By Ahaqir Ishaq
Start Holly Jackson’s main series with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, followed by Good Girl, Bad Blood and As Good as Dead. Kill Joy is a prequel novella, while Five Survive, The Reappearance of Rachel Price, and Not Quite Dead Yet are standalone novels you can read in any order.
The main question is where to fit the prequel. Although Kill Joy takes place before Pip’s first major investigation, my recommendation for newcomers is to read the trilogy first and return to the novella afterward. Readers who prefer strict story chronology can put it at the beginning.
This spoiler-free guide separates publication order from story order and explains which book to choose if you want a cold-case mystery, a tense survival thriller, or Jackson’s first adult novel.
Holly Jackson Books in Publication Order
The following list uses original publication years, rather than the dates of later American editions, paperbacks, or special editions.
| Order | Book | First published | Series or standalone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder | 2019 | Main series, Book 1 |
| 2 | Good Girl, Bad Blood | 2020 | Main series, Book 2 |
| 3 | Kill Joy | 2021 | Prequel novella |
| 4 | As Good as Dead | 2021 | Main series, Book 3 |
| 5 | Five Survive | 2022 | YA standalone |
| 6 | The Reappearance of Rachel Price | 2024 | YA standalone |
| 7 | Not Quite Dead Yet | 2025 | Adult standalone |
One important detail: Kill Joy appeared in the United Kingdom in 2021, before As Good as Dead, but its U.S. edition arrived in February 2023. That explains why reading lists based on American releases may position it differently. HarperCollins identifies its original release as a 2021 World Book Day title.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Books in Order
For a first read, I recommend:
The first three books follow Pip’s continuing story. Read them in sequence: the later novels build on earlier events and reveal information you would otherwise discover in the preceding books.
1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi chooses a disturbing local case for a school project. Andie Bell disappeared five years earlier, and the community believes her boyfriend, Sal Singh, killed her. Pip questions that explanation and begins investigating with Sal’s brother, Ravi.
What begins as an academic project becomes dangerous as Pip uncovers secrets people would prefer to leave buried.
This is my recommended starting point because it introduces the central characters and the case that shapes the rest of the trilogy. If your favorite part of a mystery is working through evidence alongside an amateur detective, begin here.
The publisher’s description of the first novel outlines the cold case without revealing its solution.
2. Good Girl, Bad Blood
Pip intends to leave investigating behind, but the disappearance of Jamie Reynolds pulls her into another case. Her true-crime podcast gives the search a public audience, adding a different dimension to her detective work.
The second novel continues Pip’s story rather than resetting it. That makes it a poor place to start, even if its missing-person premise sounds especially appealing.
For readers drawn to podcasts and the tension between private tragedy and public attention, this is the next step after the first book. The official synopsis of Good Girl, Bad Blood confirms its place as the sequel.
3. As Good as Dead
As Pip prepares for college, the consequences of her earlier investigations remain with her. Anonymous threats become increasingly personal, and she suspects that someone is stalking her.
The third novel brings the trilogy to its conclusion. Its premise turns the investigator into a potential target, making the danger more immediate.
Save this book until you have finished both earlier novels. Knowing what Pip has already experienced matters to understanding her situation, and the publisher identifies As Good as Dead as the series finale.
Where Does Kill Joy Fit?
Kill Joy follows Pip at a murder-mystery party before the events of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. A fictional crime gives her an opportunity to put her investigative instincts to work.
It is a novella, not a fourth full-length sequel. The publisher’s Kill Joy page explicitly identifies it as a prequel.
You can read it first if you prefer chronological order. I would save it for afterward because the first novel offers a fuller introduction to Pip, while the novella gives established readers another visit with her.
Chronological order: Kill Joy → A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder → Good Girl, Bad Blood → As Good as Dead.
Holly Jackson’s Standalone Books
These novels tell separate stories. You do not need to finish Pip’s trilogy before picking them up.
Five Survive
First published: 2022
Category: Young adult thriller
Red Kenny and five companions head out on a spring-break road trip. When their RV becomes stranded in a remote location, they discover that someone has deliberately trapped them. With an armed threat outside and secrets inside, they have to work out what their attacker wants.
The official Five Survive synopsis establishes the confined setting and the overnight countdown.
Choose this one if you want immediate danger and a small group under pressure. Its premise makes it a useful option for readers who want to try Jackson without committing to a trilogy.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
First published: 2024
Category: Young adult mystery thriller
Eighteen-year-old Bel has grown up with her mother’s unexplained disappearance. Rachel Price vanished sixteen years earlier, and Bel was too young to remember what happened.
When the family participates in a true-crime documentary, Rachel unexpectedly returns. Bel questions her explanation, opening a new mystery around an event everyone thought belonged to the past.
The publisher’s description of The Reappearance of Rachel Price confirms that the documentary and Rachel’s return drive the story.
This is the standalone I would suggest to readers most interested in family secrets and missing-person mysteries. The hook shifts the central question from where someone went to whether you can trust their account of coming back.
Not Quite Dead Yet
First published: 2025
Category: Adult thriller
Jackson’s first adult novel follows twenty-seven-year-old Jet Mason after a violent attack. Doctors tell her that her head injury is expected to become fatal within a week. With limited time remaining, she sets out to identify her attacker.
The official Not Quite Dead Yet listing confirms its July 22, 2025, U.S. hardcover publication and adult-fiction status. The paperback followed on May 5, 2026.
Start here if you prefer an adult protagonist and a countdown mystery. It requires no knowledge of Jackson’s YA books.
Which Holly Jackson Book Should You Read First?
| What you want | Suggested starting point |
|---|---|
| Pip’s complete story | A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder |
| A contained survival thriller | Five Survive |
| Family secrets and a missing-person mystery | The Reappearance of Rachel Price |
| An adult thriller | Not Quite Dead Yet |
| The earliest events in Pip’s timeline | Kill Joy, then the trilogy |
My overall recommendation is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It is the most direct introduction to the series that established Jackson’s readership. If you want one complete story, choose the standalone with the premise that interests you most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Holly Jackson written?
This guide covers seven distinct fiction titles: six novels and one novella. Box sets, deluxe editions, and combined audio editions are not additional stories.
Is Kill Joy Book 4?
No. Kill Joy is a prequel novella set before A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. The main series consists of three novels.
Can you read Holly Jackson’s books out of order?
Her three standalone novels can be read in any order. Read the main trilogy in sequence to follow Pip’s story and avoid spoilers.
Is Five Survive connected to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder?
It is a standalone thriller with a different central cast and plot. You can read it without reading Pip’s books.
Are all Holly Jackson books young adult?
No. The trilogy, Kill Joy, Five Survive, and The Reappearance of Rachel Price are YA titles. Not Quite Dead Yet is her first adult novel.
What is Holly Jackson’s latest novel?
Among the distinct titles verified for this guide, Not Quite Dead Yet is the latest novel, first published in 2025. Its 2026 paperback release does not make it a new 2026 novel.
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