A review by leona
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Spoilers probable... 

I feel rather conflicted about this book. 

Whilst I have loved the characters, find Jackson's plots deeply intricate and well woven, and love the exploration of how the justice system fails people, I just wasn't that keen on the direction that this went in. I also didn't find it as gripping as I may have (because I accidentally got spoiled online, which obviously isn't the author's fault) but I also was a bit intimidated by this absolute whopper of a book. I don't usually care about reading long books, but for a murder mystery it felt a bit much to me, however the whole book still felt a bit rushed. 

I think Jackson does a great job of showing the extent of Pip's trauma, and it was perfectly reasonable. I was sad to see how the naive Pip in book 1 had turned into this grey, troubled and traumatised character, struggling to trust anyone or find an escape from her own head. And again, the author does a brilliant job, (in my opinion) of showing the absolute disgust and rage felt by Pip towards Max. He absolutely deserved everything he got (and more). 

I also loved Jackson's way of showing that when the sleuths solve the crime, the story doesn't end. Just because the evidence has been handed over to the police in a neat little package, tied up with a little bow, doesn't mean that justice has been served. And there are serious problems in our justice system, in the UK and across the world, that let criminals walk free, and shame and isolate victims of horrific crimes. And I can completely understand Pip's hatred for the police, and realisation that even though she knows the truth, she can't always prove it. 

But that leads me on to the stuff I didn't like, and now there will be major spoilers:
Pip killing Jason. I'm still not really sure how I feel about this. I definitely think it was fully deserved, but it just didn't sit right with me. It took Pip to a whole new level of morally grey, that I don't think I was prepared for. I suppose that shows some level of character development, Pip is no longer the 'Good girl' from the previous two books. But having been spoiled as well, I was just a bit annoyed about seeing this story play out. I think Pip made some stupid errors throughout the first half that she should have learned from the previous cases. Like not just going up to any random person she wants to interview. Like walking around on her own, knowing she's being stalked. Like coming to conclusions before considering all possibilities (especially when the clues are staring her in the face). Maybe I wouldn't have realised if not for the spoiler, but I don't think the mystery was as carefully weaved as the previous books. Jason just felt a bit too convenient. Pip pushing all of her family and Ravi away, but also roping them into her stupid decisions, really irritated me. Pip is meant to be smart! But she consistently made naive and stupid mistakes throughout the whole book. I suppose this could be explained by her trauma and PTSD, but it still did really grate on me. I also just wanted more Pip and Ravi banter and charm, a bit more contrast between Pip's normal life, and her sleuthing.


I think that's more or less what I had to say, and overall I would rate it 3.5 stars - I don't think it's an objectively bad ending, just not the ending I wanted. (However I do appreciate Jackson being brave and going in a direction rarely explored before.)
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