Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Not Quite Dead Yet

Author: Holly Jackson

Genre: suspense thrillers, women sleuths

Publisher: Bantam

Print Length: 400 pages

Source: A copy from the local library

Blurb:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A WASHINGTON POST AND NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • The author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder—now a hit Netflix series—returns with her first novel for adults: an “irresistible” (The Washington Post) thriller about a young woman trying to solve her own murder, “full of the writer’s signature twists and turns” (People).

The stunning hardcover of Not Quite Dead features a custom-stamped case, beautiful endpapers, and a premium dust jacket!

“This truly unique premise snowballs into a roller-coaster ride of page-turning suspense and knock-out twists!”—Freida McFadden, author of The Housemaid

In seven days, Jet Mason will be dead.

Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old and back home, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.

Until Halloween night, when she is violently attacked by an unseen intruder, suffering a catastrophic head injury. Doctors are certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a fatal aneurysm. To her parents’ dismay, Jet rejects an extremely risky operation in order to guarantee herself at least a few more days.

Jet never thought of herself as having enemies. But now, in the one week she has left, she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend.

As her condition deteriorates, she reconnects with her childhood friend Billy, the only one willing to help her. With Billy at her side, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something:

Jet is going to solve her own murder.

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Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

This book is about a young woman, 'Jet', who is dying in the next 7 days due to a serious attack on her. Jet wants to prove herself to others before she dies, so she ventures to investigate her own murder case. 

So, the story starts with her investigation, watching videotapes captured from their doorbell camera, enquiring people in the family, neighbourhood, and all others associated with her life. During this process, she reconnects with her childhood best friend, Billy, and they both investigate and uncover many secrets about their families and friends. 

The story takes multiple turns and takes unpredictable twists, but will Jet be able to find out her murderer before she dies? That's the remaining story. 

What is great?

The writing is funny and engaging. Jet is very funny and responds in an unexpected, honest way when she talks to others. 

The characterization and multiple layers of each character are definitely a plus for this novel. The twists and turns are at a different level when compared to other mystery novels. While Jet and Billy learn something new every time they talk to different people, they are unsuccessful until the end in identifying the murderer. The reader keeps on guessing the murderer without much success, either. 

What might have been better?

The twists and turns keep us engaging for sure, but some seem fabricated and not real. It felt like the author decided to make it more thrilling and added too many twists. So, from the middle of the book, I was waiting for it to end faster. I got bored at one point in time. I wish the story had been crisp and shorter.

My Rating: 4/5

About the Author:

Holly Jackson started writing stories from a young age, completing her first (poor) attempt at a novel aged fifteen. She lives in London, and aside from reading and writing, she enjoys playing video games and watching true crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is her first novel. You can follow Holly on Twitter and Instagram @HoJay92

Until next time,