What a disappointing end to a series I had really been enjoying.

In the earlier books, I loved Pip and Ravi and I was so excited to see how it would end. Early on I was into it and loved the way I thought the ending would be tying the whole story together in a satisfying way. But then no. It jumped the shark in a big and disappointing way.

Pip missed things that I know she would have been smart enough to catch and then made terrible decision after terrible decision. I considered sticking with it to see how it ends but it’s making me so mad I can’t.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy. I also bought the audiobook and listened to the 65% I read before stopping.

When it comes to murder-mysteries, we all know the rules of a trilogy. Jackson's As Good As Dead does not disappoint. When Pip's stalker seemingly has ties to a serial killer who has been behind bars for six years, she finds herself in the fight of her life to solve the mystery before it reaches a grizzly climax.

The emotional devastation of watching Pip wrestle with her post-traumatic stress. The abject failure of the police to do their jobs (ONCE AGAIN). The race against time, to save herself. All if this culminates in a difficult and brutal choice, leaving the rest of the story to unravel, spanning a minefield of Pip's own making.

That synopsis alone would excite the average reader, and as this is the third in a trilogy, we all know roughly what to expect. However, this novel blew those expectations out of the water. There was so much more to this story than the full-circle, culmination of events that I had anticipated. The Pip we all knew before is reborn into something far different from the "good girl" who initially entered into this journey.

TW: As someone who also struggles with PTSD and with a lack of faith in the police/justice system, this novel really hit home for me, making it particularly emotionally difficult to read. It was worth it in my case, but it wasn't an easy read to cope with.

What a perfectly twisted ending for my beloved Pip. This series has been wonderfully crafted and kept me on the edge of my seat with each turn of the page. My students also love the story and want it to be a mini series.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and also made me DREAD the ending. I didn’t want to see it end – especially since I knew it would be the official end to Pippa’s story. But at the same time, Jackson did this trilogy justice and as much as the romantic in me wanted more for Pippa and Ravi (genuinely a never-ending series wouldn’t even be enough for me), ending it the way she has in this book works beautifully.

Pippa swore she was done solving crimes for the police, but when she realizes she can’t stop, she decides to do one last case to get it out of her system – something clean and black and white. But her original choice in cases gets pushed aside when she finds herself at the center of a case, and the police yet again not believing her. She has a stalker, and whoever it is has their goals set on killing Pippa.

With Ravi on her side, Pippa is forced to face who would and wouldn’t look for her if she were ever to disappear. But finding out who would shows her who she can trust, and thus rely on when everything starts to fall apart in her world. Pippa has uncovered some horrific truths, and is clearly struggling to handle her PTSD from previous cases, but she refuses to back down and let evil win.

I loved every book in this series. Each one just got better and I didn’t think it was possible since I loved the first one so much. If you haven’t read this series yet, pick it up – you won’t be able to put it down.

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson is the final installment in the Pip Fitz-Amobi trilogy. The first two books in the series hooked me and I was so excited for this one. I am sad to say, this book didn’t hold up to my expectations. At first, I thought it was going to be a slow burn but it never really picked up. At just under 500 pages, I had a hard time motivating to finish. On the other hand, I love Pip and loved her relationship with Ravi. It was interesting to see how she changed as a character, through each book. I would try more of Jackson’s work because I loved the first two books so much.

This is the final book in one of my favorite series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. I’m not ready for it to be over, but Holly Jackson went out on a bang with As Good As Dead

-Pip and Ravi are my faves

-Even though it started a little slow, Holly Jackson’s writing always draws me right in

-Creepy messages, dead pigeons, and chalk figures… Pip investigates and finds a connection between her stalker and a local serial killer

-Researching a new case means a new season of her podcast!

As always, I love that the chapters are supplemented with some of Pip’s investigative findings. They truly make the story more interactive and you feel like you are a part of the investigation

As Good As Dead was a fantastic way to wrap up this amazing YA thriller series. Pip and Ravi will always hold a special place in my heart. I can see a re-read of this series in my future!

What’s your favorite book series? This is, without a doubt, one of mine!!!

The first half of this book, in all honesty, is one of the best, most thrilling things I’ve read in the YA genre. (And despite the fact that my feed is focused on thrillers, I’ve read a LOT of YA).

The second half of this book is very creative and exceptionally bold. But to be honest, for me, the first half of the book was so incredibly tight and tense and suspenseful that once I hit the midpoint - and the plot took a certain shift - the beautiful tension build was somewhat deflated. Because of this, it took me one Saturday afternoon to read the first half of the book and an entire week to finish it. It strays from a typical mystery-plotting framework about halfway through, and although it made my own attention wane, it seems like a lot of other fans of the series weren’t bothered by this at all. This probably comes down to the fact, in part, that Jackson created such a compelling main character in Pip.

While Jackson does a great job seamlessly providing backstories and reminders from the first and second book, you DO need to read these in order. I highly recommend starting out with Book 1: A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER.

This first book of the series is a quick read with tight plotting, and it’ll pull you in from page one.

My favorite book of the series remains Book 2 because it is a tightly plotted, traditional mystery that dives into deeper themes -- like the failures within our justice system -- and allows Pip to go down the road of being less of a “Good Girl.” She definitely continued right on down that path in this last book of the series, too, and I very much appreciated it!

In summary, Holly Jackson is a phenomenal writer who has created a wonderful main character in Pip and hasn’t been afraid to make this female character bold, persistent and willing to get a little dirty for the greater good. Just the kind of character I love.

This is out Sept. 28!

Thank you Delacrote Press and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!

First things first: you need to have read the other two books recently in order for a lot of the finer details to make sense. I hadn’t reread Good Girl, Bad Blood in a year or so, and when I began As Good As Dead, I got very (understandably) confused. If you don’t have time to reread the books or just want to get into As Good As Dead as soon as possible, I would recommend checking ReCaptain - this website does recaps on books in series and it has saved my hide more than once before when I have started a new book in a series and had no clue what was going on. Check out “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and “Good Girl, Bad Blood” for their recaps.
That withstanding, As Good As Dead blew my expectations out of the water. I started reading it, expecting it to follow the same format as the other two, or even like the Truly Devious series. By the time I finished it, I could not believe that I had ever thought that - As Good As Dead approached the original concept of The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series (solving cold cases in a small town) and flipped it upside down in the most ingenious and slightly terrifying way. I found myself wondering just what could happen and if the events of the story are so far-fetched as they seem. The only reason I am not inherently giving As Good As Dead a full five stars is the concern of needing to remember smaller details and side characters from previous books in order to fully enjoy/understand this one.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Delacorte Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up

Wow. Wowow. As Good as Dead is a gut-wrenching and heart-stopping high-stakes ending to an amazing trilogy and the story is taken in a direction that I wasn't expecting in both good and not-so-great ways. This final book focused on Pippa and it was the darkest of the lot, which is fitting in the way it showed how deeply the previous two cases affected her overall well-being. There are gutting twists that are upsetting and outrageous turns that will leave your jaw hanging and your head shaking in utter disbelief, but Jackson does a great job in tying the three stories together to come full circle.

Just as in the previous books, I was immediately engaged in the story. Pippa is suffering her PTSD in silence and has turned to take drugs (specifically Xanax) in order to suppress the overwhelming sensations and flashbacks that are now her constant companions. She has lost complete faith in the justice system and herself to the grey area between good and bad and doesn't know where that leaves her. Jackson has written Pippa's tumultuous thoughts and experience of PTSD so incredibly well it's as if you are experiencing it alongside her—the fast-paced drumbeat of nerves, the cold sweats, the flashes of bloody hands, and the inability to breath was shockingly visceral. I was completely twisted up in anxious knots as Pippa's story took an unprecedented and absolutely insane direction and continued steamrolling chaotically until the very bittersweet end. At one point I thought my heart would beat out of my chest because I was so anxious for Pip! 🙈

I have to admit that figuring out who the serial killer was before Pip did was such a satisfying feeling and I was literally shouting at the pages at that point! 😂 However, that satisfying feeling didn't last long because there were a few more turning points in the story that really had me suspending my disbelief because it is WILD, y'all. Seriously. W-I-L-D! I mean, I greatly admire Pippa's character and wow, did I learn a lot from her situation and how she handled it (*cough* you know, for if ever I find myself in a similar situation one day—JOKES *cough*) but this was not the direction I thought her story would go and neither was I really keen on it? Without giving anything away, the situation escalates very quickly and then continues to escalate to the point that it's no longer realistic. That said, a small part of me did understand (to a point) how it escalated the way it did especially considering how bad Pip's PTSD is. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle to cope though.

The ending is where another star was deducted for me because I felt like by that point Pippa had really been through enough and she deserved better than what she got. It was an overall satisfying conclusion though with the stories told in the previous books tying up pretty neatly and all the questions that were asked were also answered. I'm sad to see this series end because it has been one heckuva thrilling ride but I'm so looking forward to seeing what else Jackson comes up with in the future!

I love Pippa and Ravi. The character arc through the trilogy has been great and I could feel her fear, pain, and anger. I was pleased with the ultimate way things came together it brought everything full circle and it all made much more sense.
I think the author did a wonderful job at trying to keep things realistic and not tying it all up in a pretty bow. I have been recommending it to everyone!

Title: As Good As Dead
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 3/5
Trigger warnings: drug abuse, violence, death, murder

Favorite Quote/Excerpt: “…no two people look the same, but we are each beautiful in our own ways. The human body is a masterpiece that deserves our respect. Always.”

Summary:
Pip's good girl days are long behind her. After solving two murder cases and garnering internet fame from her crime podcast, she's seen a lot.

But she's still blindsided when it starts to feel like someone is watching her. It's small things at first. A USB stick with footage recording her and the same anonymous source always asking her: who will look for you when you're the one who disappears? It could be a harmless fan, but her gut is telling her danger is lurking.

When Pip starts to find connections between her possible stalker and a local serial killer, Pip knows that there is only one choice: find the person threatening her town including herself--or be as good as dead.

Thoughts:
I’m such a huge fan of this series. The first two books were absolutely amazing! This third book was one of my highly anticipated reads for the year and I was…..a tiny bit disappointed.
The final installment, we are back into Pip’s podcast world, full of mystery, interviews, notes and diagrams. We are surrounded by a familiar cast of characters such as Ravi, Max Hastings, and Pip’s family. As in the first two books, the characters are just as loveable (or hated…*cough*Max*cough*).
The story pacing is right on point. Holly Jackson does such a great job of keeping the story going and adding twists and turns at just the right place.
The mystery was well done, although, I did figure out the killer early on, which was a first for me in this series. It was almost like it just had to be that person.
The plot twist……well I sure didn’t see that coming…..and I just didn’t want it to be THAT!?! I was actually pretty mad with the book. I like Pip’s new “morally grey” personality – but I just didn’t agree with plot twist.

Conclusion:

Overall, this was a great story. As I already mentioned, I’m just mad at the plot twist. I can’t say anymore or I will spoil it – but because of the twist, I’m left at 3 stars. Which is still a good rating – as with other books of this series, Holly did a GREAT job with the characters, the plot, the pacing – all were perfection…..except that ONE thing.
Can I say the ending was AWESOME and almost made up for the disappointing plot twist????

This was the most fantastic book I've read in a while. It's the finale to good girl's guide to murder, and it couldn't get any better. I'm writing this in my reader's high, will definitely make it better later. But Holly Jackson did it again. The twists and turns keep you at the edge of your seat the whole time. To put it simply, it's magnificent

*Thanks Netgalley and publisher for this ARC.*

[Content/trigger warnings listed at the end]

Wow. Where to start on this.

I have been recommending Jackson’s A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER nonstop to students and friends alike and had been waiting with baited breath as soon as I heard there would be a third book. I went in curious but cautious—I loved the sequel even more than the first but also had been very satisfied with its ending.

Enter AS GOOD AS DEAD. Just when I didn’t think I could love this world—or Pippa and Ravi—even more, this heart-pounder of a finale swoops in. Pippa is dealing with PTSD from the events of the previous book and her PTSD attacks are a gripping start to the book. Jackson writes Pippa’s experiences through AGAD so viscerally that I felt my own pulse race and heart rate jump as often as Pippa’s.

And then the mystery itself. I reread the first two books prior to reading my NetGalley ARC to refresh my memory and I am so glad I did. Jackson has created such an intricate web of secrecy and crimes and each reveal from partially explained clues in A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER and GOOD GIRL BAD BLOOD was a satifying shock. This new mystery unfolded rather suddenly for how prevalent the previous murders apparently were in the community, but it didn’t feel too disjointed—and I did appreciate the throw-away explanation to Ravi that “it happened every town but ours” for why he didn’t know about it, especially when that was a huge indicator of this final mystery’s Big Bad.

At one point in the height of the mystery, the reader is able to tell (or I was, at least) that Pippa is on the wrong track with a suspect.

[SPOILERS COMING]

It heightens the sense of dread as Pippa is ultimately kidnapped by the killer. That dread evolves into panic as the reader hits the point of no return—is Pip about to die? I couldn’t put the book down, and spent that scene onward in a state of distress and elevated heart rate; all plans went out the window on the weekend I read this so I could finish and find out what happened.

It’s a rare occurrence when I start yelling out loud to a book, but I swore a *lot* during the second half. I didn’t want Pippa to go back after she escape, I yelled when she killed Jason Bell, I bemoaned the choice to pin his murder on Max, and I definitely called Pippa an idiot at least a dozen times as she relied on friends’ unwitting help, made risky efforts to hide evidence, and ultimately cut everyone out of her life until the trial is over.

I also got goosebumps (and teared up) at the final page, a text exchange moments after the verdict is read, many months later, when Ravi sends the message “Remember me?”

I really, *really* loved this final installment. I plan to continue yelling about how much I love it until I can get more people to read this trilogy. Current successes: 3, and counting. Thanks for a wild ride

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

This book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster, but it was fabulous! Warning: You definitely need to read the first two books in the series before reading this one.

Pip seems to have her life together, she's in love with Ravi and heading to college very soon. That is, until a stalker appears and leaves strange messages. Chalk figures drawn on her driveway and house. But this is only the beginning in a game that is not childish but deadly. Many things come to light in this book, one dealing with addiction to pills. See if you can figure out the murdered before Pip can......

Ravi joins "Sarge" once again as she tries to unmask the killer, before he shuts her up.....for good.

This is by far my favorite YA thriller series and the finale did not disappoint. I love Jackson’s ability to talk about social issues while taking the reader on a wild ride. I loved that Pip was more mature and developed in this book and we learned more about her mental health. I’m sad to see this series end, but happy that it went out with a bang.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Holly Jackson's final book in the "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" series, "As Good As Dead" is the darkest one of all. This one has a stalker, a serial killer and Pip saying good-bye to everyone she cares about most. This is one of the most satisfying book series conclusions I have ever read!

Wow, you could have given me a hundred guesses of how this series would end and this would never have been one of them!

Our good girl, Pip. She’s changed. A lot has happened to her, and things just keep happening to her all because she wanted to find out what really happened to Andie Bell in that first book.

Her subsequent podcast and involvement in other crime investigations along with the outcome of the second book have lead her into another dangerous situation. Suffering from PTSD, battling demons, confronting her nemesis Max Hastings, preparing for college and not sleeping. She’s basically on the edge of a precipice, and where that plunge leads is very dark.

Returning is her amazing family, her wonderful and supportive boyfriend Ravi, many other characters from the past series return here and all of the “loose ends” of previous books come together and resolve completely in this installment.

I’m not going to lie, this book bummed me out. No doubt Holly Jackson is an incredible writer. The brainpower it took to set up and execute everything in this book, to have through lines all the way back to the beginning of the series was masterful. I can’t fault the writing or the constant feeling of stress this book invoked.

A thriller should keep you guessing and the tension was palpable. It definitely delivered a punch. I would have loved a different outcome, but ultimately Jackson still delivered an incredible story and a series that should be a must read for any thriller lover.

🕯ARC BOOK REVIEW: As Good as Dead
-Book 3 in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Trilogy
Author: Holly Jackson
Page Count: 464
Publish Date: COMING SOON: September 28, 2021
4/5stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In the third and final book of the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, our favorite teenaged detective, Pippa, is in strugglesville with PTSD and pain from recent traumas. 🥺

Pip has definitely been through more horrific situations within the last few months than most people experience in an entire lifetime.

It was sad to see her crumbling from all the weight of the past year. She has compulsions to solve more cold cases, and some disturbing habits around sleep and the extent she will go to achieve that.

As if things weren’t hard enough, Pip is repeatedly being sent a sinister message: “who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?”

Then, concerning threats begins to be left around the outside of her home…

😱

This book was fantastic, and gets a bit darker than the other books. If you liked the first two in the series, you will love this one. You definitely need to read those first, because this is not a stand alone option.

If you haven’t read the first books but enjoy mystery, crime fiction, and great characters (think: modern Nancy Drew) then I highly recommend reading all three!

In my personal opinion, the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series is the best murder mystery series I have read in years, and As Good As Dead was a perfect conclusion. I stayed up until 4:30am reading because I simply could not put it down, I needed to know how this series would end. And the first words out of my mouth after I finished reading were, “Oh. My. God.”

Holly Jackson has crafted an incredibly complex and detailed story that keeps you on your toes from start to finish. As it’s my favorite genre, I read a lot of murder mysteries. I’ve read some truly amazing ones over the years, but I have never been as breathless while reading as I was while reading As Good As Dead. There were many moments where I actually had to tell myself to breathe because I was so on edge.

HOLLY JACKSON YOU SAUCY MINX! This book was AMAZING. A gripping read, went places I never expected, full of crime scene fun and planning and Pip making mistakes and learning from them, and just a RIDE. Seriously--this book is 500 pages, and I could not put it down! Perfect for true crime podcast fans, even though there's less podcast in this than the rest of the books, and you definitely need to read the first two to read this one. I KNEW Who the killer was, but I loved how that mystery was solved early and then we got to see Pip doing Pip best for the rest of the book. Such a good read!