As Good As Dead Book Review

Posted byreadandreviewit1Posted inMYSTERY/THRILLER, REVIEWSTags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to be reviewing As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson, the third and final installment in the A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder series.

Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

As Good As Dead picks up a few months after the events of Good Girl, Bad Blood, and it’s safe to say that Pip is not in a good place. Everything she previously encountered has really taken a toll on her, and she is still dealing with the aftermath of the previous book. Things only get worse for poor Pip when she realises she has acquired a stalker – one who has very similar patterns to a serial killer sitting in jail. The problem is, Pip has good reason to believe the wrong man is behind bars – and that her life is in grave danger, with her time running out. Will she be able to save herself, or will it be too late?

When I tell you I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, I am seriously not kidding. The UK release happened whilst I was away, and I was so gutted that I couldn’t get my hands on it and devour it straight away – and I was going to miss out on the special edition, too! Luckily enough, I managed to order myself a copy of the exclusive Waterstones edition, changing the delivery until I got back, and I whizzed through it in under a day – all 550 pages of it!

I genuinely do not think words can do justice to everything this book put me through. It was a rollercoaster and a half, and I loved absolutely every second of the ride. Just when I thought the series couldn’t get any better Jackson hit me with this and I can honestly say this book was so much more than what I was expecting. I don’t want to give too much away, but it was a lot darker than the previous two (a full list of triggers can be found towards the end of this review) and I really liked the direction Jackson went down with it – I think it might just be my favourite in the series!

I think one of the things which made this book so satisfying was definitely watching the way everything came full circle. There were lots of details included from the first two books which hadn’t been major before but became crucial in the final book. Reading everything come together and come full circle was really nice and it tied the whole series up incredibly well!

Of course, those seemingly small and insignificant details provided the book with its fair share of twists and turns. Just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be any more twists, Jackson would throw in another one, and it really kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I did manage to guess the major twist, which happened around halfway through the book, but this definitely didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book and by extension the reveal.

There was just something about the whole vibe of the book which kept me hooked throughout. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down, and I was incredibly invested in Pip’s story and the concept of the DT killer. As previously mentioned, this book was definitely a lot darker than the previous two, and there were definitely some very eerie and unsettling moments, particularly when Pip was being stalked.

I think it’s also really important to note that parts of this book were definitely uncomfortable to read. Some of the things Pip went through were really horrendous and difficult to read and it was definitely a step up from the previous books. There were also some of Pip’s actions which I didn’t agree with and which fell into a very morally grey area.

Of course, the whole idea of the morally grey area was also a major theme in the book, and Jackson explored Pip’s despair with the justice system incredibly well. Pip was extremely frustrated at the verdict of Max’s trial in Good Girl, Bad Blood, and her faith in the police also wasn’t helped by the detective not taking her stalking concerns seriously, passing it off as her PTSD. The failings of the justice system were explored really well in this book and I thought it was a great addition on Jackson’s part!

On a lighter note, it was also really lovely to see more of Pip and Ravi’s relationship – I think they’re definitely one of my favourite book couples! The way Ravi supported her through all of her struggles was truly remarkable, and I loved reading more of their banter and the bond they shared. There is just something about Ravi and Pip that makes you root for them throughout!

I think I just love Ravi’s character as a whole, to be fair. He was so unwaveringly supportive and loyal of Pip, and his jokes were also a great tension breaker. Ravi was definitely one of my favourite characters from the whole trilogy and my love for his character only grew in this book!

Of course, Pip’s friendships in this book were also great, too. Although her friends weren’t featured quite as much as in the previous two, when they did feature I really enjoyed reading their interactions, as something about her group was just so special. Her friends really came through for her in this book and it was really nice seeing the lengths they’d go for her – Pip clearly meant a lot to them.

Overall, I would recommend As Good As Dead to any fan of the series, and the series as a whole to any mystery lover who hasn’t picked it up yet. What are you waiting for? Go get yourself a copy!

However, please be mindful that this book is a very dark read, and explores a lot of serious topics. Jackson covered a lot of very serious stuff – substance abuse, murder, kidnapping, arson, stalking, PTSD and mentions of rape – so if any of those are triggers for you I would really advise you against reading.

Have you read As Good As Dead yet? Would you like to see me review the other books in A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder? Let me know in the comments!

I hope you enjoyed this review!

Ceri

72 thoughts on “As Good As Dead Book Review”

    1. I would definitely recommend them! The whole series is so amazing and definitely one of my favourites. It definitely is, it’s such a great feeling when you literally can’t put the book down. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment x

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  11. I’m going to add the series of books to my list, they sound jam-packed and full of action. Perfect reading material for me, thanks for introducing me to the author.

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    1. Yeah I did haha, it was impossible to put down! I would definitely recommend it if you have a taste for page turners, this is one of the best ones I’ve read! Of course, this one had a lot of major ones and it’s so important to know before going in. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment!

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  14. Great review! I’m not usually one to read dark books so I’m not sure this one is for me, but it seems to have met or exceeded your expectations, which is great!

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  15. I haven’t read any of this series yet, but I love it when I hear about books that are so hard to put down. And I think it speaks to great storytelling when certain aspects are hard/uncomfortable to read, so am intrigued by that. It sounds like this book series needs to be read in order with the links to the previous books. Would I be lost if I started with this one?

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    1. I would definitely recommend the whole series then, they’re all such great page turners. I definitely agree with that, it takes a lot of talent to pull it off! I think it would probably make sense to read the whole series if you’re interested in this one (the other two books are fab too), it would make the links that much more satisfying! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment!

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  20. Haven’t heard of any of the books in this series before. It is so exciting when you are waiting for a book you love to come out! Seems like an interesting book, I like dark reads with serious topics in them.

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    1. I’m so glad I brought them to your attention then! It definitely is haha, it’s such a great feeling when it’s finally out! I would definitely recommend it if you like that, as this one certainly had it’s fair share of dark and serious topics! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment.

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  21. So i would definitely not be reading this. Horror, especially dark I can’t do. But your review was really detailed. Great one. Xx
    Isa A. Blogger

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  24. Your review had me gripped from the get-go! Do you write book reviews for big publications? Because you sell this book really well (especially to someone like me who doesn’t read books!) The topics mentioned make me feel a little hesitant to read the book as it would trigger my PTSD, but it does sound like a brilliant book and I’m glad you enjoyed it, and the overall trilogy! 💚

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    1. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! No I don’t haha, I’m flattered though – thank you so much, maybe it’s something I should look into in the future! I would definitely recommend giving it a miss then, your mental health always comes first. Thank you so much for your kind words and taking the time to read and comment ❤

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  26. This sounds like a really exciting read – sorry I do love a murder mystery! I’ve got 2 books to listen to on Audible, and after that, I want something new, so I’m going to look into this. I’ve just added it to my wishlist so I don’t forget about it 🙂

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  34. I have read all three books but the last book has left me on a clif hannger and I would really like another one with the trial and what happens after

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