Holly Jackson Books in Order: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Every Must-Read Mystery
If you enjoy young adult mystery books, psychological thrillers, murder investigations, missing-person cases, and twisty plots, Holly Jackson is an author worth adding to your reading list.
She first became widely known for the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, which follows teenager Pip Fitz-Amobi as she investigates a supposedly solved murder in her small English town. The series combines amateur detective work, interviews, evidence, secrets, and increasingly dangerous discoveries.
Jackson has since expanded beyond Pip with standalone thrillers such as Five Survive, The Reappearance of Rachel Price, and Not Quite Dead Yet. Unlike the Good Girl series, these books feature different characters and stories, so they don’t need to be read in a particular order.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Books in Order
The A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy is Holly Jackson’s breakout series and should definitely be read in publication order.
1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019)
Pippa Fitz-Amobi chooses a five-year-old murder case for her school project, convinced that Sal Singh may have been wrongly blamed for killing Andie Bell. What begins as a research assignment quickly becomes a real investigation when Pip discovers that the official story may be completely wrong.
Publication Year: 2019
Reading Position: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1
Key Themes: Murder investigation, secrets, evidence, journalism, small-town crime
This is the book that introduces Pip and establishes the mystery-driven style that made Holly Jackson so popular.
2. Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
After solving the Andie Bell case, Pip has promised herself that she is finished investigating murders. But when someone close to her disappears, she reluctantly returns to detective work and begins uncovering another disturbing mystery.
Publication Year: 2020
Reading Position: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2
Key Themes: Missing persons, investigation, family, secrets, true crime
The second book expands Pip’s investigative skills while showing the emotional consequences of what happened in the first novel.
3. As Good as Dead (2021)
Pip is struggling with the psychological aftermath of her previous investigations when she realizes that she may have become the target of a dangerous stalker. As threats escalate, Pip becomes involved in another deadly situation that forces her to confront how far she is willing to go for justice.
Publication Year: 2021
Reading Position: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3
Key Themes: Stalking, trauma, murder, justice, revenge
This is the darkest and most psychologically intense installment in the trilogy, so it is especially important to read the previous two books first.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Companion Books
Holly Jackson has also published additional material connected to the Good Girl universe.
Kill Joy (2021)
Kill Joy is a prequel novella featuring Pip and her friends during a murder mystery game. What begins as a fun evening turns into a miniature detective case that gives readers an earlier glimpse of Pip’s investigative personality.
Publication Year: 2021
Reading Position: Prequel to the trilogy
Key Themes: Murder mystery, friendship, detective work, games
You can technically read Kill Joy before the trilogy, but it works particularly well after becoming familiar with Pip and her friends.
Holly Jackson Standalone Books in Order
After the Good Girl trilogy, Holly Jackson moved into standalone YA thriller territory. These books are not part of the Pip Fitz-Amobi storyline, so they can be read independently.
1. Five Survive (2022)
Six teenagers set off on a road trip, expecting an ordinary vacation, but their journey takes a terrifying turn when their RV is deliberately targeted. Trapped with no easy escape and a shooter watching them, the group must figure out who is being targeted and why.
Publication Year: 2022
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Survival, secrets, friendship, betrayal, suspense
Five Survive is a fast-paced survival thriller rather than a traditional detective mystery.
2. The Reappearance of Rachel Price (2024)
Eighteen-year-old Bel is filming a true-crime documentary about her mother, Rachel Price, who disappeared sixteen years earlier. When Rachel suddenly reappears alive, Bel is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her mother’s disappearance.
Publication Year: 2024
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Missing persons, family secrets, true crime, identity, deception
This book returns to several ideas that Holly Jackson handles particularly well: missing people, hidden evidence, family secrets, and the uncertainty surrounding what really happened.
3. Not Quite Dead Yet (2025)
After being attacked and left for dead, Jet Mason discovers that she has only a short amount of time to solve her own murder before it happens. She must work backward through her life, relationships, and enemies to identify who wants her dead.
Publication Year: 2025
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Murder, revenge, investigation, time pressure, secrets
The unusual premise gives Jackson another opportunity to combine a murder mystery with a race against time.
Holly Jackson Books in Simple Reading Order
If you simply want the easiest publication-based reading order, follow this list:
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder — 2019
- Good Girl, Bad Blood — 2020
- As Good as Dead — 2021
- Kill Joy — 2021
- Five Survive — 2022
- The Reappearance of Rachel Price — 2024
- Not Quite Dead Yet — 2025
Reading tip: For the best experience with Pip’s story, read Kill Joy after A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or after finishing the trilogy rather than treating it as the main fourth novel.
Are Holly Jackson’s Books Connected?
The A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy and Kill Joy are connected through Pip Fitz-Amobi and the world of the original series.
Five Survive, The Reappearance of Rachel Price, and Not Quite Dead Yet are standalone novels with different protagonists and stories.
So you don’t need to read the standalone books in any particular order.
Should You Read Holly Jackson Books in Order?
For the Good Girl series, absolutely.
Pip’s investigations, relationships, emotional state, and personal development continue from one book to the next. Reading the trilogy out of order would spoil important developments from earlier mysteries.
For the standalone thrillers, however, reading order doesn’t matter. You can start with whichever premise interests you most.
Which Holly Jackson Book Should You Read First?
If you’ve never read Holly Jackson before, start with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
It is the clearest introduction to her signature style: a young protagonist investigating a crime, uncovering hidden evidence, questioning official assumptions, and gradually realizing that the case is much more dangerous than she expected.
If you prefer a standalone thriller, Five Survive is a good starting point because it delivers a contained survival mystery without requiring knowledge of any previous book.
For readers who enjoy true crime, missing-person cases, and family secrets, The Reappearance of Rachel Price is another particularly strong choice.
What Genre Are Holly Jackson’s Books?
Holly Jackson primarily writes young adult mystery and thriller fiction, although her books cross into several related genres.
Her novels commonly include:
- Young adult thrillers
- Mystery fiction
- Psychological suspense
- Murder mysteries
- Crime fiction
- Survival thrillers
- True-crime-inspired mysteries
- Missing-person investigations
Her stories tend to emphasize fast pacing, secrets, evidence, twists, and young protagonists placed in dangerous situations.
Why Is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder So Popular?
The series stands out because Pip’s investigation feels more active than simply following a detective solving a case.
Readers see her research, interviews, evidence gathering, theories, and discoveries as the mystery develops. The combination of true-crime culture, teenage characters, small-town secrets, and increasingly dangerous investigations gives the trilogy strong crossover appeal for both YA and adult thriller readers.
The series also asks interesting questions about reputation and the difference between what a community believes happened and what actually happened.
About Holly Jackson
Holly Jackson is a British author best known for the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy.
She became particularly well known for writing mysteries centered on young protagonists who investigate crimes themselves. Her later novels expanded into standalone thriller territory while maintaining many of the elements readers associate with her writing: secrets, deception, danger, unexpected revelations, and fast-moving plots.
Her books have helped establish her as a prominent voice in young adult mystery and thriller fiction, particularly among readers who enjoy contemporary crime stories with teenage protagonists.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holly Jackson Books
What is the correct order to read Holly Jackson’s books?
Start with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, followed by Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good as Dead. Then you can read Five Survive, The Reappearance of Rachel Price, and Not Quite Dead Yet in any order because they are standalone novels.
How many A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder books are there?
There are three main novels in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Good Girl, Bad Blood, and As Good as Dead. Holly Jackson also wrote the related prequel novella Kill Joy.
Is Kill Joy part of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
Yes. Kill Joy takes place in the same fictional world and features Pip Fitz-Amobi and her friends. However, it is a prequel novella, not a fourth full-length novel in the trilogy.
Should I read Kill Joy before A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
You can, but I recommend reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder first. That way, you’ll already know Pip and her friends, making the prequel’s characters and dynamics more meaningful.
Is Five Survive connected to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
No. Five Survive is a standalone thriller with a completely different cast and storyline. You don’t need to read the Good Girl trilogy before starting it.
What should I read after A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
Continue with Good Girl, Bad Blood and then As Good as Dead. The three books form one continuous story centered on Pip Fitz-Amobi, so reading them in order gives you the intended character and mystery progression.
What is Holly Jackson’s newest book?
Not Quite Dead Yet, published in 2025, is Holly Jackson’s newest standalone thriller. It follows Jet Mason, a young woman who has been attacked and must solve the mystery of who is trying to kill her.
Are Holly Jackson books suitable for adults?
Although Holly Jackson’s books are primarily marketed as young adult thrillers, their murder mysteries, psychological tension, and darker themes can appeal strongly to adult readers as well.
What is Holly Jackson’s best book?
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the best starting point for most readers because it introduces the writing style, investigative structure, and storytelling approach that made Holly Jackson widely known. If you prefer a standalone, The Reappearance of Rachel Price is an excellent alternative.
What are Holly Jackson’s books usually about?
Holly Jackson’s books typically revolve around murder, missing people, secrets, investigations, deception, and dangerous discoveries. Her protagonists are often young people who become involved in mysteries that adults have failed to solve—or deliberately left unresolved.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for Holly Jackson books in order, start with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and read Pip Fitz-Amobi’s trilogy straight through to As Good as Dead. Add Kill Joy as the companion prequel, then explore Jackson’s standalone thrillers.
For me, the biggest appeal of Jackson’s books is the combination of YA characters and genuinely high-stakes mystery plotting. If you enjoy stories where a seemingly solved crime gets pulled apart piece by piece, her books are an easy recommendation.
Best starting point: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Best standalone starting point: The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Best for survival suspense: Five Survive
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