Holly Jackson makes headlines once again with the release of her debut adult thriller, Not Quite Dead Yet.

   “Having written five YA thrillers has really forced me to level up,” Jackson said, according to RadioTimes. 

   When Jackson announced the novel in October of 2024, she was met with many excited fans, which means that questions and concerns flooded her Instagram comments. After the book was released in July, readers and writers alike clamored to ask the best-selling author their most pressing questions. Fans were especially shocked to learn that Jet, Jackson’s newest protagonist, dies within the first chapter, especially since all of Jackson’s previous books were filled with beloved characters. Once she revealed many hints about “Not Quite Dead Yet,” fans began to speculate about theories that matched Jackson’s dramatic flair and intense character development. Jackson supports the wild assumptions and even acknowledges the intensity of her plots. 

   “There’s no twist that twists too far,” Jackson said on her Good Morning America appearance.

   The Five Survive author is known for her witty characters and problematic cliffhangers that often leave readers shocked. In her debut adult novel, Jackson has the creative freedom to explore new plot twists and conversations that weren’t accessible in her young adult work. 

   “I don’t want to do the type of thrillers people have done before,” Jackson said, according to Stylist UK.

   Even without the creative freedom that Jackson gets in her adult novels, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was Jackson’s bestseller, proven by the 9 million copies sold that inspired the Netflix TV series with Jackson herself as an executive producer and writer. As the series quickly became a hit among young adult readers who enjoyed the trilogy, filming for the second season came to a close, and Jackson sought new ways to expand her horizons as a writer and stand out in the publishing world as she releases bold novels for a new audience.