them, bending to her knees and reaching out. Not to touch it, but to get just close enough.
"Ready to go, pickle?" Pip's dad said behind her. She flinched as he shut the front door with a sharp clack, the sound of a gun hiding in its reverberations. Pip's other companion.
"Y-yes," she said, straightening up and straightening out her voice. Breathe, just breathe through it. "Look." She pointed needlessly. "Dead pigeon."
He bent down for a look, his black skin creasing around his narrowed eyes, and his pristine three-piece suit creasing around his knees. And then the shift into a face she knew too well: he was about to say something witty and ridiculous, like--
"Pigeon pie for dinner?" he said. Yep, right on cue. Almost every other sentence from him was a joke now, like he was working that much harder to make her smile these days. Pip relented and gave him one.
"Only if it comes with a side of mashed rat-ato," she quipped, finally letting go of the pigeon's empty gaze, hoisting her bronze backpack onto one shoulder.
"Ha!" He clapped her on the back, beaming. "My morbid daughter." Another face shift as he realized what he'd said, and all the other meanings that swirled inside those three simple words. Pip couldn't escape death, even on this bright late-July morning in an unguarded moment with her dad. It seemed to be all she lived for now.
Her dad shook off the awkwardness, only ever a fleeting thing with him, and gestured to the car with his head. "Come on, you can't be late for this meeting."
"Yep," Pip said, opening the door and taking her seat, unsure of what else to say, her mind left behind as they drove away, back there with the pigeon.
It caught up with her as they pulled into the parking lot for the Fairview train station. It was busy, the sun glinting off the regimented lines of commuter cars.
Her dad sighed. "Ah, that fuckboy in the Porsche has taken my spot again." "Fuckboy": another term Pip immediately regretted teaching him.
The only free spaces were down at the far end, near the chain-link fence where the cameras didn't reach. Howie Bowers's old stomping ground. Money in one pocket, small paper bags in the other. And before Pip could help herself, the unclicking of her seat belt became the tapping of Stanley Forbes's shoes on the concrete behind her. It was night now, Howie not in prison but right there under the orange glow, downward shadows for eyes. Stanley reaches him, trading a handful of money for his life, for his secret. And as he turns to face Pip, dead-eyed, six holes split open inside him, spilling gore down his shirt and onto the concrete, and somehow it's on her hands. It's all over her hands and--
"Coming, pickle?" Her dad was holding the door open for her.
"Coming," she replied, wiping her hands against her smartest pants.
The train into Grand Central was packed, and she stood shoulder to shoulder with other passengers, awkward closed-mouth smiles substituting sorrys as they bumped into one another. There were too many hands on the metal pole, so Pip was holding on to her dad's bent arm instead, to keep her steady. If only it had worked.
She saw Charlie Green twice on the train. The first time in the back of a man's head, before he shifted to better read his newspaper. The second time, he was a man waiting on the platform, cradling a gun. But as he boarded their car, his face rearranged, lost all its resemblance to Charlie, and the gun was just an umbrella.
It had been three months and the police still hadn't found him. His wife, Flora, had turned herself in to a police station in Duluth, Minnesota four weeks ago; they had somehow gotten separated while on the run. She didn't know where her husband was, but the rumors circulating online were that he'd managed to make it across the border to Canada. Pip looked out for him anyway, not because she wanted him caught, but because she needed him found. And that difference was everything, why things could never go back to normal again.
Her dad caught he...
