I love the Good Girls Guide To Murder series. And this one was just as good. A must read that will keep you saying “just one more chapter.”

4⭐️

well done, holly jackson 👏🏻 this had me so intrigued from the beginning and this page-turner truly had me hooked. i initially thought our main character, jet, was a little annoying at the start but really grew to love her dry sense of humor. i loved how she really was determined to solve her own murder. the twists also really got me - i for sure thought the story was going to go a certain way but it really went the opposite, which i love when it comes to thrillers! leave it to holly jackson to always come in clutch with the fun plot twists. and it all tied in so nicely, which i also appreciated!

thank you bantam for the e-ARC, all opinions are my own.

A really good time! Holly Jackson knows exactly how to deliver on a thriller that's twisty and exciting without slipping into horror. Jet's voice is snarky and fun, and the characters are fleshed out well enough that the pieces all fall together in a way that makes sense.

The writing style was a little bit choppy for my taste - just a bit too staccato, too many sentence fragments. But it wasn't distracting once the plot really kicked in. Once the story got going, I was hooked.

As far as the mystery goes, there are a few beats that I found a bit obvious. Jackson does a good job planting seeds throughout that point to her solution, but some are telegraphed a bit too clearly. Still, there are enough secrets floating around that even with my suspect locked in, the story kept me engaged.

There was one reveal that fell really flat to me. Compared to the rest of the twists and secrets, it seemed underwhelming, but the characters treat it like it's as big a deal as the murder itself, and that just...felt off to me.

Even with these nitpicks, though, I had a great time reading this. It was exactly the quick, engaging mystery that I look to Holly Jackson for.

Jet mason has 7 days to solve her own murder. Racing the clock before a fatal head injury takes her life, she must uncover who wanted her dead. And why....

did I have absolutely sobbing over a holly jackson book on my 2025 bingo card? no. did I anyway? yes. Jet 😭🥺

This was absolutely incredible and lived up to every expectation I had for Holly's first adult thriller. the premise of this one was wild, and super sad, but holy moly - the secrets, the suspense - it was incredible from start to finish. I had it all wrong, though but that makes it even better for me! I wasn't expecting the twist at the end, and like, what even WAS that? 😭😭😭😭


anyways - 5 stars. no notes. read this and love it with me and message me so we can discuss. I've been a holly stan, and I'll forever by a holly stan. a masterpiece. truly. 🙌🏻

p.s. the letter to Sophia was perfect and valid and I cackled 🤣🤣🤣 iykyk 🤭


read if you like:
- fast paced
- family secrets
- MC solving her own murder
- sarcasm (jet is the master of it, truly.)

thank you so much to ballantine/random house for the gifted e-arc of this one! ❤️

This story, from the beginning, felt very unrealistic. The MC seemed childish, and the only reason I kept reading was to figure out who it was. Overall, wasn’t for me.

Not Quite Dead Yet was a book I really wanted to like, but unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into the story. I had a hard time connecting with the plot and the characters. I didn’t really care for Jet as a main character. She came off a little mean and bratty at times, which made it difficult to root for her. I understand that mysteries often come with large casts, but in this case, it was hard to keep track of everyone. That said, I did enjoy the author’s writing style. I also liked the vibes of the story. Overall, this one wasn’t for me, but I can see how others might enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the ARC.

This one was tough for me, especially as a fan of Holly Jackson’s previous work. *Not Quite Dead Yet* had an interesting premise and a few surprising plot threads that kept me hanging on—but overall, it was a challenge to remain engaged.

A big part of that was the repetitiveness. For example; Jet frequently makes the same jokes, reminds us that it’s been 17 years since her sister passed away, that time is running out, and so on. I also found the main character to be extremely annoying. She has been through a lot and has had circumstances and parenting that have shaped her; however she’s generally rude, abrasive, and not the kind of narrator I found myself rooting for. I curse in real life (and have no issues with swear words in novels), but the amount of times that Jet uses the F word felt excessive and unnecessary and it added even more to her unlikable nature. Her sarcasm also didn't land for me at all. It also doesn't lend well to the romantic aspect of this novel, because it becomes less believable. While this is all just my opinion, of course, it felt like the book was trying a bit too hard to distance itself from the author's YA roots in a way that didn't land for me. The end of the book ultimately didn't change my view enough as I had already been displeased throughout most of the novel.

While I am being critical, I did like the concept, and a few twists kept things from being a total miss. The overall premise was interesting and it felt unique. The execution didn’t quite land for me though and it was a struggle to remain truly engaged and excited (especially since I had higher hopes for another novel by Holly Jackson).

🔨🔍🧠🪦

Jet Mason has seven days to live—and one shot to solve her own murder.

After a traumatic head injury (attempted murder) leaves her with only a week to survive, Jet becomes a ticking time bomb determined to uncover who tried to kill her. Set in a tight-knit town, the Mason family is one of the wealthiest in the area, owning a construction company with a lot of buried secrets. Not Quite Dead Yet is packed with deep grudges, messy secrets, and shared histories. Jet teams up with her former best friend, Billy, and together they race the clock, unraveling a mystery that affects them both. Will Jet find her killer before time runs out?

This is Holly Jackson’s first adult mystery, and while it’s fast-paced and compulsively readable, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder still holds the top spot for me. But fans of twisty, small-town whodunits will find plenty to enjoy in this one.

🎶 emotional damage 🎶 is exactly what you can expect from this book 😭💔 holy crap! Jet is a bada** and BILLY 😭😭😭😭💔 listen I can’t really make it make sense right now because of the SOBBING I’m currently doing but READ THIS DAMN BOOK YALL 😭😭😭😭

Ps thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for giving Holly Jackson the opportunity to break my HEART 🫠🖤

i was invested in this mystery — the stakes! that unique setup! — but i could never quite settle into the story. i found this unputdownable and compulsively readable but the characters never felt completely full to me. still, this was the reliable fun i've come to expect from holly jackson, and it definitely lived up to that!

Uhmm, I am definitely dead! WOW. I thought I was emotionally prepared, but by the end? I was absolutely wrecked, in the best way. This story is as hauntingly beautiful as it is heartbreaking. Every page pulled me in deeper, and I loved every single word. A stunning, unforgettable read.

I didn’t love the main character in this book, but the plot has a lot of twists & turns that kept me engaged. I didn’t see the end coming on a lot of levels, and I always appreciate that. Solid 4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

What a ride! This book had me hooked very early. I loved Jet, the main character. She reminded me of Pip from Good Girls Guide to Murder. Makes sense since same author. I loved Jet’s relationship with Billy, loved Jet v Sophia scenes. So great. 4 ⭐️easy.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

As someone who is sensitive to thrillers and m3rd3r, I was hesitant about this one. But as a Holly Jackson fan, I knew it was going to be great! And boy did it NOT disappoint! The concept was very unique, the story was engaging and held my interest, and Jet was a fantastic leading character. I simply could not put this book down. Such a great book - a must read!

Thank you again for the ARC!

This was both thrilling and absolutely heartbreaking! What with Jet always being a "I'll do it later" kind of person and then to have the expiration date after being attacked, I really felt for her. And it made me think about what I would do if I only had a week or less to live. That is when you see what is really important and I applauded Jet for her choice to go and stay at Billy's, especially after the way her mom kept acting. Billy is so sweet with her and in between helping Jet track down who might have murdered her and just spending time together (like listening to Billy play at the bar). That was was the heartbreaking parts, along with the side effects of the injury happening as the week progressed. Lots of action though and I was impressed how capable Jet was, despite the head wound in getting around and finding so many suspicious reason why someone might want her dead. It really gets down to the wire by the end, and I will say it does get figured out and I did not suspect that person but it is quite the explosive ending! The letters were a super nice and sad touch and I will say both Reggie's and Billy's letters totally undid me.

It is a good book with lots of twisty mysteries, finding what is important in life, and not letting anything stop you (as much as possible) from finding the truth. And yes, I did cry, those darn letters!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5! One of my favorite thrillers of the year so far!

I was not expecting a thriller to rip my heart out like that, but Holly Jackson just did it. 😭

Jet has days to solve her own murder, the deadline being her inevitable death. 😳 Everyone is a suspect from family, to friends, to the random guy down the street. You will be left guessing who Jet’s killer is until the very end!

It is impossible not to get attached Jet and her nearly unstoppable determination, self deprecating jokes, and fondness for the word f**k. This book takes you on an absolute roller coaster ride of emotions and is jam packed with family drama.

Highly recommend if you love strong FMCs and intense storylines!

3.5 stars, interesting adult novel from a well-known YA author.

On Halloween night, 27-year-old Jet Mason is attacked and left for dead. She survives, but finds out that she's a ticking time bomb--a piece of bone has broken off and will cause a deadly aneurysm within a week. Jet joins forces with her childhood friend Billy in order to try to solve her murder before she's gone.

Although this book skews a bit young, I still enjoyed investigating along with Jet. She's in an unimaginable position and is very determined to figure out what happened to her. Unfortunately to me she was one of the reasons I liked rather than loved this book. She is just so immature and honestly if I didn't know she was 27 I would have thought she was a teenager. Maybe that's because Jackson is so used to writing teenage characters, but it took me out of the story.

Overall though, I thought this was a fairly fast paced mystery that kept my interest throughout. The writing is strong and the ending made me cry. Those letters. 😭

Holy cow. What a ride. Holly Jackson is, in my opinion, one of the best thriller authors in the business. This was such a unique and compelling story. I knew what the outcome was going to be, but I was still hopeful for Jet. By the time Jet passed, I was so connected to her and invested in her story. Her death crushed me.

LOVED THIS BOOK! I blew right through it. It hooked me from the start & was such a cool premise. Hollys books are always a fave for me & this one did not disappoint! I LOVED Jet & Billy…the banter was so cute. & Jet was so (morbidly) funny. This is a great suspenseful mystery who-done-it. Well done!

The premise for this book was interesting - a woman trying to solve her own "murder" that is actually a brutal assault that leaves her with a week to live. During her last week alive, Jet attempts to figure out who assaulted her.
The twists were unpredictable, and by the end of the book, the story is so complicated that it gets a little murky. Still, it is a fun and suspenseful read, and even if you think you know who the murderer is early on, you won't know the motive until the end.
I'd recommend this title to anyone looking for a page turner.