OH MY GOODNESS Holly Jackson has absolutely done it again. This was such an amazing and enthralling final book in this trilogy, I could not put the book down. The one thing that I love about these books is that even though you can usually piece together the "whodunnit" I still can never fully figure out what's going to happen so I still get surprised every time. The way Pip's mental health in the aftermath of book two is handled was already done extremely well. The things she is feeling is relatable even if the reasoning for what triggered them isn't. It's been so fun to see her character change and grow throughout the series and I can't wait to read whatever Holly writes next!

Review to come. I loved the first two books and can't wait to review the 3rd.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy!

Pip Fitz-Amboi is back in the third book in A Good Girls Guide to Murder series. Pip is haunted by her last case. And even though she will be leaving for college soon, she gets ensnared in another case because this time, someone is after her. After getting strange messages and the feeling she is being watched, Pip suspects that a serial killer who is behind bars may be innocent, and that no one is safe in her small town, including her. A thrilling, dark tale that leaves you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

This is the last book in the Good Girl's Guide trilogy. There was definitely a twist in this one that I did NOT see coming. While it was different, I'm not sure it was true to Pip's character. Also, I don't think this gives away too much, but Pip gets involved with the local deug dealer and starts buying xanax from him because she can't sleep after what happened to her in the last novel. And again I don't think that was true to her character. I would have liked to see her work out her PTSD issues a little more first rather then turning to drugs. I did love the overall story line but at points it got very wordy and overly descriptive. But all in all a great read!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is one of my favorite books and I always recommend it! I loved the second book Good Girl, Bad Blood just as much. They were both 5 star reads for me. While I did enjoy As Good As Dead, it sort of missed the mark for me. My rating would be 3.5 stars for this one.
I do love Holly Jackson's writing and she can always create a page turner that's hard to put down!

This first half of the book sees Pip dealing with the aftermath of what has happened in her life and dealing with some pretty severe PTSD. As always I loved Pip and Ravi's relationship; their banter and support of each other is cute and heartwarming. I really enjoyed the mystery and how this book took quite a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. I always like that many of the same characters from past books were also features in this one.

This book took a darker turn than I was anticipating. Pip's character, morals, values etc completely changed in this book. She became someone I no longer respected, which is completely different than how I felt about her in the first two books. It was hard to see her break down and change so much. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster, and at times I just wanted to tell, "WTF are you thinking?!" at Pip. A lot of this book is dialogue of Pip inside her head, fake conversations - flashbacks which can be a bit redundant and boring. Overall, there were parts I enjoyed, but this was not the book or series ending I was expecting!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book comes out September 28th and is the third book in Holly Jackson's 'A Good Girls Guide to Murder' series.

TW: kidnapping, murder, PTSD, substance abuse, arson

Honestly, this book took a much darker turn than I was expecting - even for a true crime podcast themed book - and I'm not sure what I think about that. I understand the author's intentions, but it is difficult for me to accept. Excellent wrap-up to the story. Memorable characters and mystery. I'll still suggest A Good Girl's Guide to Murder to everyone looking for a readalike to true crime podcasts.

DNF @ 60%. I thoroughly enjoyed AGGGTM and Good Girl, Bad Blood, but man, this one was rough. Pip is dealing with the trama over the last two books, and I get that, but she's become an inherently unlikeable character that I don't think many teens and very few adults can connect to. The major plot twist at the 60% mark truly sent me over the edge, and I called it quits, something I very rarely do in books. The first 40% of the book is painfully slow, to the point where I would eye this book sitting on my Kindle shelf and literally go clean my bathroom instead of sitting down to read it. We'll still likely buy a copy to round out the series, but I'll have a hard time recommending this series to our YA readers.

Having been a huge fan of the first two books, I thought this one went too far off the rails. Pip seemed to miss obvious clues in a way unlike her and the twist -- and ending -- was slightly absurd. Pip was a hugely likeable character, even with her foibles, but her final avatar missed the mark. Points for still being readable.

WOW, this is the best book in the trilogy! It took a few chapters to get going, focusing more on Pip coping with the events that transpired in the last book, but once you hit the halfway mark, HOLY COW! It gets REAL! Pip is readying herself for her first semester of college, but not before this last hoorah.

There were a few points in the book where I was thinking that there was no way Pip was going to think her way out of this! I was turning pages late into the night because I just couldn't find a good stopping point. Each subsequent chapter just made me more invested in the story to the point that I had to know what happened or I would just burst with anticipation. So many secrets revealed, some of which will have you gasping and your mouth wide open!

I am team Pip and Ravi all the way, and you will be too by the time you reach the finale. Ravi provides the comic relief this book needs to balance out all of the darkness within its pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I HIGHLY recommend reading the first two before reading this one. Although this book can be a standalone, it would be a little bit confusing to follow without knowing all of the information. Thriller is one of my favorite genres, and I was so excited to receive this book early.

As Good as Dead completes the series, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. I don’t think I loved it, but it was good. Pip, in the beginning of the series, was lovable and relatable, but in the end, I didn’t love the person she became in this book. I understand the character development and why she had to change, but as far as protagonists go, she was unlikable throughout the entire book. The character development of Pip, may play a big role in why this book isn’t sitting right with me.

I enjoyed the first half, and I would've liked to see it semi-end there with maybe one more surprise twist. I wasn't keen on how Pip handled the situation. Most of the plot, twists, premise, and Ravi were very enjoyable! The book itself was a bit drawn out in the beginning and towards the end. The ending was wonderful, and I’m glad the series will close that way.

I recommend reading it to complete the series, but beware of Pip. She’s toxic in this one.

That was not the ending I was expecting. All around that was not the book I was expecting either. It took so many twists and turns and, for me, none of them had a satisfying ending. My heart was pounding at 50% in and I was so confused as to how we were only halfway through the book when the book took a major turn. I didn’t love the revelation because it felt too simplistic and easy. I didn’t love the events that happened after because they felt out of character and I didn’t love how they progressed throughout the rest of the book. The last 3% of the book gutted me and I wasn’t thrilled with the final page, even though that was supposed to bring it back together.

I think my biggest issue with this book is how drastically dark it got really quickly? I loved this series because it was a YA murder mystery. This book though, wow was it dark. Still YA but definitely not as ‘young’ as the other books were.

Even though this book had my anxiety skyrocketing and my heart pounding, when I finished it I felt an empty ache in my stomach and I didn’t feel satisfied.

Oh my goodness! This one made my heart pound so many times. What an excellent novel to wrap up the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

What an absolutely stunning conclusion to a series I truly fell in love with. This small town in Connecticut is absolutely crazy honestly never know what to expect. The twists in this were totally satisfying and the conclusion was just wholesome enough while totally heartbreaking. Please read this series.
I’m praying the author continues Pip and Ravi’s story at some point.


Copy provided through NetGalley for review

I read a lot of mysteries. I mean A LOT. Right about 45% through this book, I stopped and looked at how far along I was, confused. Jackson COMPLETELY switches of the mystery narrative in away I NEVER, EVER expected. I read the last of the book completely excited, thrilled to see how it would end!
Can I just say, WOW. Jackson is a mystery writer like NONE OTHER. I would rate this 100% recommended read, but I feel like 100% does NOT cover how much you should read this book.
I will officially read anything Holly Jackson writes for the rest of my life now!

I was given an early release copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

*2.5 stars

There are many thoughts. I don't think I can wrap my head around what just happened, I just know I started sobbing while on FaceTime with my friend. I don't know how to feel. Without a doubt, though, this is going to be the most polarizing book of the series.

Huge note before we start that although the first two books are 13/14+, this book is more like 16+. In my opinion, the more unaware about the plot you go into the book, the better. However, know that this book is dark and it is sometimes graphic. Please check TW (listed at the bottom).

I also don't want this review to deter you from reading the book. I know many readers yearn for more after the ending of book 2, and I encourage you to read this book and form opinions of your own. Again, this book is super polarizing, so even though I didn't like it as much, that doesn't mean you'll dislike it too. Also, don't let this review deter you from starting the series as a whole -- I rated book 1 5 stars and book 2 like 100/5 stars. It's worth it.

Now time for some more thoughts. In terms of the positive, I thought the darker turn this book took was interesting, and I like the deep connections there were between this book and the previous two. Like book 2, some big players come back again. Pip and Ravi's banter was reminiscent of the first two books and was really cute, as always, and I liked how Pip considered Ravi as a cornerstone of everything good in the world.

My favorite part about this book was the questions it raised. Think of the ending of book 2 but multiplied by 10. You just wonder - did this person deserve their fate? Did this person repent for their sins? Who deserves to walk free, and who deserves to be punished? What makes a good person? If anything is clear, it's that no one is fully good or bad. This entire book lies in the gray area.

Moving onto the things I didn't like as much. My biggest critique is the plot. The plot took a huge turn about 50% in, and that's also where my feelings for the book started to waver a bit. Were the decisions Pip made good? That's for you to determine. (Though, objectively, they're not the best) I know that even though I personally didn't agree with many of those decisions, there is always a degree of nuance in everything. I just.. my morals were really tested here. Also, the plot of the last 50% was less engaging for me; the first and second halves of the book are really so different, and I found the first part much more interesting than the second.

I also feel like there were a lot of loose ends that could have been straightened out (beyond the ones that were intentionally left open). The book tried to come full circle, but there was a lot left to question (maybe that's the point) and maybe it's not even possible for a full-circle moment to even occur.

My biggest comfort with the first two books was the relationships Pip had in her life: her friends, family, and Ravi. And although they were still there, the plot of this book made me lose a little faith in these relationships. It all falls in a gray area. That's all I'm going to say.

I came into this book wanting closure. I don't think I got it. Maybe that's a commentary.

Overall, I still love the AGGGTM series, but this book just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: murder, arson, kidnapping, PTSD, drugging, substance abuse (drugs), rape (mentioned)

Holly Jackson has done it again! As soon as I got approved for this title on Netgalley, I immediately grabbed my Kindle and started reading. This is one of my favorite YA series. In most cases, the first book in a series is always my favorite. There’s no way to pick a favorite between A Good Girl’s Guide, Good Girl Bad Blood, and As Good as Dead. They’re all equally amazing! Pip is one of my all time favorite characters. Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

A fantastic end to a brilliant series, As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson does not disappoint. Be sure to look past the one and two star reviews, because if you're a fan of this series, this is going to keep you at the edge of your seat until it's all over. And what an ending it is!

Back, of course, are Pip and Ravi. And Pip is still working on her podcast, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which has quite a large audience, after the second season. But it's the third season that she needs to come up with. What murder case can she investigate this time? And can her small town really have more secrets? Sure, the third time is the charm, but does it have to happen in Pip's neck of the woods right before she's set to leave for college?

I'm hoping this really isn't the end of Pip and Ravi--I'd love to see them continue with seasons 4 and 5 and on for the podcast.

Well I honestly did not expect that and I am so mad and frustrated. This book completely ruined the series for me.

The first half of the book was slow and repetitive as Pip struggled with PTSD. I kept growing annoyed at her thoughts and actions but reminded myself I was in her shoes not too long ago so at least the PTSD element was expressed correctly. There are a few things that should be cleaned up: Pip taking illegal Xanax to sleep though every day she complained that she didn't sleep so she spends weeks without sleeping somehow, and the climate of Connecticut was described as a fall/winter environment despite the book taking place in July/August.

The second half started with a twist that I can't explain without going into spoilers. I had to stop reading for a while because the anger and irritation was flashing red. Like someone else said in their review, Jackson could have written this book 100 different ways and yet she chose this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Pip is out to solve another murder for her podcast in As Good as Dead, but will this be the one that does her in? Pip is struggling with PTSD after season 2 of her podcast. While she should be looking forward to college there are things in Fairview that keep her there. Another murder happens and Pip is right in the middle of the investigation. The relationship between Pip and her friends is strong. They are all willing to help her because they know she would and have done the same for her. The relationship between Ravi and Pip is just as strong as ever in this book.

The emotional rollercoaster this book took me on left me feeling all the feels. It's sad and loving and everything we have come to expect for Jackson in this trilogy. There are so many plot twists and real-life issues that are dealt with. I can't believe the story is over. I need more Pip and Ravi in my life.

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is one of my favorite thrillers - it reads far more mature than YA and is so brilliantly done. I really liked Good Girl, Bad Blood, and was SO excited to read the third and final in the series. For anyone new to the series, you cannot read this as a standalone, you will get confused and not understand key pieces from the first two.

For me there is no better detective out there than Pip, but Pip seems like a much different character. As a result of where things ended in the second book, Pip seems more reckless and resolute in her thought processing. While she is slightly older than when the series started, she is still in the mentality where she needs to take charge of fixing everything without the help of any adults or authority. She made it tough to root for at times in some of her decisions. I also felt like you hit the climax about 50% in and the rest dragged on.

This last one reads darker than the other two and it feels different overall. The detective / mystery is completely flipped. This story relies heavily on past book references and if the first book isn't fresh, it may take a minute to get acquainted with some of the characters and plot points again.

Similar to the first two, I'm not sure why they translated some pieces from UK to US - some of the location pieces felt a bit choppy and couldn't fully discern the sense of place.