How do you solve your own murder?
Regular blog readers will know how much I love a high concept crime thriller, especially when it works as brilliantly as ‘Not Quite Dead’ does.
What’s it about?
When Jet Mason is brutally attacked on Halloween, she’s left with a brain injury that will kill her within seven days. Never having made anything of her life, Jet decides to make her death meaningful by finding her murderer, but as her family and friends become suspects, and her injury causes complications, can Jet succeed in unearthing the truth?
What’s it like?
Fast-paced, funny and beautifully sad. This is Jackson’s first adult novel and her writing definitely retains a YA feel, courtesy of her protagonist’s childish sense of humour and gung-ho attitude towards crime solving. (At one point, Jet gives an authority figure the finger while deliberately, slowly, removing a curl of hair from over her eye.) The real surprise is that she’s meant to be 27 as her recklessness, manipulative nature and occasional obliviousness to the blindingly obvious (oh, Billy, whoever did you write that song for?) is deeply reminiscent of a self-absorbed teenager. That said, those exact characteristics make this book very engaging to read, and I imagine knowing you are dying imminently would make anybody feel reckless!
‘Be neighbourly. Buy him more beer.’
‘He’s an alcoholic,’ Billy hissed.
Jet shrugged. ‘So it’s the perfect distraction.’
Expect plenty of swearing, lots of secrets waiting to be unearthed and a surprising sweetness from the relationship between Jet and her undervalued friend, neighbour and breaking-and-entering assistant, Billy, all delivered at a rattling good pace. After all, when you’re dying in seven days, who has time to stick to the rules?
Final thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Not Quite Dead Yet’. Jet is a frustrating but engaging protagonist: bolshy, intelligent, vulnerable and, ultimately, so very human.
I guessed one key element of the plot early on, but actually felt that this was deliberate on Jackson’s part, encouraging the reader to focus on a key character and leaving enough clues to allow you to could reach the truth before any characters do.
Then there’s the ending…a good ending can make a big difference even to an otherwise disappointing book; in this thrilling escapade, the ending is pretty perfect and might just make you cry.