{"id":3492,"date":"2025-07-08T02:17:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T02:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=3492"},"modified":"2025-07-08T02:17:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T02:17:34","slug":"from-fairview-to-fear-the-ultimate-reading-guide-to-holly-jackson-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=3492","title":{"rendered":"From Fairview to Fear: The Ultimate Reading Guide to Holly Jackson Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

It started with a school project.\u00a0I picked up A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder<\/em><\/a> on a rainy afternoon, thinking it would be a decent thriller to pass the time. Three chapters in, I realized something rare was happening\u2014I was forgetting to blink.\u00a0That book wasn\u2019t just good. It was addictive<\/strong>, electrifying, and brutally smart. And like thousands of other readers, I fell headfirst into the chilling, twist-filled world of Holly Jackson books<\/strong>\u2014never to return.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Jackson\u2019s storytelling has evolved from teen cold-case investigations to survival thrillers and, most recently, a heart-pounding adult debut. Her characters don\u2019t whisper; they demand answers. They solve crimes the police ignore. They ask hard questions\u2014and sometimes become the answers themselves.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re new to the author\u2019s work or want to track her journey from Fairview to Vermont, here\u2019s a complete look at all the books by Holly Jackson<\/strong>, with plot summaries, reading order, and insights into why each one matters.<\/p>\n

A GOOD GIRL\u2019S GUIDE TO MURDER SERIES<\/h2>\n

Where it all began. Where readers like me became investigators. Where Pip Fitz-Amobi reminded us that the most dangerous thing you can do\u2026 is dig up the truth.<\/p>\n

\n

1. A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder<\/a> (2019)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Mystery, Crime Thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Five years ago, Andie Bell was murdered. Everyone in Fairview knows it. Her boyfriend Sal Singh was blamed, then died by suicide. Case closed.<\/p>\n

Except it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n

Enter Pip Fitz-Amobi: brilliant, methodical, and utterly relentless. For her senior project, Pip decides to reopen the case\u2014and soon discovers evidence that doesn\u2019t add up. As she dives deeper, secrets rise, and someone wants her silenced.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a mystery; it\u2019s a revolution in YA storytelling. With podcast transcripts, journal entries, and police files scattered throughout, A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder<\/em> doesn\u2019t just tell you the story\u2014it makes you part of it.<\/p>\n

Among all Holly Jackson books<\/strong>, this is the one that changed everything.<\/p>\n

2. Good Girl, Bad Blood<\/a> (2020)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Mystery, Contemporary Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pip said she was done.<\/p>\n

But when her friend\u2019s brother goes missing and the police won\u2019t investigate, she reopens her true-crime podcast and takes matters into her own hands\u2014again.<\/p>\n

As the clock ticks and Jamie Reynolds remains missing, Pip uncovers long-buried grudges, twisted motivations, and a community still reeling from the past. The line between reporter and participant blurs dangerously.<\/p>\n

This sequel deepens Pip\u2019s character and explores the emotional cost of constantly searching for justice<\/a>. The stakes feel real. The fallout is brutal. And the ending? Devastatingly human.<\/p>\n

Good Girl, Bad Blood<\/em> isn\u2019t just another case\u2014it\u2019s the price of being the girl who always asks why.<\/p>\n

3. As Good As Dead<\/a> (2021)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Psychological Thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now Pip is the case.<\/p>\n

Following the events of her podcast, Pip finds herself haunted\u2014by anonymous threats, by memories she can\u2019t shake, and by a killer who might be closer than she thinks.<\/p>\n

As she begins investigating a series of unsolved serial murders, Pip spirals into her darkest descent yet. The final installment is raw, gut-wrenching, and terrifyingly real.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no returning to the girl we met in Book One. This Pip is older. Angrier. And willing to cross lines she once swore she\u2019d never touch.<\/p>\n

As Good As Dead<\/em> is more than a finale. It\u2019s an emotional reckoning. It\u2019s the kind of book that leaves you hollow in the best way.<\/p>\n

4. Kill Joy<\/a> (2021 \u2013 Prequel Novella)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Mystery, Short Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before she was Pip the investigator, she was just Pip\u2014heading to a murder mystery party.<\/p>\n

But even in a game, Pip can\u2019t help but notice the inconsistencies, the motives, the lies. This novella shows the moment her detective instincts awoke\u2014and how one night of make-believe ignited a life-changing obsession.<\/p>\n

Kill Joy<\/em> is a delightful, clever prequel that\u2019s essential reading for fans of the trilogy. It adds dimension and context to a character we already love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

STANDALONE THRILLERS<\/h2>\n

After Pip, Holly Jackson left Fairview behind. But the danger only got bigger, the stakes higher. And the twists? Even sharper.<\/p>\n

\n

1. Five Survive<\/a> (2022)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Survival Thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Six friends. One RV. No way out.<\/p>\n

Red\u2019s spring break road trip takes a deadly turn when the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere\u2014and a sniper opens fire. Someone wants something. Someone has secrets. And not everyone will make it out alive.<\/p>\n

This story unfolds over eight blood-chilling hours and is told in real-time. Claustrophobic, pulse-pounding, and morally complicated, Five Survive<\/em> reads like a slasher-mystery hybrid that forces every character\u2014and the reader\u2014to ask: who deserves to live?<\/p>\n

This was the first of the Holly Jackson books<\/strong> that made me put it down for a breather\u2026 and immediately pick it back up.<\/p>\n

2. The Reappearance of Rachel Price<\/a> (2024)<\/h3>\n

Genres: YA Mystery, Family Drama<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bel Price grew up with a hole in her story. Her mother, Rachel, vanished when she was a baby. Now seventeen, Bel\u2019s making a documentary about the disappearance.<\/p>\n

Then Rachel comes back.<\/p>\n

The woman claiming to be Rachel sets off a whirlwind of media attention and personal confusion. Is she really Bel\u2019s mother? If not\u2014who is she? If yes\u2014why did she leave?<\/p>\n

This haunting, slow-burn thriller is Jackson\u2019s most emotional yet. It\u2019s less about solving a crime and more about rewriting a family\u2019s truth. Rachel Price<\/em> proves that Holly Jackson books<\/strong> don\u2019t just rely on action\u2014they thrive on psychological nuance.<\/p>\n

3. Not Quite Dead Yet (2025 \u2013 Upcoming)<\/h3>\n

Genres: Adult Thriller, Suspense<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jet Mason was always a procrastinator. She had time\u2014until she didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

After surviving a brutal attack on Halloween night, doctors inform Jet she has a catastrophic head injury. A fatal aneurysm is inevitable\u2014within a week.<\/p>\n

But instead of giving in, Jet makes a chilling decision: she\u2019s going to solve her own murder before it happens.<\/p>\n

Her list of suspects is chilling: a sister-in-law who was once her best friend, an ex-boyfriend with secrets, and a family with money\u2014and motives. Only Billy, her childhood friend, believes her.<\/p>\n

Jackson\u2019s first novel for adults, Not Quite Dead Yet<\/em> is poised to be her most gripping yet. The premise alone sends shivers down my spine.<\/p>\n

Fans of books by Holly Jackson<\/strong> will recognize the layered mystery and high tension\u2014but now with adult themes, stakes, and emotional weight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

THEMES THAT UNITE HOLLY JACKSON BOOKS<\/h2>\n

Beneath the mysteries, Jackson\u2019s work is tied together by deeper threads:<\/p>\n

Justice vs. Obsession:<\/strong> Pip\u2019s arc is a masterclass in how far we\u2019ll go for the truth\u2014and what it can cost.
\nMedia & Morality:<\/strong> From podcasts to documentaries, her characters navigate public storytelling and private pain.
\nSmart Girls in Dangerous Worlds:<\/strong> Whether they\u2019re detectives or dying, Jackson\u2019s heroines are brilliant, flawed, and unforgettable.
\nTeen Voices That Matter:<\/strong> She writes teenage girls not as caricatures, but as complex, powerful forces capable of rewriting narratives\u2014especially their own.<\/p>\n

ALL HOLLY JACKSON BOOKS IN ORDER<\/h2>\n

A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder Series:<\/h4>\n

A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder<\/em><\/a> (2019)
\nGood Girl, Bad Blood<\/em><\/a> (2020)
\nAs Good As Dead<\/em><\/a> (2021)
\nKill Joy<\/em><\/a> (2021 \u2013 Prequel)<\/p>\n

Standalone Novels:<\/h4>\n

Five Survive<\/em><\/a> (2022)
\nThe Reappearance of Rachel Price<\/em><\/a> (2024)
\nNot Quite Dead Yet<\/em> (2025 \u2013 Upcoming)<\/p>\n

FINAL THOUGHTS: WHY HOLLY JACKSON BOOKS STAY WITH YOU<\/h2>\n

Reading Holly Jackson books<\/strong> isn\u2019t just thrilling\u2014it\u2019s consuming<\/em>. She builds stories like crime scenes: every detail matters. Every chapter tightens the noose.<\/p>\n

Her books changed how I read YA. They made me expect more. Smarter plots. Bolder characters. Real consequences.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re investigating with Pip, racing the clock with Jet, or piecing together family secrets with Bel, Jackson will hold you in suspense until the final, breathtaking reveal.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s your warning: once you start reading the books by Holly Jackson<\/strong>, you won\u2019t stop. And you\u2019ll never trust a small town again.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It started with a school project.\u00a0I picked up A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder on a rainy afternoon, thinking it would be a decent thriller to pass the time. Three chapters in, I realized something rare was happening\u2014I was forgetting to blink.\u00a0That book wasn\u2019t just good. It was addictive, electrifying, and brutally smart. And like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3492"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}