As Good As Dead Book Review

Written By MK

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson book review and recommendation with NO SPOILERS

Date: 5-19-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 7.0/10

As Good as Dead book cover

Book Cover Rating: 6.8/10

(My personal opinion)

Title: As Good As Dead

Author: Holly Jackson

Pages: 500

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Subplots: Thriller, Romance

Romance Level: 1/3

Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3

Publisher: Delacorte Press

First Published: 2021

Number of Editions: 69

Awards Won: Goodreads Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction

Goodreads Rating: 4.19/5

# of Goodreads Ratings: 502,098

Amazon Rating: 4.4/5

# of Amazon Ratings: 22,730

Common Sense Media Age Recommendation: 14+

Movie/TV Show?? : Possibly in the future…..

Book Type: Standard

POV Type: Single, Third Person

Pacing: Fast

Generally: Serial killer on the loose, Pip’s (presumably) final mystery, past traumas

Blurb:

Pip 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 soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life.

When Pip discovers a connection between her new stalker and a local serial killer, she finds herself is the center of another case. Will her good-girl ways die with her? Or, as the deadly games play out, will Pip risk losing everyone she loves . . . including herself?


My Review

Main Characters:

  1. Pippa Fitz-Amobi- Pip is the main character in this book. She is 18 years old. She is persevering and passionate. She rarely lets struggles get in her way of achieving goals.

  2. Ravi Singh- Ravi is the brother of a famous dead teenager in their town. He is 21 years old, kind, and truly loves his family.

  3. The DT Killer- The DT Killer was a notorious killer in Fairview six years ago. Someone is currently in jail for these murders. The DT (or duct tape) killer is especially notorious for covering their victims’ faces in duct tape before strangling them.

    Pip and Ravi were AMAZING characters! They were both so unique and layered. In this book, some characters made decisions that seemed out of place, but then again, they had past history that might have justified it. I don’t know, I LOVED the characters themselves, but felt they made some choices that surprised me.

Character Rating: 7.9/10

Setting:

This book takes place in Fairview, Connecticut

Honestly, this physical setting was 100% average, and didn’t stick with me much (or well… at all). BUT, the atmosphere was tense and exciting, which I LOVED!! It was certainly an atmosphere that kept me on the EDGE of my seat!!

Setting Rating: 8.5/10

Plot:

This was certainly an exciting plot! It was full of twists and turns, and always left the reader second guessing themself. This was a great mix of thrill and tension, and felt very similar to Holly Jackson’s previous books. BUT, there were many out-of-the-blue, improbable twists. Some parts of the plot seemed WAY too forced. It also took quite a turn for the dark…..

Plot Rating: 5.9/10

Writing:

Holly Jackson did a GREAT job writing this book!! It had the same feeling as her previous books, and had a great, tense atmosphere. It was thrilling and dramatic.

Writing Rating: 9.2/10

Ending:

Just to be honest, I didn’t like this ending. It involved a TON of deception and a LONG time gap. I didn’t find it particularly satisfying or thrilling. I suppose it did wrap up the series though. I still feel like it dropped the ball in comparison to the rest of the series. Many parts of it didn’t seem realistic, and some very…..interesting…..choices were made. ALSO, I NEEDED a couple more chapters at the end to really wrap up where some of the main characters were, and who/what their futures would include.

Ending Rating: 3.5/10

The Overall:

Overall, this was clearly the worst book of the series, but was still an okay young adult thriller. It was built on the same, strong foundation of the A Good Girls Guide to Murder series, but dropped the ball. I really enjoyed the unique characters, tense atmosphere, and engaging YA writing. The plot and ending on the other hand…… Many parts of this book felt forced and out-of-the-blue. While the plot did have great mystery/thriller roots, some of the choices made throughout the book didn’t sit right with me. The ending really frustrated me. I mean, after the whole series it felt anticlimactic. It involved a TON of deception and a long time gap (WHICH I ABSOLUTELY am NOT a fan of). Also, I NEEDED a couple more closing chapters at the end that the book just didn’t supply (this might be a great opportunity for FanFic at least…….). In the end, if you’ve read the whole series, I feel like you need to read this because you’ve already devoted so much time. But, don’t expect it to be as good as A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Overall Book Rating: 7.0/10

I would recommend this book

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ChatGPT’s Opinion: As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson is a bold and darker conclusion to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy, shifting from a classic mystery to a psychological thriller. The story explores the emotional aftermath of past events as Pip grapples with trauma, paranoia, and moral dilemmas, creating a more intense and mature tone. While the book delivers gripping twists and deeper themes, some readers may find the pacing uneven and Pip’s transformation too extreme. Overall, it’s a daring finale that challenges expectations and provokes strong reactions.

So, was the As Good As Dead book worth the hype??

Generally, I would say no. I feel like it was kinda riding the wave of popularity from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by proximity, but it doesn’t really deserve it to the same extent. I still think it’s good to read (especially if you’ve already invested so much time into reading the first two books), but don’t expect it to be quite as GREAT as AGGGTM.

From the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder TV Show:

Top Cast:

Pippa Fitz-Amobi- Emma Myers

Ravi Singh- Zain Iqbal

Cara Ward- Asha Banks

More Info:

Directors: Tom Vaughan, Dolly Wells

Certified: TV-MA

Network: BBC

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Release Date: August 1, 2024

Watch On: Netfix

Number of Seasons: 1

Filmed In: United Kingdom

What did you think of this book??

Reach out below anytime! Whether to share your opinion of this book, comment on mine, ask for similar suggestions, or ask for more clarity/spoilers for this book. I’d love to answer any questions, share more opinions, or hear your thoughts!! Thanks so much!!

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MK https://alltruereviewsbymk.com
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