Book Review: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

Finally! I had begun to think my thriller era had started to feel a bit dull and repetitive. This book proved me wrong and reminded me why I love reading so much!! It was such a refreshing change from the usual writing styles, and SO engaging—I literally carried it everywhere just to sneak in a few pages whenever I could. Let’s dig into the deets:

Author: Holly Jackson (author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder)
Pages: ~400
Release date: July 17, 2025
Publisher: Bantam
Buy it on Amazon here

Book Blurb

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, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. She’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.

Until, on the night of Halloween, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder.

She suffers a catastrophic brain injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, she’ll suffer a deadly aneurysm.

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

She only has seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something:

Jet is going to solve her own murder.

My Thoughts

I had high expectations going into this—especially since it won the Goodreads Choice Awards 2025 (and let’s be honest, readers are rarely wrong). At the start, I was a little sceptical—it felt like it might be overhyped—but about a third of the way in, I was completely hooked.

For one, we know almost nothing about Jet and her family at the beginning, and that curiosity builds so well as the story unfolds. Even when I thought I had figured out the “killer,” I still had no clue why Jet was targeted until much later. Kudos to Holly Jackson for her highly engaging and immersive writing style. It’s not overly complex—no jumping timelines or multiple POVs—but it never feels dull.

Jet’s voice (her internal monologue) is written in a very specific way that makes it feel raw, immediate, and oddly relatable. The mystery itself is also really well done—characters are introduced gradually, connections are there to be made, but nothing is too obvious. It genuinely felt like I was on this journey with Jet and Billy, trying to solve her own “murder” alongside them.

And that premise? So unique. A victim solving her own crime while dealing with grief, loss, and the looming reality of her own death - it sounds heavy (and it is), but it’s handled in a way that keeps you completely invested.

I also really appreciated the emotional depth of the story. Yes, it’s a mystery, but it’s also about Jet’s life - her relationships, her regrets, her fears, her ambitions. Knowing she has only days left adds this layer of urgency and reflection that makes everything hit harder. The book feels whole in that sense - it’s not just about solving a crime, it’s about everything that comes with it.

I do give this book a very high rating of 4.5/5 stars, but it did have some aspects I did not enjoy a lot. Jet, for one, is endearing but also not super likeable. I felt bad about the way she treated others sometimes, especially dismissing her mother's (valid, imo) feelings and seemed quite selfish to me. It became annoying at a point where I felt tired of her acting that way. Granted, she gets a pass because she was going to die, but still. And oh, poor sweet Billy! Probably the most likeable character here - I love how his story was depicted and I did feel bad for him throughout.

The ending was satisfying (though a little emotional, as expected), and overall well-executed. There were a few loose ends I wish had been tied up more neatly, but nothing that ruined the experience for me—which is saying a lot because I can be picky with thrillers.

Would I recommend this? 100% yes. Whether you’re a thriller regular or just getting into the genre, this one is such an engaging, emotional, and genuinely enjoyable ride!