3 weeks ago
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The Queen of YA Mystery Returns to Her Roots
Holly Jackson, the mastermind behind the global phenomenon A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, has finally returned to the world of high-stakes suspense with her latest offering, Not Quite Dead Yet. After the experimental and polarizing psychological thriller The Reappearance of Rachel Price, Jackson proves she still holds the crown for the “whodunnit” genre, delivering a narrative that is as claustrophobic as it is clever.
The Premise: A Game of Shadows
The story follows Bel, a protagonist who feels like a spiritual successor to Pip Fitz-Amobi but carries a much sharper, more cynical edge. When Bel is invited to a secluded, high-end “Murder Mystery” weekend at a remote estate, the tropes seem familiar—until the first body found isn’t a paid actor.
Jackson utilizes the “Closed Circle” mystery trope—a classic popularized by Agatha Christie—but infuses it with a Gen-Z nihilism and a frantic, modern pace. The characters are trapped by a blizzard (a nod to Five Survive), and the tension ramps up as the line between the scripted game and a real-life massacre begins to blur.
Themes and Execution
Jackson’s strengths have always been her pacing and her multimedia storytelling. While Not Quite Dead Yet relies less on podcast transcripts and maps than her previous work, it excels in psychological warfare.
- The Unreliable Narrator: Bel’s internal monologue is a highlight. She is deeply observant but emotionally guarded, forcing the reader to question if her deductions are based on facts or her own trauma-induced biases.
- Social Commentary: True to Jackson’s style, the book touches on the voyeurism of true crime culture and how tragedy is often packaged as entertainment.
- The Atmosphere: The setting is described with a visceral chill. You can almost feel the frost on the windows and the growing paranoia in the room.
The Verdict
Not Quite Dead Yet is a masterclass in modern suspense. It manages to feel nostalgic for fans of classic detective stories while remaining firmly rooted in the anxieties of the present day. While some might find the ending a bit bleak—a signature of Jackson’s later works—it is undeniably a page-turner that demands to be read in one sitting.
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
Recommended for: Fans of One of Us Is Lying, The Truly Devious series, and anyone who enjoys a mystery that values logic as much as it values a good scare.
English (US) ·