Today's Read Contributor Best known for her breakout success in young adult fiction, Holly Jackson has now ventured into new literary territory with her adult suspense debut, Not Quite Dead Yet. Released on July 28, the novel has quickly captured the attention of readers and critics alike for its emotional intensity, complex character development, and high-stakes plot.
Jackson, who rose to prominence with her YA thriller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, brings her signature twist-laden storytelling into more mature terrain. In Not Quite Dead Yet, the protagonist Jet Mason awakens in a hospital with a traumatic brain injury and a grim prognosis—just seven days to live without undergoing a risky and uncertain surgery. Rather than submit to the procedure, Jet chooses to spend her final week solving the mystery of her own attempted murder. This premise fuels a gripping narrative set against the backdrop of a tightly woven Vermont community.
Jet enlists the help of her childhood friend Billy, and together they navigate a series of shocking revelations, buried secrets, and long-held grudges. As the duo pieces together the puzzle of who wanted Jet dead and why, the story probes deeper themes of mortality, friendship, and personal redemption. Jackson’s deft storytelling not only maintains a taut pace but also brings a reflective tone to the genre, offering readers both emotional resonance and edge-of-the-seat suspense.
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Early reviews have praised Jackson for the smooth and impactful transition from young adult to adult fiction. Critics note that while Not Quite Dead Yet retains the layered mystery elements Jackson is known for, it also expands into new territory with more mature emotional stakes and character arcs. Jet Mason is portrayed as a fully realized character, whose transformation from a passive observer of life to an active pursuer of justice adds richness to the narrative.
“Jackson has managed to retain the accessibility of her YA writing while enriching it with the kind of depth and nuance adult readers crave,” noted TodaysRead in a glowing review. “Jet Mason is the kind of heroine readers won’t soon forget—flawed, fearless, and ferociously determined.”
The novel’s setting in a small Vermont town also plays a crucial role, adding layers of intimacy and claustrophobia to the suspense. Local relationships are depicted with authenticity, making each twist in the plot feel both surprising and emotionally grounded. Jackson uses the close-knit environment not just as a backdrop but as a catalyst for character development and narrative momentum.
Jackson herself has described the book as “a meditation on how people confront death and how that confrontation changes them,” in a recent interview. “I wanted to explore what we do with the time we have left, especially when we know the clock is ticking,” she said. That thematic weight grounds the thriller’s more breathless moments, offering readers a story that is as thought-provoking as it is pulse-pounding.
Not Quite Dead Yet also arrives at a moment when audiences are increasingly seeking stories that combine escapism with emotional realism. With its exploration of finality, forgiveness, and self-empowerment, the novel taps into contemporary conversations around life choices, medical ethics, and the power of personal agency.
Holly Jackson’s foray into adult fiction is already being hailed as a significant literary pivot. As readers embrace this new phase of her career, publishers are likely to look toward future titles with heightened anticipation. For now, Not Quite Dead Yet stands as a formidable and rewarding entry into the adult suspense genre—one that may well become a benchmark for authors crossing age-demographic boundaries.
For those who followed Jackson’s YA journey, this debut offers familiar thrills with deeper emotional stakes. For new readers, it’s an ideal introduction to an author who continues to evolve and surprise.
