4 Of The Best Holly Jackson Books In Order

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“Real men wear floral when trespassing.”

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If you love twisty thrillers packed with tension, dark secrets, and unforgettable characters, Holly Jackson’s books are essential reading. Best known for her gripping A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, Jackson has become one of the world’s most popular YA mystery authors – and for good reason. Whether you’re new to her writing or looking to revisit her novels, knowing the best order to read Holly Jackson books makes all the difference. Today at What We Reading, we’re taking you through all the best Holly Jackson books in order. You’ll find our favourite Holly Jackson reading order, summaries of each story, and tips on which series or standalone series to start with first. Ready to dive into the best Holly Jackson books? Here’s how to experience her thrillers in perfect order. 

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A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder #1) (2019)

Where else could we start a list of the best Holly Jackson books than with her insanely popular, global bestseller, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder? Everyone in Fairview knows the story. Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. And, five years on, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town. Yet she can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to the story than meets the eye. She knew Sal when he was a child. How could he have possibly been a killer? 

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to re-examine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal’s innocence… and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger. 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Book Series

Kill Joy (2021) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1

Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2

As Good as Dead (2021) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3

Five Survive (2022)

Eighteen-year-old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive, but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one at a time, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark, watching them, and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for. 

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the true target. Buried secrets are forced into the light in this cramped, claustrophobic setting, and the tensions within the RV soon reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night. 

The Reappearance Of Rachel Price (2024)

Eighteen-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mother’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished, and young Bel was the sole witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes that everyone would just move on. But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again. 

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead. The Reappearance of Rachel Price is a mind-blowing mystery thriller by Holly Jackson about a girl’s search for the truth, and the terror of finding out who your family really is. 

Not Quite Dead (2025)

In seven days, Jet Mason will be dead. Jet is the first daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. On Halloween night, Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder. She suffers a catastrophic head injury. The doctor is certain that, within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm. 

Jet has never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend. She has at most seven days, and as her condition worsens, she only has her childhood friend, Billy, for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finish something in her life: Jet is going to solve her own murder. This gripping tale of a woman trying to identify her own killer marks Holly Jackson’s debut adult thriller.