As Good As Dead

where the fuck do i even start. i don't think it's a secret that i'm not the biggest fan of the first two books in this series (tho the 2nd one is better than the 1st). But this one blew my mind and shattered my fucking heart. this series progressively gets darker and darker which means PAIN yayyyy.
But let me start from the beginning. I was really not enjoying myself at the start of this book. I even thought it might be my least favorite of the trilogy but then at the halfway point EVERYTHING CHANGED.
Pip is kidnapped and we learn who the DT killer is and I think is this book ending already???. BUT THEN. bUt ThEn. Pip and Ravi become murder buddies??? Wtf??? And the whole trajectory of the book changed and it became a revenge thriller???!!! And I was fucking digging it?? It was so goddamn badass. If he will LITERALLY help you take care of the body, THAT'S how you know he's a real one.
I was so impressed with the amount of callbacks from the 2nd and even the 1st book??? Especially considering AGGGTM was originally supposed to be a standalone like...woooooow....holly jackson YOUR MIND. 
But then THE thing happened and everything went wrong and my heart was ACTUALLY breaking omfg. And then the SECOND thing happened and I was like miss jackson HOW FUCKING DARE YOUUUUUU???? DO YOU HAVE NO REGARD FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH?? (note: she doesn't and we love her for it!) 
I think I've only ever been this sad over a book ONCE before (and that was evelyn hugo, for you nosy fucks). i was so anxious for pip and these characters the entire time... 
AND THE FUCKING ENDING. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY. (that's a lie. i cried. because that last chapter was so

Well, that took an even darker turn! The first book in the series, while it had dark content, still felt light, and lived up to the “good girl” title. But Jackson clearly had a vision for how Pip was going to change and grow, and I'm surprised but not shocked by the direction, though I think it'll be controversial. I did appreciate Jackson's tight plotting throughout the series, the repeated callbacks that she had clearly set out from the beginning, and Pip's (mostly) realistic emotional journey as all of the violence she investigated affected and changed her and made her more morally grey.

Wow! This was an intricately plotted trilogy finale - I don't think I can recall how many plot twists there were throughout the book and I only finished it less than an hour ago. I've never read a book where the author was able to successfully interweave the rest of their series into their concluding book and come to a satisfying and fulfilling conclusion - both in plot and characterisation.

Holly Jackson has really left us with a remarkable piece of work. Every event, character and detail that wasn't resolved in the previous books really tied together to not only contribute to the thrilling plot, but also reinforce the theme Jackson introduced in her second novel: that the truth isn't all black and white and it doesn't lie in the procedures that are considered right in the society (the law system etc.)

As someone who has recently read a lot of young adult crime novels, it was really a pleasant surprise to see that the author further characterised the protagonist: Pip, and through the use of repetition, was able to enhance the connection we had with Pip. Pip was no longer just the perfect A grade student using her knowledge to solve a case, the circumstances were now linked to her and the people around her. I have yet to to see a young adult crime author successfully explore the concept of trauma and overcoming such trauma. Jackson was able to subtly depict the changing character and mental state of Pip, interweaving this appropriately with the events and plot twists that occurred throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book over the others in the trilogy, as the plot twists and action occurred from the start of the novel, even though it is the one with the largest number of pages. I was hooked from the beginning to the very end. Although, I must admit I was slightly disappointed of the absence of detection; this book basically became a sole thriller rather than an amateur sleuth mystery. However, regardless of the change of genre, it still served to be a captivating read.

Most book/series endings are often unfulfilling, incomplete and just poorly written. But this one was definitely a memorable and satisfying one.

Five stars for excellent plot, characterisation, writing and conclusion.

where the fuck do i even start. i don't think it's a secret that i'm not the biggest fan of the first two books in this series (tho the 2nd one is better than the 1st). But this one blew my mind and shattered my fucking heart. this series progressively gets darker and darker which means PAIN yayyyy.
But let me start from the beginning. I was really not enjoying myself at the start of this book. I even thought it might be my least favorite of the trilogy but then at the halfway point EVERYTHING CHANGED.
Pip is kidnapped and we learn who the DT killer is and I think is this book ending already???. BUT THEN. bUt ThEn. Pip and Ravi become murder buddies??? Wtf??? And the whole trajectory of the book changed and it became a revenge thriller???!!! And I was fucking digging it?? It was so goddamn badass.??If he will LITERALLY help you take care of the body, THAT'S how you know he's a real one.
I was so impressed with the amount of callbacks from the 2nd and even the 1st book??? Especially considering AGGGTM was originally supposed to be a standalone like...woooooow....holly jackson YOUR MIND.??
But then THE thing happened and everything went wrong and my heart was ACTUALLY breaking omfg. And then the SECOND thing happened and I was like miss jackson HOW FUCKING DARE YOUUUUUU???? DO YOU HAVE NO REGARD FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH?? (note: she doesn't and we love her for it!)??
I think I've only ever been this sad over a book ONCE before (and that was evelyn hugo, for you nosy fucks). i was so anxious for pip and these characters the entire time...??
AND THE FUCKING ENDING. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY. (that's a lie. i cried. because that last chapter was so

I honestly have no idea what to say about this book. I loved the first two books for their mysteries and investigation. This one is just something else.

I don't even remember if I ever was let down by a book series so hard.
The world is far from black and white, but the moral greyness of this book is way too overdone.
Romanticising framing someone else for the murder is just not something I would welcome in YA books.

Actually, I have a lot more I would like to say about this book and far-fetchedness of it all. But you know, I don't want to spend any more time thinking about it.

Her judgment day would come, but for now, Pip walked and she promised. That's all. One foot in front of the other, even if she had to drag them, even when the hole in her heart felt too big to keep standing.

In my comment on the second installment, I was remarking that I was not too fond of the series moving away from the cozy mystery feel of the first book. In hindsight, after reading this sequel, I suspect this was a direction chosen from the beginning by the author. Even the name of the series spells it out: ‘A Good Girl's Guide to Murder'. That being said, I didn't find this book particularly compelling. Our heroine, Pip, has become quite a bland and unconvincing character since the second book, and she never regained the momentum. It's not that she lived enough to become a villain but that her motives for everything she did since the end of the first book are quite elusive to me. I can't say I had the worst time ready this, but it was quite far from the enjoyment I had with the first book.

ughhhhhhh this last installment in the series dropped the ball for me. i can't decide if i enjoyed the darker themes and twists in this one or not. it was definitely a choice... and not a choice i would've predicted for pip, especially with all of the suspension of disbelief that was involved here... that's soooo not pip's style. & omg the drAMA at the end and the focus on the romance had me rolling my eyes. pip needs to get over herself in this one. i can't deny that the story was engrossing though. and the twists were shocking as always. 

Well.... that took a hard left. I'm gonna need physiotherapy after the whiplash I just got. Super disappointed with the finale.

***Spoilers: First of all, the complete character shift was super jarring. The author tried to build it up so that it felt plausible but in the end it was just too hard a shift to work, in my opinion. (Losing faith in cops etc) It doesn't matter that he was a serial killer, and it doesn't matter that she was struggling with PTSD, it was just too incongruous with everything she was shown to be previously. Plus, having PTSD and trauma does not suddenly make you more prone to violence. That was just a cop-out. I feel like there were better, more clever ways she could have dealt with getting back at Max and that would have fit the characters better. And Andie's dad was a serial killer? Really? Pip went through every inch of Andie's life to trying to find her killer and never once got a whiff of a legit serial killer in the house?
I wanted to love this so much. The first half of the book was SO good! I loved the eerie mystery of being stalked and the stick figures and the printer and music going off. Spooked me. But then it all just went downhill. The extremes that they went through to clear the DNA and create alibis felt ridiculous. And the amount of work that went into it, the planning, the alibis, the breaking into Max' house... they managed to figure it all out in one night? Getting her friends involved not to mention RAVI!? The Pippa I knew would NEVER.
Also, the amount of times people “sniffed” in this book was ASTRONOMICAL. Every single page, it felt like, had someone sniffing with emotion.
Not the books fault but the narrator turned on the emotional reading to 11 on this one and it just added to the cringe.
I felt like Jackson wanted to heighten the emotional impact and honestly it just didn't work. All the self sacrificing Pippa was trying to do just felt so forced and unnecessary. With her previous PTSD trauma and now with murder on her conscious there is no way she wouldn't have crumpled like a paper cup and confessed or spilled the beans to someone. She was an absolute mess. Talk about beating heart in the floorboards.
The fact that the chief was an absolute bumbling fool for two books and now suddenly is on to Pippa again felt like lazy writing. There was no foundation for that other than to create suspense.
And finally, her long, drawn-out break up with Ravi was created as this big eventful, emotional moment but shouldn't have been necessary in the first place. And was completely negated by the epilogue. This was another cringe moment for me.
Really disappointed. I'll pretend this book isn't part of the series because the first two are amazing.

4.5 stars

I get why this is a controversial book, but it worked for me.

The darkness made sense considering everything Pip went through (and was still going through).
I loved this story, the over-the-top storyline, the emotions, the characters, and the mystery.

The mystery was easily guessed, but everything afterward made it worth it.
I'm obsessed with the last line! Loved it!

“As Good As Dead” by Holly Jackson concludes the series with unexpected twists that kept me hooked. Initially unsure of the direction in the beginning of the third book, the moment Pip realizes she has a stalker becomes a riveting turning point, making it impossible to put the book down.

The justice served in the story felt satisfying, a stark contrast to the shortcomings often seen in the real world. Pip, with her intelligence and courage, emerges as a likable and admirable character. Sweet Ravi adds charm to their dynamic duo, and their teamwork is truly enjoyable. The theme of friendships and found family throughout the series is heartwarming and adds depth to the narrative.

The ending, while confusing, doesn't diminish the overall enjoyment. The decision to cut everyone out of Pip's life felt unnecessary given the lack of evidence against her. Regardless, the book is a compelling read, and the series as a whole is a testament to Jackson's storytelling prowess. I look forward to Holly Jackson's future projects.

Gelezen via audioboek.

Wel, dat was nu eens een trein die op volle snelheid tegen een muur rijdt. Wat een ontgoocheling zeg.
Het begon weer goed en intrigerend, maar sloeg dan opeens een absurd belachelijk richting in, die ik totaal niet passend vond bij de personages. Jammer dat het zo moet afsluiten.

At first, Pip ignores the threatening messages. Being the creator of a true crime podcast, it’s predictable there will be people trying to get a thrill out of scaring her. But when the dead pigeons and chalk drawings begin to appear near her house, Pip begins to rethink the situation. Collecting the evidence she presents it to the police and once again is turned down, her misgivings brushed aside. But then again she never expected them to help anyway. When have they ever believed her? It’s up to Pip to investigate, but this time she might not make it out alive.

The evolution of Pip’s character throughout the trilogy has been intense. Watching events unfold in As Good As Dead, and Pip’s reactions to them shows how far she has come. Unfortunately, it also shows the mental slide trauma can have on a person. Pip has an analytical mind, and when faced with impossible odds, she goes into overdrive trying to find out answers. Near obsession and also dealing with PTSD leads to risky situations for Pip and decisions most readers will not agree with.

And once again the full cast of audiobook narrators did a wonderful job presenting this story. The style of information between Pip’s narrative may have changed this time around, but the way it all came together just accented the rollercoaster of emotions readers will encounter.

Holly Jackson is a master at suspense. The type of suspense that curls along your spine as you read, threatening to take hold of the characters and ruin their lives. Small bread crumbs left within the narrative hint at danger around every corner. And when the plot twist brings to light new evidence or scenarios, the reader's mind will turn back to those bread crumbs wondering if it’s the final moment. As Good As Dead held such a brilliant display of layering information into the story and I am sad to see this trilogy come to an end.

The series A Good Girls’ Guide to Murder was such a wild ride. I never could have predicted where the finale would bring readers, and I loved it all the more for doing this. I cannot wait to see what else Holly Jackson writes.

It pains me to give this book 1 star. I devoured books 1 and 2 and was looking forward to reading this.

The first half of this book was fine, showing Pip's PTSD struggles, explaining the new mystery, the ties with the first two books and characters.

The second half went off the rails. She should have run and not involved Ravi and her friends in covering up her crime. And then she turned around and cut them and her family out of her life while the trial was going on. It was such a letdown.

I can't lie pip was annoying me in this but I liked the ending

As the last & final book it's not the best in the series imo, I think I prefer the first one out of all of them but yk, it was an ending nonetheless

This was mediocre from the start for me so honestly I was just along for the ride & to see how everything concluded and tied together in the end

Ik vond dit het minst leuke boek van de 3 in de triologie. De eerste helft was echt mega goed en mega spannend. Toen we halverwege te weten kwamen hoe alles zat en wie degene was die pip aan het bedreigen was, was het heel erg goed. Toen pip daarna Jason vermoorde werd het voor mijn idee erg slecht. Ik denk dat het boek een betere wending had gekregen als pip was weggelopen en had geprobeerd Jason te ontmaskeren als DT-killer. Overall vond ik het daardoor een prima boek, vandaar de 3 sterren.